DOWNTOWN — "Indietronica" band Passion Pit left Chicago with $150,000 to play this year's Taste of Chicago — but none of the booze it requested.
Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Ben Harper made $115,000 to play, as well as a guarantee his dressing room lunch table would be covered in a white tablecloth.
Legendary R&B group The O'Jays only got an $80,000 payday, but did get a dozen white terrycloth bath towels while preparing for their set at the state's largest food festival earlier this month in Grant Park.
The details of the the stars' demands are included in contracts obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. Musicians often stipulate special requests, called riders, in their contracts when they agree to play shows. The riders can be arduous (no brown M&Ms for for Van Halen) and very specific. Mariah Carey reportedly requires white roses and stuffed white lambs.
The city's contractual obligations this year didn't include many diva-level demands, but still illustrate what it takes for the city to appease the stars. In addition to turning down Passion Pit, the city declined other bands' requests for beer and liquor in their dressing rooms, including Twin Peaks' request for a bottle of Jameson Irish whiskey and Espolon Blanco tequila.
The Roots, which headlined last year's Taste, made $120,000 while Billy Idol got $100,000.
A record 1.6 million people attended this year's Taste, city officials say, but whether the festival turned a profit is unknown, said Christine Carrino, a spokeswoman for the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Last year's Taste netted more than $320,000 in profits after the headliners got paid.
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Here are the (redacted) highlights of the 2017 Taste artists' fine print:
Ben Harper
•Fee: $115,000
•Rider:
The O'Jays
•Fee: $80,000
•Rider:
Alessia Cara
•Fee: $100,000
•Rider:
Passion Pit
•Fee: $150,000
•Rider:
Café Tacvba
•Fee: $105,000
Twin Peaks
•Fee: $40,000
•Rider:
Eryn Allen Kane
•Fee: $15,000
•Rider:
The Kickback
•Fee: $2,000
•Rider:
Maurice Jackson Independents
•Fee: $1,000
•Rider: Parking and catering
Esso! Afrojam Funkbeat
•Fee: $500
•Rider: Cold lunch and hot dinner buffet, non-alcoholic beverages
Los Vicios de Papa
•Fee: $500
•Rider: Parking and catering
