Glass Animals Ignite The Stage With Futuristic Flair: A Night Fans Will Never Forget

With a beautiful sunset, 75 degrees and breezy, and an amped-up crowd eager to welcome back their favorite quartet, the conditions could not be better for Glass Animals’ long-awaited return to the Windy City. Taking place at Northerly Island’s Huntington Bank Pavillion, there was a perfect balance of all things Chicago – right on the lakefront, skyline views, and even a glimpse of the Navy Pier fireworks putting on a show just before their set. What made this show so special was the outpouring of love and a sense of community from the fans.

Kicking off the evening was Kevin Abstract making an unexpected grand entrance from the risers. All the fans in the pit turned around in awe as they observed him make his way down in the spotlight. Once in the pit, he paused in the middle of the crowd to finish his song up close and personal with everybody before making his way over to the stage.

Clearly, Kevin is a lover of his fans, because the crowd work didn’t stop there! He spent the rest of his set on the barricade, working his way through the crowd, and even brought a group of kids up on stage to jam out to one of his final songs. Engaging the crowd throughout the entire set was the perfect way to warm them up for the headlining performance to take it to the next level.

After a quick break, everybody eagerly returned to their spots for the long-anticipated, Glass Animals, to take the stage. Reflecting their tour name (Tour of Earth), everything from the production design to the fans’ outfits was perfectly on theme.

Their unique stage setup included futuristic domes, control panels, and even an entire overhead rig resembling the underside of a UFO projecting down on the stage. After giving the crowd some time to cheer for their silhouettes standing in the thick haze, they went right into their opening song, “whatthehellishappening?”, which is track number two on their latest album, “I Love You So F***ing Much”.

Not only was the energy top tier, but each song had its own lighting design and screen projections to fit along with the intergalactic theme as well. About halfway through the set during their song “Lost In The Ocean”, the lead singer, Dave Bayley, dazzled the crowd by standing on a small section of the stage that lifted him up, “beaming” him into the UFO above.

Glass Animals Ignite The Stage With Futuristic Flair: A Night Fans Will Never Forget 2 — Photo by Wendy Davis

In addition to the outstanding production design, what truly made this show so magical was the overall love that the crowd had for this band and vice versa. Outer space-themed outfits, handmade signs, and people singing along all the way in the very back!

For the song “Creatures In Heaven”, fans displayed their admiration by holding up pink and green colored pieces of paper in front of their phone flashlights, creating a sea of multicolored stars in the crowd. Glass Animals made sure to return the love by interacting with the crowd, including during one of their top hits, “Gooey”, which Bayley rushed into the middle of the pit to perform up close and personal for everybody.

Not only did the fans respect the band, but they respected each other. After watching acts of kindness like compliments on outfits and sharing waters with those in need, it’s clear that this band gathered together a group of truly pure-hearted individuals. Whether somebody was a die-hard fan dressed as an alien or a casual listener who was there for the drinks, this show provided a welcoming, fun environment for all to enjoy. Chicago is very grateful for the return of Glass Animals, celebrating the release of their 2024 album, “I Love You So F***king Much” with this spectacle of a tour!