Levitation Chicago 2016 :: Empty Bottle Presents

This past weekend of LEVITATION CHICAGO at Thalia Hall was quite the time! Spring is upon us and we find ourselves on the other side of a killer three days of music at LEVITATION CHICAGO music festival. Let's dive on in to revisit how great of a time we had music-friendly-dancing (and drinking LAGUNITAS beer)all over Thalia Hall. [Pictures by Allison Taich ]First things first, thank you to everyone that came out. We hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as we did!DAY 1Thursday began withthe jaw-dropping performance (both musically and acrobatic) by EARTHEATER aka Alexandra Drewchin. Israeli shoegaze group VAADAT CHARIGIM followed, their strictly Hebrew lyrics resonate with us all. The always entertaining GARY WILSON came next with his taboo experimental performance, backed by an entirely local band, including favorites JIMMY WHISPERS and BEN BILLINGTON. LA metal dudes HEALTH played the crowd with a serious lesson in head-banging.. This set the scene perfectly for headliner ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER, who's experimental set is still thumping in our eardrums. HAUSU MOUNTAIN DJS killed it spinning between sets.VAADAT CHARIGIMGARY WILSONHEALTHONEOHTRIX POINT NEVERDAY 2Australian postpunk band NITE FIELDS began Friday night by propelling the crowd into outer space. Next was the electronic drone solo project of Benjamin John Power, aka BLANCK MASS, who was blowing minds and taking names. Chicago folk musician RYLEY WALKER made everyone feel at home before Sir Richard Bishops' latest project RANGDA burned that house down. LIGHTNING BOLT, probably the best known (and perhaps only) noise band of their kind, parked their set on the ground for a more intimate experience. The reunited ROYAL TRUX proved that one big breakup and a decade of barely speaking did not hinder their musical chemistry. Through it all, THRILL JOCKEY DJS kept the party going in between sets.Additional photos + a recap of day two can be found via The Line of Best Fit.LIGHTNING BOLTRYLEY WALKERDAY 3The last day of LEVITATION CHICAGO began with METHYL ETHEL nailing it with their cozy indie-rock. NATURAL INFORMATION SOCIETY & BITCHIN' BAJAS were up next, a unbeatable combination with synths and sintir abounding. NIGHT BEATS were next, bringing along their garage-psych set, which made us feel like teens who just discovered their parents album collection. The awe-inspiring CIRCUIT DES YEUX left her ethereal home planet to grace the crowd with her presence, and then Stoner-prog instrumentalist EARTHLESS lead the audience on a musically induced trip. Direct support German krautrock godfather's fAUst gave an unpredictable, experimental Psychedelic set that was a privilege to witness. Headliner doom-folk goddess CHELSEA WOLFE closed out LEVITATION CHICAGO 2016 breathing life into her haunting yet entrancing songwriting. PERMANENT RECORDS DJS kept the party going in between sets.CIRCUIT DES YEUXEARTHLESSFAUSTNIGHT BEATSPERMANENT RECORDS DJs----NEXT UP on our EBP festival radar is Do Division Fest: Friday, June 3rd 5-10pm... Saturday & Sunday, June 4th & 5th 12-10 pm.

EBP, FestivalInternMarch 15, 2016Empty Bottle, Empty Bottle Presents, Levitation 2016, Levitation Chicago, Levitation Festival, Psychedelia, Thalia HallComment