The city was bustling with foot traffic from a plethora of events happening over the weekend, but only Beyond Wonderland was worth going to. The long march towards the venue was all worth it once welcomed at the colourful gates. The Alice in Wonderland theme is always enjoyable to take part in. The first day was perfect to walk around and get the lay of the land to locate all 4 stages. Across the festival grounds were pop-up art installations surrounding carnival rides, along with actors walking around dressed up as characters from the novel to take photos with. More than a dozen attendees dressed as the Mad Hatter, but not enough dressed as the main character, Alice or the villainous Red Queen. 

Speaking of the Red Queen, the Queen’s Domain stage was the biggest setting fit for royalty. It only made sense that DJ Snake got it rocking with the successful run recently. DJ Snake got the packed crowd hyped by opening with his remix of ISOxo “F**k The Speakers Up”. The loud sirens ignited the fans’ excitement immediately. He kept the party going with his iconic Lil Jon collaboration track, “Turn Down For What,” followed by “Lean On” with Major Lazer. DJ Snake filtered out the chorus vocals of MØ, transitioning into UK drum and bass. He then requested the audience to turn on their phones’ flashlights to light up the scene for throwback tunes “Middle” and “You Know You Like It”. DJ Snake proceeded to turn up the heat with reggaeton jams with Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” and his Latin America track “Taki Taki”. 

At the Mad Hatter’s Castle stage, many gathered, eager to see Rebecca Black’s DJ set. The pop singer has come a long way since her “Friday” debut. A light drizzle began to pour during her set, which only awakened the crowd’s enthusiasm for her set even more. She started with “Sugar Water Cyanide” before leaning into more provocative techno and house music with explicit lyrics. She then went for more pop playing hits like Rihanna’s “Rude Boy” and Black Eyed Peas “Fergalicious”. She even played a remix of the iPhone ringtone, telling the crow it was their exes calling. Many were pleasantly surprised by her skills behind the decks, and it was great to see her mastering different elements in music.

The Caterpillar Garden tent is where all the House music fans camped and grooved for the weekend. One of the biggest names of the event was Chicago legend, Green Velvet. The energy in the tent was immaculate as fans waited to welcome Green Velvet back home. Once on stage, he wasted little time getting the mood right with speakers so loud you could feel the bass in your chest and cause your ears to ring.

The atmosphere was on point as actors on stilts danced by interacting with the front row, and a sea of bubbles fell from the ceiling. Green Velvet played unique blends of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” and Sharam’s “PATT,” a modern mix of Eddie Murphy’s 80’s classic “Party All The Time”. Of course, it was only right for him to play “Percolator” and “Brighter Days,” two tracks that are synonymous with Chicago house music and pretty much the city’s anthem in the summer.

Alan Walker arrived to the Queen’s Domain stage to a huge ovation. The Norwegian DJ made sure to give the devoted audience by playing favourites “The Spectre” with vibrant aesthetics. He hit people in their feelings with “On My Way” and “Alone” before ending his set with the epic track, “Faded”. Fans stayed at the Queens Domain stage and rallied for Tiësto to close out the weekend, who started the set with his newest single, “Don’t Lose Your Head”. From there, he continued mixing trance with heavy bass with beautiful visuals and pyro that left fans in awe.

Beyond Wonderland Chicago is always a fantastic weekend to experience music. Even with past events getting rained out, fans continue to support the festival because we desperately need more EDM events at the beginning of summer. Since bringing the celebration to the Windy City in 2024, the festival has grown as a destination, earning the name of Insomniac’s marquee title.

Insomniac has shown its commitment to continue to expand the event by recently announcing the fest will be moving location to Chicagoland Speedway and will be a 4-day event starting in 2027! This will turn the event into a camping festival, something many have wanted to experience. While the event is a year away, we here at Quip can only imagine how big the folks of Insomniac plan to go with art installations and the lineup for the new location.

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This year, a must-attend event was sponsored by Warner Music, who took over the iconic La Casa Del Pueblo Supermarket in the Pilsen neighbourhood. Turning the grocery store into an exclusive club was a trip to witness. Walking through the entrance, you saw every Latin flag represented. A DJ booth was set up in the produce section, spinning classic hip-hop and reggaeton, food served over the carneceria counter, and drinks and photo booths spread throughout the store. It was a great space to connect with other creatives and brainstorm collaboration ideas. 

Excitement was at an all-time high on Day 1 as the weather finally allowed summer attire. Devastating storms interrupted the festival in the past, so we all watched the forecast vigilantly. Luckily, Danny Ocean was on stage to provide the good vibes with “Me Rehúso”. The Venezuelan singer performed a few tracks from his Babylon Club album, such as “Vitamina” and “AyMami”. He even surprised the audience by doing a brief cover of Maná’s “Oye Mi Amor”.

Clouds took over the city skyline, causing a hazy fog, which was the perfect backdrop for Kali Uchis, who arrived on stage in a white carriage. Her backup dancers waved white feathered fans add to her angelic elegance. Kali’s aura was on point, melting our hearts with “Moonlight”. She made sure to play plenty of tunes, getting the crowd twisting their bodies to “Labios Mordidos” and “Sad Girlz Luv Money”. Kali hit the nostalgic emotions when she performed the deep cut “Loner” before singing her breakthrough collaboration tracks with Tyler the Creator, “After the Storm” and “See You Again”. It was only right for Kali Uchis to end her magical set with “Telepatía”.

