Meeting the Music: The Salt Shed Fairgrounds Featuring Interpol & DIIV

Photo credit: Josh Druding

Outdoor venues have long been scapegoats for poor performances; however, The Salt Shed’s Fairgrounds redefines the narrative around outdoor venues. After the Morton Salt Factory closed in 2015, the minds behind Empty Bottle and Thalia Hall (16 On Center) swept in to save the historic landmark. Working with the already established history and character of the location, The Fairground opened in 2022, before the indoor venue.

I had the good fortune of attending The Salt Shed’s last outdoor concert of the year, featuring Interpol and DIIV, to establish my first impression of the venue. October in Chicago is notoriously a time when weather changes on a dime. As images of mud-caked concertgoers from this year's Riot Fest flash behind my eyes, I’d never been so happy to see concrete instead of being corralled into another field like cattle. 

Although you can spend the entire evening outside, starting at security and exiting with merchandise, The Salt Shed still keeps their doors open to explore the indoor venue and shops. For first-time attendees like myself, it’s a great opportunity to suss out the situation for future shows. Both the Fairgrounds and the Shed are far more expansive than the title “shed” infers. Where traditional venues feel packed, The Salt Shed follows that industrious flow; every shop or stand creates space rather than taking it away.

The flow of the Fairgrounds is intuitive; The Salt Shed knows their audience and caters to them by laying out merch booths and concessions before the stage. Their grandstand seating acts as a buffer between boozing buddies and die-hard fans who are already anxiously awaiting the first act against the barricade. They make an old dock stylish, slick without betraying its origins. 

While most outdoor venues prioritize maxing out their occupancy, The Salt Shed prompts participants, allowing them to make an informed decision about their location for the night. The only controlled routes are in and out, but there isn’t just a buzzed crowd aimlessly swarming the scene at all times like many open-field venues. The succinct setup makes it easy to navigate and find a spot perfectly suited to your needs - sitting, standing or dancing. 

Even though the crowd for Interpol and DIIV was more headbangers than boogiers, busting out a few moves wouldn’t have mattered spatially. I didn’t have to stand behind someone’s behemoth of a boyfriend or squeeze myself uncomfortably beside someone who just happens to keep accidentally bumping into me. Maybe I just got lucky with a well-mannered crowd, but there’s something to be said for The Salt Shed’s ability to trust their audience. 

By the time we settled in near the front left facing the stage, DIIV delved into a compelling performance. Beefy baselines engrossed the audience as they built the energy; their caricature-esque business suits became so disheveled it was almost as if they did a costume change. DIIV delivered a set so good that fans and first-listeners alike were amped up to 11; The Salt Shed supported this arena of energy through the quality of sound that could be felt and heard from anywhere across the Fairgrounds. 

When Interpol stepped on stage, they “turned on the bright lights,” making the Chicago skyline and river seem a little more electrified. At this point, I was in a sea of black T-shirts that somehow lacked the common pushing and shoving. The weather had remained pleasant and warm all day, and yet there was no lack of deodorant devastating my senses - truly a rarity at crowded concerts. 

Silhouetted by red and white lighting done in spectacular, spiraling displays, Interpol and their audience are able to share the same vibrations without bounds. In any direction you look, there’s an outpouring of devotion - not only to the music, but to the moment itself. All at once, you can be cocooned in your own world or venture to connect with the story unfolding around you. 

The Salt Shed seems to lack nothing and is inviting everyone to enjoy. They cut to the chase and prioritize what has always mattered most at concerts - the music and the people. The Salt Shed maintains the charm of the original Morton Salt Company while mixing in their love and understanding of live music, reaffirming the location as a Chicago gem.