The ARC Music Festival is a first time musical feat that paid homage to Chicago’s well-known history of its house music pioneers and culture, while entertaining thousands on Labor Day Weekend.

A collaboration of 60 renowned deejays gathered from around the world to participate in ARC Music Festival’s debut event.  Over 3000 visitors  descended in Chicago’s Union Park for a two-day weekend of house and techno music concerts that featured extravagant light shows and non-stop dancing.

ARC Music Festival Chicago, Union Park. Sept. 4th & 5th, 2021. Photographer: Kursza.
Photo Courtesy, Auris Presents.

The outdoor festival was produced by Chicago-based Auris Presents and offered four stages; The Grid, Expansions, Elrow & The ARC Car, all with its own exotic theme, while praising the boldness of famous deejays like the late Frankie Knuckles, who help create the original house music genre of the ’80s.
“House music remains Chicago’s gift to the music world,” says festival producer Nick Karounos, “a sound that has shifted shape and style as it travels, relinquishing boundaries and connecting fans.”

Kevin Abdullah interview. Photo Courtesy, Toni Shelton’s Queen Of House Music film documentary.

In the late ’70s, Frankie Knuckles, highly recognized as the originator of house music, ventured from New York to Chicago for an assignment from Robert Williams, owner of U.S. Studios to deejay at the Warehouse.

Award winning singer Terisa Griffin and Producer Toni Shelton. Photo Courtesy, Toni Shelton’s Queen Of House Music film documentary.

“It was the way he enhanced the climax of the songs with crossover techniques that made his mixes so dance-able,” Kevin said.  “So when Frankie blended disco with R&B hooks while performing at the Warehouse in Chicago, the dance music became popular, which coined the phrase ‘house’ to describe the music played at the Warehouse.”

Toni Shelton is the producer of The Queen of House Music film documentary along with Emmy Award winning Editor Don Howze.  She’s been promoting house music parties since she was a teenager in the mid ‘80s.  Toni has been honored with local and national awards for her contribution to the house music genre that span over three decades.

L-R. Rob Taylor, Keith Fobs, and Andre’ Hatchett. Photo Courtesy, Toni Shelton’s Queen Of House Music film documentary.

“We were just kids when we had our first experience of dancing to house music,” says Toni.  “If you wanted to party and feel the experience of love, fun and music all at the same time, then my house parties were the place to be!”

Toni was familiar with the ARC Music Festival through their social media campaign and says the roster of deejays were the most popular from around the world. “The ARC Music Festival had these elaborate ads that were colorful with a lot of deejays using stage lighting effects” says Toni. “I loved the energy and loved seeing that house music has become more popular worldwide.”  

Some of Toni’s first house parties were held at local clubs throughout  Chicago.  She hired several of her close friends to deejay her parties, who were some of Chicago’s best house deejays like Andre’ Hatchett, Keith Fobs, Rob Taylor,  Kenny Ray and the multi-Grammy nominee Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley.  
“They loved Frankie Knuckles’ musical style and deejay techniques,” expresses Toni, “and still today, each of my deejays are sought out around the world to work parties from Hollywood to Jamaica.”

ARC Music Festival Chicago, Union Park. Sept. 4th & 5th, 2021. Photographer: Kursza.
Photo Courtesy, Auris Presents.