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Features, News

Brisket, Boots & Bailey Zimmerman: Your Guide to Windy City Smokeout 2025

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Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Get ready, Chicago! The Windy City Smokeout, Chictown’s signature country‑music and BBQ extravaganza, is back July 10–13, 2025 at the United Center. This marks its 12th edition, and it’s shaping up to be the most mouthwatering yet.

Music Highlights

Thursday, July 10
Headlined by ACM’s 2023 New Male Artist of the Year Bailey Zimmerman, supported by the gritty country‑rock of Koe Wetzel, Shane Smith & The Saints, Bayker Blankenship, and powerhouse newcomer Angel White.

Friday, July 11
Experience Old Dominion (ACM Group of the Year 2024) and breakout star Dylan Gossett, alongside talented rising acts Josh Meloy, Lauren Watkins, and Maggie Antone.

Saturday, July 12
The weekend reaches full throttle with Kane Brown and ACM’s 2024 New Female Artist of the Year Megan Moroney, plus Charles Wesley Godwin, Austin Snell, and Kashus Culpepper rounding out the day.

Sunday, July 13
Closing night features country star Jon Pardi and Riley Green, plus exciting newer names like Ella Langley, Sam Barber, and Josh Ross.

With over 20 artists across all four days, this year’s bill blends superstar headliners with aspiring and independent voices in country, Americana, and folk-influenced country.

BBQ + Beer = Chicago’s Tastiest Tradition

This festival isn’t just about music, it’s a curated feast of top-tier BBQ and craft beer. Over 20 celebrated pitmasters will bring regional BBQ firepower from across the U.S., including Chicago legends and national favorites:

  • Chicago stalwarts: Bub City, Smoque BBQ, Lexington Betty Smokehouse, Chef Art Smith’s Reunion, Green Street Smoked Meats, and Soul & Smoke
  • Regional stars: Little Miss BBQ (Phoenix, AZ), Hoodoo Brown BBQ (Connecticut), Heritage Barbecue (California), Pappy’s Smokehouse (St. Louis), Dayne’s Craft BBQ (Texas), Wright’s Barbecue (Arkansas), and more.

Expect bold, regional styles and a pitmaster buffet experience that pairs perfectly with live tunes. Note: food is available for purchase separately from wristband access.

Ticket Options & Events

Choose from 4‑day or single‑day General Admission, VIP, or Platinum wristbands.

  • General Admission grants access to all live music stages, BBQ vendors, and cashless concessions.
  • VIP wristbands offer shaded elevated decks, express entry, air‑conditioned restrooms, private bars, and charging stations.
  • Platinum Experience includes premium amenities: golf cart transport, reserved parking, chef‑curated food & drinks, exclusive viewing zones, and concierge service.

Special-ticket events include the Friday “Biggest Happy Hour of the Summer” and the bottomless Sunday BBQ Brunch, open to 4‑day or Sunday pass holders. Brunch features live acoustic sets, mimosas, build-your‑own Bloody Marys, and buffet‑style BBQ favorites.

Why Windy City Smokeout Stands Out

  • This festival is one of Chicago’s only dedicated country‑music weekends downtown, blending big names and local talent across four days.
  • Its location at the United Center parking lot offers urban energy combined with the intimacy of an open‑air BBQ festival.
  • Curated by Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants and festival promoter Ed Warm, Smokeout consistently marries top-tier music with top-tier pitmasters, earning its status as one of the premier country + BBQ events in the country.

MORE INFO

  • Getting here: United Center is at 1901 W Madison St, easily reachable via public transit or ride share.
  • Stay nearby: Hotels in Near West Side and West Loop offer great proximity; consider booking early due to high demand.

Windy City Smokeout 2025 delivers a perfect midsummer mix: rising and established country stars, mouthwatering BBQ with a national and local flair, and Chicago’s festival energy right downtown.

