Upcoming gigs
In the press
Chicago Invented House Music. The World Keeps Crediting Ibiza and Berlin.
The free, four-day Chicago House Music Festival & Conference returns August 27-30, 2026 to Millennium Park and the Chicago Cultural Center, with the city's own house pioneers headlining the genre's birthplace.
Sarah H. · 5 min read
The Martinez Brothers Say House Started in NYC. Chicago House Legends Say Absolutely Not.
The Martinez Brothers have reignited one of dance music’s oldest arguments: if New York had the clubs, the DJs and records that sounded like house before Chicago’s first house releases, who really created the genre? Chicago’s answer has been loud, passionate, and historically pretty convincing.
Nicky V. · 12 min read
The Dancefloor Might Be the Best Career Move You Never Planned
For years, we were told that partying was a distraction from success. But what if healthy nightlife doesn’t hold people back? What if it quietly teaches some of the most valuable skills for life and work?
Sarah H. · 3 min read
House Music Is Named After a Chicago Warehouse. Frankie Knuckles Was Why.
Frankie Knuckles' five years behind the decks at Chicago's Warehouse gave an entire genre its name; by his death in 2014, the DJ known as the Godfather of House had a Grammy, a Chicago street, and a landmarked club to his credit.
Sarah H. · 6 min read
Who Created House Music? The Chicago DJs Who Built a Sound From Disco's Ashes
House was not invented by one person. It was built in early-1980s Chicago by a small circle of mostly Black and gay DJs, from Frankie Knuckles and Ron Hardy behind the decks to Jesse Saunders, Larry Heard and Marshall Jefferson on the records.
Sarah H. · 5 min read
Not Every DJ Set Is a Rave, and Why That Distinction Matters
A rave is a live exchange of energy between a DJ and a dancefloor, not a concert with CDJs and spectators staring at a show, and confusing the two is quietly hollowing out dance music culture.
Charlie M. · 5 min read
House Conquered the Mainstream in 2026. Its Black and Queer Pioneers Are Watching the Door.
House music is bigger, whiter and straighter than it has ever been. As the genre it built turns into a multi-billion-dollar business, the Black and queer communities that invented it are asking who the floor still belongs to.
Sarah H. · 5 min read
Chicago House Is Now US National Heritage: Jamie Principle's 'Your Love' Enters the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress added Jamie Principle's 'Your Love' to its National Recording Registry, filing a Chicago house anthem next to Martin Luther King and the moon landing. Here is why it belongs there.
Sarah H. · 5 min read
Event details, lineups and ticket links are gathered from public sources and may contain errors or change at the last minute. Always confirm with the official venue, promoter or ticketing page before you travel or buy. Time To House cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracy.