House of Vans House Parties Series Kickoff with Vince Staples

Words by Simone Malcolm (IG: bysimonemalcolm) || Photos by Kris Lori (IG: kris_lori)

When thinking about #summertimeChi, people think of yacht parties, Lollapalooza, the beach and free movies in Millennium park, just to name a few. The House of Vans House Parties is probably the furthest thing from their mind; however, it should be the first. What a better way to kick off #summertimeChi than with a free event that has great music, unique interactive art and free drinks?

House of Vans Chicago kicked off their inaugural summer House Party series in the West Loop on May 31^st. The series which ends on August 24^th, has a diverse lineup ranging from hip-hop, punk and indie rock performing on a intimate stage. What makes this concert series a unique experience is that each headliner curates the entire event; from selecting the opening acts to the visual artists selected to create murals and immersive art installations that are placed throughout the venue. Once inside music-lovers unwind with the complimentary drinks for the duration of the concert or head to the local food trucks to purchase some delicious food.

Kicking off the first show of the season was West Coast rapper Vince Staples, who has performed at Coachella and has sold out numerous shows and now gracing the House of Vans’ stage. Since Staples was headlining the show, he tapped a few of his friends, such as Vonnie D and BAS to open the show. The energy amongst the hundreds of people in the crowd was palpable with fans moshing and jumping up and down to their favorite songs. The energy only increased once Staples hit the stage performing hits, such as, Norf Norf, Yeah Right, and Lift Me Up. Staples was feeding off the energy of the crowd and vice versa, to the point that Staples had to reach for his asthma pump from the energy he was bringing to the stage.

Up next is rock band The Breeders, who plays on the stage on June 15^th, RSVP for that show are now open! Other acts that are coming soon to this West Loop hidden gem will be BANKS, Anderson.Paak, Taking Back Sunday, The Rapture, Julien Baker, Converge and a surprise special guest. 

More info on dates and RSVP dates, head on over to the Vans’ website!