Riot Fest 2025 Previews

Agnostic Front and Senses Fail

Agnostic Front

Agnostic Front is a pioneering hardcore punk band from New York City, formed in 1980. They are widely credited with helping define the New York Hardcore (NYHC) scene and were instrumental in the development of crossover thrash, blending hardcore punk with thrash metal intensity.

What to Expect at an Agnostic Front Live Show:

  • Relentless energy: Their shows are fast, aggressive, and full of raw power—expect circle pits, stage dives, and a crowd that’s fully engaged.
  • Hardcore anthems: Setlists often include classics like “Victim in Pain,” “Gotta Go,” “For My Family,” and “Crucified.”
  • Old-school spirit: Their performances are rooted in the DIY ethos and community-driven energy of early hardcore.
  • Tight musicianship: Despite the chaos, the band is razor-sharp live, with frontman Roger Miret and guitarist Vinnie Stigma leading the charge.

Their shows are a must for fans of hardcore punk—intense, authentic, and deeply rooted in the genre’s history.

Senses Fail

Senses Fail is a post-hardcore/emo band from Ridgewood, New Jersey, formed in 2001. Fronted by Buddy Nielsen, the band is known for blending emotional vulnerability with aggressive punk and hardcore elements. Over the years, they’ve evolved from early screamo roots into a more melodic, introspective sound while maintaining their raw intensity.

What to Expect at a Senses Fail Live Show:

  • High emotional energy: Their performances are cathartic, with Buddy Nielsen pouring everything into his vocals—whether screaming or singing.
  • Fan-favorite anthems: Expect a mix of early 2000s emo/post-hardcore hits like “Buried a Lie,” “Rum Is for Drinking, Not for Burning,” and “Calling All Cars”, along with newer material.
  • Crowd connection: Their shows often feel personal and communal, with fans singing along to every word.
  • Dynamic setlists: They balance heavy breakdowns with melodic choruses, appealing to both old-school fans and newer listeners.

Schedule release musings – conflicts, early shows, and Good Friday

We have a schedule for Riot Fest 2019.  For me it’s exciting when the schedule is released.  Probably sounds weird, but kinda like seeing the NCAA Bracket…who’s playing who and when and where.  And there’s anxiety.  Will you be able to see everyone you want?  When can you sneak out to get a refreshment?  Who are you gonna cut out on for some ice cream late on a Friday?  With such a full lineup there is bound to be conflicts.  And there are.

First off, on first lineup release I was excited for sure but for some odd reason now that I see times and places I’m crazy excited.  Even the perceived slower days are full.  And Friday….crazy…it’s almost as if Surf City Blitz died (it did, btw) and was resurrected into one day.  Legacy punk, So Cal punk, and more punk.  For this Surf City Blitz resurrection, we’ll call Friday “Good Friday”.  We just don’t have the beach cruisers.

Conflicts? One HUGE one for me a few lesser ones.  Descendents could very well be a casualty.  While they were one of my top fives, I’m not sure I can see myself cutting away from Pennywise to see Descendents and miss Rancid.  Damn, if there’s a bar and shitter near the Radicals stage I could post up there all day until Blink with Anti-Flag, Senses Fail, Cock Sparrer, Pennywise, and Rancid all on that one stage.  (Correction, after listening to Senses Fail again they probably won’t make the cut over seeing Angel Du$t on the Karen Black side stage). That’s a good run, but I would miss Descendents.  The rest of the other conflicts are meaningless compared to this one.

And while it would have been nice to see the B-52s off into the sunset (because of their first albums, Red and Yellow, not that Love Shack junk), they will be skipped for the #1 act of the weekend, Bob Mould.  And Saturday night brings up some decision making with Manchester Orchestra against Rise Against and Bloc Party up against SlayerLess Than Jake up against Ride is another conflict.  I kinda feel Ride is a need to see, but Less Than Jake is fun.  But who knows my mindset by Sunday afternoon.

The early shows are also a tough call.  The dreaded “Wombats” slot to open a festival day went to a couple of great bands, PkewX3 and Masked Intruder.  I don’t think we made it to Riot Fest 2017 day one until around 5pm (the KJ disappearing act day) and neither of the other days until 130pm or 2pm.  I knew the lineup was bottom heavy with a lot of great bands in small print, but it will be difficult to catch them. The Garden, The HU (top five must sees), and Save Ferris are also in jeopardy early.  There is faint hope that one will get slotted to open for the Femmes aftershow as a late add.  It happened with Buzzcocks’ opening act when they added Slaves the week of.  And that turned out quite dandy.

Speaking of aftershows, one of the multitudes of reasons to do aftershows is because of conflicts.  You can skip them during the day opening up slots for others.  We went 2 for 3 in our aftershow choices in avoiding conflicts.  Skipping Femmes allow Cock Sparrer and Pennywise and skipping Teenage Bottlerocket allows Bob Mould.  If only we chose Descendents instead of Hot Snakes we could have batted 1000%.  But Hot Snakes at the Cobra?  Fuhgetabouit.  They’ll be awesome.

And there’s some decisions to make:

Friday

Hot Water Music vs I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

The Flaming Lips vs Rancid (just kidding)

Saturday

Manchester Orchestra vs Rise Against

Slayer vs Bloc Party

Leaving early to see Hot Snakes’ opener Des Demonas or seeing Slayer play Raining Blood and Angel of Death

Sunday

Skating Polly vs Save Ferris

White Reaper vs Frank Iero

For those with other priorities: NFL football vs Skating Polly, Save Ferris, White Reaper, and Frank Iero

Ride vs Less Than Jake

Against Me vs Streetlight Manifesto

Raconteurs vs Ween (kidding again)

Bikini Kill’s encore vs getting Lou Malnatis before the Cobra Lounge

Riot Fest 2019 Countdown 4 – Glassjaw and Senses Fail

I put these bands together as they’re similar.  Guess what, they’re not emo or pop punk.  It seems like we’ve had a lot of them lately.  They’re hardcore meets metal.  One was even called “screamo”.  Could be a nice side trip.  But they aren’t an easy listen, which isn’t bad. It just may take the right time and place.  Both are from the NYC area, too.

Glassjaw is from Long Island and another of the Friday conflicts.  Probably won’t make my cut but see for yourself.

They play Friday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPKolZv0W1E&t=1799s

Senses Fail are from Jersey.  They lose points doing a Limp Bizkit cover (see the Warped Tour video at 20:00) but recover with a Rage cover.