Lollapalooza hit its stride on the Chicago lakefront on Friday and the rain arrived too, with a murky swirl of clouds parking above Grant Park alongside the police helicopters and parade of airplanes towing advertising banners.
Capping the evening, Day 2 mainstage headliners are Charli xcx on the T-Mobile (returning to Chicago on the heels of her famous “Brat” tour last year) and hometown band Smashing Pumpkins on the Bud Light (a set referred to by at least one young festivalgoer as Lollapalooza’s “parents’ night”).
Earlier in the day, the music schedule was in flux Friday, with Paloma Morphy and mainstage draw Lil Uzi Vert dropping out, Slayyter swapping stages with Balu Brigada and other changes — Lollapalooza presenter C3 Presents did not respond to Tribune questions for more information as of press time, but on social media, the festival attributed Lil Uzi Vert’s absence (on his birthday, no less) to weather issues. Festivalgoers seemed to roll with the punches.
Taking no prisoners with Slayyter
Run, don’t walk, to Slayyyter. Truthfully, the smooth-sliding vintage guitar sounds of nearby 54 Ultra were almost enough to derail the mission, but with her golden mane being the only one to blow through the humid air as a light rain fell on Day 2, the Los Angeles-based grimy pop queen also known as Catherine Grace Garner was equal parts alluring siren and heavy metal frontwoman. (Nine Inch Nails X Slayyyter collab when?) Originally scheduled for 6:45 p.m. on the Airbnb stage, her set was moved up four hours to the larger Bud Light stage. Don’t worry, everyone got the memo.
It’s hard to imagine that the coolest girl in pop music almost quit at 29. With the breakthrough of “Wor$t Girl in America” — her sexual bombast and “you have to be smart to be a smartass” lyricism, she’s captured the hearts of those punching their way forward, online meme queens and D.I.Y rule breakers, cigarette in hand. Backed by the industrial crunch of her three-piece band, her mic was on. Songs like “Crank,” “Brittany Murphy” and “Beat Up Chanel$” sound exactly as roughed up and ferocious as you’d hope, while showcasing her stellar vocal acrobatics. With the festival debut of new single “Brand New Chanel$,” she signified the beginning of the next chapter. Not more polished, just more. And the fans are hungry for it. Crank it.
— Jessi Roti
Lining up for a brand
Around the grounds, the displays brought to Grant Park by corporate interests outnumber the stages. Many festival attendees the Tribune spoke with said they planned to participate in “brand activations.” Lollapalooza sponsors set up structures where people could get food, merchandise and participate in activities. There was a 21-and-over area by Aperol. A bus gave out free CTA merchandise. Coca-Cola set up a roller-skating rink next to Buckingham Fountain. There were two lines — one to roller-skate and another to get a free soda — and the line for free drinks was magnitudes larger.
“I come early to get things for free because it’s part of the experience,” said 29-year-old Miguel Crisantos, who both skated and got a free Coca-Cola Cherry. “The people we wanna see are later.”
Also set up near the fountain was beer brand Kona Big Wave. The company had a half-pipe where attendees watched professional skateboarders perform tricks.
“Everybody’s like, ah, half-pipe’s here, let me see them skate,” skateboarder and Olympian Mariah Duran said.
Dave Bachinsky, another skateboarder at the half-pipe, said he’s from Boston and has enjoyed skating around Chicago when not working.
“It’s awesome to see the modernization but also the classic look,” Bachinsky said. “Grab a coffee and go cruise the ramp after.”
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— Finnegan Belleau
Suki glam steps up
“Welcome to Lovelandapalooza,” a disembodied voice said, answering a ringing call before giving a rundown of the set’s expectations. Stabbed with a massive Cupid’s arrow, singer Suki Waterhouse opened her slightly early time slot with the new-wave-tinged “Supersad.”
The pouty-lipped, feather-banged multihyphenate also played a Lolla aftershow at House of Blues the night before, teasing her new album to a sold-out crowd as well as crowd favorites she repeated on Friday, including “Oh My God” (amplified by the addition of a live horn section), “My Fun” and “Good Looking.” Just two years ago, she played in the woods on what’s known this year as the Airbnb stage. On Allianz, she oozed cocksure confidence in front of a disco-balled anatomically correct heart. Motherhood is suiting her special, rejuvenated approach to glam pop just fine. “I think you guys are ready,” she declared. “I think you guys are ready to fall in love.”
