Lollapalooza 2012

Posted by on August 14, 2012

As a first timer at Lollapalooza, nothing could prepare me for what I witnessed last weekend. 3 days worth of 100,000 people, 130 acts, 8 stages and one astounding Chicago skyline adding the finishing touch to every night. Lollapalooza 2012 reeled in artists from almost every possible genre of music and every corner of the globe, with a crowd of all ages that was alive every second from start to finish.

Friday welcomed the weekend with open arms and clear skies. Perry’s Stage, known for featuring electronic artists, was stripped of its roof and enlarged to accommodate the recent growth of EDM fans. With artists such as Madeon, Porter Robinson, Zedd, Nero, and Bassnectar all in one day, it’s no surprise the stage and entire surrounding area was packed to the brim. Of the most memorable, 18 year old Madeon managed to squeeze in every one of his crowd favorites, from “Finale” to “Pop Culture” in one hour of solid fist pumping, while the underrated duo, Nero, blew the crowd away with their “Feels So Close” remix and “Promises,” featuring live vocalist Alana Watson. For the more laidback audience, there was Passion Pit, M83 and The Shins, never failing to deliver an uplifting show. And for those who just wanted to get down, Wale, Black Sabbath and The Black Keys finished off the day, rocking the night away into the after shows, which kept the music going across town until 4am.

Saturday, however, seemed to be a test for the festival goers. What started off as a great day for jam-packed musicians turned into a never-before-seen thunderstorm, causing all of Lollapalooza to evacuate from Grant Park. Following impressive sets by Chief Keef and Neon Indian, fans exited to nearby shops and restaurants, waiting on edge, praying the gods of music would somehow bring the festival back to life. And luckily so, just a few hours later the gates reopened and this time, people were the ones to flood the park. While our personal favorite, Paper Diamond, was forced to cancel, most artists’ sets were simply pushed back a few hours, for as we all know, the show must go on. Fans rallied through the raving, mud wrestling scene at Calvin Harris then getting spotted at Red Hot Chili Peppers covered head to toe in mud. The final set of the night, Avicii, will be remembered by a massive head, lip singing to Levels (Vitzi’s Old School Intro) with a lightshow that could be enhanced only by the backdrop of the cloudless Chicago sky.

But nothing could stop Sunday’s show from going down in musical history. Right from the start, the sun was shining down on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Gary Clark Jr., Little Dragon and Sigur Ros. Over at the Bud Light Stage, fans swooned over J. Cole’s “Work Out” and “Can’t Get Enough,” shortly after being swept away by Florence Welch and her ethereal stage presence, rushing through the audience and grazing fans reaching arms. And back at Perry’s, Doctor P, Big Gigantic, and Zed’s Dead all led up to one grande finale: Kaskade. Kaskade’s Freaks Of Nature Tour has undoubtedly been one of the most acclaimed tours to sweep the nation this year, and judging by photos of an endless sea of fans jumping around with enormous balloons and spell-binding lasers, I can only hope his show in Chicago will make it onto his top 10. And last but certainly not least, there was Justice. After reigniting their glory back at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival, Justice provided Lolla with a show so satisfying and full of energy, no words could amount to such unforeseeable greatness. From the National Anthem into “Gensis,” “D.A.N.C.E.” to “Audio Video Disco,” fans could hardly decide between dancing and staring in awe.
To sum it all up, in an interview prior to the festival, founder Perry Ferrell states, “You’ve got to bring to the people something that they didn’t expect, they won’t forget and they’ve never had before… It’s not just Grant Park – the whole city is alive!”
And that folks, it was.

Missed out? Check out Lollapalooza’s Best of the Fest photos here and be sure to LIKE on Facebook for updates for next year and their upcoming show in Tel Aviv!

Also make sure to check out FNT’s own Lolla pics HERE!

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