Whether you’re chasing country classics or chasing burnt ends, this four‑day event promises something to savor for every country‑music and BBQ lover in Windy City.

Keep an eye on windycitysmokeout.com and the festival’s social channels for updates and more info.

Concert Photos, Features, News

Photos: Isabel Dumaa’s Summerfest Debut Was a Hidden Gem

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Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Isabel Dumaa may not have been the most familiar name on this year’s Summerfest lineup, but by the time her set wrapped on Friday, it was clear Milwaukee had just witnessed one of the best breakout acts of the festival. Performing a late-afternoon set on the Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard stage, Dumaa brought the kind of warmth, charm, and raw talent that instantly made fans out of first-time listeners.

Armed with a guitar and a voice that blends vulnerability with polish, the California-born singer-songwriter shared originals from her debut project Just My Nature, captivating the crowd with standout tracks like “Quarter Life Crisis” and “C’est La Vie.” Her indie-pop melodies, poetic lyrics, and stage presence made her performance feel both intimate and full of potential, the kind of set that leaves you saying, “Wait, who was that?” before quickly adding her to your playlist.

Isabel Dumaa didn’t need pyro or flashy visuals to win over the Summerfest crowd, just great songs, a clear sense of self, and the quiet power of an artist at the very beginning of something special. Keep an eye on her, we definitely will.

Scroll down to see our favorite photos from Isabel Dumaa’s Summerfest performance (Photos by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration).

  • Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
Features, News

Country Thunder Wisconsin 2025 Preview: One Million Fans Can’t Be Wrong

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Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

It’s almost that time again, when cowboy boots stomp through Twin Lakes, country anthems echo across the fields, and tens of thousands of fans descend on southeast Wisconsin for one of the biggest parties of the summer. Country Thunder Wisconsin returns July 17–20, 2025, and this year, it’s not just bigger and better, it’s historic.

Celebrating its legacy as the largest country music festival brand in North America, Country Thunder Wisconsin is set to welcome its one millionth fan this year. That lucky festivalgoer, whose ticket gets scanned at just the right moment, will be crowned live on-site and awarded a once-in-a-lifetime prize package. (April’s Country Thunder Arizona winner, Lacey Culpepper, was attending for the very first time. So yes, this could be your year.)

As for the lineup? It’s a can’t-miss mix of country’s biggest hitmakers and rising stars, all taking the stage just a short drive from the Illinois border. Headliners this year include:

  • Cole Swindell, known for arena anthems and #1 hits like “She Had Me at Heads Carolina”
  • HARDY, a genre-blending force whose rock edge redefines modern country
  • Jelly Roll, one of music’s most talked-about crossover success stories
  • Dierks Bentley, a festival favorite with over 20 years of crowd-pleasing hits

Supporting acts include the likes of Tyler Hubbard (of Florida Georgia Line fame), the ever-energetic Gavin Adcock, rising powerhouse Ashley Cooke, Ashley McBryde, and 2025 ACM New Male Artist of the Year Zach Top—plus even more artists to be announced.

The sprawling Country Thunder grounds in Twin Lakes, WI, just under 90 minutes from Chicago, turn into a full-blown country music city each year, complete with campgrounds, food vendors, artist activations, and nonstop good vibes. Whether you’re a seasoned fan or a curious first-timer, the energy is infectious.

Country Thunder has built a reputation over its 21-year history not just as a concert, but as a four-day celebration of all things country—a place where new memories are made, friendships are forged in the campgrounds, and everyone’s a little more sun-kissed and country by Sunday.

So pack your boots, your coolest shades, and maybe even a foam finger, because if you’re lucky, you just might become part of Country Thunder history.

For tickets, full lineup details, and camping info, visit countrythunder.com.

