Each year during Labor Day weekend, Union Park becomes a haven of sensory overload. DJs unleash bass-heavy beats, attendees showcase colorful (and sometimes, questionable) attire and artists create murals on surfaces throughout the park. Whether you were dancing in the field at North Coast or sitting in an air conditioned room this weekend, take a look at some of the best things at this year's festival.
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1. The Roots' MPC wizard
It was fun seeing The Tonight Show house band taking a break from its late-night gig, but the group's special guest nearly stole the spotlight on Saturday night. Perched behind a pair of drum machines, Californian musician Jeremy Ellis jammed along with the Roots before taking an extended solo midway through the band's set, demonstrating his extremely fast fingers with a glitchy remix of the Super Mario Bros. theme. Even rhythmic genius Questlove seemed to be impressed. —Zach Long
2. A stage devoid of noise pollution
The Silent Disco made an understated return to North Coast this year, tucked away in a fenced-off section of the park. Attendees lined up for a chance to throw on a pair of headphones and make their way to the dance floor, where music from competing DJs was being pumped through each participant's personal sound system. At a festival where sound bleed always seemed to be an issue, it was a smart way of showcasing additional performers without adding to the cacophony. —ZL
3. D'Angelo's transcendant performance
R&B icon D'Angelo might have seemed a bit out of place at North Coast, but any concerns melted away once the reclusive songwriter took the stage with an extended rendition of "Ain't That Easy." A one-hour set might seem restrictive for an artist who likes to explore his songs, but D'Angelo and his backing band made good use of their time, delivering entrancing reinterpretations of tracks from Black Messiah. More than any other act on the bill, D'Angleo's appearance felt like a special occasion—it's a pity that the majority of the festival's attendees were busy watching Steve Aoki throw sheet cakes at his fans. —ZL
4. An air-conditioned dome of house music
North Coast honored the roots of EDM over the weekend with a massive Heineken-sponsored dome that featured some of the legends of the Chicago house music scene. The space was air-conditioned and was only open to attendees who were of drinking age, which provided a great opportunity to get away from the army of teenagers at the festival. DJs like Roy Davis Jr., R.O.N.N. and Bisharat pumped groovy beats into the dome all weekend long, giving a great demonstration of where Chicago house music came from and where it's heading. —Clayton Guse
5. The mellow synths of Tycho
It's not all bass drops and drum machines at North Coast. Case in point: the hazy, synth melodies of Tycho, who turned in a late Sunday afternoon set in front of a sizable, gently swaying crowd. Frontman Scott Hansen (a graphic designer by trade) lends an exacting touch to the group's subdued, densely layered instrumental tracks. Backed by projections of scenic vistas and bold geometric patterns, the San Francisco trio's set made us wish we'd brought a hammock to kick back in and enjoy the sights. —ZL
6. Corporate-sponsored wipeouts
A station giving away samples of Luden's throat drops was probably the most appropriate brand activation at North Coast this year—a festival where cottonmouth runs rampant. The brand's mouth-themed display challenged attendees to hang on to a giant "uvula" beanbag that was being swung around wildly by some overzealous staffers. We didn't try it ourselves, but it was entertaining to watch the less-than-sober participants immediately lose their grip and succumb to gravity. —ZL
Photographs by Kristan Lieb and Zach Long