A chillwave lineup heated up the Salt Shed last night as Toro y Moi and Panda Bear returned to Chicago supported by Nourished by Time. About 3,300 fans packed the room as the sound of synths echoed in the cavernous venue.
Nourished by Time
Marcus Brown opened the evening with his Nourished by Time project. The Baltimore artist kicked off the set with “Rain Water Promise,” dancing expressively across the stage in between crooning and working synths. He was joined by a bassist and a keyboardist/guitarist. Chicagoans may remember Nourished by Time’s early afternoon set at Pitchfork 2023, and Brown was grateful for their attention. “I don’t usually make it to the opener, so thank you,” he said before closing with “The Fields.”
Panda Bear
No matter how many times fans have seen Noah Lennox live, whether with Animal Collective or solo as Panda Bear, there’s always something new up his sleeve. In a set devoid of banter, he let his art do the talking playing new songs from his forthcoming album Sinister Grift with the support of a four-piece band that stretched the set into psych-rock territory. After opening with a cover of “Never Ending Game,” Lennox launched into two new songs “Ferry Lady” and “Ends Meet.” The set also included “Defense,” his new collaboration with Cindy Lee.
Fans had been craving Panda Bear’s Chicago return since his 2023 Pitchfork set with Sonic Boom was cancelled due to a weather evacuation. Lennox’s Salt Shed outing was accompanied by trippy videos depicting gloved hands, arid landscapes, and cloaked figures dancing. He played some throwback tracks like “Take Pills,” which transformed the room to a rollicking jamboree, and “Slow Motion” before ending the entrancing set with “Buoys.” Lennox departed with a quick word of gratitude, “I hope you had a good time.”
Toro y Moi
Toro y Moi’s headlining set showcased his versatility, ranging from his signature chillwave to funk to R&B and more. Chaz Bundick kicked off the set by dropping bars on “Walking in the Rain” and rocked a snotty, pop-punk attitude on “Tuesday,” both from his latest album Hole Erth. “Starlink” combined drum and bass with Auto-Tune while 2019’s “Ordinary Pleasure” took the party into a funky disco territory. Chaz Bear’s three-person supporting band manned a rig of synths and drum machines as he worked the stage.
Old school fans danced to classics like “Rose Quartz,” “So Many Details,” and “New Beat” peppered throughout the set. “We started at the Empty Bottle,” Chaz reminded the audience of his early shows in Chicago. “This has been an amazing show,” he proclaimed before closing it out with the groovy “Freelance,” and leaving fans wondering how to keep the dance party going.
Jessica Mlinaric founded Urban Explorer in 2010 to inspire curious travelers by highlighting history, culture, and hidden gems in Chicago and beyond. She is the author of ‘Secret Chicago’ and ‘Chicago Scavenger.’ Jessica has visited 20+ countries and 30+ U.S. states. She has more than 16 years of experience as a marketing strategist and works as a freelance writer and photographer.