Concert Photos, Features, News

Photos: T-Pain’s Wiscansin Fest Returned to Milwaukee Bigger Than Ever

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Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

What started as a one-off joke in a 2008 T-Pain lyric, rhyming “mansion” with “Wiscansin”, has evolved into one of the Midwest’s most consistently stacked and wildly entertaining hip-hop events of the summer. On Friday night, T-Pain’s Wiscansin Fest returned to The Rave in Milwaukee for its latest installment, and the “Buy U a Drank” hitmaker once again proved he knows how to throw a party, even in a state he has no formal ties to, except in rhyme.

This year’s lineup was easily one of the most eclectic and star-studded yet. The crowd was already buzzing early in the night when viral rapper Armani White, best known for his TikTok hit “Billie Eilish,” opened things up. The energy continued with NLE Choppa, who gave fans both high-octane bangers and a heartwarming moment by bringing his young daughter on stage. Prof followed with a set tailored to the hip-hop purists in the crowd, delivering clever rhymes and offbeat humor with the confidence of an underground king.

The night’s biggest curveball, in the best way, came courtesy of DJ Diesel, a.k.a. Shaquille O’Neal. Towering over his turntables like a living meme, Shaq unleashed an electrifying set that fused hip-hop with EDM drops, shaking the entire ballroom. It wasn’t his first time bringing chaos to The Rave, and based on crowd reaction, it better not be his last.

While the schedule ran about 15 minutes behind throughout the night, it was Glorilla’s delayed set that drew the most attention, and not the good kind. The Memphis rapper, who headlined and sold out The Rave earlier this year, took the stage late and left after performing only one song (“TGIF”), resulting in a wave of boos from disappointed fans. Her brief appearance felt more like a cameo than a performance, especially considering her prominence on the flyer.

Kash Doll got the show back on track with a fan-involved set that included a surprise onstage duet with one lucky audience member, who nailed every word. Wale followed with one of the most engaging performances of the night, jumping into the crowd and spitting bars shoulder-to-shoulder with fans. A regular at The Rave, Wale’s familiarity with the venue shined through, making his set feel like a reunion more than a concert.

The night also included a surprise that didn’t disappoint: Flo Milli. Unbilled until she hit the stage, the rising rap star brought infectious energy and gave fans a teaser of what they can expect when she returns to Milwaukee later this summer to open for Megan Thee Stallion at Summerfest.

Still, all eyes turned to the stage when Pusha T arrived. One-half of the legendary duo Clipse, Pusha tore through his solo catalog with razor-sharp precision, giving Milwaukee fans a preview of what’s to come when he returns with Malice later this year for the Clipse reunion tour.

Just as many fans, however, came for Colombian superstar Feid, who nearly matched T-Pain in crowd size and energy. Donning his signature green shades and delivering hit after hit in Spanish, Feid transformed The Rave into a reggaeton hotspot, proving why he’s become one of Latin music’s most in-demand names.

T-Pain, of course, closed out the night, and as always, he delivered. Backed by a full band and a catalog packed with timeless party anthems, Pain balanced hype and heart as only he can, moving effortlessly from chart-toppers like “Bartender” and “Can’t Believe It” to deeper cuts for the day-one fans. His charisma filled the room, his vocals were sharp, and his genuine joy in hosting Wiscansin Fest was unmistakable.

Despite a couple hiccups, including Keyshia Cole’s unexplained last-minute absence, Wiscansin Fest 2025 was a celebration of music, community, and T-Pain’s ever-growing impact on hip-hop and pop culture. From start to finish, the night reminded us why this fest has become such a staple, even if it all started with a made-up word.

Photos by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

  • Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
Features, News

Preview: Dispatch Bringing Reggae Roots and Indie Rock Spirit to Ravinia Festival This June

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Summer nights at Ravinia Festival are always special but on June 21, they’ll be downright unforgettable.

Beloved indie trailblazers Dispatch return to the Highland Park venue as part of their stacked summer tour, bringing with them an eclectic lineup of fan favorites and genre-defiers. Sharing the stage will be John Butler, G. Love & Special Sauce, Donavon Frankenreiter, and Illiterate Light, making this more than just a concert, rather a curated experience of roots, reggae, and revival.