J Balvin had closing duties for Day 1, and he has more than enough tracks to carry the excitement to the end. The Colombian singer is one of the biggest artists in the world, and his performance was a good reminder of why. He opened with tracks from Colores, and all the pyro and backup dancers added to the atmosphere of his superstardom. This set was a reminder of the many ways J Balvin has left his mark on the genre, including his many collaborative tracks with artists Cardi B, Bad Bunny, Ryan Castro and DJ Snake. J Balvin rounded things up with some of his first big hits like “Ay Vamos,” “Mi Gente,” and “In Da Getto”.

Day 2 carried through with the same energy, fans exploring the different stages and photo pop-up opportunities. One key component organisers have done to facilitate a better flow of traffic is introducing 2 smaller stages, allowing DJ’s to keep the party going. One DJ everyone was hyped to see was Deorro at the La Fuente Stage. The Mexican-American DJ has had success in the States for his ability to give his audiences the right blend of Latino dance tracks with modern American pop music. His most famous track, “5 More Hours”, for example, is done in collaboration with Chris Brown. He even brought out the iconic Mexican Norteño band Los Tucanes de Tijuana for their song “Yo Las Pongo,” which is a unique mix of old school traditional Mexican style with new age electronic.

Speaking of Los Tucanes de Tijuana, they performed an outstanding set at the main stage to a beautiful ovation. Being around since the 1980’s, many of us grew up listening to Los Tucanes de Tijuana from our parents. It was wonderful seeing them arrive and getting the love they deserve. Songs like “El Centenario” remind us of family parties with our uncles blasting the tune on broken speakers at full volume. Nothing was more fantastic than seeing thousands of people dancing to the Mexican favourite, “La Chona”.

Sueños Music Festival continued to respect Latin music legends by showcasing Reggaeton pioneer Yandel. Since the duo of Winsin Y Yandel decided to go their separate ways, Yandel has continued to tour to promote his solo albums with an orchestra. Led by conductor Javier Jose Mendoza, the orchestra adds another layer to Yandel’s classic tracks while showing he still has plenty of new music to share. Haunting violins opened for “Puño De Tito,” with Yandel matching the intensity with his flurry of verses. Songs like “Teléfono,” “Rakata,” and “Pam Pam Medley” were given new life with the background ensemble while keeping the archetypal bass and drums Reggaeton is known for, allowing Yandel to evolve even after all these years.

Finally, the festival wrapped up with Fuerza Regida. The Mexican American band had the crowd excited with one last big hoorah, but it wasn’t without its issues. Immediately, it seemed lead singer Jesus Ortiz Paz struggled with his microphone for the opening of “Marlboro Rojo”. They were able to recover by bringing out artist Chuyin for “Pues Ya Ni Pedo,” which the ladies screamed when the shirts came off. Ortiz had another mishap when he fell on his ribs at the beginning of “Excesos,” but the fans picked up the lyrics while he regrouped himself. Overall was a small blight on solid performance as they finished with “Cuando No Era Cantante”. 

Sueños Music Festival is the Latino music festival to attend every year. It is truly inspiring to see how this festival has grown since its inception just a few years ago into what it is today. In its 5-year span, it has brought together the community not only in Chicago but throughout the country. Meeting people from out of state, excited to not only experience what the city has to offer, but what Sueños Festival has come to represent, is fantastic. We here at Quip Magazine are grateful to have been there since the beginning. Here’s hoping for another 5 years! 

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Plenty of fans brought their kids along to share the experience of seeing their favourite bands. At first, it felt surreal seeing tattooed and pierced adults pushing babies wearing protective headphones in strollers at a rock festival. It made sense though, a lot of these bands are older and their diehard fan base reflects that. Since it was more family-friendly, the festival grounds also needed a change in scenery. The carnival was still there with a Ferris wheel and rides, but the classic “freak show” attraction had been removed in place of a normal video game arcade. There was also a wedding chapel for those who wanted to get fake married. The festival brought a “Quick Stop” convenience store from the Clerks movie series to life to purchase snacks. Lastly, there was a Riot Fest history museum showcasing posters of past lineups, a shrine honouring John Stamos, and autographed gear from musicians. 

On the first day, the Rise Stage title was briefly changed to “Weird Al Yankovic’s Weird World Stage”. A traffic jam made things more hectic as patrons were trying to leave to see Blink 182 as others crammed in like sardines to see Weird Al. It caused mass hysteria and a struggle trying to see someone play their accordion. Nevertheless, Yankovic took centre stage and quickly played a polka medley of popular pop songs. Afterwards, he quickly disappeared for a wardrobe change with a video package playing an excerpt of his biographic movie, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. After the video clip, Weird Al returned dressed as Kurt Cobain to play his Nirvana parody “Smells Like Nirvana”. It will be the closest most of us will get to seeing Nirvana live, so we moshed in the band’s honour. Weird AL continued changing clothes while displaying video packages such as his history in appearing in animation series and interview parodies. Weird Al is truly a legend, doing this for 40 years, and a pioneer of going viral before the Internet existed. 

The Rebel Stage struggled with noticeable technical audio difficulties. It took the stage crew a long time to diagnose the issue leading to restless fans during Hanson’s set. It was made worse when the Hanson brothers themselves were visibly annoyed that they were behind schedule. Waiting 45 minutes to hear “MMMbop” really wasn’t worth it, but come on Hanson, give the crew a break. That led to Gym Class Heroes session to fall behind as well. What was more heartbreaking is to have Gym Class Heroes being the only hip-hop representation on the lineup. Riot Fest usually has solid rap artists like Wu-Tang, Cypress Hill, Public Enemy, and so on, but having no such acts was a letdown. However, the best act at the Rebel Stage was GWAR.

