Ticket Giveaway • Freaky Deaky @ Toyota Park 10/30-11/1
Celebrating 7 years of freakiness, React Presents returns with their fall lineup for Freaky Deaky, and this year has an interesting twist or two. In past years, fans poured into The Aragon Ballroom in their best Halloween attire to enjoy a single night of organized chaos. This year, React has changed up the venue and has expanded the lineup into a full fledged 3 day festival. With the recent expansion announcement of Freaky Deaky and Reaction (React's 2 day NYE bash), it appears that Chicago's festival season has been extended clear through the end of the year. I'm honestly exhausted just thinking about it.
Below, enjoy my take on the ideal Freak Deaky schedule, but feel free to take what you've learned here today and create your own schedule at freakydeakyhalloween.com. In addition to putting you on to what acts to catch at this year's festival, we're also going to give you a chance at winning a pair of 3 day passes! Simply sign up for our mailing list below and tweet @thesedays_news the three performers you're most looking forward to see using the hashtag #FreakyDeaky. Simple.
You're never going to look as good as you do when you kick off day one. Your costume is fresh and presumably you are as well after putting the work week to rest and embarking on what's sure to be one hell of a bender. Take advantage of the extra energy and get to Toyota Park early to make your first decision of the weekend. The 3:00 slot features both Chicago's Milk N Cookies and Porn and Chicken. Both will be entertaining DJ sets, but I'm personally leaning towards Porn and Chicken for their normally eventful stage show. Next up at 4:00 make sure to hit the Shrine stage for L.A.'s Tokimonsta. Following the recent release of Gavin Turek's You're Invited which Tokimonsta produced in its entirety, she's sure to have plenty of new music to perform. From their, you may want to stay at the Shrine stage for Paper Diamond. Following his 2013 performance at North Coast Music Festival, I was sold on the electronic music producer from Colorado. The 6:00 and 7:00 slots are a toss up between the Shrine and the Big Top stage. It's all DJ's all the time until we start getting in the headliners around 8:15 when Freaky Deaky asked you to choose between Flying Lotus and Action Bronson. How dare they! This is quite the conundrum and will likely be a game time decision that depends heavily on the amount of substances consumed at this point in the day. Closing out day one has to be 2 Chainz at the Big Top Stage. Nothing against Bassnectar, but if I have a choice between dubstep and Tity Two Necklaces, it's a no brainer.
Assuming you're still alive and motivated for Day 2, you can probably afford to show up a little later in the evening starting around 6:00 to catch Joey Badass. If you haven't made it over to the DJ heavy Crypt stage yet, you may want to duck out of Joey's set a little early to catch some of Mr. Carmack before choosing between a 7:00 performance by Benny Benassi at the Big Top stage, or always comical and at times controversial Riff Raff over at the Shrine. For the hip hop fans, the next choice is obvious. Follow up Riff Raff with a performance from Logic at the Big Top stage, then maybe call it a night. If you're here for the electronic sounds, the headlining portion of Saturday night is a crucial one. Between trance legend Armin Man Buren, electronic jam band Big Gigantic, and techno veteran Gesaffelstein, where to wrap up your evening may be a tough choice. Whatever you decide, I recommend planting yourself and enjoying the vibes of just one. Attempting a juggling act may result in a less than climactic end to the evening. Don't give yourself festival blue balls.
Woah, it's Sunday already and you and your costume are hopefully still in reasonable shape. Sleep in a little late, enjoy brunch with friends, but make sure you get to the fest no later than 4:50 for Goldlink, a rising star from Washington DC that has recently taken the hip hop world by storm following the release of his debut The God Complex and being named one of XXL's 2015 Freshmen. Following Goldlink, head over to the Shrine stage and get comfortable. Fools Gold Records co-founder A-Trak takes to the decks at 6:10 and is immediately followed by Chicago's own Vic Mensa at 7:10. Vic is our only local hip hop act on the bill, but it's probably safe to say he won't be showing up alone. Wrapping up the weekend will be Carnage, Pretty Lights, and Canada's Richie Hawtin. For me, the decision is simple, trap will always prevail. Although Pretty Lights has an amazing light show, and I'm sure Richie is great, but the opportunity to catch "Bricks" live is something I'm not going to be able to pass up!
All in all, this weekend is lit and you can go make your own decisions or abide by mine for free if you follow the instructions above. Now sign up below, make that tweet, and hope you get that email from us with details on how to pick up your weekend passes! Winner will be announced October 20th at noon.