Known for their genre-melding sound that blends roots rock with reggae, folk, ska, and soul, Dispatch has built a fiercely loyal fanbase over the past 25 years. Their latest project, Yellow Jacket, finds the band returning to the reggae/ska influences that first inspired them, offering a fresh-yet-familiar soundtrack for longtime fans and newcomers alike. You can check out the new LP here!

Joining them is John Butler, the virtuosic frontman of the John Butler Trio, whose deep catalog of blues and folk-infused rock has earned him acclaim around the world. His live performances are a masterclass in musicianship, emotion, and raw, improvisational energy.

Also on the bill is the effortlessly chill Donavon Frankenreiter, a former pro surfer who swapped his board for a guitar. His breezy, soulful jams bring a coastal warmth that fits summer evenings like a well-worn pair of flip-flops. Add in G. Love & Special Sauce’s funky hip-hop-blues fusion and the high-voltage indie energy of Illiterate Light, and you’ve got a night that crosses continents, styles, and sounds.

But part of what makes this show so uniquely appealing is the venue itself. Ravinia Festival is a whole experience. Tucked in a leafy corner of Highland Park, it’s the country’s oldest outdoor music festival and offers a laid-back, picnic-style setting unlike any other. Whether you’re grooving from a reserved seat or lounging on the lawn under the stars with a bottle of wine and charcuterie board in hand, there’s simply no better place to catch live music in the Midwest during the summer.

Dispatch at Ravinia will be a celebration of community, storytelling, and the enduring power of music that moves both body and soul.

Tickets are available now at ravinia.org.

Concert Photos, Features, News

Grace Jones and Janelle Monáe Bring Power and Pride to the Ravinia Festival

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Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

The Ravinia Festival isn’t your typical concert venue and Saturday night wasn’t your typical show.

As thousands gathered in Highland Park, just outside of Chicago, with picnic baskets, bottles of rosé, and rainbow flags in hand, the second major concert of Ravinia’s 2025 season transformed the scenic, tree-lined amphitheater into a sanctuary of sound, style, and self-expression. The pairing of two genre-bending icons, Grace Jones and Janelle Monáe, was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that felt tailor made for Pride Month. It was futuristic. It was funky. It was fearless.

Janelle Monáe: Opening with Headliner Energy

Janelle Monáe might have technically opened the night, but her performance was anything but secondary. The acclaimed artist brought her unmistakable blend of Afrofuturism, soul, and pop polish to Ravinia’s stage with commanding presence, igniting the crowd from the jump. With hits like “Make Me Feel” and selections from her Age of Pleasure era, Monáe blurred the lines between concert and theatrical production, dripping charisma and reminding everyone that she can, and does, headline festivals on her own.

Monáe’s performance also echoed the spirit of Pride in both message and aesthetic. Between songs, she shared messages of empowerment and visibility, championing queer joy in a world that too often stifles it. She made Ravinia’s lawn feel less like a north shore park and more like a utopian block party, with concertgoers dancing in the grass, glitter on their cheeks.

Grace Jones: The Queen Ascends (Literally)

Then came Grace Jones.

As the curtain fell, the stage revealed Jones poised atop a towering platform, wearing a striking red mask that looked like a cyberpunk welder’s helmet. It was theatrical, menacing, iconic. She opened with her take of Iggy Pop’s “Nightclubbing,” her voice slinking through the air like velvet smoke, and from that moment on, the audience was hers.

At 77, Grace Jones remains a marvel. Her set was part fashion show, part performance art, part dance party, and all Grace. The hits came one after the other: “Demolition Man” and the sly groove of “My Jamaican Guy” drew roars from both the pavilion and the packed lawn. Lawngoers, some listening from their blankets on the ground, others sipping cocktails from crystal glasses, were just as locked in as those with front-row seats.