At this point, GWAR is a welcomed mainstay at Riot Fest every year. They put on a hellacious performance with impressive stage production. This year was no different as they caught national attention for slicing the belly of a Trump figure, spraying blood on the poor souls in the front row. This is what GWAR does. They’ve made similar sacrifices to Obama, Hillary Clinton, Elon Musk and other political figures. If you can’t handle it, get out of GWAR’s way!

One big announcement Riot Fest had on the lineup was The Beach Boys. To be clear, this isn’t Brian Wilson’s Beach Boys but cousin Mike Love’s version. Though Love is an original member, he also isn’t the most well-liked member for his political endorsements, atrocious treatment of Brian Wilson and notorious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame speech. However, the hype for The Beach Boys appearance was about seeing the temporary drummer, John Stamos. For years, Riot Fest has prodded the actor to come attend the festival by making him statues, look-alike contests, and selling John Stamos masks. It was a full circle moment seeing the “Full House” star on stage. He thanked the Riot Fest family for keeping him humble and trolling him all these years, but he’s getting paid to perform, so he had the last laugh. The performances themselves were lacklustre as Mike Love mumbled his way through classic hits, “I Get Around,” and “Good Vibrations,” but girls erupted whenever Stamos took centre stage.

One of the best newcomers was Lambrini Girls. The duo of guitar/vocalist Phoebe Lunny and bassist Lilly Macieira immediately impressed with their stage presence. Lilly wasted no time jumping into the crowd, making everyone sit down to acknowledge the rules of mosh pits and helping any fallen fan from injury before hopping back on stage to perform “Bad Company,” “Big Dick Energy,” and “Cuntology 101”. They definitely gained some new fans with their music, but got everyone’s respect when Lilly wore a “Fuck Ice” shirt, giving a brief speech that US citizens need to fight against a fascist government.

Lastly, the band that brought the high energy was All Time Low. Crazy to think a band we’ve been listening to since junior high is dropping a new album next month. Being on tour for their latest album, Everyone’s Talking, All Time Low have been rocking out for almost 20 years. They did a great job giving fans a glimpse of what to look forward to on the new album with songs like “SuckerPunch” and “The Weather”. However, they knew to balance it with the nostalgic hits like “Dear Maria” and “Remembering Sunday,” taking us back to our youthful days and holding onto the dream. 

Riot Fest is always a great time. Every year, fans look forward to ending the summer with a bang, and the festival always delivers. The Riot Fest crew are always welcoming and helpful in every way. The lineup is usually a mix of punk rock or those who have made it to mainstream. This year was a celebration of the festival’s 20-year existence. While it didn’t feel as hectic as past years, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The bands and fans were more mature. The leaves room for new bands and fans to take over and shake up the scene.

Can’t wait to see what the next 20 years will bring.

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Sueños team delivered on their promise. They expanded the fairgrounds to include two additional stages, La Plaza and La Fuente. They also added more vendors for food tents and shopping areas, and included art installations for photo opps, keeping congestion down and the fun flowing. Lastly, Sueños continues to bring together some of the biggest Latino artists in the world to Chicago, showing why it is becoming the go-to event for Latino music.

The big expansion gave people a reason to step away from the main stage, shop a little, and see more artists. La Plaza stage, located directly across the iconic Buckingham Fountain, focused on highlighting local Latino talent. It was a beautiful sight to behold when the fountain erupted with the Chicago skyline in the background.  La Fuente stage was catered more to DJ vibes. Being the Windy City, DJs like Deorro knew the assignment mixing Raggaeton with Classic House music along with modern EDM and Trap.

One decision that was deemed controversial when the initial artist lineup was announced was the inclusion of Grupo Frontera. Apparently, a relative of one of the band members made a post in favour of U.S. President Donald Trump. The band responded, saying they had no affiliation with any political party after facing backlash. However, Chicago being a sanctuary city, this response wasn’t enough for many, leading to a petition from residents to have the band removed from the lineup.

Organisers refused to back down, as Sueños Music Festival’s message has always been to be welcoming and inclusive. Many worried what the outcome would be when Grupo Frontera took the stage. Like most things on the Internet, it was blown out of proportion. The field was half full, but once the band started playing “Tulum,” fans rushed to the field. Singing from the heart, ignoring the “controversy,” and having a good time. There were no protests, only celebration when they played “Coqueto” or “No Se Va (En Vivo)”. Matter of fact, Grupo Frontera probably gained a lot of new fans.

Last year’s event was sadly cut short on the final day due to an extreme rainstorm. Everyone was disappointed as the main headliner that weekend, Peso Pluma, had to cancel his set. Even his aftershow at a local club was only three songs long before he promptly left; making some wonder if Peso Pluma even liked playing in Chicago. Fortunately, Peso Pluma returned to Sueños this year and gave a performance to remember. When the sun began to set, the city got chilly, but fans waited a year to see Peso Pluma to perform hits like “Luna” so a little cold wasn’t going to stop them. Adorned in a black fur coat, Peso Pluma bellowed as he sang “Bandida” making the crowd cheers echo throughout the field. Hearing “Nueva Vida” live made the wait worth it.

The biggest artist on the lineup this year was none other than Shakira. Fans had suspicions she would not be included this year because her current tour dates for Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran noticeably had Chicago missing. But fans rejoiced once her performance announcement became official. Shakira committed to doing her full two-hour set at Sueños Music Festival, making her set alone worth the price of admission.

Everyone and their mothers were trying to see Shakira. By the time the Grammy Award-winning artist took the stage, the sun was long gone, making the weather in the mid-40s next to the lake. Those of us who prepared had sweaters to endure the cold, while those who didn’t huddled in the crowd to stay warm. It was all worth it once the queen arrived. She wasted little time performing classics such as “Girl Like Me,” and “La Tortura”. The stage production was magnificent with multiple wardrobe changes; dancers with fire and Shakira belly dancing with swords. The hits continued with “Hips Don’t Lie,” “Whenever, Wherever,” “Waka, Waka,” and she still gave fans an encore.

The final night had similar weather conditions to the previous day, and it was difficult to top the brilliance of Shakira. However, the weekend ended with the perfect sendoff from one of Raggaeton’s pioneers, Don Omar. One of the founding fathers of Reggaeton, Don Omar music has stood the test of time. His setlist was a throwback to yesteryear, reminding some of us of our junior high school dances. His catalogue has a plethora of recognisable hits like “Dile,” “Dale Don Dale,” before ending his set with party anthem “Danza Kuduro”.

Sueños Music Festival was a beautiful celebration of all Latino cultures. From the different music backgrounds to the various faces in the crowd, everyone was welcomed and represented proudly. The additional expansion was a welcome change, and though the weather wasn’t the warmest, there were no complaints as Sueños Music Festival knocked it out of the park this year.

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In true Chicago fashion, the first day was filled with rain. Fans didn’t mind the persistent spray of mist but the muddy mess below their feet was a bit of a drag. Walking to each stage felt like trudging through a swamp with a couple of shoes lost in the process. Caterpillar Gardens was a large tented stage that offered protection to the soaking fans lining up to hear Max Styler. Accompanied by a floating caterpillar fans packed in tight to dance to Styler’s techno and house beats.

Queen’s Domain was naturally the grandest stage fit for royalty. This stage was a large open space away from the mud with plenty of bleacher seats providing a comfortable viewing experience. The seats in this area, however, were sparsely occupied with fans rushing to dance to Benny Benassi. Benassi flawlessly transitions between different music genres while keeping the tempo intact. Aftr playing his hit song “Satisfaction” he switched to Sean Paul’s “Temperature” ending his set with The Killer’s “Somebody Told Me”. 

Wax Motif was the immediate follow keeping the crowd intact. The set began with a sample of Nate Dogg’s iconic chorus vocals for Ludacris’ “Area Codes” pleasing all of the hip-hop fans in attendance. Back in the Caterpillar Garden fans were comfortably moving to French DJ, Hugel. This party felt like a much-needed throwback with tracks like Technotronic’s “Pump Up The Jam” and a blended mix of old-school house and classic salsa tunes. The confetti cannons were a nice touch.

The second day of the festival was more fitting for Wonderland-type festivities with the sun finally out blessing the concert-goers. The first soulful mix was brought to us by Maddy O’Neal, who was sampling R&B legend Aliyah. Her set included throwbacks like Kid Cudi’s “Day and Night,” Lil Wayne’s “6 foot 7 Foot,” and Big Boss Vette “Pretty Girls Walk” which made the crowd go nuts.

The highlight of the night appeared to be NGHTMRE. As the name implies, NGHTMRE brings an intensity that hypes up the entire set. The head-thumping bass was embraced with applause leading to epic pyro explosions. Attendees were treated to an impressive range of genres during this set, with samples from songs like Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” to Red Hot Chili Peppers or A$AP Ferg, and fellow DJ Liquid Stranger. This smorgasbord of musical styles was truly a smorgasbord of samples and full tracks blended into a lucid dream. Don’t fight it just let the music consume you and ride the wave.

Insomniac’s Beyond Wonderland conquered Chicago with great success. A little rain didn’t stop fans from having the time of their lives and the energy was contagious. The event was so successful that Insomniac has already announced Beyond Wonderland will return to the Windy City next year, ticket presales are already open.

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Sueños Music Festival creates a complete experience for the attendees by offering plenty of photo ops, an abundance of food options, a Ferris Wheel with a great skyline view, and a multitude of beverage pop-ups. But the main reason people come together is to dance to some of the best Latino artists. Fans were elated once Xavi arrived, rocking a crimson Chicago Bulls jersey with a Mexican flag draped over his shoulders, the 19-year-old Arizona stud sang his heart out for “Corazon de Piedra”. The speakers blasted his corridos horn instrumental as he wailed the lyrics of favorites “La Victima” and “La Diabla”.

DJ/producer Bizarrap kept the party going, playing bangers from his catalog in collaboration with artists like Shakira to other mixes with artists on the lineup such as Yung Miko, Rauw Alejandro, Young Miko, and Peso Pluma. The amount of hits Bizarrap has been able to produce in his short career is simply incredible. The music was complemented by cartoony visuals which worked perfectly with Bizarrap’s brand. 

Another 19-year-old heartthrob who made his presence known during the weekend was Ivan Cornejo. Dressed in a black suit and turtleneck, Ivan passed out roses to the lucky few in the front section walking up the stage. He melted hearts serenading listeners with his ballads. Cornejo’s acoustic tunes echoed throughout the crowd, softly speaking the emotional lyrics for “Dónde Estás” and pouring his soul for “La Última Vez”.

