If you had any plans for Fourth of July weekend, Riverwest Music Festival will give you reason to cancel them. In its inaugural year, the three-day festival took us completely by surprise, boasting one of the most impressive and expertly curated lineups of the season.
Set along the beautiful banks of the Chicago River, Riverwest Festival’s three stages will feature a diverse array of both international and local talent, a mile-wide experience that will span genres such as house, techno, and many more. With over 40 artists set to perform, here are some of the festival’s most promising acts that you can’t miss. >>>>>>>>>
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1. Loco Dice
It has been well over a year since Loco Dice has graced Chicago with his presence, and it seems only fitting that his return is marked at Riverwest. The Dusseldorf native’s career is over a decade long, marked with many early experiences dabbling in hip-hop and rapping. Initially playing supporting DJ for several artists such as Usher, Snoop Dogg, and R.Kelly, Loco Dice soon developed his own unique sound and quickly moved from supporting act to headliner. Infusing his early influences with the big beat and techno sound of his German heritage, Loco Dice has served as a mainstay in electronic music culture. With a ten year residency in Germany’s own Tribehouse and record label Desolat to his name, the Ibiza hero will find his return to Chicago to be a welcomed one. -
2. Deep Dish
Deep Dish is a name that carries more than one meaning for the Windy City. A group once disbanded, this time the duo is back and better than ever. Formed in 1992, Deep Dish consists of producers Ali “Dubfire” Shirazinia and Sharam Tayebi. Most known for their house remixes of famous pop acts such as Madonna and Janet Jackson, Deep Dish truly hit their stride in 1995 with their iconic remix of De’Lacy’s “Hideaway” and their Grammy winning remix of “Thank You” by Dido. Chosen at the Hot Duo of the Year by Rolling Stone in 2001, the duo then broke up several years later, looking to focus on their solo projects. However, this past March Deep Dish announced their return with their first Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1 since 2008, featuring their latest single, “Quincy.” While both members will be playing solo sets of their own over the course of the weekend, it is their returning joint performance on Saturday that we are already anticipating. -
3. Ten Walls
With his strong technical understanding of production and his versatility as an artist, Mario Basanov is a man of many different facets. From his pop-infused collaboration with Vidis to his remixes for indie artists such as Metronomy and Flight Facilities, Basanov continues to push boundaries in his fearless approach to production. Basanov is one of the most in demand artists of today, releasing records for labels like Get Physical, Defected, and Innervisions. Under his alias Ten Walls, Basanov pushes a deeper and darker techno sound, filled with an abstract complexity and ominous elegance that helps him to stand out from the pack. Last summer his single, “Gotham” served as an essential for DJ sets around the world, with its enigmatic sound and intriguing appeal. Carrying on this tradition and poised to be this summer’s anthem, Ten Walls released his latest EP, ‘Walking With Elephants,’ this April. -
4. Damian Lazarus
Brought into fruition several years ago, Crosstown Rebels has transcended beyond a record label, and has served as a curator for up and coming underground acts. Their artist roster contains an astounding amount of top tier talent, dedicated solely to finding the next big thing in electronic music. Their devotion and strong leadership has helped to build the careers of producers such as Ali Love, Fur Coat, and Infinity Ink. The Crosstown Rebels family will be well represented at Riverwest, with head honcho Damian Lazarus set to perform. His most recent release, “Lover’s Eyes,” is a dark and haunting track, heavily laced with tribal rhythms. With his daring music and his finger on the pulse of what’s next for electronic music, Damian Lazarus’ set will be a must for those looking to see what’s next. -
5. Jimmy Edgar vs. Danny Daze
A Midwestern native, Jimmy Edgar has been a pioneer of Detroit techno for many years. A man of many talents beyond production such as photography and graphic design, Edgar decided to create his own record label, Ultramajic. Birthed by a visit to Machu Piccu, Ultramajic was created with the intention to serve as an immersive form of art, combining its releases with stunning visual art. It’s unique visual aesthetic, created in a collaboration between Edgar and artist Pilar Zeta, is what helped it stand out from the start, but it’s continued creation of stellar techno tracks is what has allowed it to carry through. Playing Riverwest back to back with fellow label artist Danny Daze, Ultramajic’s meticulous attention to detail and his futuristic productions create a unique artistic performance that is both invigorating and refreshing.Find more information and tickets for Riverwest Music Festival here.