Chicago to host a day of free house music this month
(Michael Muraz/Flickr)
CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago is hosting a day of free music performances in a style that has its roots in the city.
Officials with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events have announced a house music day with live performances and DJs on May 27.
There'll be music and dancing from 2 to 9 p.m. at Millennium Park. Admission is free.
House music cropped up in Chicago decades ago and is named after a nightclub called The Warehouse. That's where the late Grammy-winning disc jockey Frankie Knuckles mixed disco classics, electronic beats and Euro-pop. He we was known as the "Godfather of House Music" and died in 2014.
For complete details, visit millenniumpark.org.
Chicago House Party Schedule of DJs
Millennium Park, Saturday, May 27
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
- 2–3:30pm Julius The Mad Thinker
- 3:30–4:30pm Anthony Nicholson
- 4:30–5:30pm Terry Hunter
- 5:30–6:30pm DJ Pierre Live PA Hybrid Set
- 6:30–6:45pm House Music Award presented to Vince Lawrence
- 6:45–8pm House Legacy Project featuring special guests
- 8–9pm Maurice Joshua
North Chase Promenade Tent
- 2–2:45pm House Dance Workshop with Boogie McClarin
- 3–4pm Chicago Skyway
- 4–6pm First Lady & The Queens of House
- 6–7pm DJ Jes
- 7–8pm DJ RP Boo
In addition to the House Party at Millennium Park, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events will host a House Music Conference on Thursday, May 25 and Friday, May 26 at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington) for musicians, DJs and industry participants. Admission to the conference is free, and registration is not required. For complete conference details visit the chicagoculturalcenter.org.
House Music Conference at the Chicago Cultural Center
Schedule of Panels and Workshops
Thursday, May 25th
House Legacy Project Open Rehearsal
11am–3pm, Claudia Cassidy Theater (2nd Floor North)
The public is invited to observe the rehearsal of this band commissioned for a special performance at Saturday’s Chicago House Party Festival.
Gender/Sexuality/Generation: Evolving Attitudes and Making Safes Space in House Culture
6–7:30pm, Washington Room (5th Floor South)
This panel will discuss the future possibilities for house music and the communities that continue to find this social music and dance form relevant.
House Preservation: Cultivating the Next Generation of Practitioners
6–7:30pm, Claudia Cassidy Theater (2nd Floor North)
This panel, moderated by Laure Lowery, will focus on the future of house music. It is presented in collaboration with Old Town School of Folk Music’s Soundtrack of the City.
Sound of the City: Ableton for House Music
8–9pm Washington Room (5th Floor South)
This workshop will explore the tools of house music, including Ableton Live which is quickly becoming the defacto software for professional and emerging house producers and mixers.
Music Publishing and Digital Distribution
8–9pm, Claudia Cassidy Theater (2nd Floor North)
This workshop moderated by Jerry C. King will talk about how to protect your work and maximize your revenue in the digital age.
Friday, May 26th
From Drum Machines to Laptops: The Evolution of House Music
6–7:30pm, Millennium Park Room (5th Floor South)
This panel will map the parallel relationships between music technology and house music from early disco edits to house to “EDM.”
The Business of House Music: Labels, DJs and Merchandise in the New Economy
6–7:30pm, Washington Room (5th Floor South)
This panel will discuss how house music-related businesses can take advantage of the global phenomenon and thrive in the new economic landscape.