The day started off when I put on my botty shorts in the Chicago sixty degree weather and we began to trek across the fields as the sounds from Van Ghost followed us. The night for myself didn’t really begin until Jay Elctronica hit the stage, so far at this point most of the bands that were there performing did not immediately catch or keep my attention. Van Ghost did though, they are like a local rock group who got the crowd in a very soulful mood.
I walked over to the Coast stage where Benga was set to perform but due to visa/immigration issues he could not fly in so Daedalus happily filled in. He was so excited, bouncing around, flexing his arms and was a real crowd pleaser. For the most part it was a ravey dub party and the ravers in the crowd danced and danced. He kept smiling on stage with his tailcoat and everything.
After we walked over to the North Stage where I listened to the first couple of minutes of Jay Electronica underneath him in the pit where his performance was at his strongest. He referred to J Dilla and even got the crowd so excited you felt the hope tingle its way up your feet. Unfortunately the rest of the set was not as strong he just talked too much and the crowd kept getting baited in when a really awesome track would come on and then got halted for 10 minutes of straight “real” talk. Maybe if he had a longer set it would have worked or maybe most people would have tuned out. Peeps in the front row though knew all the lyrics and were feeling him, and on the North Coast facebook wall people said that he had punched two people in the face the night before at a Disco Biscuits show at the Congress Theater.
De La Soul was where it was for Hip-Hop that night. Even for people who you would think have less energy than most, they do not, at all.They turned out hit after hit and the entire park roared during their set. As a festival performance it was more than you could ask for because I mean, it’s fucking De La Soul! As soon as I heard “Me, Myself and I” I knew I died a little bit. I can not even imagine how the hardcore fans felt. De La Soul killed it..
Boys Noise killed it for all the electronic sets, even with the headliner being Moby. Boys Noize delivered a gothic rave party which was fitting since we were in front of a church. Moby played a hard electronica set but for the most part was posing and crouching on stage most of the time. The fans loved it but keep in mind most people were drugged or drunk and at that point I could whistle and they would dance. I was really excited for Moby too, but I felt as if I’ve heard sets like that over and over again at clubs here in Chicago. My friend said she liked Midnight Conspiracy way more, a local DJ group that was playing the Red Bull Stage. Also I have to give Boyz Noize major props for being so nice backstage.
Overall the day was great especially for the dance lovers! So many DJ’s performing all over the park and the Hip-Hop love wil be seen today.
Enjoy some of these snapshots I took on my Digital Harinezumi, I shoot with film so “high” quality photographs will not be up until after the festival.
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