Riot Fest, Douglass Park, Chicago, US, September 15-17, 2023

The Cure

The Cure, Foo Fighters, The Postal Service, The Breeders

Riot Fest, Douglass Park, Chicago, US, September 15-17, 2023,

Sep 26, 2023 By Candace McDuffie Photography by Taylor Nettnin Web Exclusive

Chicago’s infamous Riot Fest conquered Douglass Park for another year full of unforgettable sets from rock’s most prolific musicians. Founded in 2005 and independently owned, the festival has become synonymous with providing music lovers a space where they can become fully absorbed in performances by their favourite artists.

Past headliners include Nine Inch Nails, Ice Cube, Bikini Kill, My Chemical Romance and Wu-Tang Clan. The 2023 edition, like previous Riot Fest iterations, was bursting at the seams with talented and historical acts. Parliament Funkadelic, alongside the one and only George Clinton, lit up the Rise Stage on Friday.

The Cure, whose set lasted for over two hours, closed out the festival with frontman Robert Smith sounding as potent as ever on the main stage. They weren’t the only bands to enchant the crowd. The energy emanating from experimental facet Death Grips was palpable. Head Automatica’s set was enjoyably upbeat, with lead singer Daryl Palumbo promising fans new music along the way.

Say Anything channeled their righteous rage, while The Used effortlessly delivered two decades worth of hits. Foo Fighters reminded attendees why they remain rock royalty after 30 years and Ben Gibbard pulled double duty with both Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service. Here are photos from some of Riot Fest 2023’s most memorable moments.