Review and Gallery: Lollapalooza 2023 Delivers Music’s Most Vibrant Acts
THE STREETS OF CHICAGO WERE PACKED — as thousands descended upon Grant Park for the iconic Lollapalooza Festival, running from Aug. 3–6. Featuring over 170 artists across eight stages, Lollapalooza maintained their reputation as one of the largest American music festivals in 2023.
We covered all four days (and two aftershows!), so read on to catch up with Luna’s favorite acts of Lollapalooza.
WEDNESDAY
Our Lollapalooza experience began on Wednesday night at Metro Chicago for an official Lollapalooza aftershow, featuring Wallows and Buffy the DJ Slayer. Buffy, the DJ project of Wallows drummer Cole Preston, opened the show with an explosive ’80s pop set that had the Metro physically shaking from the crowd’s enthusiasm.
Clad in a billowing cloak to hide most of his features, Buffy had everyone excited. As this aftershow was just a little over a thousand of Wallows’ most dedicated fans, the barricade was slammed with fans eating up Preston’s every move.
Wallows hit the stage next to raucous applause, lighting up the venue with a variety of their biggest hits and least-played rarities. The audience ate up every second of the intimate show, exploding with joy through “Pleaser” and “Are You Bored Yet?” with fervor. In between projects, Wallows hasn’t been touring much lately, so fans came from all around the country just to catch this special show.
THURSDAY
Getting an early start to the day with Finish Ticket on the Bacardi Stage and The Beaches on the Bud Light Stage, bouncing between sets brought a bright and elastic rock energy to kick off Lollapalooza. After, we caught Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners on the Bacardi Stage, one of the most anticipated day one performances for lovers of the indie folk genre (myself included). “Evergreen” sounded better than ever live, and as a big fan of “Lake Missoula,” singing along with the massive 2 p.m. crowd felt like home.
After a quick break, next was Spacey Jane on the Coinbase Stage. The Australian rockers brought bold energy to heat-exhausted onlookers, making even loose fans of the band like myself fall in love with their presence and energy.
Noah Kahan followed on the Tito’s Stage at 6 p.m. Any festival-goer who saw easily one of the largest crowds of the day at Tito’s can confirm that Kahan was not on a big enough stage. Lolla attendees showed up with a fury, ready to belt out their favorites from Kahan’s smash hit 2022 album, Stick Season. The chorus of voices was so loud you could hear “Northern Attitude” from multiple stages away.
Billie Eilish closed out Lolla’s performances of the day with a bold look into all of her musical eras with a brand new red-rooted haircut, seemingly teasing a new era on the horizon. A true highlight of the set came with the live debut of “What Was I Made For?” from Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, which launched everyone into a breathless trance as Eilish sang her heart out.
But our night didn’t end there, as we headed out to Chicago’s famous Bottom Lounge to catch the explosive aftershow of Declan McKenna. The event began with opener Eli Smart, whose rowdy aloha rock captivated the 700-person room. Complete with a band of close friends as well as his grandma, the show was a stunning introduction to Smart’s breezy music.
McKenna hit the stage next in a riotous burst of energy, careening through his major hits with impressive energy. While I loved getting to hear hits like “Brazil” and recent single “Sympathy,” the best part of the set easily came with the closing encore of “British Bombs,” as McKenna dominated the stage with a fury.
Luna also had the chaotic opportunity to conduct a 1 a.m. interview outside of the venue with Smart.
FRIDAY
Friday found a variety of highly anticipated sets hitting the stage, and our day began with Annie DiRusso’s Lolla debut on the BMI Stage. DiRusso’s music hits a distinct chord for those in their early twenties and having a mid-life crisis. With songs such as “Call It All Off” and “Coming Soon” exploding through the event grounds, DiRusso certainly claimed some new fans.
Peach Pit and beabadoobee both had overlapping sets with DiRusso, and getting to see their individual crowd connections was something special. We also got to catch the treat that was Charlotte Sands on the BMI Stage at 4:30 p.m. I’ve truly never seen a performer dominate with such sheer rock energy as Sands did, pulling in the audience with her vibrant blue hair and keeping them for the entire set with her powerful vocal range and electrifying setlist.
Sabrina Carpenter absolutely smashed it at the Coinbase Stage, reminding Chicago of her pop princess status with a vibrant set of her best hits from last year’s emails i can’t send. Even having a familiarity with Carpenter’s concert and festival performances, nothing could have prepared Lolla for the excitement of a full group of dancers accompanying each song. The audience seemed to glow under her radiant sound, dancing all the way through the close of “Nonsense” to wild applause.
Our second Declan McKenna show in 24 hours also came to fruition on the Bacardi Stage shortly after. McKenna’s full capability as a performer was realized in his packed set as he ran through the crowd and bolted through his favorite hits.
For Friday’s headlining slot, we started with The 1975, who are, in fact, still at their very best. The band rocketed through their decade of releases, treating attendees to a mixture of songs from each of their five studio albums. A hilarious part of the night came during “Robbers,” when lead singer Matty Healy caught Blink-182’s Tom DeLonge in the crowd and sprinted off stage to hug him — all while continuing to sing. Afterward, DeLonge posted the interaction on his Instagram and admitted this was his first time meeting Healy.
On our way out, we caught the last few songs of Kendrick Lamar’s set, where an immense number of fans had gathered to see the phenom. Lamar churned out favorites, deep cuts, and even a few covers, with ease. Highlights included “Money Trees” from good kid, m.A.A.d city and “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe.”
