The genre of house music is deeply rooted in the city of Chicago, with many believing the city to be its birthplace. On Saturday, May 27th, musicians, DJs, music industry professionals, and house music fans will come together to celebrate the genre and its history. Events will include live music and dancing in Millennium Park and a house music conference consisting of multiple panels and workshops at the Chicago Cultural Center.
Frankie Knuckles, dubbed “The Godfather of House Music,” was a resident DJ at The Warehouse in Chicago from 1977 to 1982. While experimenting with his mixes, Knuckles developed his own unique sound here. It is thought that this new genre became known as “house music” because of the name of the venue. Knuckles played such an influential role in Chicago’s music scene that in 2004, the city of Chicago named the block of Jefferson Street where The Warehouse was located after him and declared August 25th “Frankie Knuckles Day.” The music producer passed away in 2014 from complications with Type II diabetes.
In the years since Knuckles started the house music movement, there have been many more influential house music producers to come out of Chicago. The genre also quickly spread to New York and the UK, and is still very popular today with house music increasingly creeping into the mainstream.
The Chicago House Music Conference will take place at the Chicago Cultural Center and will feature topics such as the future of house music and the technologies used to create house music tracks and mixes. Admission is free. The full list of panels and workshops is below.
Thursday, May 25th
House Legacy Project Open Rehearsal
Gender/Sexuality/Generation: Evolving Attitudes and Making Safes Space in House Culture
House Preservation: Cultivating the Next Generation of Practitioners
Sound of the City: Ableton for House Music
Music Publishing and Digital Distribution
Friday, May 26th
From Drum Machines to Laptops: The Evolution of House Music
The Business of House Music: Labels, DJs and Merchandise in the New Economy
On Saturday, May 27th, Millennium Park will host a multitude of DJs performing at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion as well as the North Chase Promenade Tent for the Chicago House Party. Admission to the event is free. The full lineup can be found below.
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
2 PM – 3:30 PM | Julius The Mad Thinker
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Anthony Nicholson
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM | Terry Hunter
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM | DJ Pierre Live PA Hybrid Set
6:30 PM – 6:45 PM | House Music Award presented to Vince Lawrence
6:45 PM – 8 PM | House Legacy Project featuring special guests
8 PM – 9 PM | Maurice Joshua
North Chase Promenade Tent
2 PM – 2:45 PM | House Dance Workshop with Boogie McClarin
3 PM – 4 PM | Chicago Skyway
4 PM – 6 PM | First Lady & The Queens of House
6 PM – 7 PM | DJ Jes
7 PM – 8 PM | DJ RP Boo
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