Lollapalooza Keeps Giving Fans More [REVIEW]
By Dahlia Kelly – Above photo by Nathan Zucker
This year Lollapalooza came back to Chicago with high praise from a much higher percentage of fans. Headliners included names like Billie Eilish, Lana Del Ray, Kendrick Lamar, Karol G, Red Hot Chili Peppers, ODESZA, The 1975, and TOMORROW X TOGETHER. The entire lineup, possibly the most carefully curated, reached a broader fan base while keeping die-hard fans happy with artists like Red Hot Chili Peppers.
TOMORROW X TOGETHER performed at Lollapalooza last year with a tremendous crowd supporting them, which propelled them to become the first K-pop headliner this year. Karol G became the first Latina headliner as well. Congratulations to them!
My personal favorite artist, Billie Eilish, partnered with Reverb, an environmental non-profit organization, to use a zero-emission battery system to reduce the use of diesel-powered generators.
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A few of her best-performed songs were, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, Bellyache, and NDA, and how it transitioned to Therefore I Am.
Isimeme Naomi Udu, A.K.A., Hemlocke Springs, performed a great set on the BMI stage. Having risen to fame through TikTok, her music immediately connected with me, and she was one of my highlights of the festival.
While Lollapalooza is one of the best festivals in the world, one could say that the four-day event is more of an endurance test for thousands of people who attend, spanning over three hundred acres. With the sun that beamed down on Thursday and Friday, some fans who planned to get up front for the headliners could not last the test and had to leave their spot to get hydrated.
This year there was a lot more to look forward to under the Beyond The Music category, like a new area called Dessert Island, perfect for cooling down, where fans had a variety of sweets to choose from, from donuts to dip n dots to a bacon bar (I had a churro cheesecake bite from Normita’s Conchas). Hand sanitizer, perhaps one of the unspoken necessities for festivals, was also helpful in cleaning up any ice cream drippage on your hands.
Every year, you can find many booths for non-profit organizations like This Must Be The Place, Headcount, and Dream.Org. Their purpose at the festival is for people to learn more about them and to encourage people to get involved.
This Must Be The Place travels to art and music events throughout the country and provide free doses of naloxone and demonstrate how to use it if someone should overdose.
Headcount helps everyone register to vote, check their status, and is a resource for those who volunteer. Lastly, Dream.Org tackles environmental, judicial, and technical issues that millions face daily. I encourage you to visit their site to learn more about them.
Hulu brought the new Hulu House to Lollapalooza, a fun escape room experience all decked out in Hulu green colors. When you find the riddle, you go upstairs to get either sunglasses or a disposable camera, and you can take photos with your friends.
The about-face Beauty Stop provided complimentary festival makeup looks created by artist Halsey. They worked with each person to craft their look perfectly.
Bunnyland was only at Lollapalooza for one day to celebrate the performance of the South Korean band, NewJeans, near Buckingham Fountain. Fans got a pack of temporary tattoos, their picture taken, and were able to make a personalized bracelet. There was also a claw machine for them to try to win a NewJeans fanny pack.
The Toyota Music Den, a staple at Lollapalooza, was an excellent place to stop by; to learn more about Toyota vehicles, get some great swag, and see many of the Lollapalooza artists perform on a much more intimate stage.
At the Adobe Art Garden, many 3D sculptures by Chicago artists were on display, and if you scanned the QR codes, people learned more about the designs.
The rain on Saturday dampened only the spirits of festivalgoers who had specific wardrobes in mind, now forced to wear a poncho if they wanted to stay dry. For some performers like Thee Sacred Souls and Hoosh, the weather was a perfect fit for the vibes they created.
All-in-all, the festival was another one for the books with first-ever moments, spectacular performances, and a wider range of artists brought more people together to celebrate the wonder and beauty that is, Lollapalooza.
Read more reviews here!
Links:
Lollapalooza:
Official: http://www.lollapalooza.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lollapalooza
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lollapalooza‘
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lollapalooza/