North coast 2025
North Coast RETURNS TO CHICAGO FOR A SPECTACULAR 15 YEAR CELEBRATION
Content & Article by: Yoselin Moreno
@yoselinmmedia
North Coast, a premier electronic music festival, triumphantly returned to SeatGeek Stadium over Labor Day weekend to celebrate its milestone 15th anniversary. This massive event showcased some of the biggest and most talented names in EDM, including the likes of Chris Lake, Excision, Kaskade, Louis The Child, Rezz, RL Grime, Seven Lions, SOFI TUKKER, Zedd, and Zeds Dead. The festival's impressively diverse lineup featured a wide range of electronic subgenres, with artists performing across numerous redesigned stages.
ICONIC HEADLINERs
This year’s headliners were truly some of the biggest names in the EDM world. On Friday, the dynamic DJ duo Louis The Child commanded the main stage with an exciting set full of upbeat and melodic tracks, while Kaskade delivered a euphoric performance at the Mega Vega. The first day concluded with house DJ and producer Chris Lake, who played a captivating two-hour set filled with hit after hit, keeping the vibrant crowd moving from start to finish.
Saturday’s headliners included the energetic duo SOFI TUKKER, known for their high-energy blend of house and pop. Across the festival grounds, Seven Lions put on a stunning performance at the Mega Vega, with his set featuring powerful bass drops combined with emotional, ethereal soundscapes. Excision closed out the night with a thrilling, explosive performance. Widely recognized as a pioneer of the North American dubstep scene, Excision is known for his aggressive, heavy bass sound that never fails to captivate a crowd.
On Sunday, Rezz delivered a hypnotic set that featured her signature LED spiraling "hypno glasses." Her "midtempo bass" and "dark techno" sounds kept the crowd in a trance. To bring the three-day festival to a close, the iconic DJ/producer Zedd closed out the Mega Vega with an unforgettable performance, playing some of our favorite dance hits like "Stay The Night" and "Clarity." At the same time, Zeds Dead closed the main stage with a mesmerizing set that featured many new releases from their recent album.
Each artist brought something unique and exciting to the stage. Their already amazing performances were enhanced with colorful lasers, thrilling CO2 blasts, cascades of confetti and streamers, and blazing pyrotechnics. The entire venue became a breathtaking canvas of light and color.
STELLAR SUPPORT
A Chicago music festival would be incomplete without a healthy dose of house music. Over the exhilarating weekend, attendees were treated to fantastic house sets from artists like the dynamic Australian DJ Wax Motif, the legendary Benny Benassi, known for his timeless hit "Satisfaction,” and the Norwegian duo KREAM, celebrated for their sleek and infectious blend of deep and future house.
While house music is always a treat, I was personally most excited to see the incredible Drum and Bass acts. Saturday delivered exciting sets at the Fire Pit stage by the talented DJs Roohan and Muzz. On the Mainstage, NGHTMRE and Dimension went back-to-back for an electrifying mix of drum and bass and dubstep. Sunday was equally thrilling, as the Los Angeles-based event production company and music collective Brownies & Lemonade hosted a stage takeover at the Mega Vega, featuring a lineup that included RL Grime, NGHTMRE, LYNY, and many more.
Incredible Production & Thoughtful Layout
Hosted at the spacious SeatGeek Stadium, the festival's overall layout was meticulously designed to allow attendees to effortlessly move between different stages and experiences. It offered a seamless journey from the high-energy main stages to more relaxed, immersive areas. The vast grounds of SeatGeek Stadium, with their comfortable mix of grass and turf fields, provided a perfect surface for thousands of festival-goers to dance and relax.
Earlier this year, North Coast took to social media to announce thrilling upgrades to its existing stages, promising a truly unforgettable experience. The main stage, now aptly named "Stadium: Evolved," was dramatically expanded by a whopping 95 feet. It received a massive production overhaul with 680 watts of powerful lasers, 270 tanks of CO2, 16 million pixels of stunning video, and a completely re-imagined fireworks and pyrotechnics display.
The Vega Stage was boldly rebranded as the "Mega Vega," becoming 20% larger than its previous iteration and boasting a significant boost in both lighting and sound. The popular Shipyard Stage was brilliantly transformed into an immersive 360-degree experience. A new, custom DJ booth was surrounded by 12 towering pillars of lasers, pyro, and CO2, while a revolutionary wraparound audio system created a truly all-encompassing experience for the energetic crowd. Finally, even the indoor stage, a welcome haven for its air-conditioned environment, received an upgrade with a new stage layout and an immersive 360-degree setup. Attendees could also enjoy sets at smaller and more intimate stages, such as the glowing Firepit, the lively Silent Disco, and Club Coast, a hidden speakeasy tucked away in a secret location.
Vendors & Activations
North Coast was filled with an array of exciting vendors and interactive activations for attendees to enjoy. The festival featured two designated food courts offering a wide variety of delicious options, including vegetarian and vegan choices. For those looking to quench their thirst, a variety of refreshing beverages were available from popular brands like BeatBox, White Claw, Casamigos, and Señorita Margaritas.
The festival also showcased large-scale art installations, such as the Rainbow Lounge—a creative reimagining of scaffolding into a part art installation, part hammock lounge—and a "Living Gallery" art exhibit featuring whimsical characters like an alien, robot, and gnome. Attendees could also board the North Coast Yacht Club: the S.S. Bam, for extra perks, great photo ops, and a unique, elevated view of the festival.
Guests could browse official North Coast and artist merchandise in a dedicated area, as well as an array of vendors selling fun accessories, including hats, sunglasses, and jewelry. Local vendors were also present, offering unique pieces inspired by Chicago. One of my personal favorites was EVOL Chicago, a clothing and accessories brand that honor the roots of house music.
As the final notes faded and the last blasts of confetti settled, it was clear that North Coast's 15th anniversary was a success. Whether dancing to a legendary headliner, discovering a new artist, or simply enjoying the immersive environment, the collective energy of thousands of people, united by a love for music, created an atmosphere unlike any other. North Coast was more than a celebration of electronic music; it was a testament to the enduring energy and creativity that defines this incredible culture.
