Riot Fest 2018 - Friday
photo by James Richards IV

Riot Fest 2018 Friday pics (Weezer, Digable Planets, Liz Phair, more)

Despite rumors of cancellation that spread on social media and a few last minute headliner changes when blink-182 cancelled shows for health reasons, the 2018 edition of Riot Fest kicked off on Friday (9/14) in Chicago’s Douglas Park. Weezer headlined day one of the festival with a set that included classic fan favorites like “Undone” and “El Scorcho,” as well as their internet-inspired cover of Toto’s “Africa,” and a cover of blink-182’s “All The Small Things” in honor of the band’s absence. Watch video of the blink-182 cover below.

Also on hand for day one of Riot Fest were current tourmates Liz Phair and Speedy Ortiz, Lagwagon, Taking Back Sunday, Cypress Hill, Digable Planets (who played their 1993 debut Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space) in full for its 25th anniversary), The Front Bottoms, Flogging Molly, Pussy Riot (whose leader Nadya Tolokonnikova told NME that the collective “considered cancelling but thought it would be more important to go on with it and tell people what happened” following the alleged poisoning and subsequent hospitalization of member Pyotr Verzilov, and began their set holding a sign reading “We will punish those who poisoned Peter Verzilov”), Sum 41, and more. Check out pictures from Friday in the gallery above.

Riot Fest continues throughout the weekend – check out our ten acts not to miss at the festival, as well as the set times.

UPDATE: Check out pictures from Saturday at Riot Fest HERE.

photos by James Richards IV