React Presents announces Mamby Plunge
Chicago based promotion company React Presents is taking an extra step in helping to reduce Chicago crime.
React Presents this week announced their “React To Violence” campaign. React is the company behind mega-festivals Spring Awakening, North Coast, Summer Set and also Mamby on the Beach.
The “React To Violence” is the company’s campaign to improve Chicago. In a statement along with the campaign React stated, “After a record setting year of violence in Chicago, it has been nearly impossible to ignore the struggle within our beloved Windy City. That’s why React Presents is launching a “React to Violence” campaign in an effort to improve our city and ultimately, the world around us.”
React Resents and Mamby On The Beach have teamed up for a winter campaign fundraiser, the “Mamby Plunge”.
The campaign has pledged to give all proceeds from Mamby Plunge to the nonprofit origination Bright Star Community Outreach. Staff members have also pleaded to take a plunge into Lake Michigan, if $10,000 or more is donated. The deadline for the $10,000 goal is by Saturday, March 11.
Mamby staff members Martin Godinez (Marketing Manager/Talent Buyer), Alan Brant (Social Media Manager), Zach Partin (Talent Buyer), Pat Grumley (Marketing Director), Dom Brown (Festival Marketing/Experiential), Ashley Egly (Festival Director) and Yolie Carrera (Yoga Instructor) have all agreed to take the Mamby Plunge.
The Mamby Plunge will also be held at the same location of Mamby on the Beach, at Oakwood Beach. The plunge into the lake will be on Saturday, March 11 at 2 p.m. The Mamby Plunge is open to the public.
The plunge will be able to watch on Mamby On The Beach’s Facebook page here.
Those who donate will also be entered into a raffle for VIP passes to this year's Mamby On The Beach.
You can donate to the Mamby Plunge here!
Spring Awakening Music Festival same thrills, new location
The fifth anniversary of the mega popular Midwest electric music festival Spring Awakening has found its signature groove despite a slew of location setbacks. This year, the festival definitely did not disappoint for its anniversary celebration.
Past Spring Awakening attendees were accustomed to the stadium-size electric mecca at Chicago’s Soldier Field. With the move to the Addams/Medill Park on Chicago’s near west side community, Spring Awakening transformed the grass-laden fields into the best place in Chicago for electronic music.
With over one hundred acts performing this year, attendees were treated to some of the best artists in electronic dance music.
Day 1
Closing off the first night were some of the biggest recognizable names in electronic music, respectively. Steve Aoki brought his crazy antics and energy filled set to the Windy City, along side with his signature cake throwing. Electronic music bad boy Deadmau5 stole the show though, with his progressive house music anthems and crowd pleasing set. We last saw Deadmau5 in his long awaited return back to Chicago at Reaction NYE.
There were many signature moments from other artists, including Dillon Francis, Borgore, Flux Pavilion, and Jamie XX. Francis later crashed the middle of Deadmau5’s set to add to the already existing friendly melodic environment.
At Spring Awakening, the catchy beats and emotionally charged songs were met with individual fans who, collectively, grooved together. In a closed off space, Spring Awakening was still able to feel more tight knit. The distance between the stages was closer than previous years. This helped festival goers witness all that the Spring Awakening had to offer when it came to visiting each stage, and festival attraction like the Ferris wheel or the large water slide.






























Day 2
Heavy hitters like Chicago’s own Kaskade, and a stable of electronic artists from Carnage, Nicky Romero, A-Track, and ShowTek all took over the second night of Spring Awakening. We also saw numerous memorable moments from the smaller branded stages throughout the three-day festival.
A-Track showcased his champion style of DJing and scratches that seemed nearly impossible. Due to an overheated laptop A-Track’s set was stopped abruptly as he to rallied up the crowd with friendly Chicago banter like not putting ketchup on hot dogs. He later thanked the crowd for not leaving while getting things started again.
With no other notable tech slip ups during the three-day festival, Spring Awakening held its own against the heat. The temperature played a factor during Spring Awakening weekend. With teasing reports of rain, Spring Awakening was prepared for the heavy heat by providing free water filled stations, CTA buses that were used for festival goers to cool off, and three tented stages that provided some much needed shade.
Acts like Above & Beyond, Chainsmokers, and Crystal Castles ended the final night on a high note. The well balanced lineup gave an opportunity for many to enjoy the different types of electronic music.