She commanded the stage with magnetic eccentricity, balancing avant-garde visuals with raw musical power. During “Williams’ Blood,” she delivered vocals that were chilling in their intensity. Her take on “Amazing Grace” was stirring and oddly intimate, even in a venue filled with thousands.

But the night’s true climax came during “Pull Up to the Bumper,” when Monáe reappeared to join Jones on stage. It was a generational summit of two trailblazers, exuding mutual respect, joy, and defiance. Finally, “Slave to the Rhythm” closed the night in spectacular fashion, although the crowd certainly didn’t want it to end.

Ravinia’s Unique Magic

There’s truly nowhere else like Ravinia. While many venues are content with plastic chairs and overpriced beer, Ravinia invites fans to build their own experience. Couples on the lawn dined by candlelight, groups of friends lounged on picnic blankets decked out like living rooms, and families danced among hanging string lights and garden gnomes.

That sense of personal celebration blended perfectly with the ethos of the night: be yourself, love freely, live loudly.

Grace Jones and Janelle Monáe gave Pride Month a North Shore moment it won’t soon forget.

Check out photos from Saturday night’s unforgettable performances below (Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration).

  • Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
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World Pride Music Festival Adds Renee Rapp to Stacked Lineup

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Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

The WorldPride Music Festival 2025 in Washington, D.C., has announced the addition of singer-songwriter and actress Reneé Rapp to its lineup. Rapp, known for her roles in Broadway’s Mean Girls and HBO Max’s The Sex Lives of College Girls, will perform at the RFK Festival Grounds on June 6–7.

Rapp’s performance comes on the heels of her latest single, “Leave Me Alone,” released on May 21, 2025, as the lead track from her upcoming album Bite Me, set to debut on August 1 . The song marks a departure from the cinematic ballad style of her debut album Snow Angel, embracing a funkier, club-inspired sound with bold, playful lyrics. Notably, the track includes the line, “I took my sex life with me, now the show ain’t f—ing,” which many interpret as a pointed reference to her departure from The Sex Lives of College Girls.

The WorldPride Music Festival’s lineup also features headliners such as Jennifer Lopez and Troye Sivan, along with artists like Kim Petras, Zedd, Paris Hilton, RuPaul, Marina, and Tinashe. With over 60 acts across three stages, the festival promises a diverse array of performances celebrating LGBTQIA+ culture and resilience .

For more information on the festival and to view the full lineup, visit worldpride25.com.

Concert Photos, Features, News

Photos: The Weeknd Brings the Apocalypse to Soldier Field

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Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

If you weren’t at Soldier Field this past weekend for The Weeknd’s “After Hours Til Dawn” Tour stop in Chicago, you missed a spectacle that was just as much dystopian sci-fi as it was pop-R&B party. With a stage setup that looked like Blade Runner meets Mad Max, Abel Tesfaye turned the lakefront stadium into a post-apocalyptic dancefloor—and 60,000 fans couldn’t get enough.

The Canadian megastar performed under a blood-red moon and towering city ruins, leading a faceless army of masked dancers and bathing the night in fire and lasers. But despite the end-of-the-world vibes, the show itself felt like a celebration—of music, of survival, and of The Weeknd’s genre-defying, chart-dominating career.

The setlist was a no-skips mix of greatest hits and deep cuts, opening with the haunting “Alone Again” and flowing into synth-heavy anthems like “Gasoline,” “Sacrifice,” and “How Do I Make You Love Me?” From there, it was wall-to-wall bangers—“Can’t Feel My Face,” “I Feel It Coming,” “Starboy,” “Heartless,” “The Hills,” and of course, the mega-hit “Blinding Lights” that lit up every corner of the stadium. And that’s not even the full list.

The crowd sang every word back to him, arms raised, phones lit. The show wasn’t just performed—it was felt.