Next was Young Miko. It’s been great to see her growth as an artist over the past year witnessing her meteoric rise to fame first-hand. Sueños has been supporting her from the start having her open last year and now giving her top billing. Young Miko showed off why she’s been successful by performing club hits “Colmillo,” “Classy 101,” and “Offline”. The young Puerto Rican rapper has already collaborated with some of the industry’s biggest acts like J. Balvin, Bad Bunny, Feid, Karol G, and many others. Young Miko also surprised fans by bringing out Bad Gyal to perform their team-up track “Chulo Pt. 2”.

Rauw Alejandro was the perfect artist to end Day One. The roaring screams of female fans in attendance were deafening upon his arrival and he certainly had the stage presence to earn it. The full setup included pyro, choreographed backup dancers, and fantastic vocals were on full display, especially for  “Espectaular”. He got the crowd riled up for “Panties Y Brasieres” and caused another wave of cheers when Alvaro Diaz joined him on stage for “BYAK”.

The first day was a dream of heavenly bliss. Unfortunately, Day Twp started off rough when a terrible rainstorm caused a delay in opening the gates. Fans frantically watched social media updates while committee members surveyed unstable conditions. When the gates were allowed to open midday, herds of attendees congested the entrance leading to more frustrating wait times. Credit is due to the event workers doing due diligence and keeping the festival grounds as safe and pleasant as possible. 

Bad Gyal got the restless crowd back into the swing of things by performing the sensual “Perdió Este Culo,” “Bota Niña,” and her single track “Chulo”. Next was Colombian rapper/singer Maluma. There was a full video hype package shown before he hit the stage creating anticipation. Being in the game for a while Maluma had a plethora of tracks to pull from including  “Borró Cassette,” “El Perdedor,” and “Según Quién” before wrapping up his set.

Ultimately, the collecting gray clouds overhead became too concerning. A severe weather report was issued and organizers had to come to the difficult realization that the best option for everyone’s safety was to evacuate and end the festival early. Fans were understandably heartbroken because it meant for the third time this year there would be no Peso Pluma. 

Leaving the park as the downpour came was an insult to injury. The weather was an unexpected factor and coordinators have stated fans will receive partial refunds for their troubles. The abrupt ending was disappointing but only because Sueños Music Festival has delivered on their past promises. However, the future is bright for Sueños Music Festival and we look forward to what they could bring next year.

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The best part about Lollapalooza is the slew of indie artists that get a bump to mainstream exposure. One indie band that needed to be seen live was Franc Moody. The duo, Ned Franc and Jon Moody, joined by a band, brought the funk to Chicago getting everyone in the audience to grove along with them. Tracks like “I’m In A Funk” and “Dopamine” brought a sensation of euphoria that made it fun to dance in the sweltering heat.

Another band I was excited to see was Ekkstacy. With solid tunes like “I Gave You Everything” it’s easy to see why Ekkstacy has made their way up to this stage so fast. Other tracks like “Then I Met Her” are great in their simplicity and struck a chord with the crowd before he finished with my favorite Ekkstacy song, “I Walk This Earth All By Myself”.

An indie artist who stole the hearts of many, however, was Beabadoobee. Having seen the young singer when she was an opening act years ago to now gather a gigantic crowd at one of the largest festivals in the states was beautiful to witness. Adoring fans screamed as she came on the scene and sang along to “Talk” and “Coffee”. It was truly inspiring to see how far the singer has come.

Looking at the lineup this year of Lollapalooza one couldn’t help but get giddy at the site of how many well-known DJs were listed. Producers like AfroJack and Diplo were holding down the Perry Stage giving the ravers a blast from yesteryear. Subtronics and especially Svdden Death filled the stage with a heavily bass vibe that made the vibration shake the ground and fans’ headbang. Sofi Tukker had an elaborate stage display with arches and columns. Tukker stepped in first with a drum pad saying, “Who came to Lollapalooza with their best friend? I did!” and then introduced Sofi as she came out in a fur dress with a guitar.

Alan Walker came out with hits like “The Spectre” and “Alone” before ending with his all-time classic “Faded”. Other DJs often brought guests with them. Odesza, for example, put a spotlight on Izzy Bizu during “Forgive Me” while Dom Dolla had Nelly Furtado come out to perform their newest collaboration “Eat Your Man”.

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal aka Diesel has been living his best life this summer touring the festivals. If he’s around your area doing a DJ set, do yourself a favor and go! Shaq always has an interesting blend of 80’s rock like “Welcome to the Jungle” meeting Kanye West’s “Power” blending into modern bass. “Y’all ain’t tired get yo hands up!” he yelled out, riling the crowd up.

The selling point for Lollapalooza, however, is the number of mainstream artists you can see over the weekend. Kendrick Lamar was the biggest hip-hop rapper the festival had this year. A massive crowd formed for hours waiting in anticipation. Later Jessie Reyez joked, “If your homie brought you to see me, Hello”. Funny enough this was true for me. Then there was Karol G looking stunning in a Rolling Stones beaded top owning the stage with tracks like “Tus Grafitas”. Red Hot Chili Peppers returned to Lollapalooza once again to be greeted by a sea of fans. They opened up with the classic “Can’t Stop” and “Scar Tissue” ending with an encore “Give It Away”.

