Jack Garratt On Chicago's Gun Violence Epidemic

When the young British artist announced his headline show at Dublin's Academy in March 2016, the clamour for tickets was such that the venue had to be switched to the Olympia Theatre. That theme of supply and demand hasn't wavered in the intervening months. Since releasing his debut album Phase earlier this year, he's been inundated with awards including, the BRITs Critic's Choice award and BBC Sound of 2016 winner.
Speaking to the multi-instrumentalist on the eve of his appearance at the juggernaut Chicago music festival Lollapalooza, the musician was in flying form. "I moved to Chicago eight months ago and i've spent twenty days there," Garratt mused. "Any time I get to go back and actually remind myself it's my hometown is a good moment. And to be able and go back to play fucking Lolla, ah man, I honestly can't wait."
A coveted late Saturday afternoon slot on the Lolla bill and an exclusive Saturday night appearance at Double Door - one of the city's most beloved clubs, which is to close its doors eminently - would suggest that the adoration is reciprocated.
Personal reasons were cited as his explanation for the move across the Atlantic from London, and the undeniable fact that Chicago is so friendly, you have to really try and seek out people who are arseholes.
"I mean it's a really interesting city because it is so creative, so progressive, so loving and you're absolutely right, so kind," he gushed about his new surroundings. "I think it's the Mid-West mentality. It is Chicago, Illinois, hometown of comedy and music, but it does also have the highest crime rate of any city in the US and its gun violence is unlike any other city in the US.
The 24-year-old is absolutely correct. August 2016 has been described as the bloodiest month in a decade. The Southside of the city's nickname Chi-raq - a combination of Chicago and Iraq - is one that was earned through untold amounts blood and heartache. To date this year, 483 people have been shot and killed, 2,641 have been shot and wounded, leaving a total of 3,124 victims of gun crime this year. That surpasses 2015's number of 2,996 victims of gun crime and it's only September.
"The summer in Chicago is always incredibly violent and terrifying because of the amount of gun violence, and the ultimate deaths that happen because of it," Jack explains about the senseless seasonal violence. "It's really weird, the minute the winter hits it becomes so cold that gun violence stops, because it's too cold for people to be out on the streets. It is a really interesting city for that reason, because i've never felt safer than I have when I am there, but I know about the darker side and the underbelly. I mean, it's not a darker side, it's just the other side of Chicago. It is not to be gimicked in any kind of way. It is very real and it definitely exists. It's a problem that needs to be faced. I've only lived there for eight months, so i can't really do anything about it yet."
Touring has been the main reason for his absence from his new adopted metropolis. The constant travelling has led him to declare that when it comes to inflight entertainment he's "officially watched everything." Though all that globe trotting does have its perks, as Jack reminisced about recent trip to Japan. "Tokyo was amazing," he said without hesitation. Although, instead of getting caught up in the melle of the Shibuya street crossing or running the gauntlet of depravity in Kabukicho - the notorious red light district, Jack simply "watched people playing Pokémon GO, because that was the funniest thing," he admits. "It was people in shirts and ties, women in pencil skirts and heels, running around this park with their phones out, all playing Pokémon GO. I just walked around this park, following people playing it. It was absolutely brilliant, I just walked around this park following people playing Pokémon, it was fascinating to me. I have a lot of fun observing other people playing it, simply because, I know what it is, I know how it works, I've played it with a friend of mine once and saw how it all went about. But I am having so much fun just observing other people watching it. And again, not so I can look down at them or anything as pretentious or as stupid as that, simply because seeing everyone be a part of this amazing thing and being able to observe that is so fucking fun."

Jack Garratt plays the Metropolis Festival in the RDS from November 3 to 5.