The Inaugural Sacred Rose Blooms This August in Chicagoland
Daniel Ojeda | Monday, July 25th, 2022
A few Wisconsinites might recognize SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois as a live music destination. Big soccer fans, of course, know it as the home of the Chicago Fire soccer team. But the venue also has hosted concerts, including Phish over ten years ago and most recently a pair of Umphrey’s McGee drive-in shows during the early days of the pandemic. Certainly all jam band lovers will know the venue after this summer as it is hosting the first annual Sacred Rose Festival over the last weekend of August. Here at WIJAM we are highlighting a couple reasons you need to attend.
The convenience factor cannot be overstated. WIJAMMERs are spoiled to have some great smaller, regional festivals across our beautiful state. However, for the major festivals with multiple national touring jam band headliners, we have to leave the state. Whether that be festivals of yore like 10,000 Lakes Festival in Minnesota, or Rothbury/Electric Forest in Michigan, it has always been a bit of a road trip. With the growth of Summer Camp in Chillicothe, Illinois, we have been afforded an even closer festival than the aforementioned ones. Now with Sacred Rose in Bridgeview, it is only an hour from our state line. Not only is it close, but it is in an urban area. That means that getting a comfortable hotel or Airbnb with friends is the viable option. No more waking up, after only a couple of hours of sleep, to the sweltering heat of the summer sun.
The rest will be needed for an absolutely magnificent lineup. The full lineup can be seen here, but suffice it to say that it is jaw-droppingly great. The highlights include Phil Lesh and Friends, Goose, and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. Phil will be doing a special set featuring Wilco members Jeff Tweedy and Nels Cline. Add to the mix saxophonist Karl Denson, and we might have the most unique and interesting amalgamation of Phil’s “friends” that the 82 year-old has ever assembled. Goose will also be a must-attend set. Long gone are the days when they would only play for an intimate 999 capacity crowd in Eau Claire. Despite the fact that happened only one year ago, Goose’s rise in the jam band world has been nothing short of meteoric. Trey Anastasio’s guest sit-in at Radio City Music Hall will only elevate them further. Finally, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead will bring their unique flavor of Grateful Dead music to close out the festival Sunday night. Normally we’d be seeing them for their annual winter show in Wisconsin, but this summer show so close to home is a welcome bonus. Their three hour set will be the longest festival, along with Phil’s. The rest of the lineup is stacked with other jam band, bluegrass, and general alternative acts that make this festival one of the best in the country based on lineup alone.
Finally, the fact that this is the inaugural Sacred Rose Fest makes it very special. Sharing in the vibe for the first time with other attendees will lend some extra grandness to the experience. There certainly is a bit of the unknown with this festival. It goes beyond that though- there are no doubt surprises still in store for those that attend. The fact that Thursday pre-parties as well as late nights were just announced also bodes well to this thing becoming bigger and better as we get closer to the festival. How they utilize the site will also be interesting. One stage most certainly will be on the soccer field, while another will be in the air-conditioned dome, but the rest is a mystery. With art installations promised, there will not be a deficit in sensory experiences at Sacred Rose.
This could easily become a destination festival for music lovers all across the country. This will all take place in Wisconsin’s backyard, and you will absolutely not want to miss it.
Visit the helpful links below to learn more about Sacred Rose 2022.
The convenience factor cannot be overstated. WIJAMMERs are spoiled to have some great smaller, regional festivals across our beautiful state. However, for the major festivals with multiple national touring jam band headliners, we have to leave the state. Whether that be festivals of yore like 10,000 Lakes Festival in Minnesota, or Rothbury/Electric Forest in Michigan, it has always been a bit of a road trip. With the growth of Summer Camp in Chillicothe, Illinois, we have been afforded an even closer festival than the aforementioned ones. Now with Sacred Rose in Bridgeview, it is only an hour from our state line. Not only is it close, but it is in an urban area. That means that getting a comfortable hotel or Airbnb with friends is the viable option. No more waking up, after only a couple of hours of sleep, to the sweltering heat of the summer sun.
The rest will be needed for an absolutely magnificent lineup. The full lineup can be seen here, but suffice it to say that it is jaw-droppingly great. The highlights include Phil Lesh and Friends, Goose, and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead. Phil will be doing a special set featuring Wilco members Jeff Tweedy and Nels Cline. Add to the mix saxophonist Karl Denson, and we might have the most unique and interesting amalgamation of Phil’s “friends” that the 82 year-old has ever assembled. Goose will also be a must-attend set. Long gone are the days when they would only play for an intimate 999 capacity crowd in Eau Claire. Despite the fact that happened only one year ago, Goose’s rise in the jam band world has been nothing short of meteoric. Trey Anastasio’s guest sit-in at Radio City Music Hall will only elevate them further. Finally, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead will bring their unique flavor of Grateful Dead music to close out the festival Sunday night. Normally we’d be seeing them for their annual winter show in Wisconsin, but this summer show so close to home is a welcome bonus. Their three hour set will be the longest festival, along with Phil’s. The rest of the lineup is stacked with other jam band, bluegrass, and general alternative acts that make this festival one of the best in the country based on lineup alone.
Finally, the fact that this is the inaugural Sacred Rose Fest makes it very special. Sharing in the vibe for the first time with other attendees will lend some extra grandness to the experience. There certainly is a bit of the unknown with this festival. It goes beyond that though- there are no doubt surprises still in store for those that attend. The fact that Thursday pre-parties as well as late nights were just announced also bodes well to this thing becoming bigger and better as we get closer to the festival. How they utilize the site will also be interesting. One stage most certainly will be on the soccer field, while another will be in the air-conditioned dome, but the rest is a mystery. With art installations promised, there will not be a deficit in sensory experiences at Sacred Rose.
This could easily become a destination festival for music lovers all across the country. This will all take place in Wisconsin’s backyard, and you will absolutely not want to miss it.
Visit the helpful links below to learn more about Sacred Rose 2022.
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