Last night at Ravinia, The Roots commanded the stage. Under a summer sky with a mild breeze, Questlove and his crew delivered a set pulsing with homage, mastery, and the pure joy of music. The show landed somewhere between a jazz second line baptism, a deconstructed hip hop symposium, and a family block party — if your family happened to include Donald Byrd, J Dilla, and DJ Screw.
The Pavilion was alive. Ravinia, a historic Highland Park festival just outside of Chicago, has hosted everyone from symphony maestros to rock legends. But this night belonged to The Roots, a band that continues to blur the lines between genres while setting the bar for live performance.
From the first bar, Black Thought showed again why he’s the hardest working emcee in music. His lyrical stamina is unmatched, his delivery sharp and unrelenting. During “Proceed,” his verses cut through the band’s groove like a sermon. Every line was coated in grit and purpose, met with full-body nods from the crowd. He remains the standard.
The Roots pay homage to the giants
The Roots are the best band in the business. No one sounds like them live. Their chemistry is telepathic. Questlove, always calm behind the kit, orchestrated each shift in tempo and tone without missing a beat. His playing is both backbone and pulse. They dipped into the rhythms of New Orleans, letting the second line energy bubble to the surface. The snare cracked, the horns swelled, and you could feel the weight of musical lineage lifting everyone a little higher.
The performance was full of nods to giants. Donald Byrd-inspired horn flourishes gave parts of the show a soulful loft. They nodded to J Dilla with a rhythm shift so unmistakable, you could see heads perk up, recognizing his signature swing. It wasn’t a throwback. It was a passing of the torch. Then came the Screw moment. During “Step Into the Realm,” the tempo slowed and the vibe stretched out into molasses. It was a quiet moment of Southern influence, rich with mood and weight.
When they performed “Act Too,” the crowd rose to their feet as if a call had been made to honor this culture that has affected so many lives in such a positive way. Almost 30 years later, we have been able to enjoy the artistry of groups like The Roots because of the richness, freedom, and togetherness that the culture provides. “Act Too” is a love letter to the culture, acknowledging that fact.
The set was a journey through The Roots’ catalog with tributes to their musical forebears. The seamless fusion of “Think Twice” into “Lookin’ at the Front Door” was both a salute and a reminder of their foundation.
A two-hour clinic on musicianship
Last night, The Roots took Ravinia and made it their classroom, their party, their church. It was a two-hour clinic on musicianship, reverence, and celebration. Black Thought proved again why he’s the emcee’s emcee. Questlove held it all together with quiet genius. The band honored Donald Byrd, J Dilla, DJ Screw, and the core elements of hip hop’s DNA.
In a time when live music can feel polished and overproduced, this was different. The Roots deconstructed hip-hop and rebuilt it in real time with grace and fire. It was a night of skill, homage, and love for the art.
If anyone forgot why The Roots are still the most important band in hip hop, they were reminded in full.
Set list:
- “ECK”
- “Proceed II”
- “Distortion to Static”
- “Think Twice” / “Lookin’ at the Front Door” (Main Source cover)
- “Step Into the Realm”
- “What They Do”
- “The Next Movement”
- “Dynamite!”
- “Act Too (Love of My Life)”
- “Stay Cool”
- “Clones”
- “Change (Makes You Want to Hustle)” / “Web” / “Dance Girl”
