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Day 3
Few events in the city of Chicago create as many emotions as Lollapalooza does and the aptly named “Lolla Weekend” certainly seems to be the most divisive.
City residents side-eyed packs of suburban teens proudly sporting an array of various jerseys and hydration packs stuffed with anything but water as trains pulled into stations on Saturday afternoon.
Historically speaking, Saturday and Sunday of Lollapalooza have both the widest variety of artists as well as the most ‘conflicts’ – artists that are usually charting well and are trending heavily amongst younger demographics, and this year was certainly no exception. Electronic fans were delighted at the news of Skrillex playing a noon set (as well as headlining later that evening), as well as co-headliner Metro Boomin spinning his own DJ set later that afternoon.
Few artists of the weekend, however, had the sheer reverence amongst fans as Ethel Cain did that Saturday evening.
Ethel Cain
In a weekend of explosive new talent, few artists can hold a candle to Cain’s profound recent success.
Born and raised in a devout Southern Baptist family with a deacon as a father, Hayden Anhedönia’s upbringing would help set the background for one of the most critically acclaimed debut studio albums of all time. Despite her early life revolving around the church and her formal education limited to homeschooling, the persona of Ethel Cain grew from a devout study of classical piano and church choir, culminating in her leaving the church at 16 and producing her own music at 17.
The story of Ethel Cain grabbed global attention in March of 2022 with the release of Gibson Girl, followed by the announcement and subsequent release of her first record Preacher’s Daughter in May through her own record label, Daughters of Cain. The record quickly garnered strong positive acclaim and resonated so strongly with audiences that many could only describe the community around it akin to a cult following.
If there is such a thing as ‘The Cult of Ethel Cain’, Saturday’s performance certainly initiated me as a member. Few performances in recent memory have left such a visibly emotional impact on the audience. Cain’s deeply tragic character, set within a Southern Gothic scene and struggling with deeply profound religious and personal trauma has become somewhat of a martyr for her listeners. A young woman whom, in spite of her abuse, implores us to love ourselves deeply no matter the situations we may blame ourselves for being in.
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Few artists have left me so enraptured and wholly captivated, a performance that undoubtedly forever altered the lives of the young people clinging to the rail, tears streaming down their faces and every lyric perfectly memorized. I find myself feeling incredibly fortunate I got to hear the story of Ethel Cain, and there is little doubt in my mind that in a sea of countless performances from myriad festivals, hers may very well just be the one that I remember the most.
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Of course, as is the nature of music festivals, emotions would take a sharp turn just shortly after as fans packed themselves in just across the field to witness one of the most hotly anticipated returning tours of the year.
Deftones
Frontman Chino Moreno jogged onto the T-Mobile stage and without a second of hesitation proceeded to launch into one of the loudest and most exciting sets of the weekend.
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Propelled into an era of eager new fans, high schoolers and 40-somethings found themselves elbow to elbow, moshing to favorites like Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away), leaning heavily into White Pony and Diamond Eyes.
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After a sold out show at Metro the previous night and shows in San Francisco and San Diego set for the coming months, it would once again be remiss not to credit the power of social media – newer generations giving bands a renewed chance to give a wide-eyed teenager the show of their life.
As predicted, the evening offered little respite as crowds flocked to catch a glimpse of what would potentially be a legendary evening in hip-hop as Future alongside Metro Boomin prepared to headline the Bud Light stage as headliners.
Future x Metro Boomin
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In spite of technical difficulties that resulted in an agonizingly brief 30 minute show, fans found comfort in the duo dropping hits and gracing the catwalk in White Sox jerseys, offering a hectic but ultimately unforgettable conclusion to the day.
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Day 4
Few things will show the progression of aging better than the final day of a four day festival, and Sunday at Grant Park was no exception.
Like clockwork, the freshly minted 17 and 18 year olds, the faint scent of alcohol on their breath, crammed into lines alongside the khaki cargo shorts of the world, Millennials and Generation Alpha colliding.
Any weariness amongst the older crowd quickly subsided by the early evening, as pop punk, it seemed, was truly back in Chicago again.
Pierce The Veil
Few bands can hold a candle to Pierce The Veil – their exalted royalty status promises an incredible crowd and show wherever they go, and frontman Vic Fuentes certainly delivered.
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With impeccable planning in mind, organizers did everyone over the age of 20 a wonderful favor that evening by arranging none other than indie darlings Two Door Cinema Club to grace the stage just opposite, allowing those who attended the festival pre-2015 yet another change to see the band propel through its early discography with deep cuts from 2010’s Tourist History and 2012’s Beacon taking precedence at the front of their set.
It’s a special thing to witness the conclusion of a tour and attendees that evening were certainly in for a treat as the band would be stepping off of their North American run that night. Blessing us with new tracks as well as fan favorites including Cigarettes in the Theatre as well as Sun, frontman Alex Trimble, looking dapper as always in a well pressed suit, thanked the Windy City profusely for their continued hospitality – a mutual admiration that’s spanned well over a decade.
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As the sun gave way to the glow of the skyline, crowds converged on either side of the park, most notably to once again see Lollapalooza veterans Blink-182. Some may critique the rotations of certain so-called “Lollapalooza frequent flyers”, but then again, few acts can maintain the consistency that they provide – and consistent they were indeed, powering through their biggest hits and even giving a shout out to Chappell Roan at the close of their set, to many a cheer and a dazzling display of fireworks and pyrotechnics.
Sore feet be damned, while the world has gone through myriad changes and absolute uncertainty – we can still find comfort that in the very least, few things will be as consistent as a festival, and few festivals will ever be as good as Lollapalooza.
We can’t wait to see what next year has to offer.