SATURDAY
Saturday hit the ground running with pouring rain, ponchos, and an army of Tomorrow X Together fans sprinting for the barricade. Motherfolk, Arlie, and Arcy Drive’s set cut close and overlapped a bit, but fans, unbothered, bounced from set to set. While the early Saturday crowd was sparser than the previous two days had been, those that showed up early were dedicated to the artists they saw and more than willing to dance in the mud.
Suki Waterhouse called out her siren song on the Bacardi Stage at 4 p.m., and as the rain began to ease, her fanbase showed up in droves. Her hour-long set was ethereal, highlighting her greatest hits and vibrant stage presence. Her live rendition of “Moves” stood out as the steady thrum of the track carried our spirits for the rest of the day.
We then got to catch the bundle of joy that was Aidan Bissett on the BMI Stage. Bissett dominated the stage with his easy charm, rocketing through his newly released single, “Sick,” and older hits such as “More Than Friends” and “So High.” His set felt youthful and fun, a bright beam of sunlight in the midst of the rainy weather, which finally started to let up.
Luna had the privilege of chatting with Bissett before his set.
Maggie Rogers brought everyone to their knees next on the Bud Light Stage. Clad in a flowy red dress, Rogers vaulted through songs from Heard It In A Past Life and Surrender with magical force. Fan favorite “Alaska” sang out like a chorus from the dancing and swaying crowd, and genuine magic came toward the end of the set when it began to drizzle during “Fallingwater.” Immediately, the weather gave way to a massive rainbow over the crowd during “Light On.”
Headlining K-pop icons Tomorrow X Together closed out our Saturday, and TXT’s fans — affectionately nicknamed MOA — had camped out all day to catch their favorite band. The five-piece boy group was the definition of suave, taking over the Bud Light Stage with their cohesive dancing and energetic pop music. Below them was a sea of light-up glow sticks, adding to the overall ambiance and excitement surrounding the band in a somewhat rare US appearance. Coi Leray joined the set midway through for a play of “Happy Fools,” as well as a TXT cover of her own song “Players.”
On our way out we caught some of ODESZA’s headlining set on the T-Mobile Stage. With fireworks, a full snare line, and vibrant light shows, ODESZA held everyone’s attention with ease.
SUNDAY
The final day of Lollapalooza kicked off for us at the Bacardi Stage with Ella Jane. Following her rise on TikTok, Jane has been on a tear through massive tours and exciting festival sets leading up to her Lolla debut. The set was a fast and frenzied look at her discography thus far. Recent and veteran fans alike expressed their love for the exploratory indie that she brought to the table, and the wooded and secluded scenery of the Bacardi Stage was the perfect backdrop for Jane to reign.
We then stayed at the Bacardi Stage and caught MICHELLE, NYC’s favorite six-piece indie-pop collective. The band bounced through favorites from their discography, highlighting the enigmatic soundscape of 2022’s AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS. Their set was electrifying in all the best ways, featuring half the band dancing for most songs in adorable coordinated outfits. A wave of people fell in love with “LOOKING GLASS,” “PULSE,” and all the bright energy that MICHELLE had to offer.
Holly Humberstone claimed the attention of the festival at 4 p.m. on the Bacardi Stage. “Deep End” and “The Walls Are Way Too Thin” had the crowd belting out the words with fervor, and fans got a sneak peek at what’s coming next through new tracks “Superbloodmoon” and “Room Service.” Humberstone’s debut album, Paint My Bedroom Black, is out Oct. 13, and if the excitement of her Lolla set is any indication, this LP is about to dominate the closing quarter of 2023’s music scene.
There, we caught up with Humberstone to chat about the upcoming debut and how she prepared for Lolla.
After dinner we caught Maisie Peters on the Coinbase Stage, where she stunned the audience with her new album, The Good Witch. The rain had finally cleared up, and sunshine illuminated the bright dancing to “You’re Just a Boy (And I’m Kinda the Man)” early on. Peters kept mentioning her excitement to get to play in Chicago, and the audience exploded with excitement in return.
Most notable from Sunday’s lineup was Rina Sawayama on the Bud Light Stage. Her hour-long set encompassed five wardrobe changes, two incredible dancers, and explosive vocals that could be heard throughout the festival grounds. Her stage presence is undeniably powerful, and as she opened the gates of hell on stage, we found ourselves awestruck by her sheer power for the entire set. As she blasted through “This Hell,” “Comme Des Garcons,” and a hilarious rendition of “Happy Birthday” for her drummer, the show felt more like a theatrical feature film than a festival performance.
To close out the weekend, we got to catch a few songs from Lana Del Rey and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Starting on the T-Mobile Stage with the Chili Peppers, the crowd was floored as the rockers performed their greatest hits from the last few decades with youthful ease. “Dani California” was an early favorite in the set, but the true highlight was undoubtedly the band’s introductory jam: roughly eight minutes of incredible instrumentalism.
We then headed to the north side of the fest to catch Del Rey swinging her way through “Ultraviolence” with a team of dancers and actual swings on stage. It was ethereal, sweeping, and entirely not long enough, in the way most Del Rey shows tend to feel, given how few and far between they are.
Ending the weekend with “Video Games” and “Hope Is a Dangerous Thing for a Woman Like Me to Have – But I Have It” felt special, a stunning wave of bliss over Grant Park to leave attendees with fond memories of Lollapalooza 2023 for a lifetime.
Make sure to keep up to date with the festival for next year’s lineup and events worldwide on their website.
View a full photo gallery of the festival by photographer Zayne Isom below.
