Photos by Andy Argyrakis

England’s Glass Animals were gradually attracting global awareness for a decade before “Heat Waves” became the first international single to catch up with the Spice Girls’ “Wannabe,” which both topped the American charts for five consecutive weeks.

The mania that’s followed the band ever since is so staggering, Dave Bayley and the boys admitted to it causing a bit of an “existential crisis,” though rather than retreating from the limelight, they re-fueled for the fantastic full-length, “I Love You So F***ing Much.”

Demand continued to swell when Glass Animals announced the “Tour Of The Earth,” not only initially selling out Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island, but prompting a second show on Thursday, August 29 where a few tickets remain.

As far as the first night in front of the breathtaking Chicago skyline was concerned, the singer/songwriter/guitarist/producer rhetorically asked, “What an f—ing beautiful place to play a show, huh?”

Not only was he was absolutely correct, but all of Glass Animals brought one of the most excellent, arty and epic shows the lakefront venue has ever seen where the clever sonic creations were just as enthralling as the retro meets futuristic set, which could’ve housed a “Tron” movie or been a second cousin to Kraftwerk.

That’s because the group brilliantly blended indie rock and alternative pop with psychedelic and electronic elements throughout such hypnotic rhythms as “whatthehellishappening?,” “Life Itself,” “Wonderful Nothing” and “Space Ghost Coast To Coast,” amongst others, for around 100 minutes or so.

The guys kept on building the momentum and magic while breaking out “Creatures In Heaven,” “Lost In The Ocean,” “Show Pony,” “Take A Slice” and “Pork Soda” on the way to encores of “The Other Side Of Paradise,” and of course, “Heat Waves” as Glass Animals made everyone “happier now” and onward.

Opener Kevin Abstract is best known in hip-hop circles, but certainly reeled in unsuspecting onlookers as he entered from the bleachers and worked his way over the security barricade.

Besides bringing significant solo strides and slices of a season spent in the groundbreaking collective Brockhampton, the openly gay rapper proudly wore his pride in a genre where it’s a much less common occurrence, though either way, his venerable skills behind the mic and vulnerable songwriting are what really stood out from the rest. 

For additional information on Glass Animals, visit GlassAnimals.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island Glass Animals (Aug. 29); King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (Sept. 1); Wallows (Sept. 2); Avril Lavigne (Sept. 10); Live and Stone Temple Pilots (Sept. 11); Falling In Reverse (Sept. 17); Kaytranada (Sept. 20); Kygo (Sept. 25-26); Porter Robinson (Sept. 27); Kings Of Leon (Sept. 28); Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals (Oct. 4) and John Summit & Friends (Oct. 10-12). For additional details, visit LiveNation.com.

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