Each and every year, Chicago is home to one of the world's largest music festivals, Lollapalooza. Along with Lolla comes many events and celebrations of music in the community. For the past 12 years, Lauren McClusky has organized a Special Olympics benefiting concert before Lollapalooza weekend. The event raises thousands of dollars every single year for Special Olympics Illinois. As time goes on, Nelarusky raises more and more money. The first Nelarusky (formerly McFest) raised $10,000 for Special Olympics and it's progressed to $45,000 for the 2018 Nelarusky. It's so incredible how much money can be raised by bringing people together through music.
This year's Nelarusky hosted some very talented musicians. The doors opened at 6 and just an hour after, the music filled Metro Chicago. John Splithoff came out first to warm everyone up for what was to come. John brought a full band with him to rock out and show Chicago what he's got before performing at Lollapalooza. It's safe to say that John gained some new fans that night because the crowd was really rocking with him!
Once John Splithoff wrapped his set up, Fletcher took the stage. The energy in the room was amazing as she started her set. It was easy to see that there were a lot of Fletcher fans in the building. Her songs caused so many people in the audience to sing at the top of their lungs. Fletcher was the perfect way to prepare the fans for Quinn XCII.
As 9:00 PM rolled around, it was time for Quinn to take the stage. The level of energy and noise in the audience was much higher before he took the stage. The crowd chanted his name so loud, letting him know it was time for him to start his performance. Quinn stormed out from backstage starting with "Candle." It rolled into so many other hit songs that Quinn has released over the past few years. From "Fake Denim" to "Bootleggin'" it felt like not a word was missed by the fans. As the show came to a close, everyone realized there were a few major songs that Quinn left out. The fans chanted for an encore and sure enough, he came back out to perform "Flare Guns" and "Straightjacket" which are two of his biggest hits. Everyone went crazy as he played these songs, singing the chorus over and over. Quinn finished the night off by crowd surfing to Vic Mensa's "U Mad?" It was the perfect way to end the night and celebrate. The artists and everyone who helped with the event made the night so memorable for everyone.
This event was so special compared to other after shows or concerts. It's amazing to be in a room where people support a greater cause than just music. When Lauren takes the stage with Special Olympics athletes and the event staff, the energy in the room is out of this world. It feels so great to be there and be a part of something truly amazing. Nelarusky will be back next year before Lolla so if you missed it, keep your eye out!
