Name: ARC Music Festival
Start: 2022-09-02T12:00:00.000-05:00
End: 2022-09-04T22:00:00.000-05:00

In 1969, Gramaphone Records opened on North Clark Street in Chicago. Back then, the area was known as record store alley, with multiple shops hawking similar offerings. In the early '80s, when house music began to get the youth of Chicago joyously jacking their bodies, Gramaphone began to focus on dance music, thanks to Andy Moy, the manager at the time.



It began as a selection of house 12-inch records behind the counter that patrons could ask the friendly staff to play on the record player behind the counter. If you liked it, it was yours—unless someone wanted to fight you for the last copy. Soon enough, as the scene and its subgenres grew, locally and globally (they still have UK jungle and dubstep sections), dance records came to dominate the space. It has occupied a larger—yet still intimate and inviting—space since 2005, under current owner Michael Serafini. As you walk across its black-and-white checkered floors, you can dig through records meticulously organized by dance genres and subgenres, with a small section for other music.



The 53-year-old beloved Chicago intuition is known for having friendly and knowledgeable staff to help you find exactly the sound you're craving and to discover something new. It truly is a DJ's record store. Legendary Chicago DJs, back when they were carving out a name for themselves in the growing local scene, including Derrick Carter, DJ Heather, Collette, Mark Farina, and DJ Sneak, worked there during the golden era of Chicago house in the late '80s through mid-90s. Ravers and fellow DJs would come in to find out what records they'd played last night, like an analog Shazam. And long before you could enjoy them on SoundCloud, artists would sell their mixes at Gramaphone.



"If you came in there in the '80s and '90s, you would see some of the hottest DJs on the scene actually working there and helping you find the music you needed, whether you were into rock or alternative, new wave, techno, house or the mix show format. We were getting [the music] before a lot of people. This is when radio didn't dictate music. It was in the clubs first, then radio got hold of it," former Gramaphone employee Jesse De La Pena, currently of local independent station Vocalo Radio, told NPR in 2021.



"I can think of Saturday afternoons, everybody was there getting their music for the parties that were going on in the weekend," De La Pena said. "You would be patiently waiting your turn to grab a turntable so you could listen to some new tunes. If you heard something, you'd signal out that you'd take it. But I've seen altercations over that last record in Gramaphone."



It was, and remains, an important community space in the Chicago dance scene, a friendly meeting place for DJs, ravers, club owners, independent radio hosts, and other house heads to meet and discover new artists and sounds. Beyond being a hangout space, they host events like album release parties and even the odd wedding.



"One thing that people should know about Gramaphone Records, is that when they walk in the store, they're actually walking in the footsteps of legends that have come into that store," house forefather Steve "Silk" Hurley shared in the Vocalo radio 2020 mini-documentary (watch above).



The store has eight listening stations, where you can hear the underground records and discover artists that may not be on your radar yet, and that the streaming service algorithms may never serve you.



"If you're not from Chicago and you're interested in electronic music or house music, 'til this day Gramaphone does a great job of curating a lot of cutting-edge music in various genres," De La Pena added. "[The] majority of big DJ producers that come in from Europe or Japan, they all got to make it by Gramaphone. It is a must-stop if you make it to Chicago."



Gramaphone has Chicago hip-hop roots as well—before he was famous, Kanye West used to sell his mixtapes there.



Check out Gramaphone's website and Discogs to tap into their house magic.



House Music Thrives at Chicago's Gramaphone Records

After a successful inaugural launch, ARC Music Festival is making its grand return for a second year. The 2021 debut conjured the old-school spirit of house music in the genre’s birthplace connecting communities from around the globe in a way that paid respect to the visionary history of house music in Chicago.




While enormous artists like Carl Cox, Charlotte de Witte, Enrico Sangiuliano, and Richie Hawtin will headline the weekend, it’s the hometown heroes that ARC continues to deliver on. Paying respect to the underground heroes that are the engine of the culture, these artists prove why Chitown is the home of house music. We’ve selected ten Chicago-born and bred artists gracing the ARC Stages to show us why the Chicago music scene is where it’s at.







Azzecca



Azzecca is a modern-day Chi-town queen who commands the dance floor with her diverse music library. She can be seen not just playing but in the crowd in Chicago’s Spy Bar or one of the numerous underground clubs. Her love for house, techno, and the filmier sides of dance and disco drive her as a DJ and producer. Via her exceptional technique and reflective selections, Azzecca has a remarkable ability to take crowds on incredible adventures through genres and emotions.


Follow Azzecca on Instagram | Twitter | Soundcloud




Chip E.




Chip E is one of the OG Chicago house legends. In the early 80s, he played a pivotal role in defining the genre. He was a focal DJ on Chicago’s leading radio stations (WBMX, WGCI-FM, and B96) and a critical collaborator on Frankie Knuckles’s first records. He’s a keystone in the building blocks of House, credited with coining the use of the terms “House” and “Jack” on his legendary and highly coveted first album, “Jack Trax.” His production has earned him esteem with artists such as Michael McDonald, Fleetwood Mac, and Prince. In 2017, he signed a licensing and distribution deal with Universal Music Group to reissue his classic catalog. He can be found globally touring and coming to life on the festival circuit when not producing.



Follow Chip E on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud




Derrick Carter



DJ and producer Derrick Carter is regarded as one of the best to come out of Chicago. Getting a start as a teenager in his bedroom, he stepped into the Chicago house scene in the 90s, playing as a featured artist in local record stores and venues. Carter cemented his star status with pioneering tracks on his label Classic Recordings and Green Velvet’s Cajual. Known for freely traveling outside conformative club tastes in his production and DJ sets, he seamlessly incorporates old-school disco, soul, jazz, and whatever catches his fancy to jack the beat and rock the party. His refusal to obey conventional standards has garnered him worldwide standing as an underground pioneer and a megastar among dance-music aficionados. 


Follow Derrick Carter on | Facebook | Soundcloud







DJ Hyperactive



Joseph Manumaleuna, aka DJ Hyperactive, began to imprint his legacy on the scene in the early 90s from the south side of Chicago. He’s best known for epic house and techno sets reflective of his diverse musical roots. On top of playing legendary rooms like Tresor and Berghain in Berlin, Output in New York, and Liquid Room in Tokyo, his incredible work as a producer, spans over 100 astounding remixes and original tracks. He’s released seminal classics like “Venus” and “Wide Open” on Droid Recordings and “Music Box” on his label 4 Track Recordings. With a career going 30 years strong, DJ Hyperactive is showing no signs of slowing.



Follow DJ Hyperactive on Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud




DJ Lady D



DJ Lady D is best known for her charismatic sets blending house, disco, and open-format for various events globally and the most notable Chicago clubs and events, including North Coast, West Loop Arts, Westfest, Noise Pop, House of Sol, Summerdance, Chosen Few, Wanderlust, SXSW, and Lollapalooza. A creator at heart, she founded premiere house music label and marketing group D’lectable Music where she curates events and produces and remixes music. As an advocate for women in dance music, Lady D is a founding member of SuperJane, self-described as America’s first all-women DJ collective it includes DJ Colette, DJ Heather, and Dayhota. Listed by EDM.com as one of the most influential Black artists from Chicago. she is holding down the house as one of the city’s most beloved and in-demand personalities.


Follow DJ Lady D on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud





Gene Farris




As a global ambassador of Chicago’s classic house music sound, Gene Farris has spiritedly contributed to this century’s evolving house and techno culture. A staple of the legendary underground warehouse parties, He started spinning acid house, disco, and Chicago style in the 90s. His early success propelled him into residencies at some of the city’s most notable clubs, including the AKA Club and Boom Boom Room. A self-taught engineer and producer, he’s worked with prominent labels such as Cajual, Relief Records, Defected Records, Soma Recordings, and his breakout label Farris Wheel Recordings. His productions have propelled his influence into ever-expanding realms producing bangers that give new life to classic sounds. Gene is a gift to the scene sharing his wealth of house music knowledge with the world.