And visually? It was absolutely wild. From the mile-long runway to the LED-drenched skyline collapsing in slow motion, every moment begged to be photographed (which, lucky for us, we did; scroll down for our full photo gallery).

The Weeknd’s Soldier Field performance was another reminder that this isn’t just a tour—it’s a fully immersive experience, one of the most cinematic and creatively ambitious stadium shows we’ve seen in a long time. If this is what the end of the world looks like, we’ll take it—so long as The Weeknd is on the aux.

Check out our favorite shots from the night below.

Photos by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Concert Photos, Features, News

Sueños 2025 in Photos: Shakira, Peso Pluma, Don Omar & More

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Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Chicago’s Grant Park turned into a reggaetón dream this Memorial Day weekend as Sueños Festival returned for another stacked two-day party in the heart of the city. Thousands of fans showed up ready to dance, drip, and sing every lyric at the top of their lungs—and the lineup gave them plenty to work with.

Saturday’s lineup was all killer, no filler, capped by a star-powered set from Shakira, who delivered an hour and 45 minutes of nonstop hits. Whether she was throwing it back to “Hips Don’t Lie” or showing love to her newest music, Shakira reminded everyone why she’s one of the greatest global performers alive. Her stage presence? Untouchable. Her vocals? Flawless. And when she closed with “Waka Waka,” it felt like the entire park jumped in unison.

Right before Shakira, Peso Pluma lit up the crowd with a performance that felt like a coronation. The rising superstar brought out surprise guests like Oscar Maydon, El Alfa, Jasiel Nuñez, and Tito Doble P—each one upping the energy and keeping the crowd guessing. Peso’s stage design, charisma, and gritty vocals were a perfect blend of street and spectacle. And don’t forget, this is a guy who’s already worked with Kanye, Kali Uchis, and Rich the Kid. He’s only getting started.

Sunday didn’t slow things down either. Don Omar and Wisin threw it back with classics that still hit as hard as ever, Grupo Frontera showed why they’re one of the most exciting bands in the game right now, and Tito Doble P doubled up with another strong showing. Even in the sweltering heat, the crowd stayed locked in and loud from open to close.

Sueños continues to cement itself as the go-to Latin music festival in the Midwest. If you weren’t there, scroll through our full photo gallery below, then go ahead and set that calendar alert for next May. Because when Sueños returns in 2026, you’ll want to be front and center.

Photos by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Concert Photos, Features, News

Photos: Post Malone Rode Into Chicago and Stole the Show

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Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration

Post Malone’s music may be evolving, but one thing hasn’t changed: the man knows how to put on a show.

Performing under the lights at Chicago’s iconic Wrigley Field, Post brought the latest leg of his tour to the Windy City and gave fans a night packed with heart, hits, and a whole lot of twang. The setlist pulled from every era of his career—hip-hop, heartbreak, and now, honky-tonk—with fans singing along whether he was crooning country ballads or turning up to “Wow.” and “Congratulations.”

Leaning into his new cowboy persona, Post still showed plenty of love to the rap songs that made him a household name. From “Rockstar” to “Psycho” to “I Fall Apart,” he made sure longtime fans felt seen. But it was the new material that really gave the night its flavor. Country Post is officially here, and it works. Songs like “I Had Some Help” had the crowd swaying with their arms around each other, while the stripped-down acoustic moments gave the sold-out stadium a chance to breathe, cheer, and cry (yes, people cried).

Posty was in great spirits all night—grinning, sipping out of a red Solo cup, and thanking the crowd a dozen times over. And the visuals? Fire. Literally. With flames shooting up from the stage and a lighting rig that followed him like a spotlighted lasso, every moment felt tailor-made for your camera roll.

It was a reminder that even as Post Malone continues to genre-hop, his live show remains one of the most consistent and entertaining in the game.

Scroll down to check out our favorite photos from the night, and trust us, if you missed this one, make sure you don’t miss him next time he rides into town.

Photos by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration