At this year’s Riot Fest, a manifold of performers showed up and showed out at the Chicago-based punk festival. From Taylor Acorn and Death Cab For Cutie to Sleep Token and Death Grips, there was a fabulous set for every kind of alternative fan. Of course, the fest closed out with a 2.5-hour, career-spanning headline performance from The Cure on Sunday, September 17.
Playing tracks from Japanese Whispers all the way to Disintegration and Pornography, fans were treated to top hits and B-sides alike, including an eight-song encore.
If you’re feeling a bit of FOMO, this setlist definitely won’t cure it. Here is the entire setlist from The Cure’s historic Riot Fest headliner of 2023.
The Cure’s Riot Fest 2023 Setlist:
- Alone
- Pictures of You
- High
- Lovesong
- And Nothing Is Forever
- Cold
- Burn
- Fascination Street
- A Night Like This
- Push
- In Between Days
- Just Like Heaven
- At Night
- Play For Today
- A Forest
- Shake Dog Shake
- From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea
- Endsong
Encore:
- Lullaby
- The Walk
- Friday I’m In Love
- Close To Me
- Why Can’t I Be You?
- Boys Don’t Cry
- 10:15 Saturday Night
- Killing An Arab (Killing Another)
Various attendees shared their concert footage, including Twitter/X user @maryJblond, who was close enough to see the Amy Winehouse shirt Robert Smith was wearing.
User Tony Kuziminski also shared a clip of the iconic “ Friday I’m In Love.”
Other headliners throughout the weekend included Foo Fighters, Turnstile, The Postal Service, Queens Of The Stone Age, 100 Gecs, Insane Clown Posse, and Mr. Bungle. Surely, you couldn’t go wrong with seeing any of these acts.
Despite the performances, Riot Fest’s location remains controversial and a highly contentious topic of discussion in the punk community. Many punks were also displeased with the presence of the CPD recruiting booth, demonstrating a complete contrast to the ethos of the music festival.
