Heatwave Music Competition took Chicago by storm final 12 months, including one other nice native fest to Chicago’s vibrant competition scene. The 2-day fest was the right mid-summer buffer for some very much-needed dance remedy below the Chicago Summer season Solar. In a metropolis filled with festivals and genres, it’s all the time nice to have festivals of all sizes and styles to fill out your schedule.
Heatwave made its return to Chicago in 2023 to a model new venue. Heatwave took over Chicago’s iconic Northerly Island with 3 phases all packed to the brim with expertise.
Similar to in 2022 music was unfold out throughout three phases giving followers an opportunity to ‘select your individual journey’ throughout all weekend. Heatwave made a degree to spotlight artistic artwork installations all all through the competition. The spotlight for me being the world’s largest rubber duck, whose sheer measurement towered over the competition as a beacon of hope.
However any competition in Chicago is just not full with out afterparties. On account of Chicago’s sound laws most festivals have to finish strictly by 10 or 11 pm, however the get together doesn’t finish there. 1000’s of get together goe-rs then descend to after events throughout Chicago for unbelievable afterparties. Competition headliners GRiZ and Tiesto took over Radius, whereas attendees at Prysm had been handled to intimate units from Kaskade and Gryffin, respectively. There was one thing for everybody.
When you’re from Chicago you know the way risky the climate will be, particularly within the Spring, and much more as you get nearer to the lake. Heatwave’s venue being mere steps away from Lake Michigan, all of the locals had been ready for something.
It was a story of two Chicago weathers over the weekend with Saturday being a vibrant, sunny nearly Summer season day whereas Sunday’s intrusive ideas took over with a depressing wet day. Virtually instantly, the competition offered out of hoodies, however these ready for the climate had been in a position to expertise the competition in an entire totally different approach. It might be a little bit of an unpopular opinion, however I’ll take bundling up a bit then be dripping with sweat 10/10 instances.
However the primary attraction was and can all the time be the music, we highlighted a few of our favourite units beneath.
See you in 2024, Heatwave.
Whethan
When hometown hero Whethan was introduced he jumped to the highest of my must-watch checklist. His evolution as an artist has been unbelievable to observe all through the years, and his Heatwave set actually proved that. In an EDM world that appears to be presently centered round dubstep and tech home, Whethan actually shines. His distinctive remixes and originals delivered one thing that no different artist delivered all through the weekend.
Sidepiece
You may ask 20 totally different individuals what EDM ought to be and also you’ll get 20 totally different solutions (and that’s okay!). However for me, dance music ought to be enjoyable. Sidepiece, the collaborative mission between Social gathering Favor and Nitti, is the epitome of enjoyable dance music. Within the metropolis the place home music was born, they confirmed off their model of home music. A excessive power, enjoyable home music set filled with sing-along moments to carry the gang collectively.
Deorro
Deorro’s party-starting anthems have been in so many individuals’s playlists for therefore a few years, however seeing Deorro nearly ten years after his iconic “5 Hours” observe is far totally different in 2023, and in the easiest way attainable. His set was a beautiful mixture of the bops we’ve come to anticipate from Deorro, and absolutely the delight he has in his Mexican heritage. The Mexican flags within the crowd went into absolute overdrive when Deorro truly performed a track by fellow Mexican artist, Peso Pluma. For a minute, everybody within the crowd forgot concerning the chilly and danced within the Mexican warmth.
Tiesto
At 54 years outdated, Tiesto remains to be headlining essential phases the world over – and that’s not one thing you get to maintain doing if you happen to don’t sustain, and Tiesto has by no means had an issue doing that. His mainstage units are typically a splendidly curated mix of what’s scorching, and Tiesto originals. And each time I’ve seen that mixture, it’s as certain to be a celebration as 1+1 all the time equals 2.
[EVENT REVIEW] Heatwave Music Competition 2023 Finds a New Residence