— J.R.
A Ferris first
Festivalgoers donning glitter, ponchos and rain jackets waited in a winding line for a chance to get on Motorola Razr’s Ferris wheel and take a few revolutions inside its lit-up carts.
The Ferris wheel is a new addition to the festival this year, along with other carnival games and experiences near the north end of Grant Park, and from the top, it offered views of Lake Michigan, Buckingham Fountain, the city’s skyline and all of the festivalgoers making their way down Columbus Drive.
First-time Lollapalooza attendee Josh Van Aartsen waited about 45 minutes to get on the Ferris wheel, which he said was his first-ever time on the amusement ride, something he said wasn’t as scary as he thought it’d be.
“It was good. I liked it,” Van Aartsen said after the ride. “I love the city views of it, and with the Lollapalooza (attendees) looking like little ants.”
Other festivalgoers passed time by playing carnival games for prizes, with each game requiring a $3 ticket.
London Rosenbun, 12, won a Lollapalooza bucket hat and other prizes by spraying water into a target.
“It’s pretty fun, it was pretty cool,” Rosenbun said.
— Kate Perez
Get closer to Zara Larsson
Swedish megavoice Zara Larsson’s return to pop music came with a bang with “Midnight Sun,” the number she knew to open her rescheduled Lollapalooza set with on Friday evening. Thanks to the swell of the chorus and viral choreography, she’s been inescapable. Which made it an extra bummer when, by song four, her audio kinks still hadn’t been worked out. “What’s with the audio?” attendees asked as they made their way across the field, nearing the T-Mobile stage. Luckily, girl can project — but only so much when the bass thumps and glitched chops from the nearby Perry’s stage are so potent.
— J.R.
Dodging the drops
Lollapaloozans were hit with light showers on and off all afternoon.
Bright ponchos of many different colors could be seen in the crowd moving toward dance-pop artist Zara Larsson’s show. One fan took off his shoe and drained it onto the ground before quickly rejoining the throng.
In Kidzapalooza, the festival’s child-friendly section, plastic was draped over beanbags to protect them from the rain. Standing next to one, Melissa Rodriguez, 31, said she didn’t mind the rain. Rodriguez is from Arizona and said the cooler weather was a nice break.
“It honestly feels like a vacation,” she said. “Sometimes we come and it’s just as hot as Arizona.”
— F.B.
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The dessert cart has arrived
In the Dessert Island section of Lollapalooza, festivalgoers had a slew of options to choose from to satisfy their sweet tooth, including treats like churros, gelato, ice cream and chocolate-covered strawberries.
Eduardo Howell, 21 and a first-time Lollapalooza attendee, navigated toward a funnel cake sundae, which featured powdered sugar and a scoop of vanilla ice cream with strawberry syrup drizzled on top.
“I wanted a funnel cake, and then I’ve been craving ice cream since yesterday. So I just got this to combine the two,” Howell said, adding it cost him $20 total. “It was $5 more than the funnel cake (alone), so I was like, it’s also worth it.”
— K.P.
… And so has the dad rock
Just before the Smashing Pumpkins on the Bud Light stage, much-beloved U.K. rocker Yungblud carried the torch for your dad’s definition of a “real rock star” since his subsequent appearances with Black Sabbath and the late Ozzy Osbourne. Filled with fire and howls, if you have a squealing guitar solo need to scratch or are longing for simple stage mischief (mooning is back!), this artist is for you. “Does anyone want to kidnap me and take me to a (expletive) bar?” he tempted. Later in the set, he covered Black Sabbath’s “Changes” and dedicated it to Ozzy.
If your only speed for rock n’ roll is a raucous middle finger, “Fleabag” may resonate with you. If you prefer Britpop, there’s “Lovesick Lullaby.” And if you’re a passionate enough fan with a sign like Katie from Michigan, you may just get called up on stage to play guitar.
— J.R.
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