Festivals
Riot Fest Turns 20 With A Wild 2025 Lineup
Riot Fest is hitting the big 2-0. What started in 2005 as a scrappy little punk fest has blown up into a full-blown institution, and it’s back at Chicago’s Douglass Park from September 19–21 to celebrate two decades of chaos, nostalgia, and guitar feedback.
The headliners this year are blink-182, Green Day, and Weezer doing The Blue Album. That’s stadium-size singalongs every night.
The next tier is stacked too: The Sex Pistols (with Frank Carter up front), Rilo Kiley (yes, really), Knocked Loose, The Beach Boys, The Pogues (touring with guests after Shane MacGowan’s passing), Jack White, IDLES, Jawbreaker, Bad Religion, The Hold Steady, Texas Is The Reason (reunion show #3), Dance Hall Crashers (another reunion), Alkaline Trio, The Wonder Years, The Front Bottoms, James, Sparks, and a curious mid-poster slot for “Weird Al” Yankovic.
And the small print’s where things get wild. Shudder To Think are reuniting. Hanson’s there, The Damned, The Bouncing Souls, Rico Nasty, Screeching Weasel, Citizen, Microwave, Free Throw, Dehd, The Linda Lindas, Panchiko, Buzzcocks, Superchunk, Touché Amoré, Militarie Gun, The Cribs, Helmet, Marky Ramone, Agnostic Front, and more punk lifers and newcomers than you can cram onto a jean vest.
Local heroes like Pegboy, Didjits, and The Effigies round out the Chicago flavor.
Tickets are on sale now. Plan your outfits, prep your earplugs, and maybe call your chiropractor, this one’s gonna hurt in the best way!
Festivals
PNE Summer Night Concerts – Train
After almost 10 years away, Train made its highly anticipated return to Vancouver, taking the stage at the PNE as part of the Summer Nights series for an electric night of nostalgia, energy and some of the band’s biggest hits. Nearly 10,000 fans packed the venue to welcome the group back to the city.
With nearly 33 years of performing together, Train proved that its signature sound and undeniable stage presence remain as strong as ever. Currently on the Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in the Atmosphere Tour, the band is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its iconic album with a set that served as both a celebration of its enduring catalogue and a reminder of why these songs have remained fan favourites for decades.
Opening with “Calling All Angels,” the band quickly launched into a crowd-pleasing run of classics, including “Hey, Soul Sister,” “Marry Me” and “Drive By.” Throughout the night, the set balanced humour and heart, with frontman Pat Monahan connecting with the crowd and reflecting the warmth and personality that have become synonymous with Train’s live performances.
The night ultimately came full circle with the song that started the 25th-anniversary celebration: “Drops of Jupiter.” As the familiar opening notes rang out across the PNE, nearly 10,000 voices joined in, creating a fitting finale to a night that celebrated not only one of Train’s most beloved albums, but an iconic career spanning more than three decades.
Check our our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
TRAIN
All Photo Credit : Jill Meagher
Festivals
PNE Summer Night Concerts – Barenaked Ladies
Barenaked Ladies have spent decades perfecting the art of making a concert feel like the world’s biggest, weirdest, most Canadian house party.
Taking the stage on September 2, 2026, at the new Freedom Mobile Amphitheatre as part of the PNE Summer Night Concert series, the hometown legends brought their signature blend of goofy humour and radio hits to Vancouver for a night that felt a little like raiding the best parts of your childhood playlist.
With a catalogue spanning decades, there was no shortage of familiar favourites, with the band dipping into the hits that have made their way into everything from radio playlists to childhood memories. Songs like “The Old Apartment,” “If I Had $1,000,000,” and “Brian Wilson” remain just as catchy as ever, proving that some songs simply refuse to leave your brain.
The new venue made for a fitting home for the show, with the open-air atmosphere adding to the festival-like feeling of the evening. Between the music, the laughs, and plenty of singing along, Barenaked Ladies delivered exactly what you’d hope for from an end-of-season summer concert: good tunes, good laughs, and a whole lot of happy people singing “One Week” at 100% volume!
Check out our favourite photos of the night below or head to our Facebook page for the full gallery!
BARENAKED LADIES
All Photo Credit: Heather Horncastle