Looking Ahead • North Coast Music Festival
Another weekend with friends, food, and some of our favorite music in the city is right around the corner. Coming in for their 8th year of performances, North Coast Music Festival takes over Union Park tomorrow with an all-ages welcomed medley of lineups. With over 50 years of experience between them, React Presents, Silver Wrapper, Cold Grums Productions and Metronome Chicago have come together each year to give us an unforgettably festive experience. They’ve got it down to a science.
This year there will be plenty to do if you’re looking to mix it up. They’ve brought back Silent Disco with a twist this time around with VIBE Flo Yoga Sessions. They’ll also have some of Chicago’s brightest emerging and long lasting artists with the The Living Graffiti Gallery. Our friends Nikko Washington and Jas Petersen are some of the featured installation artists, not to mention plan on hitting the bando with Jungle’s 3D Trap House. Don’t forget to check out the food selection along the southeast corner of the Park, they’ve brought in more beverage vendors to help with the drink lines as well. With all the unique artists their hosting this year, no doubt you’ll find yourself spread a little thin, but you’re in luck. The North Coast Music Festival app is available on iPhone and Android, there you can access anything from up-to-date set times, a festival map, to info on all the official after parties.
Going to North Coast is like attending a school where every year the senior trip is crashed by previous graduating classes. For all those newly Chicago minted festival heads looking to make “Summer’s Last Stand” this labor day weekend, I hope you’ve already gotten your tickets. If not, you still have a decent amount of options available. I’d say your best bet is a single day ticket for $75, but if you’re looking to go VIP-Rick, go ahead and drop that $112 if you got it like that. If you’re a newcomer this year, be sure to hit northcoastfestival.com for all your Coastie-tips. If you’re looking for some performance guidance, check me out below.
DAY 1
Friday gets started at 3pm, but if you’re rolling with us you’re hitting up Edamame at 3:15 on the Coast Stage near Ashland before anything else. After you Bask with Chicago producer Edamame, we’re headed to see our good friend from Milwaukee, WebsterX at the North Stage. Coming back to the Coast stage we’re catching up with Westside, Georgia’s viral sensation London On Da Track. If you’ve ever been to one of Juggernaut's SweatShop parties over the years, then you already know we’re popping in the Silent Disco to catch Sir Manny Muscles himself on the 1’s and 2’s. Toward the end of Manny’s set we’re jetting to the Coast Stage for BADBADNOTGOOD’s jazzy Late Night Tales. If you’re fortunate enough to catch both Lil Dicky and Bonobo somehow, I’d be curious to know how many calories you burned doing so. After that you’ll have even more time managements issues to face. The House Dj Tent closes out with Derrick Carter which slightly overlaps with Deadmau5, B2B, and Eric Prydz, but If you think we’re missing Gucci Mane you are surely mistaken.
3:15 - 4:00pm - Edamame - Coast Stage
3:45 - 4:30pm - WebsterX - North Stage
4:30 - 5:30pm - London On Da Track - Coast Stage
5:45 - 6:45pm - Manny Muscles - Silent Disco A
7:30 - 8:30pm - Lil Dicky - North Stage
7:30 - 8:30pm - Bonobo - Coast Stage
8:15 - 9:15pm - Derrick Carter - House Dj Tent
8:30 - 10:00pm - Deadmau5 B2B & Eric Prydz - Skyline Stage
9:00 - 10:00pm - Gucci Mane - Coast Stage
After Parties
Deadmau5, No Mana and Attlas - Concord Music Hall 18+
DAY 2
If you thought Friday was too hectic you might as well stay home Saturday, there are so many to see. First off, Saturday starts a little earlier so we’re getting in tune with Chicago’s Nu Pop outfit Carlile at 1pm. If you’re not feeling quite up to the turn-up just yet, take a break and get some food, or maybe check out the Vibe Flo Yoga session with Cass and Dexter Alan at the Silent Disco. If you’re ready for more, Sunsquabi from Colorado has the cloud funk for your soul. With a smooth transition to Tank and The Bangas on the Skyline Stage, get ready for the switch up about half way through with Whethan. As we split our time between Teklife and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, we’re going to end it at the Coast Stage with Post Malone. Right after that it’s OutKast’s Big Boi and then we’re on our way to Damian Marley back at Skyline to end the night.
1:00 - 2:00pm - Carlile - Coast Stage
1:45 - 2:45pm - Sunsquabi - North Stage
2:45 - 3:45pm - Vibe Flo Yoga W/ Cass & Dexter Alan - Silent Disco A
4:45 - 5:45pm - Tank And The Bangas - Skyline Stage
5:00 - 6:00pm - Whethan - Coast Stage
6:45 - 7:45pm - Joe Russo’s Almost Dead - Skyline Stage
6:45 - 7:45pm - Teklife - Silent Disco A
7:00 - 8:00pm - Post Malone - Coast Stage
8:00 - 9:00pm - Big Boi - Coast Stage
9:00 - 10:00pm - Damian Marley - Skyline Stage
After Parties
Spafford - Concord Music Hall 18+
DAY 3
Sunday is going to be our lightest load of the weekend, but it also has some of our favorite Chicago faces. You can sleep in a little longer but don’t miss Rich Jones on the Coast Stage, he’s been working hard this year. We’ll then run over to see Parissa and David, an electronic duo from Australia called Vallis Alps. With enough time to rest up, prepare yourself for a lovely walk down memory lane with none other than The Cool Kids. Part of the way through we’ll kick it over to Stefan Ponce for some “Super Star” vibes and what I know will be a packed dance floor. Get a little something in your stomach before checking out Ganja White Night because we’re sitting pretty on the Coast Stage until Skepta, and eventually Tipper, but I can’t help but feel torn between them and Ween. I tried my best to keep it simple but you know how this goes.
2:00 - 2:45pm - Rich Jones - Coast Stage
3:15 - 4:15pm - Vallis Alps - North Stage
4:45 - 5:45pm - The Cool Kids - Coast Stage
5:00 - 6:00pm - Stefan Ponce - House Dj Tent
6:45 - 7:45pm - Ganja White Night - Coast Stage
7:45 - 8:45pm - Skepta - Coast Stage
8:15 - 10:00pm - Ween - Skyline Stage
9:00 - 10:00pm - Tipper - Coast Stage
After Parties
STS9 at Concord Music Hall 18+
Additional Parties on Monday