However, for my money, Thee Sacred Souls had the best performance. Arriving early to catch their set meant getting rained on but after nervously talking to the trio briefly backstage, I rushed to the main stage to catch their performance. Hiding under trees in the distance before admitting defeat to the weather, I marched with muddy shoes and a soaked shirt to join the crowd of soggy fans. The bandmates were also getting rained on but it didn’t seem to be a bother, “Nothing wrong with a little rain,” pointed out Josh Lane with a smile. As their name suggests, their soulful tunes are smooth and reminiscent of Motown tracks. Songs like “Trade of Hearts” and “Will I See You Again?” are messages of pure love and heartbreak that many can relate to. The band also performed a sold-out aftershow at Sleeping Village. The smaller venue made for an intimate setting perfect for the lovebirds in attendance.

In spite of the weather, Lollapalooza delivered a phenomenal lineup of performances yet again. The crowd was buzzing with excitement the entire weekend and will likely continue to do so in reflection of this epic weekend for a few more days.

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The first day was extraordinary as fans marched to the distant venue dressed in their best summer gear. A giant rubber duck greeted attendees upon entry. This enormous figure was not only adorable to take photos with, but used as a beacon to locate friends when groups split up. There was also a series of breathtaking trailers decked out by talented local artists.

After exploring the food options and scoping out the merchandise stands, people swarmed the Rising Stage to see DanceLoud. The Chicago-based duo, DJ Kristen Sanchez and drummer Desereé Fawn, was a unique standout showcase. The ladies first met attending Columbia College where they learned that Sanchez’s hip-hop scratches blended well with Fawn’s jazzy percussion style. After their set, DanceLoud was nice enough to give Quip a tour of their renovated traveling van and let us sample their sour ales drink in collaboration with local restaurant Estrella Negra.

Luna Stage is where many stayed planted to watch a slew of big-name artists back to back. Eazybaked [image above] got the crowd popping with their gritty, dirty bass tunes. As the name suggested, their tunes bring the wubbs out making it completely stoner-friendly. Eazybaked played mixes from their Intertwined album keeping things mellow for the relaxed fans.

LSDream came on next which really amped things up. His psychedelic style took us to outer space with his alien-themed. He got the crowd rowdy with his remix of Genuwine’s “Pony”. LSDream ended the set with a positive message: “This is all about love. Being present. Put your feet to the ground and breathe. We’re all one”  he said to the crowd before wrapping things up with “High Vibrations”.

Fans had the hardest decision when choosing how to end their first night: Kx5 [images above] or GRiZ. Both are heavy hitters and well-respected in the EDM scene. The legendary producers Deadmau5 and Kaskade were also something you didn’t want to miss. Kx5 is riding high with the release of their debut album and their club-centric turns definitely got the ravers going wild all through the night. If you’re more into the heavier bass and jazzy tunes then GRiZ was the place to be. Bouncing back and forth from DJing to saxophone and rap solos, GRiZ’s set had a bit of everything. Of course, if you did miss either set you could hit up one of their after-parties but it getting in would have been a miracle.

Day two, however, was a complete 180. The weather drastically dropped from 85º to 55º. The sun went away and in its place were dark gray clouds leading to persistent rainfall throughout the day. Being next to Lake Michigan didn’t help matters either and winds chills kept blowing by. Yet the fans marched forward in the freezing winds hoping Heatwave’s lineup could warm them up. Fortunately, Elephante was there ready for the task.

Elephante immediately lit up the crowd with “Plans”. The track had a guitar solo during the breakdown of the song, a great showcase of his versatility. He continued to perform tracks off his debut album I Am theElephante and Glass Mansion with songs like “Dynasty,” “Starbright,” and “Otherside” keeping the crowd engaged in their soggy hoodies.

For many attendees, the reason for this quest was of course Tiësto. Honestly, no other DJ could close out the event or make folks forget their troubles quite like Tiësto. The legendary producer had everybody moving along to “The Business” before reviving things up into the next gear with “Lay Low”. He continued to shake things up with his tracks “Red Lights” transitioning into “Chasing Cars” keeping the energy at a high pace. Tiësto did give us a moment to breathe with “I’ll Take You High”. But the excitement couldn’t be contained with pyro, fireworks, and elaborate light show beaming from the Nova Stage.

Overall Auris Presents team did a terrific job with Heatwave. It was no easy task to follow the event that was beloved last year yet they managed to pull it off. The change of scenery was a nice touch as it took over a space that other organizers rarely use.

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Right off the bat, fans were excited to see the plethora of artists announced on the lineup. Having a solid mix of music genres across the many different Latino cultures gives everyone a moment to shine. From Reggaeton, Corridos, Pop etc., it was a great way to get a taste of each.

Unfortunately getting inside the event wasn’t as smooth as many hoped it would be. Many attendees arrived late and were stuck in entry lineups but once you were things were all smooth sailing. Unless of course, you were trying to get food or drinks, which is a pretty typical issue when it comes to music festivals. Walking through the festival grounds you quickly noticed many fun popups to take photos in, relax or dance your heart away in the safety of the “Girls Only” dance area. There was even a giant Ferris wheel that gave fans a nice view of Downtown and Lake Michigan, especially at sunset.