Follow Gene Farris on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud




Honey Dijon



Honey Dijon had carved a distinct niche for herself in the world of underground cross-genre sets. She started spinning records in her parent’s basement and discovered a passion for crate-digging in some of the most illustrious Chicago record stores. Her love runs deep, and her influence brings a unique perspective and experience to her productions. Honey has also been highly active at the intersection of fashion and music. And as a transgender icon is an advocate for LGBTQ issues in club culture. Honey Dijon’s brazen style blends all genres with a vision for the future of dance music. She enchants with her intuitive ability to move any dancefloor and has a versatility that dazzles.


Follow Honey Dijon on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud




Mike Dunn




Chicago house music legend Mike Dunn has been DJing and producing music for over twenty years. He started at local block parties with a unique blend of disco, funk, soul, and prototype Chicago house tracks. His first release, “Dance You Mutha” on Westbrook Records, kicked off his career as a producer, engineer, and vocalist and led to his collaboration with multiple artists and labels throughout the 80s and 90s. In 2021 his iconic track “God Made Me Phunky” was re-released on Defected Records with a remix from Eats Everything, reintroducing him to a new generation of house heads and raising his profile. This propelled him to begin touring again globally, headlining venues such as Panorama Bar, Concrete, Fabric, and Sub Club and playing festivals such as Glastonbury and Electric Forrest.




Follow Mike Dunn on Instagram | Facebook | Soundcloud




Ron Carroll



Ron Carroll’s love for music started as a choir boy and grew as a fan of bands like Kiss. But a high school dance party changed his life when he discovered a love for house music while watching a local DJ perform. After opening a club in the late 80s, he took the opportunity to try his hand at mixing. However, he is best known for his vocal performances and production of dance classics. Some of his biggest hits are his 00’s era collaboration with Superfunk, “Lucky Star,” “Back Together” with Hardsoul, and his biggest hit, “Wonderful World” with Axwell and Bob Sinclar. As a DJ, Ron has kept dance floors moving worldwide, combining DJing and live vocals. When not performing, Carroll spends his time running his three labels ElectricDiscoPussy, Chi City Music, and RCM.


Follow Ron Carroll on Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud




Mark Farina



Mark Farina has solidified himself in dance music as a trailblazing DJ, producer, tastemaker, and bona fide house music icon. After three decades of crisscrossing the globe playing hundreds of shows a year, he shows no signs of slowing down. As an early house music frontiersperson, Farina’s history includes a long-standing residency at Smart Bar in Chicago and a position at the legendary Gramaphone Records. In the 90s, Mark pushed musical boundaries and blended hip hop with downtempo grooves to create an entirely new genre, “Mushroom Jazz.” With a tireless passion for playing extended sets, B2B shows with fellow house music icons, and a habit of playing both of his signature styles on two stages on the same night, Farina continues to entertain fans all over the globe.


Follow Mark Farina on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud










DangerWayne



A lifelong fixation with dance music and over a decade of experience behind the decks has created one of Chicago’s most in-demand up-and-coming DJ and Producers. Eric Zingsheim, aka DangerWayne, is known for reading a crowd and flexing between multiple genres. He’s a regular feature in Chicago’s hottest venues, such as Tao, Spybar, and Prysm. Danger Wayne has had the honor to warm things up for various house music legends such as Tiesto, Deadmau5, and Kaskade. 



Follow Danger Wayne on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud




Dani Deahl





Dani Deahl is an icon of modern dance music. She fluidly floats between multiple roles at the intersection of music, culture, and technology. Currently the President of the Chicago chapter of the Recording Academy, she’s a tireless advocate for increasing the footprint of dance music on the Grammys. As a journalist, she’s exposed the delicate ties that bind music to technology through her work at the Verge and the YouTube series “The Future of Music.” And she’s long been a champion of creating more space for women in music. With a resume that runs this deep, it’s hard to imagine that she has any spare time, but she’s managed to build a heralded career as a DJ and producer with a Billboard-charting tune and nearly two decades of experience behind the decks to her name.




Follow Dani Deahl on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud














10 Chicago-born Hometown Heroes at ARC Music Festival

It feels as if there's is a major music festival somewhere in the US every weekend from March through October. From massive (Ultra Music Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival, Coachella, Lollapalooza) to boutique (CRSSD, III Points, Lightning in a Bottle), there's comfort in knowing there is a little something for everyone. Name a genre of music, and there is likely a music festival that focuses on that style. For consumers, this is great. Having unending choices is an extension of the American dream. This, however, is a new normal.




The festival landscape was hardly as crowded when Ultra Music Festival and Coachella held their inaugural events in 1999. Dance music fans had few options when it came to massive events that catered to their tastes. When Lollapalooza began in earnest in the early 2000s, there wasn't even a dance stage, and now it's the second-largest draw at the festival. And when EDC started over 25 years ago, the scene was still mostly underground, operating in the darkest corners of society.




As festival culture, specifically electronic music festival culture has permeated American society, fans have more opportunities and choices than ever to attend events that cater very specifically to their interests. Although many of the most popular electronic festivals book all genres, the influx of smaller, boutique festivals that focus on one or two sub-genres indicates the changing tastes of dance music fans. These events garner less national attention but often build strong communities and longevity by creating an environment of like-minded people that expect promoters to book forward-thinking lineups.



ARC Music Festival in Chicago fits this mold. ARC held its inaugural event in 2021, and this year expands to three days. The festival exclusively books underground electronic music, focusing on the brightest names in house and techno with an emphasis on interactive art exhibits, honoring the roots of its hometown, and including strong brand partners like elrow.




Chicago is the birthplace of house music. Given the city's rich music history, it seems improbable that it took so long for a music festival honoring the origins of house music to be created.



House music first emerged in Chicago in the early 1980s. The founding fathers were Black American DJs who grew up on a steady diet of disco, rock, and soul but were intrigued by brand new synthesizers that could create otherworldly sounds. Then, spurred by new technology from equipment manufacturers like Roland (the 808, 303, and 909) and Korg, artists like Frankie Knuckles, Marshall Jefferson, and Farley "Jackmaster" Funk began experimenting musically.




The godfathers of house music took these new creations out of their bedroom studios to the warehouse. Quite literally, in fact. One of Chicago's primary venues for house music at the time was The Warehouse.








The original house music DJs were onto something. The scene quickly expanded with experimentation. Offshoots like acid house became worldwide phenomena transporting the style worldwide and taking on new forms in cities like London, New York, Berlin, and beyond.




Less than 15 years after the birth of Chicago house, electronic music festivals began to take shape in the US. What had already become a long-held tradition in Europe promised to bring the genres of dance music home to their birthplace. And although we know about Ultra and Coachella's beginnings in 1999, the inaugural Detroit Electronic Music Festival in 2000 truly set the tone.




Since 2000, DEMF (now Movement) has run continuously (outside of COVID shutdowns) and independently. As festivals in the 21st century grow and often become the subject of corporate demands, independents like Movement, ARC, and Lightning In A Bottle play an essential role in preserving the culture. The demand for profit should never overrule the demand for culture and community. Of course, boutique festivals have a bottom line. Still, they allow themselves to build something culturally important and relevant by filling a niche.

ARC festival is a long-overdue response to the rich history of Chicago. Architects of Chicago house like Derrick Carter and Gene Farris seamlessly mesh with legends like Carl Cox and modern innovators like Charlotte de Witte. Old school techno crosses paths with new school tech house.




It would be easy for the organizers of Arc to present this message and not follow through with the programming. They have committed to creating an event that memorializes all that is good about the city and scene.




Although the festival is only in year two, its expansion to three days indicates that the response from fans is strong. Another day means another opportunity to highlight more local artists and traditions. And as we peer across the landscape of American music festivals, it's rare to find many that focus on local culture and music history.





How Boutique Festivals Strengthen Dance Music Culture

Gramophone Records is a Chicago institution. It isn’t just a store. It’s a scene. The shop has been around for over 50 years and is an integral part of the city’s rich dance music legacy. Derrick Carter worked there. So did Jessie De La Pena. And I was the first person to get married there.

My name is Dani Deahl. I am a DJ married to Fei (Phives), another DJ. Yes, that makes us two DJs who got married in a record store.

