Reaction NYE brings beats to the ball drop

Reaction NYE's electronic and hip-hop festival ended 2016 on a musical high note and rang in 2017 with a huge burst of confetti cannons and dazzling lights. The two-day music festival returned to Rosemont with headliners Flume, Dillon Francis, Zeds Dead and Gucci Mane.

Friday night kicked off with a wild and colorful set from Dillon Francis, full of striking — and quite funny — graphic animations, followed by Anderson .Paak the Free Nationals' soulful and groovy hip-hop set. The night capped with Flume's highly anticipated curtain-drop reveal and a performance in which a beam of light did not miss a beat. The weekend was packed with electric, adrenaline-pumping shows and a countdown to midnight that had the entire crowd elated for 2017.

New Year's Eve planning can be stressful. It sometimes results in an over-priced, over-crowded, mediocore night. However, you can't go wrong with this music festival.

Now, you might be wondering how Chicago pulled off a music festival in the midst of winter. Somehow, React Presents managed to transform the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center into a warehouse-style party that featured music and lights comparable to any warm-weather festival. Make a resolution to start 2018 right with Reaction NYE.