THE DOMINO EFFECT of 0006
Photo Credit - Daniel Pleckham
On October 26th, 2024, CNCRT hit another milestone with our third concert and sixth event as a brand, The Domino Effect CNCRT. Held at Reggies—the same venue where we threw our first concert—this show marked a full-circle moment for us, with Kayo headlining as he released his highly anticipated new mixtape, DOMINO. The journey to this night began back in May when Kayo and I first discussed making the DOMINO project. Amongst the creative direction of the album, we wanted to find a way to make it more than the music, aiming to create a show that felt like a full experience for the fans.
To hype things up, we rolled out content with a dramatic, black-and-white video that brought “The Domino Effect” theme to life. The video itself was put together by my great friend & director Joe Bracero. He created the video with the intention of matching the style of the movie “La Haine”. We also wanted to give a nod to how every moment in Kayo’s career has led him here. Our main trailer grabbed attention with mirrors and flashing lights for a trippy, intense feel. The synths and score of the video brought it to another level as well. The idea was simple: everything we’ve done has built up to this. Photos, trailers, old archive footage, and new graphics all came together, and the lead-up brought out some serious anticipation on socials.
Our lineup was fully loaded for this event, featuring some of Chicago’s top up-and-coming talent alongside Kayo. After doors opened at 7, Preme set the tone on the decks before handing the stage over to Nathan Nzanga, who brought a powerful energy and storytelling to kick things off. Nathan is the only artist that was not from Chicago Hailing from Seattle, Nathan’s music and stage presence left a mark. His energy and power in his voice kicked off the night heavy. Next up, Tri Nohbi kept the energy at that high level, showing off his style with hits like “FEVER” and “BIG FISH” before Gold Haze stepped in. Gold Haze, both a producer and artist, brought the weight of his latest work from Realist Truth and YOUR PAIN IS MINE, giving the room a taste of Chicago’s evolving sound. He had a few a cappella verses that he dropped for the fans that they ate up as well.
With the crowd amped, we moved into the special guest sets. Paris Price, hailing from the DMV and riding high off two EP releases with HUE SOUND, came in with smooth, hype vocals. He’s a great friend of Kayo’s that currently lives in LA. Following Paris was Mike DFG, a Westside Chicago artist on the rise who instantly raised the energy to the next level with tracks from LINE OF FIRE and his recent Love Letter To The West projects. Each act amplified the night, showing a crowd ready to go off for the main set.
Finally, it was Kayo’s turn to take the stage. He entered with dramatic lighting and a live band that brought a completely different energy to the performance. Performing DOMINO for the first time live, he gave his fans exactly what they came for and more. Kayo brought out his friends — Paris Price, Tri Nohbi, Galaxy Francis, Flood, and NuWorld Bel Air—onto the stage throughout his set, amping up the crowd each time. By the time he wrapped, the crowd wasn’t ready to let go, chanting for an encore that Kayo answered with a final, all-out performance of “Fold It Up.” His friends and I joined him on stage, turning up with everyone in the room to close out the night.
With around 150-175 people packing out Reggies, it was our best turnout at the venue yet. The energy was unreal, and it was amazing to see our vision for The Domino Effect CNCRT come to life in such a huge way. Beyond the live music, we captured some incredible moments thanks to our media team. I grabbed photos alongside photographers Christian Loggins and TC Media, while Carter Maggio and Nick Miesuk covered video, all of which came together in our recap linked below. Watching this night come full circle, it’s clear we’re just getting started with the impact CNCRT can have on Chicago’s music scene.
None of this would have been possible without the incredible support of the artists, our CNCRT team, and everyone who showed up to make The Domino Effect CNCRT unforgettable. Massive thank you to Kayo for trusting us to help bring his vision for DOMINO to life and to each artist who put their all into their performances. Big thanks as well to our media team—Christian Loggins, TC Media, Carter Maggio, and Nick Miesuk—for capturing the night in ways we’ll be able to relive. And, of course, to every single fan who came out to support, sing along, and make the night one for the books—you’re the reason we do this. Let’s keep building and continue making Chicago’s creative community something special.