Dance music is the foundation of my relationship with Fei. We met when he booked me to play the Porn & Chicken dance party, a weekly he used to organize. We hit it off and quickly forged a friendship through our mutual love of electro, tech house, and melodic techno. Then, shortly after, we had our first date on Record Store Day. We picked up cupcakes and delivered them to the busy staff at Gramaphone, spending the afternoon thumbing through bins of vinyl. Later on that night, we went to see Wolfgang Gartner.



Less than 30 days later, we were engaged. Then, two years later, we recreated that first date and got married inside Gramaphone Records.

Everything about our story “breaks the rules.” We met at one of Chicago’s wildest parties. We only dated for a month before making a crazy big life decision. We got married in a record store. But it’s who we are. I think sometimes… rules are arbitrary. And making your own rules in life can be just as important as those you choose to follow.

The rule we chose to follow: Make the event as unique to our personalities as possible. That guided all our decisions around the wedding, starting with Gramaphone as the location. Planning a wedding is stressful — especially when you want everything customized — but where it would be held was the easiest decision to make. There was never another option in our minds. The idea of sharing that moment in Gramaphone with our families just felt natural.

Once we made sure we could rent out the store, we built everything else around it. Our save-the-date invitations were artful mimics of Ticketmaster tickets (they were so indistinguishable from real tickets that they confused some relatives). The actual invitations were real 45 records with custom sleeves. Even our cake was decorated with the dotted pitch calibration pattern found at the bottom of a Technics 1200 platter.



Dance music carried through the ceremony into the reception. The tables were assigned dance genres instead of numbers (we sat at the house table, obviously), and friends DJed for us all night. The following week, we hosted a special edition of Porn & Chicken and “got married” a second time in front of everyone at the club. It was all an homage to our love of dance music and a way to share our story with the people who matter most in our lives.

Gramophone Records feels like it’s a part of my DNA. It isn’t just the place I got married. It was my gateway into house music. When I started DJing in high school, vinyl was pretty much the only option, and I was lucky to live in a city with multiple record shops. Back then, I’d take my allowance and ride the 22 bus every weekend to comb through the bins and buy a couple of pieces of vinyl. I loved the scuffed black and white checkered floor, the smell of the cardboard jackets, and the surprise of stumbling into famous DJs. The store was a second home.

I think many DJs in Chicago feel sentimental about Gramaphone like I do. And it’s incredible to see its reach continue to reverberate beyond the city. It’s not only still the best spot for locals to get vinyl, it’s also become a destination point for traveling DJs. Gramophone is more than a store. It’s a cultural touchstone.



I don’t DJ with vinyl anymore, but supporting the store is still important to me today. It’s given me so much over the years, and I literally would not be the person I am today if it didn’t exist. (That’s kind of crazy to think about!)

So, the next time Record Store Day rolls around (or if you happen to be in town for a music festival like ARC), maybe hit up your crush and head over to your local shop to bring the staff a snack and buy a few tracks. You never know how things will end up.




Dani Deahl is a celebrated music journalist, DJ, and producer. She will be performing at ARC Music Festival Sunday, September 4, 2023.











Why I Got Married In A Record Store

Elrow, the most bizarre and extravagant electronic dance music party brand, continues to flourish with its immersive, out-of-this-world productions across the globe. The mind-altering, top-notch production quality at every elrow event has helped it become arguably the world’s most popular clubbing brand. There’s simply no party like an elrow party.



Since its inception, elrow founders the Arnau siblings have successfully expanded the brand internationally and left smiles on fans throughout the world’s most inspiring cities. What started as a weekly party in Viladecans just south of Barcelona is now a global enterprise.



This year, ARC Music Festival in Chicago will be the only festival in the world to host an elrow full stage takeover. After such a successful debut run last year, the sophomore edition of the popular Chi-town house and techno festival is ecstatic to welcome back the elrow family and all their colorful characters.



Over the years, elrow’s many intricate themes have spread across some of the world’s most dance music-loving locales such as Ibiza, London, Barcelona, Madrid, Amsterdam, Malta, Dubai, New York City, Las Vegas, Miami, and more. With each newly announced theme more absurd than the last, every elrow soiree has something unique to bring to the table.



If there’s one event brand in this industry that never ceases to amaze house and techno lovers, it’s elrow. While words and pictures don’t do a real-life elrow extravaganza justice, we’ve curated a list of some of the most alluring elrow stage concepts to date to get you pumped for your next elrow bender.



El Triangulo de Las Rowmudas

Imagine a wild soiree full of mad sea creatures, plane crashes, shipwrecks, and pirates intertwined with fascinating electronic music under the same raging sea. Now that’s a party. Behind the concept of El Triangulo de Las Rowmudas lies an intricate tale of its own. According to elrow curators, “we threw a party on a pirate ship, but somewhere between Atlantis and Es Vedrá, the ship went off course and entered the white island’s wildest waters: the Rowmuda Triangle.” Think Lost City of Atlantis and Pirates of the Caribbean meets mesmerizing live sounds from some of the hottest commodities in electronic music. You can take part in the untamed, under-the-sea extravaganza at ARC Music Festival this year, September 2-4 at Union Park in Chicago.



elrow Town

While every elrow event is essentially a mini-festival all on its own, elrow Town offers attendees a full-on festival experience over two days. Elrow Town showcases a stunning mixed array of decor and stage designs bringing existing elrow themes into one single event. There’s no specific theme or story behind the concept of these two-day al fresco fiestas. Just upbeat, ludicrous vibes no matter where in the festival you reside. Oh, and of course, a ton of confetti everywhere.




Psychrowdelic Trip  


As one of elrow’s highly-favored themes, every Psychrowdelic Trip takes attendees on an otherworldly journey to an alternate universe with its hallucinatory production elements. Last year, the trippy theme made its grand North American debut festival appearance at the elrow ARC Music Festival stage takeover during Labor Day Weekend, and it was a smash hit. Attendees can relive the glory days of peace, love, hippies, kaleidoscope dreams, and more amidst the typical elrow fiesta chaos. With its hypnotizing, 1960’s inspired decor everywhere, we guarantee it will feel like an actual trip.







elrow’art Kaos Garden



A few years back, the elrow’Art Kaos Garden concept was unveiled to music and art lovers across the globe and introduced the scene to an unfamiliar world in which music and art unite. The elrow creatives joined forces with multicolored street artist Okuda San Miguel and esteemed music producer Paco Osuna to form this captivating concept. Together, they’ve brought a unique sense of artistic awareness to the electronic music world by bringing human fashion and art installations to life at each event. In essence, Kaos Garden depicts all the madness that goes on in Okuda San Miguel’s inner world. It’s a place where reality and fantasy coexist as one. There’s no place to party like it.





RowsAttacks 



Another phenomenal elrow stage theme to note is RowsAttacks. This concept is truly out of this world, featuring its twist on all things extraterrestrial. In this otherworldly house and techno-filled galaxy, attendees can expect to collide with an unimaginable universe of electrifying music, aliens, spaceships, cosmic performers, UFOs, stars, planets, and more. Amongst the supernatural chaos, the typical elrow madness and absurdity lives on. Earth and humanity are nonexistent at a RowsAttacks fiesta. No matter where in the crowd you reside, prepare to be blown away by intergalactic beings and mind-altering soundscapes.









Sambowdromo do Brasil 

Although every elrow concept resembles a carnival-like gathering, Sambowdromo do Brasil is the closest thing to an authentic Brazilian Carnival you’ll ever experience. Here, the ambiance is nothing short of rowdy. This is where the wild things are. At this outrageous elrow concept, the Amazonian jungle interlaces with the pulsating vibrancy of samba and all things Carnival, where attendees get the chance to rave freely amidst the barbaric foliage. If a typical Brazilian Carnival fiesta is wild, imagine what you’ll find at this one-of-a-kind elrow-designed celebration.





