North Coast STUNS!!!
I was fortunate to return to North Coast Music Festival for its 15th anniversary, and it blew me away once more. Praising North Coast and its organizers is easy. Though still new to the scene, this is my third time attending, and it’s the best yet!
Day 1
Friday was all about stage hopping. I explored the festival’s new improvements. The weather was perfect, but we gravitated to the Chill Dome, packed with lasers, cozy spots, and ravers into flow arts. Local organizers Redline hosted Svdden Death: DEADROOM. His dark house set offered bassheads something new and warmed up my dancing shoes. This has always been one of my favorite spaces of the festival, and still is.
At the Shipyard’s new 360 setup, the immersive stage upgrade stunned me. Pillars encircled the rotating stage, I could only imagine the nighttime sets. I headed into The Stadium: Evolved for Wax Motif, who delivered another hit-packed set. At every festival I attend, I explore every corner. North Coast’s logistics and flow make moving between stages seamless.
I buzzed through the vendor village to scope out my souvenir for this year. From flow stars and sunnies to stickers and clothing, you really could get it all here. Even if you found yourself missing some tiny essentials like gum or other knick-knacks, you could find them here. Or perhaps find yourself in a game of Frick Frack Blackjack! If ever there was a spare moment in my schedule, I loved coming to watch this hilarious game. My hat’s off to the entertainers here; they really brought such incredible energy to the booth.
I made my trek back to the Shipyard for Galantis, and I’m glad I did. Dripping with nostalgic goodness, this sugary sweet set was just what I needed. Now, with the sun set, the stage could truly come to life. Covering the crowd with lasers and enveloping them with sound, the dance floor was electric.
Chris Lake was my most anticipated set of the day, but I still had a bit of time. My curiosity for some Lil Texas carried me to the Firepit. Ravers were absolutely losing their minds to the high BPM hardcore artist. If I had more time, I definitely would have stuck around, but the Stadium was calling my name.
Chris Lake put on an absolute heater of a show with the longest set of the weekend. There were zero misses, and the crowd was going wild for it. It had been a few years since the last time I was lucky enough to see him, and it just keeps getting better. Fresh off the release of his album Chemistry, you would think there is no room for fresh IDs. Yet, there were plenty in waiting that Christ sprinkled in. It was the absolute highlight of my Friday.
Day 2
Saturday found me wanting to explore the Mega Vega. When they said “Mega”, they really meant it. With massive screens and an elevated stage, this colossal stage was impressive. There wasn’t a bad spot in the crowd for sound. I was actually surprised not to notice any sound bleed from the stage. Furthermore, despite the size of the crowd, there was still space to move around. I gathered the troops for Deadmau5’s DnB set as a warm-up for Dimension later that evening. EDM Chicago took over the Firepit for the day, bringing a touch from every genre to the pit before getting heavy for the evening.
As we made our way into the Stadium for NGHTMRE b2b Dimension, the anticipation was high. This unique b2b bridges the gap between popular genres in the US and UK perfectly. With each bringing their own unique selections to the table, the crowd was loving every minute of it.
For a quick change of pace, I wanted to see Sofi Tukker at the Shipyard. I thought the stage couldn’t get any cooler, but their usage of it really highlighted it! It was the most interactive and engaging set I’d seen in a long time. With their dancers in tow, Sofi Tukker delivered incredible live vocals and captivating movement. It was well worth the trek up and down the stairs.
To finish off my Saturday, I made my final climb into the Stadium for the night for Excision. Always an artist I hold close to my heart, I was happy to see him again. The dedication of Excision fans throwing up their X’s makes for such an incredible environment. An hour and 15 minutes of headbanger goodness was the perfect ending to my Saturday.
Day 3
Sundays can sometimes be tough for a 3-day festival, but at North Coast it’s a cakewalk. While I spent the first half of the day resting and people watching at the Mega Vega, Kream quickly got me to my feet. They delivered a set that was able to get even the sleepiest of ravers moving. I loved just letting the music carry me from stage to stage.
For a final time this weekend, I found myself at the Shipyard for Apashe’s set. While I had always heard his name, I hadn’t taken the time to listen too much. That all changed after this set. Delivered with such theatrics, it’s hard to put Apashe into a genre. Blended with epic orchestral cadences, the set was still incredibly danceable. Easily my favorite of the weekend as someone who loves being caught off guard.
With a quick roundabout loop by the Mega Vega after purchasing a cool tee from one of the vendors, I could hear Zedd. Always bringing the hits that people know and love, it was hard not to get pulled in. Yet, my heart was set on Zeds Dead. I consider myself to be more of a house and techno girl; however, Zeds Dead has a hook in me. My friends had yet to see a set from them, so the anticipation was high.
Moments before their set, a special North Coast Music Fest drone show took to the sky. Highlighting their 15 years of putting together one of the most beloved festivals in the Chicagoland area, the crowd roared. It felt like a special time to share with friends who were attending their first festivals. It all clicked for them at that moment. The community that’s found at NCMF is something special.
NCMF blows me away for many reasons, but one that stands out is that they listen. Feedback brought to their attention from past years is taken into consideration, and it shows. Even going as far as answering inquiries in the DMs in real time! With steady improvements every single year, I often wonder just how it can possibly get better. Then it just…does. It’s abundantly clear to festival goers just how much organizers care. From curating lineups to expand ravers’ horizons to bringing in new vendors to support small businesses, NCMF is for ravers by ravers. We’re already buzzing for next year. See you there!