Summer Sixteen

Drake's Summer Sixteen tour with Future closes out final night in Chicago

Drake returns to Chicago’s United Center for his Summer Sixteen tour. Co-headlining the tour with Future in collaboration for their mixtape What a Time to Be Alive, United Center hosted one of the best shows of the year.

Drake’s Views broke records this past summer and is still riding high leading into Chicago. Reports surfaced on Drake’s health issues postponing future tour dates. With no signs of health issue Drake took over the stage with his unstoppable performance.

Roaring crowds were met with Drake’s professionally crafted showstopper legendary performance. The show itself was a complete spectacle. A crane operated platform gave Drake the intimate level reaching back and around sports arena. Although a sold out crowd Drake’s high caliber set made the show feel personal.

Future had the crowd in a frenzy with hits from his fourth studio album Evol. Hendrix performance was filled with a lot of energy and hit after hit. Halfway through his set he brought out dancers that turned the United Center upside down. Future dominated the stage teaming up with Drake making a show of hip-hop heavyweights sharing the stage.

Early support from the night saw Canadian rappers Roy Woods and Dvsn.  This was the third time Drake and Future’s Summer Sixteen tour returned to Chicago this year only. Here’s hoping for more come 2017.

Let’s relive so of the best moments of Drake + Future’s Summer Sixteen Chicago stop.

Set list

  • "Summer Sixteen"
  • "Still Here"
  • "Started from the Bottom"
  • "9"
  • "Feel No Ways"
  • "Headlines"
  • "Trophies"
  • "HYFR (Hell Ya Fucking Right)"
  • "0 to 100 / The Catch Up" / "6 God" / "Worst Behavior" / "No Lie" / "Versace" / "Over" / "I'm on One" / "Up All Night" / "Miss Me"
  • "With You"
  • "Child’s Play"
  • "Faithful"
  • "Hotline Bling"
  • "Hold On, We're Going Home"
  • "The Motto"
  • "Right Hand"
  • "For Free"
  • "My Way"
  • "Grammys" (with Future)
  • "Big Rings" (with Future)
  • "Jumpman" (with Future)
  • "Work" / "Too Good" (verses)
  • "Controlla"
  • "One Dance"
  • "Back to Back"
  • "Pop Style"
  • "Hype"
  • "Know Yourself"
  • "Energy"
  • "Legend"

Riot Fest 2016 Review

Photos by J. Frank

Riot Fest 2016 returned to Douglas Park and definitively proved why it's the best summer music festival in the city. Together with Ruby Hornet veteran photographer J. Frank, we conquered through a near-dozen acts at this year's Riot Fest. Check out the some of J. Frank's best photos over the next few pages!


Riot Fest 2016 Lineup Flyer

15 Must-See Acts at Riot Fest 2016 Douglas Park Chicago

Riot Fest 2016 is this week! Aren't you excited? Lace up those Docs, put on your favorite NOFX shirt, and remember not throw 'bows in the pit. Are you heading out to Douglas Park but still can't figure out which acts to spend your valuable time skanking and moshing to? Ruby Hornet has you covered as we'll share the 15 must-see acts at Riot Fest this weekend!


Vic Mensa

Vic Mensa performs private show for Summer of Collaboration

Summer of Collaboration presented by AT&T partnered with Vic Mensa for a private show at Chicago's AT&T Michigan Ave store with street photographer Vivian Maier’s.

Maier was street photography’s best kept secret. Maier worked as a nanny in the Chicago suburb North Shore in the late 1990’s. That's where while working she took what would become some of the best street photography.

Maier’s work almost never saw the light of day if it wasn’t for Chicago artist John Maloof. Maloof purchased Maier’s extensive work at an auction. He found an extensive amount of film, negatives, and prints of hundred rolls of film, home movies, and audio tape interviews that all belonged to Maier.

Maloof hosted a presentation going over Maier’s mysterious life and talking about her work and the impact surrounding it. Described as a Mary Poppin’s type, this introverted photographer opened her subjects up in the most beautiful way.

Chicago rapper Vic Mensa when up on stage admired Maloof’s courage and passion for being bold and fearless. Mensa was set to perform only three songs but added an additional for go measure. He performed: 16 Shots, Shades of Blue, There’s Alot Going On, and U Mad.

