Chicago’s Lakeshore Drive-In Hosts Hippie Sabotage, Ilo Ilo & RTST
The wind was crisp and the air was cold but that didn’t stop Chicagoans from pulling up to the Lakeshore Drive-In for a night of live music and festie-vibes. Friends bundled up with blankets and hoodies in cozy backseat nests and truckbeds. The full harvest moon was just rising over Lake Michigan when the squads were settled and the music started.
Headlining the event was Hippie Sabotage: I don’t think you can talk about hybrid-EDM without throwing some love to these brothers, Kevin and Jeff. They clearly cater to the EDM scene with songs like “Habits ft. Tove Lo” and “High Enough” (both have been on my Favorites playlist since 2014 & 2016). But the addition of live guitar feels very rock-n-roll and their deep, dark vocals make modern rappers look weak. Their live performance really reminded me of the magic of live music.
Highlights from this Hippie Sabotage set included “Devil Eyes” and “Your Soul”, songs popularized recently on TikTok, as well as one of my personal favorite songs, “Running Miles”: a centering theme song I listen to almost daily during my hundred-day self-improvement challenge. These two have come a long way since our pre-COVID festival days and with their new album, Red Moon Rising, it’s clear these brothers are putting in work. We often oversee true artistry while listening to party tracks and it was a wonderful moment to be able to celebrate their musical success in person at the Lakeshore Drive-In!
Direct support was ilo ilo who kicked off his set by busting out on the mic and banging MIDI-drum pads with LED drumsticks. He played the duo’s newest track, “Come Thru”, a melodic feel-good track that set the vibe. The icing on the cake was hearing “Technologic”, a phenomenal remix of the Daft Punk original (free download here!), but the cherry on top was definitely ilo ilo’s closing: Kanye’s “Heartless” was an epic ode to Chicago. With the skyline sparkling in the background, you couldn’t ask for a more perfect backdrop or celebration of the greatest city in the midwest.
Local Chicago DJ, RTST, (pronounced “Artist”) kicked things off with bangers b2b bangers. His song choice was ON POINT! From Future’s “Mask Off” (a funny reminder that masks were required at the Drive-In), and a remix of trending Cardi B song, “WAP”, he knew how to get us hyped and on our feet. Definitely looking forward to hearing more from RTST in the future!