El Bowsque Encantado

One more whimsical and eye-catching elrow theme to observe is El Bowsque Encantado. Similar to Psyrowedelic Trip in some aspects, this multicolored magical forest is a mind-expanding world of its own. The theme’s name literally translates to “the enchanted forest,” and that’s exactly the ambiance you’ll partake in at this bewitching house and techno affair. If you’ve ever daydreamed of basking in an entirely mythical land of fairytale creatures among the natural beauty of the forest, this is one elrow concept you won’t want to miss out on. Once deep in the thick of El Bowsque, there’s no turning back.





A Curation of elrow's Most Alluring Stage Concepts

“We’ve come a long long way together, through the hard times and the good. I have to celebrate you, baby. I have to praise you like I should.”



Cue what is arguably the most recognizable piano riff in modern music history. If the timeless melody of “Praise You,” just rang through your head, thank none other than Norman Cook, known by millions worldwide as the one and only Fatboy Slim.





Cook’s four-decade career has seen him evolve from bassist of the Housemartins to a venerated dance music figure through twenty-four different aliases and nine different collaborative projects. He even holds the World Record for most Top 40 hits under different artist names.



Born and raised in the UK in the 1960s and 70s, Norman spent his formative years in one of the hottest times and places in music history. By the age of fifteen, he started DJing local clubs while continuing to grow his expansive music taste. Eight years later, his ear for rhythm and reputation for groove landed him the role of bassist for the pop group, The Housemartins. While the gig proved fruitful, Cook knew it wasn’t the right fit and returned to his home behind the decks.



Cook’s ear for a hit became evident in no time. Soon after leaving The Housemartins, Norman formed the group, Beats International, and their 1989 debut single, “Dub Be Good To Me,” reached number one on the UK charts and became an international club hit. The breakout track, which sampled SOS Band’s “Just Be Good To Me,” and The Clash’s “The Guns Of Brixton,” would be merely a taste of what Cook had to offer to the world.







Over the next five years, Norman would release chart-topping hits with various outfits, including Pizzaman and Freak Power, while continuing to remix dance singles for other artists, including A Certain Ratio, Bassbin Twins, and Stereo MCs. Cook’s ear for a winning sample, a sturdy beat, and a gripping hook remained steadfast through each iteration and bout of experimentation, culminating in 1994 with the birth of Fatboy Slim.



The ironic party persona came to life when Cook started attending the Heavenly Sunday Social nights curated by Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, aka The Chemical Brothers (then the Dust Brothers), in London’s West End. The clever sampling and massive beats of the night quickly drew Norman behind the decks, where he soon shared time with Rowlands, Simons, Richard Fearless from Death in Vegas, and Monkey Mafia’s John Carter. A wiz behind the decks, Cook fit right in, but he soon realized his ideal set could not be played with the records available. 





He returned to the studio and soon returned with Fatboy Slim’s inaugural single, “Santa Cruz,” a swirling hypnosis of grinding guitars and acidic synths that launched to high praise from club-goers and DJ cohorts alike.










Soon, Fatboy Slim was pioneering the big beat movement alongside The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy, and in 1996 he released his debut album, Better Living Through Chemistry. The album dropped in the United States, one year later to critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone Magazine calling it “One of the most fun, shamelessly genre-hopping dance albums of the year.”





Success found a new definition in 1998 when Cook’s sophomore album, You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby, elevated Fatboy Slim from “the drinking man’s DJ” to a global phenom. The project achieved cross-over success thrusting big beat into the mainstream. Certified platinum, it landed Cook his first two Grammy nominations for Best Dance Track and Best Alternative Music Album.



Tracks like “The Rockafeller Skank,” “Praise You,” “Right Here, Right Now,” and others off the historic album have immortalized Cook’s “big beat” sound as pieces of countless soundtracks and commercials to this day.







The turn of the millennia saw Cook continue to push sonic boundaries and shatter genre lines. His album, Halfway Between The Gutter And The Stars, delivered what many consider his single most diverse collection of sounds and another Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album. Elements of dance and rock are bound by his classic big beat style while sharing space with elements of breakbeat, acid house, and even a taste of Hindi Ragas.



Fatboy Slim’s final solo album, Palookaville, would arrive in 2004 in the wake of a brief split with then-wife Zoe Ball. He scored two more Grammy nominations for Best Dance Recording and Best Electronic/Dance Album.



Norman Cook announced in 2008 that he would be retiring the Fatboy Slim name, but much to the delight of millions of fans around the globe has intermittently reprised the role for a collaborative project here, like Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat in 2014 with Beardyman, or a one-off show there.



While past years saw a recession of appearances, 2022, the 28th year of Fatboy Slim, sees the lunatic alter-ego take the stage over 25 times in a strong post-Covid resurgence. His appearance in Chicago at ARC Music Festival is partocularly noteworthy as, even in the UK, his festival apperances are rare. However, the lineup also includes collaborators like Eats Everything and longtime friends like Carl Cox. While he has a mountain of hits dating back three decades, his DJ sets stay fresh, relevant, and fabulously fun.



Will Fatboy Slim ever truly retire? Maybe. Maybe not. Norman Cook’s love for performance may seem boundless, but in recent years he has migrated more towards the role of father while also pursuing art and film projects. Indeed, one would say he has certainly earned some time for himself if he ever decides to take off the headphones. His contributions not just to dance music but to music as an institution will have waves of impact long from now. Whether it be 100 performances in a year, or one, we will always be ready for our smiley-clad hero to take the stage.





Fatboy Slim: The Story of Dance Music’s Smiley Clad Legend

The laundry list of add-ons and ticket tiers can be dizzying when planning a festival excursion. But it’s this laundry list of options that fund the events we know and love. The sale of multi-leveled ticket tiers and VIP packages has played a large part in the steady increase in music festivals since the start of the festival boom in the early 2000s.



Look at the overwhelming majority of festival ticket pages, and you’ll find several price points connected to an increasingly inclusive ticket/accommodation package.



The US’s largest festival Coachella has a general admission pass that runs about $500 and a VIP pass at ~$1,000. The festival website states, “VIP areas offer specialty food & drink vendors, air-conditioned restrooms, shaded seating areas, and full cash bars.”




The disparity between camping options is even more pronounced, with base-level accommodation starting at $102 and the highest lodging tier weighing in at a whopping $9,500. It’s worth noting there is a final lodging tier that simply states, “Contact VMT (Valley Music Travel) for pricing.” But, of course, we all know what it means when there is no listed price.



Electric Daisy Carnival and Ultra Music Festival, two of the world’s leading dance music festivals, offer similar ticket disparities, with General Admission clocking in at ~$400, GA+ at ~$700, and VIP at ~$1,000.




Examining most VIP packages will entail a similar line of amenities while sometimes offering exclusive memorabilia. This kind of tiered packaging is not a new or unique concept, and it is certainly not specific to the mainstream. Even niche festivals like Dirtybird Campout, ARC Music Festival, and All Day I Dream offer various event experiences. 



Chicago’s premier house and techno event, ARC Music Festival, for example, lets VIP ticket holders pick from two tiers. Both the Global and Icon levels offer express entry, access to exclusive lounges, elevated viewing areas, cash bars with top-shelf liquor, and air-conditioned bathrooms (something anyone can appreciate at a festival). The Icon tier steps up the offering with all-inclusive bar and food options, massage and spa services, personal lockers, and festival merchandise.




Festival-goers would be hard-pressed to find a festival that didn’t offer a VIP option of some sort, be it through event access or accommodation level. And a quick glance at the present-day market metrics will tell you why.




Dr. Chris Anderton, Professor of Cultural Economy at Solent University, noted in his analysis of music festival sponsorship that between 2003 and 2006, 160 new music festivals formed in Europe’s music festival hub, Great Britain. Those festivals comprised 24% of the UK’s average of 670 yearly fests. Of those 160 events, more than 25% had ceased operation by 2007.



A quick search on Music Festival Wizard shows the US will host 400-500 music festivals in 2022 alone. Applying Anderton’s findings to the current market, which continues to be plagued by Covid-caused cancellations, suggests that 10-20% of this year’s new festivals will cease operation in 1-4 years.





This may seem surprising to many considering festivals like Lollapalooza, Burning Man, and Glastonbury have been in place for 30-50 years. But by and large, the festival industry is volatile. Everything from adverse weather to poor marketing can wreak havoc on an industry closely tied to the current financial state of its target market. And they require massive amounts of initial investment. Festivals in secondary and tertiary markets with strikingly slim profit margins are sometimes one ill-timed thunderstorm away from permanent failure.



