Top 5 Acts To See At North Coast Music Festival This Labor Day Weekend
We are less than one month out from North Coast Music Festival, Chicagoland’s premier electronic music event, set to take place at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL from Friday, August 29 – August 31, 2025. Celebrating its 15th anniversary, this year’s lineup is nothing short of stellar, with top tier headliners bolstered by a strong support lineup.
With such a stacked lineup, it can be overwhelming trying to plan out your itinerary for each day. Instead of chasing sets all weekend and worrying about overlap, focus on catching a few full sets and letting vibes guide you for the rest. I’ve found this to be the most enjoyable, low-stress way to experience a music festival, especially one with a killer lineup. Need a little help picking out your select few? Read below for my suggested top 5 acts to see this at this years event.
deadmau5 (drum & bass set)
I try to prioritize any rare or unusual sets during a festival weekend, ones that don’t come along as often. We have multiple chances to see artists like Excision or Zeds Dead throughout the year, but how often do we see a deadmau5 drum & bass set? I’m a big deadmau5 fan already; with his mastery of sound and fun visuals, he always puts on a good show. I’m excited to see what he has in store for this drum & bass set.
Chris Lake
Chris Lake live is always a vibe, and with the recent release of his debut album, Chemistry, this set is a must-see for sure. Chemistry blew me away, with track after track of pure magic. I can’t wait to see album favorites like ‘Savana‘ and ‘Ease My Mind‘ played out live.
Daily Bread
Daily Bread has really started to blow up in the last couple of years and for good reason. The Georgia-based DJ/producer delivers a funky, soulful bass-infused sound unlike anything I’ve ever heard. His blend of electro-soul, hip-hop, and bass music often includes deep cuts and obscure samples, and it’s so much fun to get down on the dance floor to Daily Bread live.
Zeds Dead
Ok I’m a little biased because Zeds Dead is my favorite artist, but that’s because they always deliver something amazing. I’ve never seen the same Zeds Dead set twice, and with the release of their RSIH album earlier this year, their recent sets have been a beautiful blend of old and new, and I’m trying to see it as much as I can. Don’t miss their set if you like variety – bass music, dubstep, house, drum & bass, and samples of every genre under the sun.
Of The Trees
After seeing Of The Trees’ headlining Electric Forest set this past July as well as his pop-up House set at the Grand Artique stage, I’m now a full convert. Described as ‘organic’ bass music (think CharlestheFirst, Tipper, and CloZee), Of The Trees offers a more experimental, atmospheric approach to dubstep and glitch-hop, resulting in a truly unique sound. Don’t miss his set!
Honorable Mentions: If you have the time or feel strongly against one of the artists listed above, give one of my honorable mentions a try: Apashe, Taiki Nulight, Kream, LP Giobbi, and Rezz. I’ve seen all of these artists live and have had an amazing experience each time.
If you haven’t snagged your North Coast tickets yet, it’s not too late (but, like, what are you doing??). Head on over to the North Coast website to purchase. Have fun, drink water, and see you out there!
