North Coast has been a staple of Chicago’s festival scene for over a decade. This edition registers the fifteen-year mark, a significant milestone that speaks volumes about the passionate people who contribute their talents and services to making sure this unique event continues forth. Throughout North Coast’s storied lineage, organizers have always committed to putting together incredible lineups of talent alongside stage presentations that impress spectators with unbelievable sights and sounds. What does North Coast have in store for this year’s iteration? I’m Bear Swiftly, the Electro Scribe, and I’ll happily share some details about what you can expect from this year’s North Coast celebration.
I have plenty of fond memories of experiencing North Coast Music Festival over the years. One comes from 2017, occurring at Union Park. That year was headlined by heavyweights like Deadmau5 & Eric Prydz, Gucci Mane, STS9, Post Malone, Ween, and Tipper.
It was hot on this particular day, and I had to call a family meeting at the Rhinos. Why? The kids were squandering their root beer floats. As a bigger fella, I don’t appreciate seeing ice cream go to waste on a hot summer’s day. The ice cream melted? Oh, no… Drink that gorgeous root infused elixir, it’s good for you!!! I gathered the forces, let them know what I felt they were doing excellently, and marked a few areas that should see improvement. The fam took my speech in stride, reframed their focus to strengthen their approach, and we went forth to enjoy the rest of the fest in all its majesty. Sometimes all you need is a few words of encouragement to remind yourself of the overall objective. Have fun and make memories worth reliving.
No doubt you all have your own recollections of awesome and epic years of attending North Coast, and 2025 is set to be a banger from start to finish. Without a doubt, North Coast has grown by leaps and bounds since 2017. This year, over 130 acts are set to assemble at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, for an epic celebration. Headliners like Excision, Chris Lake, Kaskade, Of The Trees, RL Grime, Sofi Tukker, Sudden Death presenting Voyd, and Zeds Dead will shower spectators in sonic spectrum. Joining them in support are the likes of Apashe, Benny Benassi, Kai Wachi, NGHTMRE b2b Dimension, Peekaboo b2b Caspa, Tinlicker (DJ set), Bonnie x Clyde, Distinct Motive, and Taiki Nulight. That’s only a sample of who you’ll see over three days. Need I go on? Well I’m gonna, cuz I’m not finished!
I’ve only mentioned twenty artists thus far and that’s largely because there’s so much talent to keep track of for this event. This year’s edition will feature six arenas of sound: The Vega, Club Coast, The Stadium, The Firepit, The Shipyard, and a Silent Disco. Each stage will have its own vibe and identity so you can find your flavor of music and even explore some new acts you’re not currently familiar with. Variety is the spice of life, and my boy Malfunktion, a riddim and dubstep aficionado, will be performing an afternoon set on Friday at The Vega. Well played, Malachi, and I’m looking forward to seeing him set a frenetic tempo and pace early on for others to follow.
I mentioned Deadmau5 performed North Coast in 2017, and he’s returning for this edition. I’m actually super pumped to receive him because he’ll be presenting a special drum and bass presentation for this fifteen-year celebration. Heck…yes…fella!!! If you know anything about me, it’s that I love D&B, and seeing what a legendary producer like Deadmau5 is set to sequence in this genre has got my interest more than piqued. I might just have to perform some squats and planks at his set fueled by my excitement. It’s a music festival, you never know what you’ll see. “A Bear Planking? What else you got?” There’s only one way to find out. Man, I’m getting pumped, and I’m not yet finished sharing with you what I’m eagerly anticipating.
The music and stages are sure to be spectacular in dazzling eyes and ears. However, North Coast will also have plenty of delicious vendors and delectable food options when you need a little break from the music for eating and shopping. Fuel your energy reserves with victuals and valuables. Furthermore, you’re also encouraged to explore experimental art installations, take amazing photos and videos on the ferris wheel, and enthrall yourselves with robust fusions of undeniably provocative programming that will make this year an unforgettable festival experience to attend. Making memories, oh yea!!!
Is that it? Well, the only thing that I ask is that you come out and enjoy North Coast with your fine self. I’m a storyteller, and I relish creating memories. I’ll be taking notes and writing haiku and poetry throughout the weekend. It’s definite that you’ll find me among the various biomes of North Coast’s landscape scribing away in my journal. When you find me, I’ll have words of love and encouragement to share and some mementos to add to your collection, too. In the end, we all become memories, so let’s ensure those memories are worthy of legendary retelling.
And if that isn’t enough, there will be exclusive stage takeovers curated by Brownies and Lemonade as well Chicago party professionals EDM Chicago, DubHub, and Wub Life Entertainment. Plus, let me drop a few more names you’ll be blessed to witness this weekend. Liquid Stranger, Daily Bread, Zingara, Dogma, Galantis, LYNY, Louis the Child, ATLiens, Wax Motif, Seven Lions, Detox Unit, Timmy Trumpet, and Zedd. Still, that’s only the tip of the iceberg for music and performers that North Coast has got in store for you, bud.
Woo! I’m a bit out of breath. I need some melted ice cream beer to cool off my vocal cords. It’s set to be a hot weekend at North Coast, so bring your best and baddest self, because North Coast wouldn’t be one of Chicago’s premium festivals without your cool support. Here’s to celebrating fifteen years, living our best lives, and making magic happen through actions that demonstrate our passionate pursuits. It’s not about perfection, it’s about connection, and the dots are all in place for you to link and follow in ascending towards the epitome of excellence. You can explore more information about North Coast through their website and socials (@northcoastfest) and purchase tickets here.
Oh, and one last thing. A shout-out to the hard-working folks behind the scenes. As I stated earlier, without the diligent and dutiful efforts of organizers and production personnel, events like this wouldn’t be what they are. One such person is Isaiah Duitmann, a talent buyer for North Coast and Collectiv Presents.
With eleven years experience, Isaiah’s focus has always been on assembling the best talent possible. He’s one of the fellas reaching out to artists like of Excision, Zeds Dead, my guy Malfunktion, and enlisting their performance talents. Isaiah is a Chicago native who grew up near the venue. Among his motivations is the idea that the community he serves should never lack for love. You take one look at this impressive lineup, and you know he’s been absolutely killing it. Isaiah, you’ve been doin’ it, man. He’s not the only one. Collectiv Presents puts on incredible events across the country, and this year’s edition of North Coast is set to be another shining example of how their combined efforts culminate. Big props to Isaiah and the crew. Well done, and golf clap.
That pretty much wraps up this episode. This is Bear Swiftly, the Electro Scribe, signing off. Sayonara all you samurai.
Be well, be successful. Bear Swiftly.
–Electro Scribe–
