Chicago’s ARC Music Festival Shines A Spotlight

Over the last few years, the world has seen a resurgence in the popularity of house music thanks to musicians such as Beyoncé and Drake. These artists and their respective projects have helped revive mainstream interest in the genre, and Chicago’s ARC Music Festival is doing the same. The annual festival, which took place over Labor Day weekend, engages house music fans from various backgrounds, with its intentionality in illuminating the genre’s roots in Chicago’s BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities made abundantly clear from its diverse lineup of performers. That intentionality is purposeful, according to the festival’s co-founder Stuart Hackley. Hackley feels it’s essential to tell the story of its roots while championing the genre worldwide.

“Community and culture are very inherent in the DNA of house music. In telling the story of house music and its significance to Chicago as the birthplace of the genre while trying to champion that story across the globe, it goes back to supporting the artists that started that genre from its inception and are still championing it today. Since it’s so built into the story of house music, it’s something that comes so naturally in continuously supporting those communities and the people who are a part of them.”

When it comes to preserving the history of the roots of house music, DJ Minx, a longtime veteran of house music and techno music, feels it’s of utmost importance. The Detroit native feels this should be taught in the same regard as other historical occurrences within musical history.

“I feel that it’s crucial because just like we have the history of The Jacksons and Smokey Robinson, this history can be taught in schools. Everyone needs to know where the music came from. Just like I know about the phonograph, and how it could cut lacquer or vinyl, everyone needs to be taught this because history is significant. After all, we, of course, culturally feed the history.”

DJ Lady D, a revered house music veteran with deep personal ties to Chicago, feels that the highly-anticipated music festival does a great job of including women on the lineup. According to the Chicago native, it’s not something she sees often with similar events.

“When you look out in any audience, it’s not just one gender, it’s everybody. There’s a whole spectrum and fluid of all the things. And so, why don’t we just acknowledge that music touches people? We’re all humans in this game, trying to influence, uplift, and encourage each other. So, when I see a lineup lacking women, it disturbs me. When I see a balanced lineup, it encourages me. I feel good about that. If I could have any influence on anything, it is to think with intentionality, to be intentional when you’re putting together lineups like ARC does. I swear I’ve not seen any lineup that is as balanced with everyone as ARC. That is the thing for me.”

While house music was birthed in the windy city, it’s undoubtedly become a global phenomenon since its inception. Shaun J. Wright, A Chicago-based LGBTQ+ artist, sees it as a way to celebrate his roots despite the complexity of it all.

“House music is one of the great Black American exports. So it’s expected to hear our music, like hip hop, jazz, gospel. Whatever we’ve created here on the soil has infiltrated globally. It feels good sometimes, and it feels conflicting other times. I realize that not everyone benefits or experiences the surplus of what this culture has created and resembles that experience and looks like me, as not necessarily queer, trans, Black, or Latinx. So, it’s a complicated experience, but it’s one that I relish because it is also a way for me to celebrate my roots, my culture, and my understanding of it. And I say ‘mine’ specifically because I don’t feel like I represent Chicago. I’m a part of Chicago’s output, and this is something that’s greater than any individual, and I just appreciate that I can participate in it.”