We recently caught Vic Mensa at The Vic Theater while on his "There’s Alot Going On" Tour. While at the Summer of Collaboration event we witnessed a side of Mensa that most music fans don’t. Pegged as a south side rapper and Kanye West pupil, Mensa is keeping busy with work outside the studio.

Vic Mensa has been politically active when it’s come to personal issues. Vic Mensa participated in the Laquan McDonald demonstrations. He also volunteered at Flint, Michigan during their water crisis. Vic urges young voters to register to vote by offering his latest EP “There’s ALot Going On” for free when they registered to vote.

Vic Mensa made sure his personal efforts were made clear as the Roc Nation rapper treated fans to a stadium caliber performance. With so few attending the private event, from seeing the incredible photographs from Maloof and seeing one of best in the city with Vic Mensa, the Summer of Collaboration was one of the purest ways to end the summer off right.

View our photo gallery of Vic Mensa’s Summer of Collaboration event below!


Mad Decent Block Party 2016

[Review] Mad Decent Block Party returns to Chicago

Diplo’s Mad Decent Block Party returned to Chicago despite negative feedback from previous years. This year hosted in Chicago’s heart of the Museum Campus, Northerly Island, Mad Decent definitely received a much needed facelift. On the shore of Lake Michigan, Diplo headlined the event at the First Merit Bank Pavilion. The beautiful city skyline was a perfect match as the background met the sounds of Mad Decent.

Surprise electric Chicago duo artists Louis The Child joined the lineup, making them the only Chicago based artist to Mad Descent’s stop in Chicago. The duo worked the growing crowd with there headlining caliber set list.

The clear fan favorite was pop mega star Kesha. The fans came in droves to see the new leased on life artist. With support from The Creepies. Kesha didn’t disappoint the crowd with her crowd pleasing performance of TiK Tok, Your Love Is My Drug, and Take It Off. Despite her recent legal issues Kesha’s performance speak for itself. Currently on tour, Kesha hasn’t lost her groove leaving Mad Decent fans with a rock out set.

Rae Sremmurd’s short career is met with discussion of their successful hip-hop longevity. The Mississippi brothers have proven time and again their place in today’s hip-hop discussion with record breaking single from No Flex Zone, No Type, and Come Get Her. Festival fans were treated with a hip-hop thrill ride. The non-stop energy seeped through the crowd as the duo of brothers didn’t stop giving an energy packed performance from start to finish. Definitely one of the biggest take away from Mad Decent is seeing these young hungry hip-hop artists.

Mad Decent creator and one of the biggest faces in electric music, Diplo closed off the night. Diplo a true music jack of all traits kept the Mad Decent crowd going into the night with a mixture of electric, hip-hop, and house classics. Diplo’s long list of hit records were present with performances from Where Are U Now, Revolution, and Take U There. The music master had incredibility balanced all type of electric music from trap, big room house, reggaeton, and moombaton.

Minor setbacks from the volume to time in-between sets didn’t hinder the fact that Mad Decent found it’s footing in Chicago.

A true treat Diplo had in store for Chicago was hiss final five minutes of his set. After thanking Chicago for it’s day one fans he ended his set with Chicago house and juke jams. A true appreciation for Chicago's music scene we’d love to see Mad Decent and Diplo come back bigger then before.

Mad Decent Block Party Chicago 2016 - Photos


Summer Set

[Review] Summer Set 2016 brings unforgettable moments

The annual camping festival Summer Set returned for it’s fifth year to Somerset, Wisconsin. Summer Set was a weekend filled of memorable moments.

The camping festival brought out the best in some artist as tents filled the woods and camp grounds with festival goers burning through the three-day festival.

A six hours drive from Chicago, Summer Set brought the same electric and playful atmosphere that were accustomed. With many highlights from the summer coming from local Chicago festivals like Mamby on the Beach, the festival provided one of a kind experiences that made the six-hour drive worth it.

Day 1

The first day was stacked full of incredible performances throughout the day. Festival goers were able to check out early performances from the solid melodic sounds of Mielo. That also included the craziest that is the thrill ride of Porn and Chicken.

