Highly Suspect @ PIQNIQ 2017 (Photo by Laurie Fanelli)
Unusually chilly temperatures and the week-long threat of thunderstorms couldn’t keep ticket-holders from swarming Tinley Park’s Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre on Saturday, May 20, for the 2017 edition of 101 WKQX’s annual PIQNIQ festival. And their dedication ultimately paid off as the weather proved to be fully cooperative, leaving the masses to effectively lose themselves within the sights and sounds of the day-long music extravaganza.
Local pop punk group Lucky Boys Confusion kicked things off on the Saint Xavier Stage, single-handedly warding off the rain with tunes from their brand new appropriately-titled album Stormchasers. Warpaint followed things up with a crowd-pleasing performance (and a collaborative onsite painting party), prior to PIQNIQ veterans Joywave, who rocked the parking lot stage with a fun dance-filled set that included the live debut of their infectious new track “It’s a Trip!”
Wilmette’s own K.Flay brought her raspy flow to Chicago fans with an alt hip hop set that peaked with an explosive version of her intense track “Black Wave” and later wrapped with the menacing “Blood In The Cut.”
Canadian skate punks Sum 41, who were forced to begin their set later than previously scheduled (presumably from the early-morning rain), presented the one and only conflict of the day, squaring up against Main Stage openers, Highly Suspect.
Determined fans, also skilled at the art of the festival balancing act, had just enough time to catch the latter’s first three — “Lydia” (featuring a guitar-shredding intro by Johnny Stevens), “Bath Salts” and “Viper Strike” — as well as the former’s energy-infused opener “The Hell Song,” which saw frontman Deryck Whibley invite a few lucky PIQNIQ attendees up on stage.
Macomb natives Stabbing Westward later destroyed the Main Stage with heavy hitters “What Do I Have To Do?,” “Save Yourself” and “Shame.” Chris Hall’s stage-owning antics, intense presence & sinister stare are sure to leave a lasting impression on the flocks of unsuspecting 1975 fans, who dominated the venue’s pit area. Likewise, a handful of hardcore Stabbing Westward disciples could be seen heading for the exits, prior to the festival’s final trio of lighter, more pop-friendly acts.
Bleachers instantly brought what seemed like the entire lawn to their feet with show opener “Shadow” and ultimately kept them there throughout their entire performance, which actually marked a return to PIQNIQ for Jack Antonoff and company, who first appeared at the festival back in 2015. They played new material — “Everybody Lost Somebody,” covered Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way” and, of course, closed things out with an almost-mandatory-at-this-point execution of “I Wanna Get Better”… and their dedicated legion of fans loved every minute of it.
Jimmy Eat World got lots of love as they took to the Main Stage, opening strong under stark red and white lights with “Bleed American” from their 2008 eponymous album. They explored their darker side with songs like “Pain” and the group’s new track “Get Right,” both of which were received well, and launched venue-wide sing-alongs with hits “Sweetness” and “The Middle.”
When it came time for The 1975’s headlining set at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, the crowd was well ready. A purple-pinkish hue bathed the stage as the group — hailing all the way from Manchester, England — launched into “Love Me.”
There were illusions of infinity and pastel lights o’ plenty. The production was spot-on, the sound was tight and the group had a solid stage setup accompanied by lights that shifted in tone and style as the set progressed. One of the more visually impressive moments came during the group’s performance of “UGH!,” which saw the stage’s massive light-emitting pillars transform into mock buildings, adding foreground depth to a cityscape backdrop.
Lead singer Matty Healy seemed wholly excited to be there and equally as humbled by the audience turnout. “There’s a lot of people here,” he acknowledged during the set. “Thanks a lot for waiting and watching. This is f*cking mental.”
“Somebody Else” and “She’s American” were among the night’s setlist, as was fan-favorite “A Change Of Heart,” which saw the dapper-dressed Healy casually taking drags from a cigarette while serenading seas of adoring fans. The group played 16 tracks in all, closing out with a three-song encore that ended with “The Sound.”
Check out photos from this year’s PIQNIQ below.
You guys never fail to amaze me. 3rd time in 7 months #aesthetic #The1975 #piqniq @the1975 pic.twitter.com/7gk5pyDfeL
— Riley Braselton (@rileybraselton) May 21, 2017