ARC Shakes It Up
Chicago’s premier house and techno festival, ARC Music Festival, is back for another incredible year. This time, they’ve brought us the most diverse lineup the festival has seen yet. Ushering in the new generation of sounds, selectors, and innovators, ARC knows what’s next. Hosted August 29th to August 31 in Union Park, Labor Day weekend will be a heater.
Five Years and Counting
For five years, ARC has been a meeting of the minds of tastemakers of the past, present, and future. This year is no different. ARC-goers rejoice for the return of Eric Prydz for three sets under his three aliases. With boundary-breaker Jamie XX, Chicago’s own John Summit, and techno trailblazer Amelie Lens all ready to take the stage, there is plenty to explore here.
Cutting-edge Curation
ARC’s curation of unique back-to-back sets keeps people coming back for more. This year is no different with showstopping meetings of the minds. Green Velvet B2B Skepta Más Tiempo, Cajmere B2B Carl Craig, and the world premiere of Felix da Housecat B2B Mike Dunn are on the docket. An abundance of distinctive pairings keeps people dancing through the whole weekend.
Always having an edge on the electronic scene, ARC brought us some surprises this year. UK influence has tricked into the scene in a big way and that is reflected in this year’s lineup. Skream B2B Hamdi (UKG Set), the ARC debut of DnB from Sub Focus, and Interplanetary Criminal B2B Malugi are some unique sets that are popping up this year. This diversity will bring in a new generation of music lovers and allow for discoveries.
OGs In The House
Techno sounds permeate throughout the grounds. With heavy hitters throughout the weekend from the iconic Nicole Moudaber, Alignment, and Eli Brown. House music innovators like Duck Sauce, Hot Since 82 and Claude VonStroke show us exactly what it means to love the genre. Breakouts like it’s murph, KETTAMA, and TINZO + JOJO show us that the genre’s future is alive and well. There’s a lot to look forward to.
It wouldn’t be ARC without showcasing the roots of house and techno so they called DJ Sneak b2b DJ Heather to show us how it’s done. Father-daughter duo Floorplan is the perfect way to explore the Detroit sounds. Juke, techno, and footwork come to life when HiTech takes to the decks. There is no shortage of flavor and classic sound this year.
The influence of house and techno spans the globe so it’s a no-brainer that our Spanish friends from Elrow will be taking over a stage again this year. With colorful characters and wonderment at every corner, this stage is a fan favorite every year. The Grid’s industrial build towers over the grounds for intense sound and vibrations. Dive deeper into the lineup at the Expansions and Area 909 stages where you’ll explore the purity of house and techno sounds.
The Party Never Stops
Chicago’s Auris Presents knows exactly what the scene wants to see and they’ve delivered once again. Not only with ARC’s lineup but with a series of aftershows. Artists can further stretch their legs when the sun sets. Spanning the city in 13 unique venues and 30 shows on top of the daytime happenings, you’ll be thankful you packed your broken-in dancing shoes. Kick off the weekend, Thursday August 28th with PRYDA. The perfect guide into the weekend and setting you up for the ultimate dance fest. Come see how Chicago does it and you’ll never want to leave.
Tickets are on sale NOW. Be sure to snag yours before the fomo sets in!