Considering the annual return of many music festivals is far from a forgone conclusion, it makes sense that event organizers would seek to boost revenue in any way they can. Bolstering profit margins with VIP and tiered offerings goes a long way toward ensuring the return of some of our favorite festivals.




But every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and we have to ask ourselves if the price of these VIP offerings is purely monetary or if we might be sacrificing something more? Could the culture of music festivals be at risk? To answer this, we first must look to the roots of the modern-day music festival.



Today’s music festivals trace their origins to the UK’s open-air jazz festivals of the 1950s and psychedelic pop and rock events like the Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock Music and Arts Festival of the 1960s. These festivals offered space for expression and participation in emerging countercultural fields of the time, such as mysticism and eastern philosophies, without the interference of societal norms and expectations.




In a time of stark political, social, and cultural polarization, these events turned into momentary safe havens for an increasingly progressive and forward-thinking population.



“Free Festivals” throughout the UK in the 70s and 80s emerged from the belief that commercial event organizers were merely gouging the attendees. This new festival variant soon comfortably outnumbered commercial festivals. They charged no admission or camping fee, featured bands that played for free, and depended on volunteer participation of attendees in every facet ranging from food distribution to ecological awareness for their success.




The characteristics of community, accountability, counterculture, and altruism that defined early festivals laid the groundwork for both free and commercial music festival culture and values for years to come.



A decade of socio-political clashes with the conservative UK government led to the mid-90s disbandment of the free festival movement and the traveling community that sustained it. The elimination of free festivals cleared the competition for commercial festivals to advance, but the economic after-effects of the actions taken against free festivals forced commercial promoters to use corporate sponsors to mitigate these increased costs.



By the turn of the millennium, promoters recognized the boundless possibilities of corporate investment. Since then, we’ve seen festivals grow non-stop to scales greater than ever thought possible. The live music industry has become a roughly 28 billion dollar market. In a world that sees Millennials and Gen Z assigning significantly more value to experiences over goods, the profit potential behind VIP packages is too great for promoters to ignore.



So how do VIP packages and tiered ticketing interact with the foundations of festival culture? While the emergence of higher offerings can ease the financial risk taken by promoters, have they also hollowed the core of what music festivals are supposed to represent?



The principles of community, accountability, counterculture, and altruism that defined the success of the free festivals stemmed from a shared experience driven by a common appreciation for music and the nonjudgemental space for expression it provided detached from societal norms and hierarchy. By these standards, the figurative and literal lines VIP packages form between festival-goers and their experiences based on their financial ability are antithetical to the culture that birthed the foundations of the festivals we love today.

All too often, we see the exclusive nature of this capitalistic hierarchy bastardize the founding philosophies of communal oneness as clout-chasers and wannabe influencers flaunt their attendance and exclusive experience on social media to alert the world how #blessed they are. In a festival purist’s perfect world, one would think the willingness to spend exorbitant amounts of money to separate yourself from the masses—the community—for the sake of first-world comforts and optimal content creation would simply result in a one-way ticket to the nearest exit. But neither the music festival industry nor the society in which it exists are the same as they were fifty years ago.



Today’s music festivals are big business, and, for better or for worse, an adequate revenue stream is just as much the life-blood as the music for every event. While many events lean into popular cultural trends and corporate interests to make a sizable cash grab, there is an increasing number of festivals trying to bridge the gap between community and commercialism.



Events like DGTL, ARC, Envision, Lightning in a Bottle, and more embody the communal oneness that defined festivals of decades past. Festivals like these, while still very much dependent on commercial revenue streams, cater their events to a more niche market. Their target markets consist almost entirely of more seasoned festival and genre-versed fans, which carry a direct correlation between time in scene and a deeper sense of community. Some of these festivals also offer an impressively wide variety of workshops, community volunteer opportunities, and ecological volunteer opportunities outside of the music that reprise the values of free thought, expression, and learning that were once defining features of music festival culture.



While offering these deeply enriching and unique opportunities and actively advocating for communal accountability, festivals like these also offer VIP packages and tiered accommodations. This begs the question, “Are they hurting their community?”



One week(end) at any of the four previously mentioned festivals would likely inspire a resounding “No,” from anyone in attendance. Niche festivals like these garner a strikingly loyal fan base and take on the role of pseudo-pilgrimage for many due largely to the brief taste of the near-utopian community and countercultural experience stemming from one common thread—the music. While some participants may have more means than others, the purposeful lack of unnecessary corporate involvement allows these kinds of festivals to focus entirely on delivering an experience that carries deep meaning and fulfillment for their audiences. The communal accountability, gratitude, and altruism felt by those in attendance largely mitigates any separation conveyed through differing tiers.



In a world where commercialism continues to permeate nearly every facet of our lives, and our perceived (and sometimes financial) value is increasingly tied to the likes garnered by our latest post, is it possible for music festivals to find a balance between the financial gain of VIP hierarchy and the post-societal roots of festival culture?




While the hyper-commercialization of live music over the last two decades has undoubtedly birthed a sea of trend-oriented, profit-driven music festivals, we are seeing a rise in secondary festivals embody the founding principles of community, accountability, counterculture, and altruism while making enough money through ticket tiers and add-ons to become annual events.



Perhaps we are witnessing a split in the market similar to the commercial and free festivals decades ago. While it is doubtful we’ll see free festivals reprise any time soon, festival-goers should still strive to live out the mutually uplifting philosophies of festivals past regardless of genre and audience attendance. Promoters, too, can take a page from the New Travelers, organizers of the Free Festivals, and work to build more festivals of substance that not only support their attendees but also minimize their impact on the land and communities in which they take place.





The VIP Experience: The Real Price Of Comfort

One of the UK’s most notable and long-admired DJs and producers, Oliver Dene Jones, aka Skream, enjoyed the type of pandemic productivity many could only dream of.



Over the course of lockdowns throughout 2020 and 2021, the multi-genre dubstep-turned-disco DJ and producer created a whopping 220 tracks, on top of establishing his own, inaugural label, IFEEL, which became the creative launchpad for self-produced tracks such as “Trees” and “Chester’s Groove” (remixed by Berghain resident Norman Nodge).



Though quarantine served as a catalyst for the latest era of Skream’s prolific career, the South London native has a unique origin story more than two decades in the making. So, who is this artist whose sonic influence has reverberated throughout vast world of dance music?







Skream, now 36, began as a bedroom DJ at the age of 11. He would break into his brother, DJ Hijak’s, room to fiddle with his turntables before eventually experimenting with music production equipment at his stomping grounds, Big Apple Records, in Croydon. It was “all fun and games,” at the start, but by the age of 13, he knew he was destined to be producer. By 14 or 15, his tracks had begun making their way through the sound systems of local London clubs.



“There was a really famous party that had just started called Forward. It was also the first time that I heard one of my songs in a club,” Skream told Billboard in a 2021 interview. “It was the icing on the cake for me that was like, ‘This is what is what I want to do.’”







Skream’s career can be characterized as one that’s always been on the vanguard of musical movements, encompassing the entire arc of the electronic dance music industry. He was on the leading edge of the dubstep movement in the mid-aughts, paved the way for the transition to a more underground (yet still commercially appealing) house and techno sound in the early-2010s, and more recently, has even leaned into the nu-disco revival.





Early in his career, Skream’s ability to flex cross-genre led to a slew of opportunities. Following the launch of one of his biggest releases, Midnight Request Line, in 2005, Skream found success across multiple musical categories, collaborating with notable grime artists, Wiley and Skepta, and adding his dark, dubsteppy DJing flare to remixes for songs like La Roux’s “In for the Kill.” In 2006, he began a stint on London–based Rinse FM. The community-based station has long remained ahead of the curve in urban and underground music and Skream’s weekly show quickly gained notoriety around Britain and beyond, cementing his place in the burgeoning dubstep spotlight.









