WashU’s backyard, Forest Park, continued to bring both nature and culture to the St. Louis community as Evolution Festival set up shop at Langenberg Field for the second consecutive year. 25,000 festival-goers flocked to the festival, braving the muddy fields for an unforgettable weekend.

Throughout the day, crowds were treated to lesser-known, yet strong supporting artists like Pearl Charles, Pete Yorn, Robert Finley, S.G. Goodman, and Son Volt. More recognizable names, like Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Killer Mike, Elle King, Billy Idol, and Tom Morello played to enthusiastic audiences from the afternoon into the evening, and headliners Beck and The Killers wrapped up each day with a bang.

Like other St. Louis and surrounding area festivals, the undercard — acts earlier in the day — complimented the sound of the headliners. Central themes of the festival included punk rock and country rock. 

Flanked on all sides by the tennis center, rivers, and trees, Evolution nestled itself into the scenery of Forest Park. Mud did not dampen the fun for attendees. Many jumped and danced in the elements — anything to get closer to the stage. Evolution proved that the mid-sized music festival is the ideal model to bring high quality music to St. Louis without sacrificing the audience’s ability to be close to the action. 

The festival celebrated more than just live performances. Tucked in the corner of the festival was an exhibit on St. Louis rock ‘n’ roll legend and pioneer Chuck Berry, to kick off the year-long celebration of the late rock star’s 100th birthday. Festival-goers saw his cadillac, outfits, and various other memorabilia. This small exhibit was a nice start to what will hopefully be an exciting year of learning about his life and legacy. and celebrating him.

The Chuck Berry exhibit was just the start; festival organizers ensured the rest of the event was equally well-executed with accessible stages and good seating. The festival had three stages: one main stage, a mid-sized stage, and a small stage that, segmented by a tent, created an intimate feeling. With just a five-minute walk from the front of the main stage to the second stage, attendees were able to easily travel across the grounds of the festival to not miss acts. Organizers did a good job segmenting the seated lawn chair area from the standing pit, giving both sections good views. 

The standout artist at Evolution was Nile Rodgers & CHIC. As a writer and producer, Nile Rodgers has worked on some of the biggest pop songs since the 1970s. The band played ‘70s funk and disco hits like “Le Freak” and “Everybody Dance.” With his band of a guitar, bass, drums, two keyboards, trumpet, saxophone, and bac up singers with powerful, encompassing voices, Rodgers reinterpreted the hits he has helped create over the years, from Diana Ross’s “I’m Coming Out,” to Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family,” to Madonna’s “Material Girl,” and more. The set was full of chart-toppers, balanced by good musicianship, and was overall enjoyable for everyone involved. After the set was over, he came back out to applaud the cheering audience. 

Nile Rodgers & CHIC’s set ended right as Beck’s picked up. Wearing a black pinstripe suit, Beck’s set had dynamic, avant-garde, and silly visuals that matched his Mick Jagger-esque stage presence. His was definitely the most joyous set of the festival. The audience was visibly energized, with every corner of the crowd moving in sync with his groovy beats. Beck’s diverse catalog spanned from frivolous hip-hop songs, to soulful sad tunes, to rock songs that had everyone singing. If you are a fan of Tyler the Creator, check out Beck. While stylistically different, their stream-of-consciousness, playful yet serious approach to music-making is similar.

Rock legend and “White Wedding” singer Billy Idol played on Saturday, and despite his age, he still moves like a 30-year-old. Visually, he owned the stage with multiple wardrobe changes; his facial expressions matched the emotions of the words he was singing at any given moment, bringing a sense of truth to the performance.

Similarly, former Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello brought the energy on Sunday night with a largely instrumental set that pushed the limits of electric guitar sounds. Morello’s setlist highlighted inequities in society and the social justice warriors who help fight back. He also paid tribute to country singer Kris Kristofferson, who had died the day before, highlighting the activism that Kristofferson did throughout his life.

Rapper Killer Mike also commanded the stage Sunday afternoon with a level of precision in flow and rhythm that is rarely seen live. Killer Mike’s set blended southern revival music with hip-hop – which he defined as a “hip-hop show on steroids.” Killer Mike also used his spotlight to call out injustice against rapper Young Thug, who is currently being prosecuted on multiple charges. He highlighted the violation of Thug’s First Amendment Rights, as Thugs’ lyrics are in part being used as evidence in the trial. 

Another highlight from Evolution was Elle King’s powerful country performance, which was her first show since announcing her pregnancy. Equally impressive was blues singer Robert Finley, whose dramatic comeback over the past decade has created a new rock/soul blues sound that stood out as well. Similarly, singer-songwriters S.G. Goodman and Pearl Charles drew audiences in with their unique take on country and 60s-70s rock. Guitarist Todd Rundgren captivated audiences with his arena rock, but, “Bang the Drum All Day” was notably absent from his set. After a day full of standout performances, “Mr. Brightside” singers The Killers closed the festival with an engaging, fun set that spoke to the core values of all fans of live music.

Ultimately, Evolution Festival was a success. It brought together people of all ages. Fans of live music appreciated the well put together festival that brought both up-and-coming and national artists to St. Louis.