With beautiful weather being on our side 2 years in a row, we embraced the sun and lakefront breeze to gather for Mexican superstar Junior H. The young Corridos Tumbados singer had the crowd in a frenzy right away. Bangers like “Mente Positiva” and “Como Jordan” made us all sing till our cups were empty. Junior H did run into audio issues with his mic cutting out but was able to play it off by being honest with the crowd.

Another high-profile singer that ran into audio issues was reggaeton legend Ivy Queen. She was visibly upset during her set by the distraction but was able to recover. She overcame the obstacle by putting on a great show like the illustrious artist she is. Ivy Queen hit us with the throwbacks like “Quiero Bailar” and “La Vida Es Así” making me reminisce all those junior high dances.

Another artist that had the same nostalgic feel were Wisin Y Yandel – the duo has been rocking shows for over 20 years! In late 2022, the pair announced that 2023 would be their last time touring together. While they haven’t specified when exactly their last performance will be, it was a must-see featured act on Sueños lineup. Their impressive catalog has plenty of iconic club tunes like “Rakata,” “Me Estás Tentando,” and “Mirala Bien”.

Myke Towers is another artist that returned for another year of Sueños. He was featured in the seminal promotional video with former Mayor Lori Litefoot. Myke Towers came onstage decked out in Bulls leather jacket with backup dancers dressed in gold, all fitting the championship theme. He did songs off his Easy Money Baby and Lyke Myke albums as well as his verse on Fied’s “Jordan IV” adding to the Chicago Bulls love. Speaking of Feid, he was one of the new faces the crowd was excited to see. Throughout the day you saw hundreds of attendees wearing green to match the signature color of the Columbian singer. Green aesthetics covered the stage including a green monster truck. He got the crowd hyped right away with “Castigo” followed by “Otra Vez”.

However, the loudest crowd reaction erupted for Becky G. It Felt like the president was in town with how intense security got. For 20 minutes the DJ hyped the crowd up as we swarmed the stage waiting in anticipation for her arrival. When she did arrive, the crowd exploded in thunderous applause. Wearing a matching light purple shirt and skirt, she opened up her set with “Mayores”. The crowd was ecstatic by everything, hanging on to each word she sang from “Mamii” to “Sin Pijamas”. The pop star created hysteria by the time she performed “Baile Con Mi Ex” yet we were civil enough to keep it fun and dance to it.

Sueños Music Festival is quickly becoming the summer kickoff party to attend in late May. For 2 years in a row, the festival team has knocked it out of the park. While there were a few hiccups that still need to be figured out, this event is showing its determination to continue to grow. It’s a great way to experience the variety of Latino culture has to offer in a diverse city like Chicago in one weekend. From great food to have more interactive features to of course some of Latin America’s biggest stars. Most importantly it brings a sense of unity amongst Latinos, everyone is welcome to join.

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However, the lines to get into the park grounds were long making for uncomfortable wait times. Once inside the gates, fans were greeted with a giant metallic angelic statue that posed towards the heavens as if it was an omen saying everything is going to be alright. That breath of positive energy made everyone realize how beautiful the setup was, welcoming people’s colorful attire. Those that upgraded to the Global and Iconic VIP packages got access to wonderful viewing areas of stages, an exclusive lounge with drinks and DJ, massage, face painting, and a barber parlor. Definitely worth considering upgrading if the festival continues to include the extra perks.

All those add-ons made the overall experience fun but if you want to get the full enjoyment you have to get on the ground level and join the crowd. Dancing along with strangers is a must in order to appreciate the culture. The ARC Car stage was the perfect transition place to walk between areas because it was the smallest of the four. A hollowed-out school bus filled with lights parked on a small turf patch with a DJ booth at eye level allowed for an intimate setting. It was dark but the brightest of the music kept the dance floor moving. The drawback of the ARC Car was that it was between stages so the sound could get drowned out by The Grid.

The Grid was the biggest stage of all and catered to the techno crowd. With huge LED panels spread across the landscape, artists like Boris Brejcha and Carl Cox took full advantage of the amazing light display and pyro. Shout out to the engineers and stagehands that rigged everything because if you were a DJ that performed on The Grid stage it was guaranteed to be a great showcase. This is where the VIP viewing area was worth the purchase as you can get a full unabstracted view of the spectacle. It was nice after walking and dancing all day to take a seat, enjoy a drink, and be in awe of the beauty the entire crew put together. With pyro and fireworks shooting out to the sky and blinking lights flashing over the crowd truly it was a sight to behold.

Kasablanca on the left, Nora En Pure on the right

The Elrow and Expansion stages both battled it out for who had the most consistently fun stages. = Expansion was in the back corner entrenched in trees and had a wooded nature theme. DJs like ACID Pauli and Honey Dijon threw down on 2 hours sets both keeping the energy high. I especially appreciated when ACID Pauli played Tenesha The Wordsmith, “Why White Folks Can’t Call Me N****” in the middle of his set before going into a more psychedelic route. The beat is Afrocentric but the deep poetic words puzzled the crowd. I enjoyed the entire ordeal with my fist clenched in the air. Honey Dijon was a joy to watch, she joked and danced with everyone on stage while playing classic house tunes.

Above: Honey Dijon facing the crowd. Below: Paco Osuna at the Elrow stage.

