Riot Fest 2025 Previews

Jawbreaker, Green Day, and GWAR

Jawbreaker

Jawbreaker is a seminal punk rock band from San Francisco, formed in 1986. Known for their emotionally raw lyrics and gritty sound, they helped shape the ’90s emo and punk scenes with albums like 24 Hour Revenge Therapy and Dear You. After a long hiatus, they reunited in recent years and continue to draw passionate crowds.

What to Expect at a Jawbreaker Show

  • Intense, heartfelt performances with a mix of punk energy and emotional depth.
  • Fan favorites like “Boxcar,” “Accident Prone,” “Kiss the Bottle,” and “Jet Black.”
  • A crowd that’s deeply connected to the music—expect singalongs, nostalgia, and a strong sense of community.
  • A no-frills, authentic punk vibe with tight musicianship and minimal stage theatrics.

Green Day

Green Day is one of the most iconic punk rock bands of the last three decades, known for their explosive energy, politically charged lyrics, and massive hits like “Basket Case,” “American Idiot,” and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”

What to Expect at a Green Day Show in 2025

Their 2025 World Tour is in support of their latest album, Saviors, and it’s a full-scale stadium and festival experience. Here’s what fans can expect:

  • High-octane performances with a mix of classic hits and new tracks from Saviors.
  • Massive stage production featuring pyrotechnics, video backdrops, and crowd interaction.
  • Singalong anthems and moments of punk rebellion, especially during songs like “Holiday” and “Know Your Enemy.”
  • A setlist that spans their entire career—from Dookie to Revolution Radio and beyond.

GWAR

GWAR is a satirical heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, in 1984. They’re best known for their elaborate science fiction-themed mythology, grotesque costumes, and theatrical live performances. The band members portray intergalactic warriors and monsters, with stage names like Oderus Urungus and Balsac the Jaws of Death. Musically, GWAR blends thrash metal, punk, and shock rock, often with humorous and politically charged lyrics.

Live Show Description

A GWAR concert is more than just music—it’s a full-blown theatrical spectacle. Here’s what to expect:

  • Costumes & Characters: Band members wear massive, grotesque latex and foam costumes resembling aliens, demons, and mutants.
  • Fake Blood & Gore: The show features copious amounts of fake blood, slime, and other fluids sprayed onto the audience using props like decapitated heads and disemboweled bodies.
  • Satirical Violence: They often “slay” celebrity or political effigies on stage in over-the-top, cartoonish fashion.
  • Audience Participation: Fans (often called “bohabs”) come prepared to get drenched and be part of the chaos.
  • Multimedia & Props: Expect giant monsters, elaborate sets, and a storyline that ties the performance together.

It’s part metal concert, part horror-comedy, and part performance art—definitely a unique experience.

Riot Fest 22…are we gonna do this?

It’s looking more and more likely. At least a few days and a few aftershows perhaps. Saturday seems to be the easy no brainer with a lot of favorites. Friday and Sunday….when in Rome…

But in preparation, here’s a quick shot of some of the Saturday favorites. These need no introduction as we’ve seen them live in one place or the other that last few years. And these are what drive Saturday.

The Front Bottoms

Bad Religion

The Joy Formidable

I was at this with Charlie and/or Todd

Fear

GWAR

Riot Fest 2021 Preview – GWAR

Only one preview this week. Mostly because it’s almost impossible to pair them with anyone. They stand alone in style and music for sure.

GWAR – Saturday

The story of GWAR is carved across the history of this barren and hopeless planet, but GWAR themselves are not of this world… their story begins in the deepest reaches of outer space. Long ago, the beings who would become the rock band GWAR were part of an elite fighting force, the Scumdogs of the Universe. For eons, they served as thralls to a supreme being known only as the Master. But one by one, each future member of the band earned a glaring reputation for being an intergalactic fuck-up. And so, they were banished, sent away on a fool’s errand to conquer an insignificant shitball floating in a dark corner of the universe; the planet Earth. Once here, GWAR shaped the face of the globe, destroying and rebuilding the natural world, and giving rise to all of human history. Aliens to some, gods and demons to others, our erstwhile Scumdogs fucked apes to create the human race, and this fateful unplanned pregnancy would prove to be truly disastrous!