A HONKING GOOD TIME
The sounds of DaBaby’s drive-in concert: hip-hop beats, car horns and sighs of relief
Hundreds of hip-hop fans honked their horns and danced for hours Saturday afternoon during the newly formed Headlights Festival. The three-day, drive-in showcase took place at Cross Pointe Park in south suburban Hazel Crest, drawing crowds from all over the state to see Saturday’s headliner, DaBaby, in his first of two shows scheduled for the day.
The show marked the first time the North Carolina rapper had played in front of a live audience since COVID-19 put a halt to concerts and tours. To ensure everyone’s safety, production staffers did their best to enforce social distancing and ensure guests wore face masks.
“So far, everything feels really safe,” said Allison Zeigman, a Chicago resident who drove down with her friend, Nate Newbill. “Honestly, it’s relieving to get to do something like this.” Zeigman and Newbill spent the majority of the show sitting on the roof of their car, legs dangling through the sunroof.
The stage acoustics were clearly audible throughout the park, regardless of where people parked. Each car was subject to a search by security before guests could park in their assigned space. Once they parked, people were allowed to set up chairs and tables in that space. If they paid for a premium parking spot closer to the stage — at rates up to $2,500 — they were provided a table with an umbrella.
Guests could purchase lunch from the food trucks parked near the stage, as well as grab cold, non-alcoholic drinks from a shaded bar. Festival staff ensured that guests who left their space wore their masks at all times. A cleaning crew was on hand to wipe down the portable bathroom doors and restock the sinks with soap and paper towels. The park could accommodate 500 cars, but the lot was never full, allowing for even more flexibility and space for guests to spread out.
Saturday’s show had several acts before the headliner, including Chicago rapper Rockstar Rodie and a livestream from PatrickXXLee from Johannesburg, South Africa. Rodie’s set in particular was full of energy and passion that could clearly be felt throughout the park. After each song, fans honked their horns in lieu of applause. While it was strange not to hear the iconic roar of a crowd at a concert, there was a comfort in knowing this was the safe way to cheer for live music.
Trinity Johnson came from the South Side with two friends to see DaBaby. “It’s the first time we’ve done anything like this so far [this summer],” Johnson said. “It’s spaced out, and it’s cool to see a show.”
Before DaBaby’s performance, several rappers from his label, Billion Dollar Baby Entertainment, put on a short set to hype up the crowd. By the time the headliner came onstage, guests were antsy and feeling the heat from standing in a parking lot with no shade. Security attempted to keep people back from the stage, yet fans made their way to the concrete barricade to get a better view.
DaBaby switched between wearing a mask and taking it off, depending on how close he was to his fans, but he also encouraged people to get as close to him as possible. The rapper finished his set in under 20 minutes, telling fans if they paid for the evening show, he’d have more to show them then.
Many fans were upset that DaBaby’s set was so short and called for the rapper to come back onstage. In spite of his short performance, most of the festivalgoers seemed to have a good time and enjoyed a return to live music, social distancing and all.