Day 3
The final day saw a well-balanced mixture of artist from trap to even traditional house music. House legend Green Velvet had a special set that many festival fans will rave about for years to come. Velvet's set was filled with throwbacks and classical house jams.
A touching display to note were the moments of silence that both the Chainsmokers and Above and Beyond held for the Orlando victims from the mass shooting that occurred just night before. This was a somber moment that, even during a three-day music festival, reminded its festival goers the human side of the issue.
Ending on a high note, Spring Awakening, despite its rocky first announcements and venue location change, was able to pull off another memorable experience for Chicago’s electronic music scene.












GRiZ, Danny Brown, Tokimonsta to Headline Freaky Deaky
Halloween is quickly approaching and the folks over at REACT Presents already have your party ready to go. The Chicago-based promotion company announced this years lineup for the event, on October 28, and it has Saxophone-extraordinaire, GRiZ performing alongside Danny Brown, Tokimonsta and KillParis. Danny Brown, who performed earlier this year at North Coast Music Festival, finds himself surrounded by electronic music on the lineup but his penchant for varying genres of music should allow him to settle in perfectly. GRiZ has seemed like he rented a place in Chicago this year, playing New Year's Eve at the Aragon Ballroom with Big Gigantic as well as a set last week at University of Illinois-Chicago's annual Spark in the Park with Chance The Rapper and Kendrick Lamar. For all intents and purposes, Freaky Deaky should be one hell of a show, cop tickets here.
Download GRiZ's free album, Mad Liberation LP here
Aokify America Tour feat. Steve Aoki, Pharrell & more
The folks over at REACT Presents just keep raising the bar. Today, they announced Steve Aoki’s Aokify America Tour with a sort of instructional baking video from Aoki himself. The tour is a Fall monster, with supporting acts Borgore, Wacka Flocka Flame and Pharrell! The tour comes through the UIC Pavilion with the full lineup. The REACT crew released a video of Steve Aoki baking a cake, just to get everyone going. Tickets available HERE.Read more
Aokify America Tour feat. Steve Aoki, Pharrell & more
The folks over at REACT Presents just keep raising the bar. Today, they announced Steve Aoki's Aokify America Tour with a sort of instructional baking video from Aoki himself. The tour is a Fall monster, with supporting acts Borgore, Wacka Flocka Flame and Pharrell! The tour comes through the UIC Pavilion with the full lineup. The REACT crew released a video of Steve Aoki baking a cake, just to get everyone going. Tickets available HERE.Read more
New Chicago music venue Concord Music Hall to open on 8/17
The historic Congress Theater has been facing some legal problems involving some much-needed renovations. Because of this, a large number of shows have been rescheduled or moved to other venues. Luckily, the Concord Music Hall will be opening its doors for live music entertainment. Located at 2047 N. Milwaukee in Logan Square, the venue has been renovated and updated from its days as the dance club, V Live, and will be the perfect music venue for the Congress Theater relocated shows as its only a few blocks away. Concord Music Hall is a scalable venue, meaning it can be fitted to house between 700 to 1600 people. The venue is jointly run among three promoters (React Presents, Riot Fest, and Silver Wrapper), which will bring in a large and varied number of artists from different genres.
To commemorate the launch, the previously scheduled Gogol Bordello show at the Congress will now be taking place at Concord. Previously purchased tickets will be honored for the Concord. Those interested in tickets can purchase some from the Concord Music Hall website. The lineup of scheduled shows from August until the end of the year are listed below, including some North Coast Music Festival and Riot Fest after parties.
8.1 – Adam Ant
8.17 – Gogol Bordello
8.24 - Boombox
8.30 – NCMF: AlunaGeorge (Live), Passion Pit (DJ Set), Capital Cities (DJ Set)
8.31 – NCMF Afters: The Disco Biscuits
9.1 – NCMF Afters: Lotus w/ Future Rock
9.7 – Carnage w/ Special Guests
9.13 – Riot Fest Afters
9.14 - Riot Fest Afters
9.15 - Riot Fest Afters
9.19 – Netsky (DJ Set)
9.20 – Jimmy Cliff
10.18 – Boys Noize
10.19 – Dumpstaphunk
10.20 – The Misfits
10.24 – DJ Bl3nd
10.26 – Jason Isbell
10.31 – Laidback Luke
11.16 – Less Than Jake
11.23 – Figure & Crizzly
12.12 - Lettuce w/ the Nth Power