From September 1-3, ARC Music Festival, held in the city that invented house music, will take place to celebrate the impact the city has had on dance music.
And with so many incredible artists plus production, activities, and more, there is a reason ARC is the only elrow US festival stage to take over in 2023.
But why would the party stop there? 70+ DJs across the city will take over Chicago’s most incredible venues with their ARC After Dark concert series.
Each stage at ARC Music Festival is an individual masterpiece on its own. With so much curation and detail as an all-house and techno festival–the pressure is on!
THE GRID: Navigating The Dance Grid System
Some of the best DJs worldwide play on this stage, which makes sense with ARC being a house and techno festival and Chicago’s rich history with house music.
The Grid is a physical representation of the city of Chicago with architecture inspired by the iconic “grid” system that weaves Chicago together. Chicago is the literal birthplace of house music, and The Grid pays homage to the city that house grew up and continues to thrive in.
This year, The Grid will host artists such as Boris Brejcha, Peggy Gou, Eric Prydz Presents HOLO, Patrick Topping, Eli Brown, Miss Monique, and many more on ARC’s largest dance floor.
ARC also pays homage to all the “Queer people of color who laid the foundation for house music.” They mention how their legacy continues to live on and thrive through dance, music, and our hearts and souls. The “Grid 3.0” is coming this year, so we can’t wait to see what the festival has planned.
EXPANSIONS – Exponentially Expanding House & Techno Music
The Expansion stage is hidden within the trees and is a paradise that awaits attendees where both the digital and natural worlds collide harmoniously. Some artists playing at expansions this year are Black Coffee, Nina Kraviz, Hot Since 82, Boys Noize, and Mochakk.
Plus, don’t miss the historical action-packed B2Bs also taking place at Expansion, like Carlita B2B Chloé Caillet, Fisher B2B Loco Dice B2B Nic Fanciulli, and Hiroko Yamamura B2B DJ Minx.
ELROW: An Adult Playground
If you’ve ever heard of an elrow party, you know they’re sure to be wild.
This year at ARC, elrow presents their only North American Festival Stage takeover. It’s said to be a world filled with “stone-age cave dwellers, medieval knights, and even two-meter-tall aliens,” which are all mixed into the never-ending confetti that is the signature of elrow’s parties.
Per their website, elrow has had 680 shows, 56 festival stage takeovers, been in 48 countries, held eight elrow festivals, and hosted 3.8 million attendees.
DJs taking over the elrow stage vary from Dombresky to Vintage Culture to WADE to Walker & Royce.
Redbull described the party as “a full-blown carnival, a cross between Cirque Du Soleil and Burning Man, with ceiling-swinging acrobats, stage performers, and costumed circus parades.”
THE ART CAR- Exploring Local Talent at AREA 909
The art car is the place for the maniacs who want to explore emerging talent and the local music scene. This year, the name of the art car goes by Area 909. Local talent is curated by some of the best industry professionals in the city, with TBA slots to fill to hype up anticipation.
Check out these stages and more at ARC Music Festival from September 1-3, and grab tickets here.
All images credit ARC Music Festival
