Underworld At Radius: A Techno Baptism In Chicago

May 19, 2025 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

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By: Harrison Kristoff, a Raving Reporter who hasn’t stopped dancing since

Last night, Underworld turned Radius Chicago into a techno cathedral. A swirling, pulsing, euphoric temple of sound and light, where time bent, feet levitated, and worries melted faster than dry ice on a speaker stack.

The venue itself if you don’t know — a massive open warehouse-like space tucked into the Pilsen neighborhood — was the perfect vessel for Underworld’s sound. With its raw industrial bones and cavernous dimensions, Radius became an echo chamber of communal ecstasy, a dancefloor for the faithful. The acoustics? Immense. The crowd? Electric. The vibes? Absolutely off the charts.

Underworld, the legendary electronica UK duo of Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, took the stage around 7:30 and wasted no time launching into a tight and transportive first set. The show was scheduled to start at 7:00 with no opening act and to true old school ravers, way to early, but hey, it’s not the 1990’s anymore and personally, don’t mind getting home before dawn these days. Hyde and Smith built momentum steadily, layering beats like master chefs layering the world’s best lasagna. “Dark & Long (Dark Train)” slithered through the air like a premonition, and “Two Months Off” unleashed a collective bounce that shook the walls. But it was “Pearl’s Girl (Tin There)” that closed out the first half with such swaggering force that you almost didn’t mind the 30-minute intermission — we all needed a breather (and maybe a gallon of water).

Then came part two. And it was as if they flipped a switch and turned Radius into a spaceship.

The lights dimmed, a low thrum crept in, and boom — “Jumbo” washed over us in luscious waves. The break was over. Reality was suspended. The hypnotic light show, a visual feast of strobes, lasers, and surreal projections, seemed synced to our very pulses. It wasn’t just a concert — it was a guided voyage into some deep electronic underworld (no pun wasted).

The second set blurred the line between music and meditation. “King of Snake” had the whole crowd moving like a single biomechanical organism. “S T A R” and “Two Months Off” brought flashes of rave nostalgia with just enough modern glitch to make it feel fresh. You could spot strangers smiling at each other like old friends mid-dance — people being in the music.

And then came the moment.

“Born Slippy .NUXX.” That iconic synth line. Karl’s staccato chanting — “Drive boy dog boy dirty numb angel boy…” — lit the crowd like a fuse. Everyone exploded. It was as much a celebration as a release. Every foot stomp, every arm thrust, every cry of “lager lager lager” was a tribute to decades of shared dancefloor memories. Pure catharsis.

When the final echoes of that legendary anthem faded, you could see it on faces all around: people had lost themselves — and loved every second of it. Hyde came out from behind the DJ pulpit and thanked the crowed for coming out, then joined by Smith, bowed and exited stage left.

Underworld didn’t just play a show in Chicago last night. They conducted a ritual. And Radius? It was the perfect altar.

For more on Underworld, click here

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• Born Slippy NUXX, Chicago, Concert, Electronica, Karl Hyde, Radius, Rave, Rick Smith, Techno, Trainspotting, Underworld

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