10 Must-See Artists Playing Riot Fest 2026 (Who Aren’t the Headliners)

Let’s not bury the lede here: Riot Fest 2026 is one week away. That means there are only seven more days before we’re moshing to killer set after killer set in Chicago’s Douglas Park. As expected for an event we named our 2025 Festival of the Year, the lineup is pretty darn stacked, led this year by headliners Tool, Pierce the Veil, and Twenty One Pilots. Ask us, however, and we’ll tell you that the true strength of a music festival lies in its undercard. Sure, seeing “The Pot” will be extremely sick, but what about the several other hours we’ll be hanging around in the September sun? Luckily, the Riot Fest 2026 lineup does not slouch. With a mix of buzzy newcomers (Angine de Poitrine, Cardinals, This Is Lorelei), familiar favorites (Pixies, Bright Eyes, Taking Back Sunday, PUP, Social Distortion), and full-blown alternative icons (Iggy Pop, Morrissey, Elvis Costello, Patti Smith), we can already tell Riot Fest won’t leave us with too much free time come next weekend. Truthfully, it’s a lot to take in, but don’t worry, we’ve got your back. How? With a list of must-see bands and artists that you can plan your days around, of course! These are by no means the only folks worth checkin...