WKQX’S annual PIQNIQ took place June 30th and it was a scorcher. Being an open air show, the sun made sure to stick around all day as did the hoards of music lovers who came out despite the 95+ degree weather.
The day kicked off with hometown heroes Marina City at 1pm. As the day continued, the Saint Xavier University Stage featured L.I.F.T., Welshly Arms, and The Front Bottoms. The Front Bottoms were vivacious and kept that energy going throughout the entirety of their set and closed the Saint Xavier Stage with high praises from the crowd.
Due to an unfortunate incident, Greta Van Fleet had to cancel their set prior to the festival. On the bright side, Bishop Briggs was moved to the Main stage. She has this fire that’s hard to replicate. She’s constantly on her feet jumping and running around the stage. She performed fan favorite “Wild Horse” however her vocal intensity was especially heightened during her final number “River.” The crowd was in awe of the strength she posses. Up Next Was The Neighbourhood whom had not performed in Illinois for more than two years, so It was great to have them back.
Opening with “Prey” lead singer Jesse Rutherford jumped into the crowd and hugged a dedicated fan who gifted him a sponge bob t-shirt. He performed the majority of the song alongside the crowd and interacted with them. As the song finished, he kindly thanked her and jumped back up onto the stage. Whether it’s Jesse’s haunting vocals or their catchy beats, The Neighbourhood have a lure to them that’s hard to resist.
They performed a mix of songs from all three of their studio albums. From their first album I Love You they performed “Afraid” in which the crowd readily and eagerly sang along the phrase “you’re too mean I don’t like you, fuck you anyways.” Jesse looked pleased to hear an entire crowd recite his lyrics. From their latest album, The Neighbourhood, they performed “Scary Love” which and was well received by the crowd. Closing with their number one single “Sweater Weather” the crowd went wild. Although this song was released in 2013, it still had the same effect in 2018.
The beauty of PIQNIQ is that the festival includes a range of acts that attract fans from a large spectrum of ages. Right after The Neighbourhood, English band Bush performed. It was lovely to see both older and younger fans enjoy themselves as Bush performed.
Closing the show was AWOLNATION. Their moody lights heightened the overall experience and emphasized their slower version of “Kill Your” heroes. As the night drew to a close they ended with their classic: SAIL! Overall PIQNIQ 2018 was a massive hit. On to the next one!
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The Neighbourhood
Bishop Briggs
The Front Bottoms
| Photos and Writing By: Jennifer Machuca | Exclusively for @Music, Why Not! | All Rights Reserved |
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