In 2007, a new project emerged. Skream combined forces with producers and DJs Benga and Artwork (previously known as Menta), two artists he met during his Big Apple Record days. The trio embarked on a sold-out global tour in 2010 and released their eponymous album, which peaked at number 5 on the UK Album Charts in 2010 with the lead single, “spot.”








The project further skyrocketed Skream into electronic music prominence, and over the course of following years, the artist worked his way onto some of the most high-profile stages (including Berghain’s Panorama Bar and Printworks London) and into some of the most prominent electronic music institutions in the world, including contributing to Pete Tong’s 2013 Defected Records house mix.







But in the 2010s, yet again on the frontier of a new era for dance music, Skream verbalized the marked shift he was witnessing in EDM. In a 2013 interview with Fact, he left nothing to the imagination on his position of the evolution (read: dilution) of dance music.



“I can’t fucking stand EDM anymore,” he said, going on to laude artists like Seth Troxler and the newly-debuted Kaytranada for their roles in injecting real, deep, underground house more into the mainstream. “There’s a lot more interest in it, people are interested in good music again, and that’s good.”







And in the decade since, Skream’s career has evolved yet again, appealing to widening the fanbase eager to reconnect (or connect for the first time) with the soulful, powerful, and authentic roots of dance music. From a Saturday residency at Shoreditch Club’s XOYO to his consistent sets at some of Manchester’s mega-clubs, Skrea’s sound has shifted into a funkier, disco-laden style that’s caught fire throughout the UK and beyond.

“Manchester was the biggest fanbase in the country for a while,” he said in a video interview with The Warehouse Project, surrounded by shelves of sneakers (Skream is a self-described sneakerhead, who jokingly admits has tried to curb his obsession in recent years). In both a production and DJ capacity, Skream has continued to adopt the flare of disco and funk. Since the pandemic, he’s played prolific parties like Spain-based elrow, Manchester’s Parklife, and Glastonbury’s Lost Horizon.







With the world on the precipice of some semi-return to normalcy, what’s next for Skream?



For one, a continued focus on his label. "I wanted to create a label solely for my own productions, in any genre I feel like," he told EDM.com. "I also wanted to bring in artists that I really admire."



And that he did. Set to reunite with Benga in 2022, Skream is causing a lot of buzz about the potential for a fishhook back into his dubstep origins. But don’t expect this artist defined by mutability to be pinned down for long.



Follow Skream on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | SoundCloud | Resident Advisor




From Dubstep to Disco and Back: Skream Stays on the Forefront of Dance Music

Sweden

Adam Beyer 

Cirez D

ANNA

Germany

Ann Clue

Ben Böhmer

Boris Brejcha

United Kingdom

Carl Cox

United States

Carl Craig

Belgium

Charlotte de Witte

Netherlands

Chelina Manuhutu

Chip E.

Chris Lake

Claptone

Cloonee

Spain

De La Swing

Derrick Carter

DJ Hyperactive

DJ Lady D

Italy

DJ Tennis

Eats Everything

Enrico Sangiuliano

Fatboy Slim

Gene Farris

Get Real

Giolì & Assia

Gorgon City

Hiroko Yamamura

Honey Dijon

Joseph Capriati

Justin Martin

Brazil

Kasablanca

kryptogram

Lane 8

Maher Daniel

Mike Dunn

Moritz

South Africa

Nora En Pure

Öona Dahl

Pan-Pot

Paco Osuna

Chile

Ricardo Villalobos

Richie Hawtin

Ron Carroll

Palestinian Territories

Sama’ Abdulhadi

Seth Troxler

Skream

Tini Gessler

Vintage Culture

Australia

Wax Motif

ARC Music Festival 2022 Lineup

ARC Music Festival brings the global scene to the birthplace of house music over Labor Day Weekend, September 2-4. Three-day passes on-sale now:  https://arc.fanlink.to/OnSaleNow

Track ID: Chip E & Carl Cox - Time to Jack (Back 2 Jack 2018)

Featuring house, techno & beyond with: Carl Cox, Adam Beyer □ Cirez D, Charlotte de Witte, Honey Dijon, Fatboy Slim, Ricardo Villalobos, Carl Craig, Joseph Capriati, Richie Hawtin, ANNA, Gorgon City, Lane 8, Vintage Culture, Chris Lake, Sama’ Abdulhadi, Nora En Pure, Claptone, Giolì & Assia, Get Real, DJ Lady D, Eats Everything, Ron Carroll, Mike Dunn, Boris Brejcha, Ben Böhmer, Gene Farris and more.

Bridging the global electronic music scene, ARC takes modern house music icons and putting them alongside Chicago’s own originators, international techno artists and multi-genre live performances.

All house and techno lovers are congregating at the same place this Labor Day Weekend. Thanks to its successful debut last year, on September 2-4, Chicago’s Union Park is hosting the greatest international house acts for 

. Incredible world-renowned artists, including Fat Boy Slim for a rare stateside festival appearance, the smooth deep house sounds of Nora En Pure, the king of techno Carl Cox, and acid techno maven of Charlotte de Witte.

We’re also excited to see the Spanish experiential party brand elrow returning for another full stage takeover. Last year the elrow tent was decked from top to bottom in neon, and the vibes (and confetti blasts) were thick all weekend long.

The lineup includes a diverse mix of homegrown talent, industry legends, and today’s brightest stars in underground dance music. From Get Real to Carl Craig, Ann Clue to Honey Dijon, Maine to Wax Motif, the lineup represents a cross-section of the many intersecting elements of modern and classic house and techno culture.

ARC’s curation is second to none. Seldom do we see lineups like this stateside. And they’ve made the deal sweeter by adding a bevy of tantalizing B2B sets that you may not see anywhere else. Back-to-back sets are an art form, and these selectors are primed and ready to give the dancefloor an education in proper dance music. The B2B lineup includes Derrick Carter b2b Mark Farina, Skream b2b Eats Everything, Öona Dahl b2b DJ Three, Gene Farris b2b Mike Dunn, and Hiroko Yamamura b2b DJ Hyperactive.

The music isn’t the only thing you’ll want to come for. Curated production and art elements will be scattered throughout the festival, so even when you’re stage-hopping, you’ll be immersed in the ARC experience. And if you’re like us and food is one of the main reasons you like to go to festivals, ARC will be serving strictly local cuisine for your elevated palate.

Since you love house and techno as much as we do, you’re probably already familiar with the headliners, but there are many more acts to dig into. We chose a few you should check before heading to ARC.

Hiroko Yamamura DJ set - Movement Festival At Home: MDW | @Beatport Live

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Hiroko Yamamura up right now as we go LIVE for Movement Festival At Home: MDW on Beatport Live. 

Coming Up: 

Dez Andrés
Waajeed
Hiroko Yamamura
Lucy
Matthew Dear
Justin Martin
Claude VonStroke
House of E Funk Afterparty with Soul Clap, Stacey Pullen & Shigeto
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stays true to their roots by spinning classic Chicago, influenced by The Warehouse, technology, and straight-up techno. Yamamura was dubbed one of XLR8R’s Top 10 Chicago DJs, and that didn’t slow down during lockdown. Yamamura played virtual sets in those two years, including one for Beatport Live’s Movement Festival At Home.

Sama' Abdulhadi | Boiler Room Palestine

Making her Boiler Room debut on home turf is Palestine’s techno queen Sama' Abdulhadi.

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 is representing Palestine at ARC Festival this year. Co-signed by Boiler Room, New York Times, Red Bull, and even landed a cover on DJ Mag, AbdulHadi is hardly underrated. However, she represents the thriving techno scene in Palestine—and is even nicknamed Palestine’s queen of techno—so if you haven’t had a chance to catch a set, this is your time.