Flux Pavillion and Steve Aoki both respectfully, performed their best in recent years. Pavillion, usually a bit shy on the mic, was as vocal as the raving Summer Set crowd. Aoki a stable in electronic music, outdid himself in intensified energy packed set.

Notable performances came from Toronto rapper Tory Lanez. Lanez performed majority on his set in the crowd as dozens of fans rushed under him to hold him up. A true spectacle, Lanez gained many fans the first day due to his wild onstage and in the crowd pleasing antics.

The first night was closed off with Chicago’s favorite Chance The Rapper alongside with The Social Experiment. Seeing the top bill for the first night with other Chicago favorites in The Social Experiment was a real treat. They performed from Chance’s 10 Days, Acid Rap, and Coloring Book. The closing night was transformed into a Chicago listening party. Festival goers also heard records from the band's latest soul filled album“Surf”.

Seeing Chicago’s heavyweight perform a number of times didn’t account in his Summer Set performance. It was like seeing him for the first time as the showcased a number of crowd favorites from “Coloring Book”. Records including No Problem, Blessings, and Summer Friends helped Chance and The Social Experiment cement the first day into a night you couldn’t forget.


anniversary

[Review] Lollapalooza celebrates 25 anniversary in a big way

The Chicago staple of music festival excellence brought forth yet another unforgettable weekend of music and stellar performances. Lollapalooza celebrating it’s 25th anniversary in the biggest way possible. Extending the festival to four days created a marathon of incredible musical moments.

Lollapalooza had many highlights that came from inside and outside the music festival. Chicago transformed from the city with broad shoulders into, during for the four-day festival, music mecca.

The first two days had rain showers that spanned over a few hours. The temporary muggy start didn’t effect the mega celebration of the 25th anniversary. In fact, the only set backs to the festival were the uncontrollable rain and that the festival is already over.

Over the years Lolla grew not only in size but it also grew in multiple genres. It first started as an alternative rock festival in 1991 as a farewell tour for Jane’s Addiction. Now with over 170 acts and an extended four-day festival, Lollapalooza provided many history making moments.

It was announced by Lollapalooza that next year’s music festival will also be a 4 day festival.

Marketing-Beauty by Maclay Heriot_17317

Thursday, July 28 (Day 1)

Lollapalooza fixed up this problem from past years. The clear winner to the first night was hip-hop. Hip-hop actually had a deeper impact throughout the festival but it made a bold statement the first night with performances from Chicago’s own Towkio, G-Eazy, and J. Cole. Danny Brown also gained many fans with his energetic performance. Towkio brought out Chicago’s Joey Purp and Vic Mensa in a complete Chicago music takeover. Towkio from sneaking into Lollapalooza before his musical break to now setting the stage definitely was a crowd pleasure.

Another Chicago artist made headlines closing off the Perry’s stage this time from the electronic music duo Flosstradamus. They didn’t disappoint bringing their signature non-stop thrill ride of electric beats. They also brought out surprise guest Chance The Rapper, Michelle Williams, and Dwyane Wade.

From “Wet Dreamz” to “Work Out”, J. Cole stole the show with non-stop performance of hit after hit. With no back track, fans matched Cole jumping and rapping along with the Dreamville rapper. It’s important to note that Cole was the only rapper to close off the Samsung stage throughout the weekend. The others were Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and LCD Soundsystem. The biggest stage at Lollapalooza was the perfect fit for J. Cole’s unforgettable set.


Kanye West announces the Saint Pablo tour with 2 dates in Chicago

Kanye West announced the dates for his highly anticipated Saint Pablo tour today via Tidal. The tour will begin August 25 in Indianapolis, and conclude Oct. 29 in Las Vegas, hitting almost 40 major cities across North America. Tickets will go on sale Saturday, with a special preorder period for American Express cardholders today at 10 a.m., and another preorder period for Tidal subscribers beginning Thursday at 10 a.m.

The Life of Pablo set several records for Tidal upon its release on Feb. 14. For the first 10 days of its release, the album surpassed 250 million streams and reportedly doubled the streaming service’s subscriber base from one million to 2.5 million. After a short window of exclusivity for Tidal, the album was released on other platforms like Apple Music and Spotify, increasing its dominance in the music streaming market even more.

The Saint Pablo Tour
Kanye West - The Saint Pablo Tour

Article Originally Published by Complex