Summer, wait! Don't leave us yet!
North Coast Music Festival and Bash on Wabash. Same weekend. You King Solomon types will hit one up on Saturday and the other on Sunday. Whatevs. On The Town evaluates the two festivals, and pick one. Because time is money and time is also irreplaceable -- like summer.
It's about the corn, baby! Which seems weird, frankly. We're as big a fan of corn as the next person, but corn is even linked to this fest's name, as in "Sweet Corn Chicago." Promised are "corn-centric activities," including the omnipresent "Corn Bags gaming." Eats come from the likes of Robinson's, Reggie's Bar & Grill and Canady Le Choclatier. It's hard to argue with ribs and chocolate, but ...
This fest is in its seventh year, and the scene has changed along with the neighborhood's denizens. This isn't a besotted debauch. It's a nice day out. Young'uns have children now, and with that come responsibility and a lack of silliness, which is nice. People still whoop, howl and have fun, as they should. Think mellow, for you one-word types. It's just a big ol' street festival at its core.
When it comes to DJs, we always wonder about the likes of Flosstradamus, who have transcended that "two nerds with a turntable" thing that used to saddle DJs, to a real, live music experience. But for our purposes here, they're DJs, and brilliant ones. Prepschool brings the electrified funk, and The Hood Internet flat-out rules. This is a tough one to call, but the high-quality local lads make our Chicago flag fly.
Things are in a baaaaad way when you look at the local bands that are doing their thing at Bash on Wabash. It's hard to get excited about cover bands and bands the likes of which you'd see at your local bar, but not get all that excited about. Live music is always nice, but there's a pretty high bar to be met, particularly in consideration of the local lights doing their thing over at the DJ stage.
Corn and Cracker. That isn't a meal, but rather the two big draws at Bash on Wabash. Yes, Cracker was spawned by Camper van Beethoven, but David Lowery's main flame has its own cadre of dedicated fans. There's also the nasty garage sound of the Detroit Cobras, left, and the indie kids will gravitate toward the magic of Asobi Seksu's intricate delicacy (which is amazing, we must add).
North Coast
Friday-Sunday, Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph St. $35, $75 (three-day pass), northcoastfestival.com
The new kid is coming in heavy, as North Coast offers a wide variety of eats for any, all and everyone. We like the inclusion of Soul Vegetarian (vegan ribs at right) to the fest's busy list. There's also the Chicago SoyDairy, Smoke Daddy and Wishbone. This lineup is a nice mix of stalwarts such as O'Brien's, and surprises (to some) like Soul Vegetarian.
North Coast is in its first year, so who knows what the scene will be? If any inferences can be drawn from the vibe, and the fact that kids younger than 12 get in free, it's going to be a cool, laid-back scene.