Sama' Abdulhadi - Junction 2: Inner-City | The Great Gallery | @Beatport Live

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Sama' Abdulhadi streaming live from the Great Gallery for Junction 2: Inner-City 2021 in London warehouse space Tobacco Dock on Beatport Live.

https://www.beatport.com/

About Sama' Abdulhadi: 
Sama Abdulhadi’s rise to becoming one of the first DJs to emerge internationally from Palestine can be traced back to Beirut, where she immersed herself in the burgeoning local techno scene. Her years in the Lebanese capital not only developed in her a singular musical aesthetic, but educated her as to the technicalities of mixing records and forming a narrative by doing so. Her sets, while rooted in high-octane, punchy techno, have a distinguished and defined ark, encompassing a broad range of sounds in their beginning and end. It’s a style that can be traced back to her teachers, two DJs who instilled in her the value of adaptation and track diversity. “The music is Berlin techno, but I perceive it in a Lebanese way,” Sama explains. Sama’s story begins in Ramallah, Palestine’s de facto capital. Moving there from Jordan, her place of birth, she first connected with hip-hop and rap, the region’s foremost alternative genre. A penchant for music was evident at an early age, but it was the technical side that drew her in first, leading her to study in Beirut. She returned to Palestine with a new understanding of electronic music, and brought with her the techno genre, inspiring a local community of artists that continues to flourish in the face of the geo-political restrictions imposed upon it. Intent on pursuing a career in Music Production, Sama studied Audio Engineering at SAE Institute London, the basis for two albums as Skywalker, her former alias, and a job in Cairo, Egypt, where she began working with bands and designing sound for moving picture, including Egyptian films like “The Builders” and “Thread and Wall.” She also partnered with Arabic music incubator Eka3 to start her own publishing agency, Awyav. It wasn’t until much later that DJing became her focus, sparked by a run of gigs that has continued ever since. Her education in music continues to inform her work: not only has it had a big impact on how she hears sound, but she sprinkles real-life samples throughout her sets, recorded on her travels and shaped back in her studio. In 2018, she performed at Germany’s Fusion Festival and Hungary’s Sziget Festival, but it was her Boiler Room set, viewed nearly 3-million times, that identified her talents to the wider electronic music community. While touring every weekend, she bases herself in Paris, France, after completing a six-month residency at the International City of Arts having been selected as a Laureate by the French Institute. In July, she completed her first Essential Mix for BBC Radio 1, opening it with a binaural recording from London’s Kings Cross train station to Paris. Much beyond the success she’s already enjoying, Sama’s goal has always been to put Palestine on the musical map. While she continues to excel on all fronts, she uses her status as a rising touring DJ to support the growing number of musicians at home. Besides advising them on the challenges they’ll face, she’s recently set up Union, an artistic community in Ramallah that also serves as a platform for DJs and producers to better their skills.

Sama Abdulhadi's music on Beatport: https://www.beatport.com/artist/sama-abdulhadi/897611


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, and since you’re in Chicago, you have no choice but to pull up to her set. She’s played at events including Lollapalooza, SXSW, and Wanderlust, but a set at ARC is the perfect match. You can expect the best house, techno, and disco from one of Chicago’s trailblazing selectors.

Chelina Manuhutu DJ Set From The Alternative Top 100 DJs Virtual Festival 2020

Chelina Manuhutu  plays an exclusive 60 minute DJ set for the alternative Top 100 DJs virtual festival 

If you can afford it, please consider donating - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/top100djs2020


The Top 100 DJs Virtual festival series, taking place every Saturday and Sunday from 18th July through to 19th September, will be broadcast across DJ Mag’s global YouTube, Facebook and Twitch channels. Saturdays will be dedicated to Top 100 DJs, while Sundays celebrate the Alternative Top 100 DJs. The Alternative Top 100 DJs, uses the same vote data as the Top 100 DJs poll, cross-referenced with Beatport sales data and a genre-filter to create a ranking to celebrate the contribution of house and techno DJs. 


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Website: http://www.djmag.com
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 comes from a musical family. Her father, Johnny Manuhutu, was part of Latin funk band Massada. There’s a bit of that Latin funk in her lively tech house sound. The powerhouse artist has appeared on stages worldwide, including Creamfields, elrow, and all over Ibiza. When Chelina takes the stage, expect the energy to flip into high gear with big basslines and spicy rhythms.

The three-day, four-stage festival has so much to choose from, you’re bound to run into some set time conflicts. But with out-of-this-world production, first-class music acts, and exquisite culinary choices, no matter what you pick, you’re going to have the best Labor Day Weekend that Chicago has to offer.

ARC Music Festival





All house and techno lovers are congregating at the same place this Labor Day Weekend. Thanks to its successful debut last year, on September 2-4, Chicago’s Union Park is hosting the greatest international house acts for ARC Music Festival. Incredible world-renowned artists, including Fat Boy Slim for a rare stateside festival appearance, the smooth deep house sounds of Nora En Pure, the king of techno Carl Cox, and acid techno maven of Charlotte de Witte.



We’re also excited to see the Spanish experiential party brand elrow returning for another full stage takeover. Last year the elrow tent was decked from top to bottom in neon, and the vibes (and confetti blasts) were thick all weekend long.



The lineup includes a diverse mix of homegrown talent, industry legends, and today’s brightest stars in underground dance music. From Get Real to Carl Craig, Ann Clue to Honey Dijon, Maine to Wax Motif, the lineup represents a cross-section of the many intersecting elements of modern and classic house and techno culture.



ARC’s curation is second to none. Seldom do we see lineups like this stateside. And they’ve made the deal sweeter by adding a bevy of tantalizing B2B sets that you may not see anywhere else. Back-to-back sets are an art form, and these selectors are primed and ready to give the dancefloor an education in proper dance music. The B2B lineup includes Derrick Carter b2b Mark Farina, Skream b2b Eats Everything, Öona Dahl b2b DJ Three, Gene Farris b2b Mike Dunn, and Hiroko Yamamura b2b DJ Hyperactive.



The music isn’t the only thing you’ll want to come for. Curated production and art elements will be scattered throughout the festival, so even when you’re stage-hopping, you’ll be immersed in the ARC experience. And if you’re like us and food is one of the main reasons you like to go to festivals, ARC will be serving strictly local cuisine for your elevated palate.



Since you love house and techno as much as we do, you’re probably already familiar with the headliners, but there are many more acts to dig into. We chose a few you should check before heading to ARC.







Chicago local Hiroko Yamamura stays true to their roots by spinning classic Chicago, influenced by The Warehouse, technology, and straight-up techno. Yamamura was dubbed one of XLR8R’s Top 10 Chicago DJs, and that didn’t slow down during lockdown. Yamamura played virtual sets in those two years, including one for Beatport Live’s Movement Festival At Home.







Sama’ Abdulhadi is representing Palestine at ARC Festival this year. Co-signed by Boiler Room, New York Times, Red Bull, and even landed a cover on DJ Mag, AbdulHadi is hardly underrated. However, she represents the thriving techno scene in Palestine—and is even nicknamed Palestine’s queen of techno—so if you haven’t had a chance to catch a set, this is your time.







Chicago’s house music queen is DJ Lady D, and since you’re in Chicago, you have no choice but to pull up to her set. She’s played at events including Lollapalooza, SXSW, and Wanderlust, but a set at ARC is the perfect match. You can expect the best house, techno, and disco from one of Chicago’s trailblazing selectors.




Dutch DJ Chelina Manuhutu comes from a musical family. Her father, Johnny Manuhutu, was part of Latin funk band Massada. There’s a bit of that Latin funk in her lively tech house sound. The powerhouse artist has appeared on stages worldwide, including Creamfields, elrow, and all over Ibiza. When Chelina takes the stage, expect the energy to flip into high gear with big basslines and spicy rhythms.



The three-day, four-stage festival has so much to choose from, you’re bound to run into some set time conflicts. But with out-of-this-world production, first-class music acts, and exquisite culinary choices, no matter what you pick, you’re going to have the best Labor Day Weekend that Chicago has to offer.



Gray Area Spotlight: ARC Music Festival

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Gray Area Spotlight: ARC Music Festival (Stu Hackley)

Chicago native and the Godfather of House Music Frankie Knuckles famously said, "The minute you think you're greater than the music, you're finished."

This ethos is intrinsic to one of Chicago's premier (and newer) dance music happenings, 

, returning for its sophomore year this Labor Day Weekend to the city's epicenter in Union Park. The three-day festival pays homage to Chicago's proud history as the birthplace of house and includes a lineup stacked with dance music legends like Carl Cox, Honey Dijon, Seth Troxler, Derrick Carter, Mark Farina, Mike Dunn, Fatboy Slim, and more than 50 other artists.

