ARC Music Festival was a hideaway in downtown Chicago at Union Park for over 20,000 house and techno enthusiasts. Perpetually gripped by a no-filler lineup across four stages, the veteran dance music attendees were surrounded by trees and immersed in world-class production. From elrow’s fairy-tale land tent and the deeper sounds in a jungle-esque atmosphere at the Expansion stage to the classic rave vibes at Area 909 and the smashing energy and sprawling production at the Grid stage, each day brought out the butterflies upon entry.
The festival was easy to access from all sides of Chicago thanks to the “L” with after parties strategically located near the grounds. Having the hotels near by allowed for a refreshing stop between the festival grounds and after party experiences at RADIUS, Cermak Hall, PRYSM, Concord Music Hall, and other clubs, which ran for 5-days until the morning light for a true downtown takeover us ravers dream about.
The lineup hosted artists at the core of dance music such as Black Coffee, Boris Brejcha, Fatboy Slim, John Summit, Fisher, Adam Beyer, Anfisa Letyago, Derrick Carter, Tales of Us, Eric Prydz, DJ Heather, Walker & Royce, Hot Since 82 and the list goes on.
elrow’s presents helps set this festival apart, the highly sought-after Spanish party outfit, returned to ARC Music Festival for their sole festival stage takeover in the USA this year. With their signature psychedelic production, elrow lit up attendees with an immersive experience that always offer a new touch by combining stunning stage design, scorching performers, and a repertoire of outrageous surprises.
For our second time in attendants, ARC Music Festival has continued to pull us from all corners of the world to experience the mature lineup and festival goers. In 2021, ARC rose in the just the right time to offer music at the forefront of dance music that continues to inspire long time ravers in search of new music and keeps the fire burning in our eyes, insuring there will always be magic worth adventuring for. The energy and sound from Chicago’s ARC will permeant.
Explore the lineup and enjoy the exclusive photo tour of the third installment of ARC Music Festival.
7 Must See Acts from ARC Music Festival
ARC’s lineup also included special back to back sets legendary acts including Fisher b2b Loco Dice b2b Nic Fanciulli, Mall Grab b2b KETTAMA, Cristoph b2b Franky Wah, Hiroko Yamamura b2b DJ Minx, Eskuche b2b Toni Varga, Carlita b2b Chloé Caillet, Ilario Alcante b2b Dennis Cruz, Dixon x Âme, Lee Foss b2b Gene Farris, and Carl Craig b2b Moodymann.
“There are few cities that can lay claim to a feeling, an idea, and a community as their identity like Chicago. House music remains the city’s gift to the music world!” -ARC Music Festival
