Lollapalooza: The world is listening this August
Every August, approximately 100,000 people flock to Grant Park in downtown Chicago to hear more than 100 international buzz and established bands perform outdoors. Since its inception in the early ‘90s and since its advent in Chicago in 2005, Lollapalooza’s become one of the foremost and exhilarating music fests on the continent.
Perry Farrell of rock band Jane’s Addiction founded Lolla as a traveling circus of sorts in 1991. Every summer ,a swath of bands traversed the country performing in different cities, but when that concept became stale, the fest went on hiatus for a few years. The organization was revived in 2003, but due to a dearth of ticket sales in 2004, the tour got cancelled.
In 2005 an Austin-based company came along and reformatted the fest into a three-day event occurring the first weekend in August every year. Luckily for Chicago, the city signed an exclusive contract to keep the music event active through 2018.
The festival has grown over the years from the ‘90s when there were only two stages, to the current incarnation of hundreds of bands playing as many as eight stages at once. The two main stages pit headliners against each other and to walk from one stage to another is an act of duration because it’s almost a mile hike.
The smaller side stages usually host launching pads for up-and-coming indie acts, whereas the main stages are reserved for bigger acts like the reunited Soundgarden, Radiohead, Depeche Mode and Chicago’s own Kanye West. With an overwhelming amount of music to choose from, festivalgoers have to prioritize which bands to see. Many of the bands do perform after-parties in smaller clubs after the fest each night, so there are multiple chances to see a band over the course of the weekend.
The sizzling temps of August might discourage some people from attending, but the incredible nighttime skyline and the celebration of culture and music make Lolla a must-see world-class spectacle.
HelloChicago Tip: Bring a lot of water and sunscreen, but make sure to abide by the rules. Do not bring outside food, booze or snacks in because security will confiscate them. Only factory sealed bottled water is allowed.
Posted by Garin Pirnia
