A former dumping ground on the lakefront is rising up with the sweet sounds of music.
The Dave Matthews Band Caravan, a traveling festival headlined by the popular group, kicks off Friday and runs through Sunday.
The three-day, multi-stage music festival is being held at Lakeside, also known as Southworks, the the former United States Steel Corporation location on the lakefront between East 79th and 89th streets.
Almost 40 bands will perform on three stages over the three days, with Dave Matthews wrapping up each night with a three-hour concert.
Other bands include David Gray, Ray LaMontagne, Kid Cudi, O.A.R., The Flaming Lips, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and more. Click here for full lineup/schedule.
Tickets start at $85 for a single day pass and $195 for the entire weekend. Parking is free, but premium parking passes can be purchased.
Organizers suggest taking the CTA Redline or the Metra Electric District South Shore Line to get to and from the concert. Additonal Metra service has been added specifically for the festival. Click here for transportation details.
Items such as video cameras, frame backpacks, outside food, umbrellas, tents, coolers, pets instruments and laser pointers will not be allowed on festival grounds.
The 600 acre site has been abandoned for a decade, but developers hope its transformation will provide a longterm economic boost.
In the short term, it'll be a temporary concert facility, but in long run, officials hope it will contain housing, retail and a bonafide tourist destination.
"I get the feeling that it is the start of something big. It's unique that you can find such a great site adjacent to such a large city like Chicago," says "Starhill Presents" producer Ken McDonald.
