Lollapalooza Day 2 – Big Names & the Next Big Things

Aussie rockers Tame Impala have played Lollapalooza in the past but not with the kind of light show they brought them with to the festival this year. Giant video screens showed polarized images of the band while it delivered droning tracks such “Let It Happen” and “Patience.” Much like Pink Floyd before it, Tame Impala creates an immersive atmosphere with its psychedelic rock. The performance really mesmerized even though the set came off as if it were one long, trippy song.

Though she didn’t play in one of the headlining slots, singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and producer Janelle Monáe, who arrived on stage while Richard Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra” played over the PA system, delivered one of the festival’s best performances. Monáe’s set included a variety of costume changes, and several dancers joined her for choreographed routines. She adroitly veered from rapping to singing, and her band played an intoxicating mix of rock, pop, soul and funk. She let the band jam on a particularly spirited rendition of “Electric Lady,” and at one point, she sang while sitting while sitting atop a giant throne.

Other highlights from the day included the British post-punk band IDLES. Led by steely eyed singer singer Joe Talbot, the band ripped through songs from 2017’s Brutalism and 2018’s Joy as an Act of Resistance. Talbot introduced the track “Mother” by saying, “This is what five feminists look like, and this is what a feminist song sounds like.” Much like the Jesus Lizard, the band often sounded like it was on the verge of a sonic meltdown but never let things entirely spiral out of control even though guitarist Lee Kiernanoften scrambled into the pit while playing.

Rapper and singer Tierra Whack played in front of a large crowd that was clearly very excited to see the up-and-coming artist perform. There was a raw energy to her set even if too many of the songs came to abrupt ends, creating a stop-and-go effect, which is consistent with the structure of her 2018 debut Whack World, but not something that translates as well to the stage.

Singer-songwriter Bishop Briggs also gave a solid performance from the American Eagle Stage. She began her performance with an a cappella rendition of “Lay My Heart Down” and then segued into “Wild Horses,” a tune that found the audience singing along with the song that featured percolating synths. The entire set had a distinctive trip-hop feel and recalled the music of acts such as Tricky and Portishead.

Good-natured singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers penned her well-received set with a rousing rendition of “Give a Little.” Wearing tie-dyed pants and a matching shirt, she regularly ran the length of the stage but never missed a beat while channeling singer-songwriters such as Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon.

To see some pics from Day 2 of Lollapalooza, check out our Flickr album and follow us on Instagram.