Chicago – With the second day of Lollapalooza’s 2016 edition came the heavier rains, as the sandy areas of Grant Park turned to mush and the green grassy hillsides became veritable slip ‘n’ slides, peppered with multi-colored ponchos and umbrellas (and in some cases, umbrella hats). However, the rain didn’t last for too long, and by the time Radiohead’s headlining set was beginning at the Samsung stage, only a few streaks of moisture remained on the dusty baseball fields in the south end of the venue. But before any headliners began, there were plenty of new bands to catch along the way, and here are a few of our favorites:
MØ
Danish newcomer Karen Marie Ørsted—aka MØ—battled some of the worst of the wet weather, along with a few technical hiccups thanks to the added moisture that, at times, was blasting onto the Lakeshore Stage during her hour-long set. This did nothing to hinder neither her nor her audience’s energy, as she plowed through some of her best material. A good deal of the songs she selected to perform were favorites from her 2014 debut LP No Mythologies to Follow (“Don’t Wanna Dance,” “Maiden,” “Pilgrim,” “Walk This Way”), but there were some newer songs thrown into the mix, including songs from her upcoming sophomore LP: “True Romance,” “Kamikaze,” and “Final Song” (which, incidentally was not played last). She wrapped things up by singing “Lean On,” a Major Lazer track she has a featured role in, which turned the area around the Lakeshore Stage into a writhing mud pit of dancing bodies, all apathetic towards (or oblivious to) the torrential downpour that had just begun.
Foals
Best New Bands had double the fun with a pair of performances by English indie rock band Foals. Thursday night the fivesome – comprised of Yannis Philippakis, Jack Bevan, Jimmy Smith, Walter Gervers, and Edwin Congreave – played Chicago’s House of Blues for a sold-out Official Lollapalooza Aftershow. The night started with “Snake Oil,” from 2015’s What Went Down. The crowd immediately began singing and dancing to the beat. Afterward, Philippakis exclaimed, ”Thanks for coming out late to party with us!” But really, it was more like, “No, thank you for having us,” as a Foal’s show is guaranteed to be out of this world!
“Olympic Airways” had fans clapping, while “My Number” spurred an epic sing-along, which was brought to a halt thanks to cheers and applause when Philippakis shredded on guitar and jumped high in the air. “Mountain At My Gates” ushered in the beginning of a fantastic light show, with the stage glowing a rainbow of colors, making the backdrop, filled with trees, pop. Midway through “Providence,” Philippakis walked into the crowd. Cellphones lit up, as fans raised them in the air to record the action. As in true Foals fashion, Philippakis dove into the crowd during the encore, surfing a sea of hands, while ecstatic fans screamed, their faces filled with delight. (SH)
The second time we caught Foals was on Friday at the Samsung Stage (the main stage of the festival), directly after MØ had finished just across the way at Lakeshore, and the rain was still coming down in buckets. Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis joked that he and his cohorts had brought the weather from England over, saying it “felt like home” (he is the second British musician to do so this weekend). Foals commanded their mid-afternoon slot at the main stage in the manner of a true headliner, offering deafening renditions of some of Foals’ heavier material (“Snake Oil” was a banging opener) and even taking their tamer numbers up a few notches, including cranked-up versions of “Mountain at My Gates,” “My Number,” and even the soft “Spanish Sahara.” Their closing one-two punch of 2013’s blistering “Inhaler” and “What Went Down,” the title track from their latest LP had audience members’ ears ringing with Philippakis’ enviable screams for the rest of the day.
Alessia Cara
Canadian pop sensation Alessia Cara has seen a meteoric rise in fame with her single “Wild Things,” and was given an enviable late afternoon slot in the shady glen of the Pepsi Stage. The area around the Pepsi Stage was swarmed with her fans—old and new alike—as she offered up a selection from her debut LP Know-It-All, including upbeat pop songs like “Wild Things,” “I’m Yours,” and “Outlaws,” as well as some more heartfelt, slower numbers like the heartbreaking “River of Tears” and “Scars to Your Beautiful.” As a performer she was spunky and present, chatty and humble, and ever so grateful for being given the opportunity to perform at Lollapalooza at such a young age.
Sunflower Bean
New York psych trio Sunflower Bean have been popping up everywhere since the release of their debut full-length LP Human Ceremony earlier this year, from opening for Cage the Elephant and Portugal. The Man to appearing at festivals like South by Southwest, Bonnaroo, and now, Lollapalooza. They played a short forty-minute set to a modest yet enthusiastic crowd amongst the trees at the BMI stage at the park’s east end, and while the three members spent very little time speaking to the audience, they let their music do all of the talking. They kicked things off with the title track from their album “Human Ceremony,” and played a few other songs from the album including thrashers “Wall Watcher” and “Come On,” as well as softer tunes “Easier Said” and “Oh, I Just Don’t Know.” They played some earlier material as well, including the jamming, mostly instrumental “Somebody Call a Doctor” and their ode to their favorite Australian outfit “Tame Impala,” while closing their set with a one-off single released last year entitled “The Stalker.” The late-afternoon sky behind them was bright, giving the illusion of shadows moving against a screen, which was a pretty fitting (and inexpensive) visual to match their wacky, enthralling brand of rock ‘n’ roll.
We’re halfway through the weekend, and we still have tons of new acts to catch throughout the park this Saturday and Sunday, so stay tuned to Best New Bands to see what the final two days of Lollapalooza have in store.
Reviews by Corey Bell, except where noted. Photos by Sarah Hess (SH) for Best New Bands
