STORIES

Music may be where the journey begins, but #FestivalLife is about everything we discover along the way — the cities, venues, people, food, art, culture and unexpected moments that become part of the experience.

FOLLOW THE MUSIC. LIVE THE EXPERIENCE.

These are stories from the road — the shows we chase, the places they take us and the moments worth remembering.

River and I live and love music. Family is dear to us, too. So when we planned a Labor Day weekend trip to Chicago with River’s sister and parents, we knew we wanted plenty of family time.

But come on. It was Chicago Jazz Festival weekend. Of course we had to work some music into the plan.

The idea was simple. Catch an early train, arrive around 9:30 in the morning, get settled, chill for a while and eventually make our way to Millennium Park.

Then the Soul Train got canceled.

Our first Amtrak was canceled completely. We caught the next one, but because of the heat, the train had to slow down along the way. Our 9:30 arrival became closer to 3:30. And we were staying at a hotel in Oak Brook, about an hour from downtown Chicago.

By the time we got there, got everyone fed and settled, the family was beat. Frankly, I figured River would be, too.

Then she looked at me and said, “No, I still wanna see Robert Glasper.”

My answer?

“So do I. Let’s roll.”

We headed into the city knowing we were going to miss part of the set. And we did. But we made it.

The air at Millennium Park was hot and humid, but the vibe was super chill. And then came one of those moments that reminds you exactly why you made the trip: Glasper and the band moving through a tribute to Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” before transitioning into Erykah Badu’s “Afro Blue.”

Magical.

Afterward, we kept the celebration going at one of our favorite spots in Chicago and New York, Planta. Vegan sushi, a chance to cool down, have a cocktail and the satisfaction of knowing that despite everything the day threw at us, we got there.

Mission accomplished.

That’s the thing about #Funkyard and #FestivalLife. Sometimes everything goes according to plan. Sometimes the train gets canceled, the replacement runs late, the heat slows you down and you arrive hours later than expected.

But when the music is calling, #FestivalLife is relentless.