When the North Coast Music Festival launched in 2010 it was greeted by thunderous skepticism: A big late-season addition to Chicago’s already crowded summer music schedule, with no big-name backing and a lineup that consisted almost entirely of EDM, hip-hop, and jam bands? People laughed. But against all odds, it’s worked, and every year it pulls in some of the most diverse and daring bookings of any Chicago fest—the 2013 headliners include dance-friendly indie success story Passion Pit, the reunited (though not entirely focused) Wu-Tang Clan, Dutch house demigod Afrojack, jammy “livetronica” duo Big Gigantic, and Queensbridge’s favorite son, Nas. Fans of jam bands and big-stage EDM should have their needs more than met by the likes of the Disco Biscuits and Laidback Luke, but even if neither of those is your kind of thing, North Coast provides you with plenty of reasons to come out.
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Fri 8/30, 3-10 PM, Sat-Sun 8/31-9/1, 1-10 PM Union Park, Ashland and Lake three-day passes sold out three-day VIP passes $225 single-day tickets $55-$75 all ages
