FEELING THE LOVE AT 0010
Photo by Christian Loggins
On October 15th, 2025, CNCRT returned to Reggies for our biggest event yet — The Love Letter To The West CNCRT. The night marked two major milestones: one year since Mike DFG dropped his acclaimed project Love Letter To The West, and two years since the start of CNCRT itself. This show was truly a celebration of growth, community, and the city that’s shaped us. With our stacked lineup, we delivered one of the best shows in the city all year & the crowd couldn’t have had a better response. We truly felt the love in the building at this one.
This was our 10th event and 6th show, and from the very beginning, we knew it had to feel special. The concept was built around Mike’s story — his roots, his rise, and what “The West” means to him. In the weeks leading up to the event, we rolled out a series of short clips with Mike reflecting on his journey, culminating in a 10-minute mini-documentary that tied everything together. The campaign felt raw and personal, capturing why this night mattered not just for Mike, but for everyone who’s been part of his journey — and ours.
While the rollout brought the story to life online, the real momentum happened in person. We were outside hand-selling physical tickets across the city, connecting with supporters face-to-face. That effort paid off — by the time doors opened, fans were in the building early and kept pouring in all night.
The lineup itself was stacked: Mike DFG, Dialect Tre, Casino Trell, GREYISHERE, and YoungIN, with special guests Jovanis Cain, LowLife, Fuego Baine, and RecoeChi joining throughout the night. Each brought something unique to the stage — from heavy-hitting bars and cinematic beats to wild energy and live instrumentation. The performances felt balanced, showcasing the range and depth of Chicago’s current sound. Personally, nobody’s keeping up with the incredible music artists that Chicago has in it’s current landscape right now.
Certain performances had a level of production that took things to another level too. YoungIN’s incredible live band setup, Casino Trell’s full-on dice table setup with his inflatable dice bouncing around, and GREYISHERE’s striking all-white ski mask and wolf statue. Every artist came ready to perform. Dialect Tre delivered a standout lyrical set, proving she could hold her own among anyone in the city. And when Mike DFG finally took the stage to close out the night, the room was at full tilt.
Photos by Christian Loggins & Sterling Hightower
Before Mike’s set began, someone came on stage to read a poem from a scroll under a lone spotlight — referencing songs and themes from Love Letter To The West — setting a cinematic tone. Then Mike appeared, hooded up with his iconic bedazzled skull mask while holding the project’s physical cover art in hand. When he finally revealed his face and started performing, the crowd erupted. Fans knew every word to the songs, jumping and shouting along. Towards the end of his set, Mike brought his friends — and myself — onstage to share a few words about the night and our two-year journey with CNCRT. It was a full-circle moment that felt both surreal and deeply personal. Mike & I had met a little over a year prior to this event, and to see the growth in both of us from that point on ‘til now was incredible to witness. I’m extremely grateful for Mike & for him to put his trust in me for this event the way he did.
Photos by Christian Loggins & Sterling Hightower
The energy in the room never dipped throughout Mike’s set. He performed his latest song “cordial free$tyle” as an encore to close out the night, as the crowd demanded it. From the stage lights, to the merch tables, to the performances, to the content, everything about the night reflected how far we’ve come — and how much further we plan to go.
To capture it all, our media team delivered in full force. Carter Maggio created a stunning recap video that perfectly bottled the chaos and emotion of the night as he always does, while photographers Christian Loggins and Sterling Hightower showed why they’re some of the best photographers in the city too.
The Love Letter To The West CNCRT wasn’t just our biggest show yet — it was a reminder of what we’re building. Two years in, we’re continuing to grow, evolve, and connect with Chicago’s creative scene one event at a time. Nights like this remind us why we started in the first place — to pave the way for something real, together. We have shown first-hand that if you have an idea, just BUILD IT. The rest will fall into place.
Thank You IMMENSELY
Since starting this endeavor in 2023, I never imagined that it would grow legs and become what it is today. The growth has been amazing to see first-hand, and the impact is something I know that I still have a hard time wrapping my head around. It’s everywhere. There’s been many learning experiences & many times where it’s been difficult to continue, but through your support & through those that continue to give feedback on how we can do better, the only thing left to do is build this better. It’s not about us, it’s about the city itself and the community we have here. It’s unbelievably special. We’re going to continue to build it.
THANK YOU for the love, the support, coming out to the events, giving us ideas, giving us feedback, buying merch, capturing moments, sharing our social media posts, and so much more. From the bottom of my heart, it’s something that makes a huge difference & I’m extremely grateful.
THANK YOU to everyone who came out and helped make this night one to remember — from the artists and performers to the photographers, videographers, and every person who grabbed a ticket and showed love. This one was for the city, for the culture, and for everyone who’s believed in us since day one.
Here’s to more moments like this, and to the next chapter of CNCRT.
