Riot Fest 2025 attendees are sounding alarms on Reddit’s r/riotfest about international bands potentially facing obstacles traveling to the U.S. following recent cancellations linked to visa and travel complications.
The abrupt drop of all U.S. tour dates by Canadian punk band Propagandhi, citing “unforeseen circumstances,” has ignited speculation that politically outspoken UK acts on Riot Fest’s lineup—such as IDLES, Soft Play, and Lambrini Girls—might confront similar roadblocks. These concerns are amplified by the bands’ known stances and past festival withdrawals over political issues, like Lambrini Girls pulling from The Great Escape 2024 due to their pro-Palestine views.
Fans are sharing stories of border-entry troubles and debating whether to skip multiple U.S. festivals amid this uncertainty. Yet some point to recent successful U.S. entries by other international politically-charged groups as a hopeful counterpoint. There remains particular anxiety about potential last-minute drops from lower-tier acts vulnerable to travel restrictions.
This wave of artist drop-outs and visa worries underscores the fragile state of Riot Fest’s international roster for 2025, leaving both fans and organizers on edge as the festival approaches.
Source: r/riotfest