Chase Atlantic…Sells Out Aragon Ballroom

Chase Atlantic…

No, it’s not the name of my middle school crush or my problematic ex-boyfriend…it’s a band I fell in love with in the midst of the pandemic a few years back and have not been able to look back since.

The culprit of my newfound love affair with this group began with “Triggered” off of their 2017 self-titled album. I hit play, my pupils expanded within seconds, and from that point forward, I was hooked.

Chase Atlantic is a trifecta made of bassist Mitchel Cave, Christian Anthony and Clinton Cave.

If you know anything about the band or have been a long-esteemed streamer of their music, you know that their music is quite intricate, blunt in their lyricism, romanticizing the good ol’ days of drug experimentation, heightened emotions, one-night stands, toxic relationships, blurry nights, fast car rides…the things we all know and love.

The boys have been a part of the industry for a really long time and with their streamlined North American traverse, fans have really been showing up and showing out.

You know that my city’s heartbeat is and always will be live music, so it was no surprise that we all put on our sexiest tights, our shortest skirts, our highest thigh boots and our brightest glitter…and sold out the motherfuckin’ Aragon Ballroom in Chicago on a crisp November 8th night.

I, myself, walked in with my punk rock ensemble, got a few compliments on my blue faux leather jacket and felt instantly at home.

It was the perfect venue to welcome the Aussie/New Zealand trio.

The intricate stage lights and the picturesque graphics complimented the steady musical pace of the setlist…but the audible excitement and the ear-popping screams of the crowd affirmed that Chase Atlantic was no longer “just some band”.

They were officially in the big leagues as fans erupted in song after song after song.

The set began with “Die for Me” off of their new album “Lost in Heaven” which, as proclaimed by Mitchel during the show, is ranked “number 7 in the United States and number 2 in Australia”.

The setlist continued with one of my all time favorite tracks “Slow Down” from the Paradise EP taking me down a brisk memory lane of the time I escaped the Chicago winters and lived my best life under the beautiful sun rays of West Palm Beach. This, alongside “Triggered”, has ruined a subwoofer or two in its heyday…simultaneously healing a heart that was falling apart at the time.

What was really captivating for me is the atmosphere of the show. Mitchel kept checking on everyone, asking if everyone was ok and ensuring security a few times to help out fans get out of the sweltering sweating crowd. One fan was very close to passing out and as she was being pulled out from the tight grip of the sardine-packed audience, Mitchel came down and announced through the mic how big of a trooper the girl had been. Thanks to the quick action of security, she got out safely. It was amazing to see that amidst such a hypnotizing, albeit trance-like performance, there was still enough awareness and genuine care for everyone else’s wellbeing.

I loved to see the venue stacked with boxes of water bottles that were handed out by security to fans all throughout the venue for free. Surprisingly, it’s not something you see…many venues will up-charge water bottles during shows. Don’t even get me started on night clubs (I paid $9 for a small bottle of Fiji water once…).

The selection of beverages gets a standing ovation for yet another reason from me…mojitos. Anytime I go out, I am a bartender’s worst nightmare…because I’m the girly pop craving mojitos and yet…can never find a bartender with a spare set of mint leaves.

“Sorry, we’re all out of mint…” so I roll my eyes so far back, it’s a miracle I’m not possessed and settle for the next best thing…a Grey Goose vodka tonic…but this time, Aragon had mixologists on site that prepared raspberry mojitos in a refillable cup. Refills were discounted and there was a choice in flavor…so you already know I’d been sold.

We all experienced a blend of their discography, ranging from their self titled album favorites (i.e. Swim, Consume, Into It, Okay…) to the sun-danced Miami days of the “Paradise” EP to the electrifying slow jams of “Phases” and tying it back to the newest release of “Lost in Heaven”.

The show ended with an encore of “Friends” from the Nostalgia EP and everyone erupted in song. The energy of the show, coupled with the band’s absolutely jaw-dropping stage presence, impromptu saxophone performances and of course...sexy shirtless close-ups was electrifying. Mitchel came out into the thick of the crowd and sang in the audience for a bit...it was a beautiful transfer of energy.

“Chicago, I think you might be our best show yet. We love it here,” says Mitchel mid-show.

Lemme just say…we love you more and thank you for taking us on a kaleidoscopic journey where we truly felt like “we just went to heaven and back”

Relive the experience by streaming the set list below.