South Siders will join fans from around the world when the newest and biggest heavy metal festival arrives at Bridgeview’s Toyota Park for the first of only two locales nationwide.
Chicago Open Air is the latest and first Illinois venture from Danny Wimmer Presents (DWP). The Los Angeles-based producer of renowned festivals held in parks and soccer stadiums, such as Rock On the Range at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, and Monster Energy Rock Allegiance at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pa., will bring headliners Slipknot, Rammstein and Chicago’s Disturbed, plus 40 other bands to the 28,000-capacity home of the Chicago Fire July 15 to 17.
The fest also will feature a “Gourmet Man Food” area with regional and national vendors, including Kuma’s Corner, the Chicago heavy metal-themed joint, and the Headbangers Beer Hall, with guest bartender Riki Rachtman, former host of MTV’s Headbangers Ball. Inside the hall will be pinball machines, a wall of Marshall amps and craft beer from Goose Island, Lagunitas, Half Acre and others.
“Our job is to deliver an all-killer, no-filler experience with the overall rock experience,” said Clay Busch, vice president of marketing and brand partnerships for DWP, which also stages Houston Open Air in September. “Open Air is the biggest metal festival in the United States in quite some time.”
Known for securing acts for rare appearances, DWP snagged Germany’s Rammstein in their only stateside appearance this year and first Chicago appearance since 2012 as the first night’s headliners.
Other artists appearing July 15 are Chicago’s Ministry and Chevelle, along with Trivium, Drowning Pool, Through Fire, Meshuggah, Butcher Babies, Of Mice & Men, The Devil Wears Prada, In This Moment, Hollywood Undead, Hatebreed and Periphery.
The lineup for July 16 offers Disturbed, Korn, Alter Bridge, Carcass, Gojira, Helmet, Silver Snakes, City of The Weak, Deafheaven, Pop Evil, Nothing More, Saint Asonia, Miss May I, Breaking Benjamin and Beartooth.
Slipknot, Five Finger Death Punch and Marilyn Manson will be joined July 17 by Japan’s BABYMETAL, Asking Alexandria, Corrosion of Conformity, Gemini Syndrome, All That Remains, Bullet For My Valentine, Killswitch Engage, letlive, We Came As Romans and Upon A Burning Body.
The lineup is geared toward hard rock/metal fans with some variety tossed in as festivals in Europe have done for a while.
“Butcher Babies are high-energy metal girls jumping around, but it’s badass and cool. Hollywood Undead is more like party rock with a hard rock vibe, while Alter Bridge is a traditional rock radio band with Mark Tremonti, a guitar hero,” said Busch, who was a marketing director at Universal Music Group’s Interscope/Geffen/A&M records and a consultant for Marilyn Manson before becoming DWP’s first employee in 2011. “Festivals in Europe break down walls, where bands like Slipknot can play with a band like Alter Bridge with a band like (Texan rockers) Nothing More with a band like (Swedish extreme metal act) Meshuggah.”
The festival also will have autograph sessions in the f.y.e. Fan Experience and the Music Experience areas and band appearances in Headbangers Beer Hall.
Local food vendors include Creme of the Crop, Happy Lobster, Yum Dum, Dia De Los Tamales, Bruges Brothers and Chicago Doghouse.
DWP chose Chicago for the inaugural Open Air because existing festivals here such as Lollapalooza or Riot Fest cater to other niches.
“Our show has its own flavor,” Busch said. “We’re always looking for unique markets to go into that we feel are underserved. Rock ‘n’ roll is more of a lifestyle not a genre, and metal falls right into that. In the Chicago market, there’s a demand for it.”
With ticket-holders hailing from the U.S., Canada, South America, Saudi Arabia and Japan, Busch said, Chicago also makes sense logistically since “it’s pretty much a direct flight from anywhere around the globe.”
Chicago Open Air also will include pre- and post-concert events. The Pre-Party, presented by 95 WIIL Rock and 100.7 QRock on Thursday at Concord Music Hall, offers performances by Otep, Shaman’s Harvest, Through Fire and Islander.
Also Thursday is the Kickoff Dinner, a BYOB five-course affair presented by Chicago’s Goose and Fox, with host Jose Mangin of SiriusXM.
After-show concerts will be given by Helmet and Tight Phantomz on July 15 at Double Door and Carcass and Deafhaven on July 16 at Metro.
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“Bridgeview gets the granddaddy, but we want to highlight other areas as well because Chicago has so many unique and cool elements,” Busch said. “Our shows are regional. We want to point our fans to try new things and experience Chicago as a whole.”
Vickie Jurkowski is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Chicago Open Air
When: 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. July 15, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 16 and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 17.
Where: Toyota Park, 7000 Harlem Ave., Bridgeview.
Tickets: $69.50 for single day; starting at $149.50 for weekend. Fest is all ages, and all attendees must buy a ticket. Children under age 5 with general admission ticket are allowed in VIP area with adult with VIP ticket. (Note: Field Level is standing room on the grass/ground level of main stage, with tickets allowing access to seated areas of the stadium known as Bowl Level, where seats will be first-come, first-served.)
Parking: On-site lots, with details to be posted.
Transportation: www.sharethebus.com, CTA Orange Line or Toyota Park Express Pace Bus.
Drop Off/Pick Up: Call guest services at 708-496-6820.
Information: 708-594-7200; www.chicagoopenair.com.
Pre-Party Concert: Otep, Shaman’s Harvest, Islander and Through Fire on Thursday at Concord Music Hall, 2047 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago; $10 or $17; www.clubtix.com
Kickoff Dinner: Thursday at Goose and Fox, 1018 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago; BYOB; $75; www.brownpapertickets.com
After-Show Concert: Helmet and Tight Phantomz on July 15 at Double Door, 1551 N. Damen Ave., Chicago; www.doubeldoor.com
After-Show Concert: Carcass and Deafhaven on July 16 at Metro, 3730 N. Clark St., Chicago; www.etix.com