Day Two (July 5th, 2024) – Coverage & Photographs by Marc Najjar & Jody Miller
Day 2 of Rose On The River at The Salt Shed in Chicago continued the party of the inaugural festival with an equal-parts emphasis on high-caliber musicianship and booty-shaking dance, with a few surprises added. With each set at 1 hour minimum, the festival certainly allows for fans to connect with the music in a great way as the artists’ set times aren’t staggered like more “traditional” music festivals, leaving no sense of F.O.M.O. You truly get to enjoy what you are seeing in a relaxed fashion.
Opening the day was the New York-based powerhouse Karina Rykman. Fans were greeted with her perfect anthem for the summer, ‘Joyride’, beginning her high-energy set. Each song had plenty of room for the band to stretch out, show offtheir musical prowess, never missing a beat or an opportunity to get people moving. With fearlessness and authenticity, it’s always refreshing to see the bassist fronting the band, and with Karina’s constant delivery of joy and hair-whipping-fun, the tone was set for the day in a delightful way.
Continuing the joyride, New Orleans-based R&B outfit Tank And The Bangas. This 10-piece band simply does not miss – each song anchored by Chicago’s own Matthew Skillz on bass. With so many people on stage, it was truly a sight to see the mellifluous grooves evolve into a whirlwind of power, yet never feeling overcrowded as the high-level artistic sensitivity allowed for Tarriona “Tank” Ball to move freely with such a powerful voice.
Taking the stage as direct support was Flying Lotus, Los Angeles-based producer and founder of Brainfeeder – a record label elevating the innovative and thought-provoking side of electronic music as well as instrumental hip-hop. Fans were delighted as Saturday’s headliner (and Brainfeeder alumnus) Thundercat took to the stage to tease the 2017-smash-hit ‘Them Changes’.
Closing out the evening was Australian multi-instrumentalist/producer Tash Sultana. To elevate the atmosphere, the performance was moved to the 3600-capacity venue inside. Haze filled the room, as Tash moved from instrument-to-instrument effortlessly, creating dynamic soundscapes with a rich voice (often doubled, creating a chorus effect) that compelled the audience to sing along with the same conviction.
