Heatwave Music Competition took Chicago by storm final yr, including one other nice native fest to Chicago’s vibrant pageant scene. The 2-day fest was the right mid-summer buffer for some very much-needed dance remedy beneath the Chicago Summer season Solar. In a metropolis full of festivals and genres, it’s at all times 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.

Identical to in 2022 music was unfold out throughout three phases giving followers an opportunity to ‘select your personal journey’ throughout all weekend. Heatwave made some extent to focus on inventive artwork installations all all through the pageant. The spotlight for me being the world’s largest rubber duck, whose sheer dimension towered over the pageant as a beacon of hope. 

However any pageant in Chicago isn’t full with out afterparties. Because of Chicago’s sound rules most festivals have to finish strictly by 10 or 11 pm, however the get together doesn’t finish there. Hundreds of get together goe-rs then descend to after events throughout Chicago for unimaginable afterparties. Competition headliners GRiZ and Tiesto took over Radius, whereas attendees at Prysm have been handled to intimate units from Kaskade and Gryffin, respectively. There was one thing for everybody. 

In the event you’re from Chicago you understand how unstable the climate could 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 have 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 dark wet day. Virtually instantly, the pageant offered out of hoodies, however these ready for the climate have been in a position to expertise the pageant in an entire totally different means. It could 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 principle attraction was and can at all times be the music, we highlighted a few of our favourite units under.

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 unimaginable to observe all through the years, and his Heatwave set actually proved that. In an EDM world that appears to be at present 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 possibly can ask 20 totally different individuals what EDM must be and also you’ll get 20 totally different solutions (and that’s okay!). However for me, dance music must 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 vitality, enjoyable home music set full of sing-along moments to convey the group 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 way totally different in 2023, and in one of the simplest ways 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 tune 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 continues to be headlining essential phases the world over – and that’s not one thing you get to maintain doing for those who don’t sustain, and Tiesto has by no means had an issue doing that. His mainstage units are usually a splendidly curated mix of what’s sizzling, and Tiesto originals. And each time I’ve seen that mixture, it’s as certain to be a celebration as 1+1 at all times equals 2.

[EVENT REVIEW] Heatwave Music Competition 2023 Finds a New Dwelling