Union Park

When asked to describe in a few words what the 20,000 daily festivalgoers can expect during this second annual go-round, ARC co-founder Stu Hackley offered an unambiguous picture. "Amazing F**king Music."

ARC 2021 Aftermovie

Relive moments from ARC Music Festival with Eric Prydz, Zhu, Fisher, and 40+ artists as it brought the global scene to the birthplace of house music in Chicago. ARC Music Festival returns in 2022 for three days of house, techno and beyond over Labor Day Weekend.

Tickets on-sale November 30th at ARCMusicFestival.com

Relive ARC Music Festival 2021

Paying tribute to one of the most prolific global genres over the past 40 years is no easy feat. The house music community is broad, diverse, and encompasses a wide range of tastes and sonic textures. So how did the ARC team translate the once-underground genre onto the American main stage?

As the iconic lyrics of vocalist (and Chicagoan) Celeda still ring out across dancefloors today, "Music is the answer."

In 2019, a mutual love for house and techno brought Hackley together with industry veteran and festival co-founder John Curley, who grew up in the Chicago club circuit in the early-90s. However, soon after the seed for ARC began germinating, the pandemic arrived. Fortunately, it afforded the duo downtime to "get to root of what Chicago really needed" from its next big festival.

"There was no specific formula," says Hackley. "It was us two music heads, almost just thinking, 'What would we want to listen to? How do we see this coming to life?'"

Three years later, and coming up on its second installment, ARC aims to represent every facet of house, techno, and underground music on a large scale. With Chicago's influence on the electronic music scene top of mind, the ARC team has intentionally curated an experience that captures the true essence and history of dance music as a genre rooted in equality, diversity, and inclusion.

"We try to create something that has a little bit for everyone," says Hackley. "Everyone is welcome at ARC. I don't think we're speaking to any one individual. When we talk about ARC, we talk about how to reach people who love good music and want to appreciate it in a great city, with great weather, and have an amazing time. It's an intrinsic gut feeling that we go off by being [dance music] fans ourselves that helps us speak to the audience that's out there."

This spirit of equity also comes to life on ARC's stages. The festival ensures that its diverse lineup of artists—from legendary classic house DJs to progressive newcomers—get equal footing and billing, with the goal of cross-pollinating audiences and exposing festivalgoers to new artists.

"We aim to really mold and mesh the classic sounds and the new sounds together," says Hackley. "There are other festivals that will book some of these legends or founders of the genre, but they don't get prioritized set times. We do the opposite. We want to put every artist on equally prominent stages and really represent what each of them has given to this music."

And from a production standpoint, ARC eschews flashy gimmicks. The team has refined a laser focus on the fundamentals: high-quality sound, amazing production, and a cohesive, creative visual experience across its three stages.

"At the basics, we focus on solid production and sound," says Hackley. "It starts with just creating an uncommodified, real experience. We don't want people to step onsite and feel like they're being taken out of the club environment they're used to feeling."

The festival fosters an immersive journey, where attendees can flow seamlessly between the technicolor containers of the ARC's largest stage, The Grid, and the psychedelic flamboyance of Elrow. A journey onwards moves into the deeper, jungle-like vibe of Expansions. And for festival pass holders looking to party late into balmy Chicago night? The ARC After Dark party series hosts artists at venues across Chicago once the festival wraps for the night.


ARC offers three types of three-day festival passes. The ARCitect (General Admission) pass includes priority access to purchase tickets for ARC After Dark events. The GLOBAL (VIP) pass provides access to the Global lounge, elevated viewing areas, and private bars. And the ICON (VIP Plus) pass includes all-inclusive access to locally catered food, hors d'oeuvres, and top-shelf alcohol, with access to the Icon lounge for the best views at the festival.

In recent years, house and techno have slowly but surely returned from across the pond in a massive way. ARC aims to foster a burgeoning and increasingly diverse dance music community in the US, united under the banner of good f**king music in the city where it all began.



Chicago native and the Godfather of House Music Frankie Knuckles famously said, "The minute you think you're greater than the music, you're finished."




This ethos is intrinsic to one of Chicago's premier (and newer) dance music happenings, ARC Music Festival, returning for its sophomore year this Labor Day Weekend to the city's epicenter in Union Park. The three-day festival pays homage to Chicago's proud history as the birthplace of house and includes a lineup stacked with dance music legends like Carl Cox, Honey Dijon, Seth Troxler, Derrick Carter, Mark Farina, Mike Dunn, Fatboy Slim, and more than 50 other artists.




When asked to describe in a few words what the 20,000 daily festivalgoers can expect during this second annual go-round, ARC co-founder Stu Hackley offered an unambiguous picture. "Amazing F**king Music."







Paying tribute to one of the most prolific global genres over the past 40 years is no easy feat. The house music community is broad, diverse, and encompasses a wide range of tastes and sonic textures. So how did the ARC team translate the once-underground genre onto the American main stage?




As the iconic lyrics of vocalist (and Chicagoan) Celeda still ring out across dancefloors today, "Music is the answer."




In 2019, a mutual love for house and techno brought Hackley together with industry veteran and festival co-founder John Curley, who grew up in the Chicago club circuit in the early-90s. However, soon after the seed for ARC began germinating, the pandemic arrived. Fortunately, it afforded the duo downtime to "get to root of what Chicago really needed" from its next big festival.




"There was no specific formula," says Hackley. "It was us two music heads, almost just thinking, 'What would we want to listen to? How do we see this coming to life?'"




Three years later, and coming up on its second installment, ARC aims to represent every facet of house, techno, and underground music on a large scale. With Chicago's influence on the electronic music scene top of mind, the ARC team has intentionally curated an experience that captures the true essence and history of dance music as a genre rooted in equality, diversity, and inclusion.




"We try to create something that has a little bit for everyone," says Hackley. "Everyone is welcome at ARC. I don't think we're speaking to any one individual. When we talk about ARC, we talk about how to reach people who love good music and want to appreciate it in a great city, with great weather, and have an amazing time. It's an intrinsic gut feeling that we go off by being [dance music] fans ourselves that helps us speak to the audience that's out there."









This spirit of equity also comes to life on ARC's stages. The festival ensures that its diverse lineup of artists—from legendary classic house DJs to progressive newcomers—get equal footing and billing, with the goal of cross-pollinating audiences and exposing festivalgoers to new artists.




"We aim to really mold and mesh the classic sounds and the new sounds together," says Hackley. "There are other festivals that will book some of these legends or founders of the genre, but they don't get prioritized set times. We do the opposite. We want to put every artist on equally prominent stages and really represent what each of them has given to this music."









And from a production standpoint, ARC eschews flashy gimmicks. The team has refined a laser focus on the fundamentals: high-quality sound, amazing production, and a cohesive, creative visual experience across its three stages.




"At the basics, we focus on solid production and sound," says Hackley. "It starts with just creating an uncommodified, real experience. We don't want people to step onsite and feel like they're being taken out of the club environment they're used to feeling."




The festival fosters an immersive journey, where attendees can flow seamlessly between the technicolor containers of the ARC's largest stage, The Grid, and the psychedelic flamboyance of Elrow. A journey onwards moves into the deeper, jungle-like vibe of Expansions. And for festival pass holders looking to party late into balmy Chicago night? The ARC After Dark party series hosts artists at venues across Chicago once the festival wraps for the night.




ARC offers three types of three-day festival passes. The ARCitect (General Admission) pass includes priority access to purchase tickets for ARC After Dark events. The GLOBAL (VIP) pass provides access to the Global lounge, elevated viewing areas, and private bars. And the ICON (VIP Plus) pass includes all-inclusive access to locally catered food, hors d'oeuvres, and top-shelf alcohol, with access to the Icon lounge for the best views at the festival.




In recent years, house and techno have slowly but surely returned from across the pond in a massive way. ARC aims to foster a burgeoning and increasingly diverse dance music community in the US, united under the banner of good f**king music in the city where it all began.




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ARC Music Festival

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