Chicago’s DJ Lady D selects her top 19 Chicago house festival tracks ahead of ARC Music Festival, coming this Labor Day Weekend (September 1 through September 3 2023) at Union Park. Daily line-ups and set times are posted here, and tickets are available at arcmusicfestival.frontgatetickets.com.

Tracklisting

1. Move Your Body – Marshall Jefferson (Solardo Remix) –The Solardo do-over brings the sonics up to standard for today’s festival systems. It’s still the house music anthem.

2. Shake & Pop – Green Velvet – You can’t help but do a happy dance when you hear it. Electro, Retro, Ghetto, House & Techno…festival complete.

3. Jack Your Body – Steve Hurley (Doorly Remix) – The classic will still bang any event this Doorly remix just adds that fest level of buildup/drop moments.

4. Party People – Gene Farris & CASSIIMM – Has that playfulness and aural fun you want while off your face on one.

5. When I’m With You – Colette & Kaskade – Two Chicagoans with a nice body of joint work. This last one is so beautiful – makes me think of girls on shoulders and beach balls floating over a sea of people. Real festival ish.

6. The Movement – Stacy Kidd – Play this through a stack of speakers and let the shufflers go off.

7. Where U At? – Derrick Carter – Derrick’s boompty production and spoken word made this an instant classic but the acapella can be laced over any track and worked to goosebump effect. Just ask Bey!

8. All Night Long – DJ Lady D – I would always play the remixes by Paul Johnson or Ron Carroll. When I heard other DJ’s bang mine, I got more confident in the damage it could cause and now I play it loud and proud.

9. She Got Me On – Paul Johnson – Our dearly departed PJ…everyone plays Get Get Down, so we’re gonna switch it up and go right here to this infectious groove. Smiles for days!

10. Wanna Go Bang – DJ Deeon, HI-LO & Oliver Heldens – Dinosaur L’s I Wanna Go Bang is classic Chicago. Heldens, HI-LO & Deeon wrap the techno edge with booty bounce and take this simple sentiment over the top. RIP to the ghetto house master DJ Deeon.

11. Who Am I – Alinka (Harry Romero remix) – I think I signed one of Alinka’s first projects – like Kaskade. The track is richly layered with tons of ear candy that just lets you get lost in the music for a bit – and that’s what it’s all about!

12. Let’s Dance – David Bowie (Honey Dijon Remix) – Good for a BIG MOMENT (all fest sets need them). You can literally do anything with this stark yet beefy HFD version.

13. I Will Survive (The Aretha Version) – Terry Hunter – You don’t hear a lot of vocals at fests but if I were going to play one for a set ender – it would be this classy production sure to have everyone dancing and singing to a song (not a version) everyone knows!

14. Free (Live Your Life) – Ultra Nate (Felix da Housecat & Chris Trucher) – Again vocals can be rare fest fodder, but Felix does this iconic song justice. It’s the piano stabs for me.

15. Acid Tecknic – Boo Williams – Boo is so versatile. If you want to play more complex acid house, look no further.

You asked for 15 but there are way too many great fest-worthy Chicago tunes, so here’s some bonus tracks:

16. Sinna Mann – Cratebug (Junior Sanchez Remix) – Known for the disco and early house edits, David Macias enlists Junior and scores a homerun here. This will snap necks!

17. Feel The Heat – Mike Dunn & Riva Starr – Drama and ENERGY! Nuff said.

18. Serotonin Moonbeams – The Blessed Madonna – Marea did the thang on this. Fun and energetic – festival approved.

19. Brighter Days – Dajae & Cajmere (DJ E-Clyps Remix) – Ooh oh I need this at every fest. E-Clyps killed it. Best remix of Brighter Days and super festival-ready for me.

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