REVIEW: WINTER FREEZE 2023
As an arctic blast plunged the U.S. Northeast into record low temperatures, the University of Chicago’s Major Activities Board (MAB) put on its first in-person winter event since 2019. Winter Freeze brought three Chicago-based DJs to The Promontory on 53rd Street to give UChicago students a taste of the city’s techno lifelines.
MAB is known for putting on some of the University’s most sought-out shows, so it is no surprise that leading up to Winter Freeze tickets quickly sold out. The draw of seeing some of the “groundbreaking, luminous pillars of Chicago’s queer community, rave scene, and club scene” in your own neighborhood absent of clubs is alluring. Of course, the group of students drawn to queer, DJ sets is not necessarily the same ones drawn to MAB’s keynote Summer Breeze, and my expectations were generally met seeing a wide range of the LGBTQ+ student body making a home of the Promontory. At their best, clubs are key spaces for community building. Winter Freeze should take its place as a signature event for UChicago students moving forward.
On the note of those in attendance, I must say the only real downside to this event was that there were not enough bodies to fill the space. It seems that there were around 200 tickets available, on top of the MAB staff attending. However, at its most packed, it is hard to believe that the venue was ever more than 75% capacity. A key tenant for clubs is to facilitate spaces where people can lose themselves in a collective. It is hard to let go when there isn’t a big crowd to immerse yourself in. I don’t really see the light crowd as a fault of the event: great lineup, fair venue location, free pizza—what else could draw a college crowd?
For a University-sponsored event, The Promontory was a solid choice as a venue. It provides students access to a venue not often tapped for other UChicago events. The space holds enough seating options without drawing people away from the dance floor. There is also a great lighting setup. The disco ball's rainbow-bubble reflections were a delight to watch throughout the night. While it would have been nice to have the bar’s full menu available, the drink selection was fair and enabled a more accurate club atmosphere for the night.
In any case, Sydfalls, Miss Twink USA, and Ariel Zetina still put on a great show. SydFalls had the challenge of loosening up the crowd, and they met it head-on with a lively set that leaned into the hypnotic beats of the genre. Miss Twink USA’s love for electronic flourishes was quite notable throughout their hour set — their energy backed by their bright cyan outfit. Luckily for Ariel Zetina’s hour, the crowd was at its liveliest and full. I must specifically compliment Ariel for her suave tempo switches. There was a strong sense by the end of the night that the event could’ve stretched beyond midnight. Hopefully, those in attendance are drawn to the incredible spaces these DJs play all throughout the winter.
Images are my own. Thank you to the Major Activities Board (MAB) for inviting MODA Blog to attend.
