Chicago Open Air Festival Announces Bands

Chicago Open Air is set for May 18 and 19, meaning it will directly compete with Sonic Temple in Columbus, Ohio. The midwest is pretty big and can support two fests, but I think Sonic Temple got the better bands. Some of the acts set to play Chicago Open Air are System of a Down, Tool, The Prodigy, Ghost, Meshuggah, Gojira, Beartooth, In This Moment, Code Orange, FEVER 333, Knocked Loose and The Black Dahlia Murder. Tickets go on sale 12/14.

Comments

[Metalboy!]

How does a festival with Chicago in it’s name only attract one good band ...

Can you guess which band I mean?

[Him]

This is, again, a Wimmer event. He does this every year. He carves up different acts and sends them to different places, all under his varied banners (Open Air being the most notable). In the process, he routes bands around their existing schedules and also provides bands with guaranteed touring routes if they don't already have a tour route secured. It is a win/win for him and them.

I could go on a rant here. But I won't. This is the reality of the concert season nowadays. It won't get any better. It won't get any worse?

What you get, though, is a well designed, market-based, approach to 'festivals' that works with the economics of the festival world at present.

[Metalboy!]

With only one good band.

Clue: Probably the only band on the list that’s actually won a Grammy!

[EddieLongHair]

Hey MB, Tool and SOAD have both won Grammy Awards, I believe. Not sure which one it is you like. But there are a couple others on there you should check out though. Ghost has a pretty cool sound, kinda current hard rock/80s new wave mashup. And if you care for Rage Against The Machine (I know, you probably hate them, lol), I refer to Fever 333 as "Son of Rage". Anyway, just my 2 cents.

[EddieLongHair]

Oh, one more thing... In This Moment?? Come on, maybe Halford will show up and do "Black Wedding"!

[Him]

Nice to see you posting, Eddie (not that we have ever been properly introduced). Agree with you about Ghost. Forge has taken the BoC style and wedded it to some nice theatrics. A great band.

I do wonder though: are The Prodigy a nostalgia act nowadays? Some of their stuff seems ill-suited to this current moment. I mean, singing songs about rohypnol?!?! Maybe that makes them not only repetitive, but brave, these days. And don't you dare suggest you are going to smack anyone. That said, nothing wrong with Shahin Badar's ethereal vocals on that track!

[Metalboy!]

Thanks, Eddie ... I had a feeling I was forgetting some Grammy winning bands but was too lazy to Google.

However, the band I claim, if I may reframe my original assertion, to be the only act on the roster WORTHY of a Grammy is not one of the two bands you mentioned.

No, I contend the only band worth seeing at this festival is GHOST!!!

Metalboy! has spoken!!!

[Bkallday]

I love SOAD, In This Moment is amazing live, & The Prodigy would be very cool. I'll check out your suggestion though, Edward!