Travis Barker (left) and Tom DeLonge (right) perform on stage with Blink-182 as Lollapalooza wraps … [+]
“I feel so symbiotically attached to this festival,” said Lollapalooza co-founder Perry Farrell this weekend in Grant Park, as Lollapalooza wrapped up Sunday in Chicago. “It all starts with the right music – good music. Get the wrong music in there and ya get the wrong people. But ya get the right music in there and it draws everything.”
Lollapalooza 2024 was largely defined by the incredible performances of dynamic female artists like Chappell Roan, Megan Thee Stallion and SZA, a trend which continued Sunday courtesy of acts like New York singer songwriter Melanie Martinez, who headlined the festival’s north main stage opposite punk rockers Blink-182.
Like Roan Thursday, U.K. indie pop exports The Last Dinner Party were moved to a bigger stage Sunday in anticipation of a large crowd, performing for one hour on the Tito’s Vodka Stage.
Etty Lau Farrell (left) and Perry Farrell (right) pose backstage on day four at Lollapalooza. … [+]
Forming in 2020, the ascent of The Last Dinner Party has been brisk, with the group first performing in 2021 before signing a management deal one year later.
Their attention to detail has had a positive impact on everything from the songs to the videos, even the group’s decadent fashion sense, with The Last Dinner Party acutely aware of the importance involved with keeping a close eye on the business side.
“We’ve learned so much,” admitted guitarist and vocalist Lizzie Mayland.
The Last Dinner Party performs on stage on day four at Lollapalooza. Sunday, August 4, 2024 at Grant … [+]
“You’re a business owner at the end of the day. It’s a big responsibility actually,” agreed vocalist and keyboard player Aurora Nishevci. “It’s still very overwhelming. There’s a lot to learn,” she continued. “I don’t think I fully realized that in the music industry, the artists, the employers are the bosses. They are hiring so many people to do so many different jobs. And it’s kind of like your responsibility to set the regulations as well,” said Nishevci. “There’s no f—ing HR in the music industry!” added Mayland.
Northern Irish indie rock trio Two Door Cinema Club have now performed three times in Chicago at Lollapalooza, including Sunday’s one hour set on the IHG Hotels Stage, in addition to Lollapalooza performances in both Europe and South America, fully leveraging one of the strongest global festival brands.
Sam Halliday (left) and Kevin Baird (right) of Two Door Cinema Club pose backstage on day four at … [+]
“The shows have always been great. It’s kind of one of those things where you can definitely chart those moments in the career, moments where things clicked and connected,” said bassist Kevin Baird. “2012 was one of those kind of moments where it was like, ‘Yeah, something’s happening here.’ So, always really good memories here.”
Lollapalooza’s most in-demand after shows often take place at vaunted Chicago club Metro in front of only about 1,000 fans.
Two Door Cinema Club rolled out an intimate, energetic, highly entertaining Lollapalooza aftershow Saturday night at Metro, offering fans an indoor break from the weekend’s stifling heat.
Two Door Cinema Club performs on stage during an intimate Lollapalooza aftershow. Saturday, August … [+]
“It was so fun. Just on a personal level, I think us, and all of our crew, were very happy to play inside,” said Baird. “Because we’ve been doing this run of sheds and amphitheatres for like three weeks and it’s all been outside in like Florida – very hot and humid places,” he said. “So, it was really nice to be inside. And it was also really great to just sort of play a small club – a bit back to the roots sort of thing.”
Many fans assume artists are on site at the festival all weekend, enjoying sets by others while soaking in all the city of Chicago has to offer.
But the dirty festival secret is, most don’t, leaving quick for the next city and the next gig, with life on the road more often flying by in a blur.
“We played last night so we just sort of chilled this afternoon. We’re just here to do the show and then out,” said Two Door Cinema Club guitarist Sam Halliday. “We’re in and out. We’re trying to get out before the egress.”
Acutely aware of that fact, hip-hop duo Joey Valence and Brae hit Chicago on an off day, taking full advantage of the rare opportunity to soak in the experience.
Joey Valence & Brae pose backstage on day four at Lollapalooza. Sunday, August 4, 2024 at Grant … [+]
“We’re having a great time! We’re not performing this year. We performed two years ago now at Lolla. It seems like so long ago but really it wasn’t. So, we’re having a good time,” said Brae backstage on Friday.
“We’re just hanging out. We really are,” said Valence. “We’re very excited to see Skrillex. I’ve never seen him before. And he’s my hero. So, I’m very, very excited to see him,” he said. “We just saw Sexyy Red. I also got to see this artist Kasbo that I really like,” Valence continued. “But yeah, we never get to enjoy festivals. So, for the first time, we are. We were like, ‘Let’s finally go to a festival and enjoy it!’ So, here we are.”
German producer Ben Böhmer performed live Sunday on day four at Lollapalooza, closing out the weekend’s live performance slate on the Bacardi Stage over the course of one hour.
“That’s a really good question,” said Böhmer when asked about the key to maintaining a resonant brand. “The thing is authenticity. It’s probably the best thing,” he said. “I’m not a marketing person or a management person. And I don’t understand a lot about the music industry. Every time people are trying to teach me something, it can go into one ear and out of the other one in some ways,” he said with a smile. “So, I think it’s just important to stay authentic – and do what you love and have fun with it.”
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 04: DJ Ben Bohmer performs during Lollapalooza at Grant Park on August … [+]
Performing on the Bacardi Stage, Böhmer’s set offered an electronic alternative as Martinez and Blink-182 performed concurrently.
“What’s up, ya f–in’ perverts?!” asked guitarist Tom DeLonge, who returned in 2022 to the California punk band he co-founded three decades prior. “Lollapalooza, hello!” added bassist Mark Hoppus.
With Travis Barker on drums as Blink returned to the fest for the first time since 2017, the Mark, Tom and Travis show was in full effect Sunday night, putting the trio’s still sophomoric sense of humor front and center during Lollapalooza’s final 2024 moments.
Tom DeLonge performs on stage with Blink-182 on day four of Lollapalooza. Sunday, August 4, 2024 at … [+]
In the world of professional wrestling, few ring entrances have been as iconic or continually entertaining as that of WWE Superstar The Undertaker. Sunday night at Lollapalooza, lights dimmed as Blink-182 entered the T-Mobile south main stage, funeral bells tolling as The Undertaker’s ring entrance music, a play on Chopin, kicked things off, with the band soon launching into opener “Feeling This.”
DeLonge handled the lead vocal on “The Rock Show” next as Barker pounded out the ending, with fireworks exploding out and over the crowd from the top of the stage early in the set.
“I want to hear the worst bass solo ever!” said DeLonge on stage. “On it! Got you covered,” quipped Hoppus in response, the duo’s witty repartee on full display at Lollapalooza.
“We do wanna say one serious thing,” said longtime extraterrestrial enthusiast Tom DeLonge on stage Sunday at Lollapalooza, setting up “Aliens Exist.” “UFO’s are real!”
