Chicago’s glorious festival season comes to an end this weekend (Aug. 30-Sept. 1) at Union Park with the fourth annual North Coast Music Festival. The eclectic fest has always featured lineups that cross the musical spectrum, and this year is no exception. Whether looking for the big sounds of a brass band, the grimey screech of a dubstep DJ, or rappers with buttery bars, North Coast provides it all.
This year’s event brings some of the biggest names the festival has ever seen in its short history. In addition to some of the most prominent electronic dance acts out, including Big Gigantic, Afrojack and Madeon, the legendary hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan will perform their iconic debut record “36 Chambers” in its entirety. Hip-hop fans are also treated to a bill that includes both North Coast alum Nas and first-timer Mac Miller.
There’s an overwhelming amount of talent heading into town this weekend. Like any good festival, the decision of who to see and who to pass up on is a difficult one. Check below for some of our daily suggestions, and come back this weekend for daily recaps of all the Union Park madness.
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Friday, Aug. 30:
RL GRIME:
A relatively new name in the ever-growing trap scene, R.L. Grime is an easy choice for the early evening 6 p.m. slot Friday. The producer has put in serious work in the last year, releasing a number of major remixes in addition to his debut EP “High Beams.” Groove on in awe as some of your favorite rap tunes are savagely twisted and distorted into wild dance anthems.
https://soundcloud.com/rlgrime/love-sosa-rl-grime-remix
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The Disco Biscuits:
This may be a tough sell for some. Slotted against megastars Passion Pit for the closing spot on Friday night, The Disco Biscuits return to Chicago for an increasingly rare live show. The band, who have reached an iconic status within the jam band community, are known for their dynamic and extravagant live shows and jam sessions. The Biscuits haven’t toured much in the past two years, and it doesn’t seem like that will change. The Friday set is an opportunity to see some amazing improvisation.
https://soundcloud.com/nickraymondg/the-disco-biscuits-on-time
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Saturday, Aug. 31:
Brassft Punk:
The product of Louisiana brass musician Earl Scioneux III, Brassft Punk is exactly what it sounds like: a New Orleans brass band playing covers of Daft Punk. Gotta give it to the folks at North Coast on this one, a true diamond in the rough for the early 2 p.m. slot Saturday.
https://soundcloud.com/iamjasonalexander-1/04-one-more-time
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Gramatik:
A pioneer in the recent trend of electro soul funk, Gramatik returns to Chicago for his second festival of the summer (he was also at React’s Spring Awakening). A true live performer, Gramatik totes his signature guitar and jams away through every last drop of the bass. This is guaranteed to be one of the highest energy sets leading up to Big Gigantic Saturday night.
https://soundcloud.com/gramatik/01-fist-up
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Sunday, Sept. 1:
Danny Brown:
One of the most wildly original rappers to appear in the past few years, Danny Brown is a true madman and unlike any live act out there. The Detroit rapper is treated to a 4 p.m. slot that doesn’t conflict with anything hip-hop related, and has the potential to be a take away performance for the whole weekend. With a new album, “Old” slated for a Sept. 30 release, expect lots of new material in the mix.
https://soundcloud.com/xdannyxbrownx/kush-coma-feat-a-ap-rocky
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A-Trak:
Alain Macklovitch won his first DMC World DJ Championship at the age of 15. Nearly two decades later, and A-Trak is a household name in the world of dance music. Between managing his own major record label Fools Gold, traversing the globe as half of the duo Duck Sauce, or playing solo shows around the country, A-Trak is a relentless force whether or not he’s behind the decks. Up against some of the heaviest dubstep the festival has to offer Sunday, (Datsik and Manic Focus) A-Trak is a clear pick for anyone who wants a little disco with their dance.