The best stage had to go to Elrow because this open tent was a sea theme. Vibrant jellyfish and puffer fish were painted on the ceiling and statue turtles posed as they were swimming toward you. The entire tent had tentacles draped around the dance floor with the creepy face of an octopus displayed right behind the DJ booth. Every hour, pink confetti rained down with actors dressed as a shipwreck crew dancing through the crowd. There were people on stilts, mermaid beach bums, and sunburnt sailors, even a pirate chicken that orchestrated the energy back up. The heat from the crowd literally made you sweat even if you were on the edges. But once you were in it, you stayed. Artists like Chris Lake and Fat Boy Slim consistently played great house music that made enduring the heat worth it. Even when you left to check another stage, there was this urge to return to Elrow as if the ocean was calling you back and when you did felt like you were home.

Simply put, ARC Music Festival kicked ass. It was a blast to experience. Hearing and dancing to modern techno and vintage house music all weekend was a great way to end the summer before the Labor Day rest. Anyone that enjoys electronic music can appreciate the amount of work put into ARC with its fantastic detailed designs and hopefully, the festival is here to stay for years to come.

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The celebration has a different flavor compared to other festivals that occupy the space. I mean that literally – Mexican food and Micheladas were being served while people gathered around a Lucha libre-wrestling ring. There were vendors selling authentic blouses, painted figurines, and magnets but naturally, I bought a wrestling mask to live out a childhood dream.

Of course, the music was the main attraction and Ruido Festival didn’t disappoint bringing on international talent. For instance, Tijuana-based alternative pop rock artist Bruses, dressed in zippered-up jeans rocking out her signature bright pink hair was a great hit with this crowd. Bruses cheerfully stated it was her first time in Chicago before proceeding to share her newest song “FBI” and “I Like 2 Be”. She even did a cover of My Chemical Romance’s “Helena,” clearly the band inspired her look and she admitted as much when our very own Manny Diaz (photographer) asked her so – “Bands I would love to work with if given the chance are My Chemical Romance, Paramore and me gusta mucho Machine Gun Kelly,” she shared.

Off to the back was the Fiesta stage, a place where DJs could spin music keeping people dancing whether to house, salsa, bachata, and everything in between. El Dusty’s set was really something to enjoy. El Dusty proudly represents Houston, Texas, but admitted to being inspired by the Chicago House DJs when I asked who were some of his inspirations:

“Bad Boy Bill was definitely a huge influence of mine as well as Julian “Jumping” Perez and all the old school underground construction sound. I have a huge record collection of old UC records. As a DJ, when you come to Chicago you definitely see that the production is on another level and I love partying here, being in the scene linking up with friends when I’m in town.”

El Dusty’s signature sound is blending classic Cumbia tunes we grew up with mixed with modern dance beats making for a perfect blend of old and new school for everyone to groove to. His song “Cumbia Anthem” has over a million views on YouTube. From growing up working on an old Akai MPC to now travel doing shows, I asked El Dusty how has the journey been and he replied: “Taking it as I come. Been putting out music since I was a kid. Every once in a while you hit one and “Cumbia Anthem” was one of those ones. It was great sampling someone I listen to growing up like Andres Landeros and making it into a new beat was a dream come true”.

A band that is creating buzz within the Chicago scene is the alternative rock band Division Point. Members Danny Garcia, Danny Gaytan, Jeremiah Elam all went to high school together playing in music programs and knew then they wanted to collaborate because they had something special. The trio found success but still felt they needed another element which lead to the addition of guitarist Tony Baeza and it’s been nonstop motion ever since. The band is young yet their sound illustrates how talented these guys are at their craft. Take for example their song “How You Say You Love Me,” Gaytan pours his soul on vocals while playing the bass, Elam kicks ass on the drums, Baez is the backbone keeping the rhythm on point for people to groove to, and Garcia killing it on his guitar solo. The band has been performing at local venues but being a Ruido Fest was special for each member: “I used to come to this fest every with my parents and now I’m here performing. Just loading in this morning felt surreal but amazing to be here with these guys”, said Garcia. Baez added: “I’ve been coming here since the first Ruido Fest as a fan because I love rock Español. I always said one day I’m going to play here and I literally spoke it into existence. It’s a dream come true”.

One of the biggest artists that fans highly anticipated was Cuco. Promoting his latest album Fantasy Gateway, this is Cuco’s first time touring since postponing his last one in 2019. Fans showered him with affection when he arrived, which he truly appreciated. He put on one hell of a performance as his setup had psychedelic patterns in the background as he sang some of his classic songs “Summertime High Time” and “Keeping Tabs”. He serenaded the crowd by playing his trumpet on “Amor De Simpre” and his cover of the Mexican classic tune “Piel Canela”. His mellow sound definitely sets the mood that brings lovers together which is all you need on a summer’s evening.

However, the group that got the biggest crowd reaction when announced was none other than legendary hip-hop trio Cypress Hill. The stage had an inflatable skull holding a joint with an afro made out of weed plants. The crowd lit up, literally and figuratively, as rapper B-Real came onto the stage. It was a little disappointing that the other two members, DJ Muggs and Sen Dog, weren’t in attendance, but B-Real is the face and voice of the group. It didn’t stop fans to rap along with bangers like “I Want to Get High,” “When the Ship Goes Down,” “Hits From the Bong,” and “How I Could Just to Kill a Man”. It was worth seeing an iconic figure in hip-hop performing some of the best tracks we grew up on.

Rudio Fest had everything you needed. It was such an enjoyable experience from the food to the activities spread throughout the park. The festival’s willingness to bring together alternative sounds to represent the different styles the Latino community provides is quite admirable. The event is now a staple now in Chicago as a festival willing to take risks in order to represent Latino culture.

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