Lollapalooza 2016: 25th Anniversary and 25 Acts You Can't Miss This Year (Continued)

Saturday July 30th
- Potty Mouth- 2:10pm, BMI- Props to Lollapalooza for filling the all-girl punk band slot with Potty Mouth. This indie/punk trio stands out among their fellow punk peers because the group is comprised entirely of females, something that is lacking in today's punk scene. Their debut album Hell Bent features songs with common punk-rock themes such as confusion and anger with relationships, the environments, and themselves. Their tracks are nostalgic yet unique, with a vibe consisting of angst, excitement, and the desire to rock out, which sounds pretty summer music festival-esque if you ask me.
- Leon Bridges- 4:45pm, Bud Light- If you were to walk into a room with Leon Bridges music playing and you'd never heard of him before, you'd think you stepped back in time to 1965. Sounding on par with many of the r&b greats such as Otis Redding, Wilson Picket, and Sam Cooke, Bridge's retro sound renders him as one of the freshest artists preforming today. Check out his album Coming Home, a polished, soulful debut that showcases Bridge's unique style. Be sure to kick back, relax, and enjoy the throwback sound during his late afternoon slot.
- Jane's Addiction- 6:15pm, Samsung Stage – Thank Jane's Addiction for creating the first Lollapalooza, as lead singer Perry Farrell planned it as a farewell tour for the band in 1991. Coming back to rock, one of the biggest alternative acts from the late 80s/early 90s is a great one to watch. I had the chance to see them last year, and they rocked it with all of the hits from Nothing's Shocking and Ritual de lo habitual. I would not be surprised to see Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers come on to perform a song, as RHCP is performing right after them, and Flea was once a member of the band. That, or you'll see Farrell throw himself into the RHCP set.
- Grimes- 7:30pm, Lakeshore- I was thrilled when I found out Grimes was on this year's lineup, especially since I fell in love with her music last year after the release of her critically acclaimed album Art Angels.Art Angles provided further proof that Grimes is a pop artist that isn't. Her music is a mix of house beats, electronic melodies, all with typical pop song themes of love and finding yourself. Grimes has always been a unique artist, blurring and redefining the boundaries of genre, which is why she doesn't appeal to everyone. Her music is not top 40 pop, which is why I enjoy her music so much since it's so different than what you're hearing on the radio.
- Disclosure- 8:30pm, Bud Light- Of all the electronic artists in the lineup, Disclosure is the one you must not miss. The English brothers have created a name for themselves within the past few years through their collaborations with some of pops biggest names, (Lorde, Sam Smith) as well as solid tracks featuring their own uniquely smooth sound. Mixing dance and pop, their futuristic sound helps them stand out in the otherwise saturated EDM field. With the lack of obnoxious drops and more of a focus on overall production and vocals, Disclosure's music can appeal to those who aren't the biggest fans of dance or pop music. Give their 2013 album Settle a listen, focusing on key tracks such as ‘When A Fire Starts to Burn,' ‘Grab Her!' and ‘White Noise' feat. AlunaGeorge.
- Vic Mensa- 9:00pm, Pepsi Stage- You have probably heard Vic Mensa more than once – he's collaborated with Chance the Rapper, and was the rapper for the blues-rap group Kids These Days. Hailing from Chicago, Vic emphasizes a lot on growing up and his hometown life, as he wrote one of my favorite lines – “I'm something myself, so these hoes say I'm selfish, On that rookie bull like when Derrick Rose played the Celtics.” Vic came out with an EP called There's A lot Going On this past June, featuring Ty Dolla $ign. Lollapalooza is the perfect place for Vic to play, as he has performed with Kids These Days there as well. He even recalls one time trying to break into Lolla by climbing down the train structure over the bridge, but instead electrocutes himself and falls 30 feet. How he did not break his neck, I don't know.
Sunday July 31st
- D.R.A.M.- 1:50pm, Pepsi- D.R.A.M. is tagged as a rapper, singer, and producer—and he lives up to each title extremely well. The first track I heard of D.R.A.M. was ‘Cha Cha' the Jamaican dancehall summer jam, which Drake was accused of copying for his hit ‘Hotline Bling.' If you listen to his 2015 album Gahdamn! he works through several different genres, my favorite being his soulful r&b tunes. Whether its jazzy, trumpet heavy tunes (‘$'feat. Donnie Trumpet) or slowed down, bizzaro odes to beautiful girls on drugs (Wit the Shits), D.R.A.M. is one of the more unique artists to check out this weekend.
- FIDLAR- 2:45pm, Bud Light- Skate punk!! If you have ever wondered what FIDLAR meant, it is actually an acronym for “Fuck It Dog, Life's a Risk” because, well, why not? Guitarist Elvis Kuehn and drummer Max Kuehn are the sons of Greg Kuehn, the keyboardist for punk rock band T.S.O.L. Punk is simply in their blood. They only have two studio albums, a self-titled and Too, but they could be one of the biggest parties on the weekend. If you are looking to mosh, this is the show to see.
- “Special Guest”- 4:45pm, Kidzapalooza Stage – OK, hear me out. Kidzapalooza is a small stage at Lolla for kids to hang around and play. It is actually a great place – fun activities are all around for both the kids and the parents. There's even a Hip-Hop Workshop. My friends and I once went to see “Mister Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips” mostly because his name is hilarious. But at the end of his set, Mister Cookie Jar yelled “Thank you guys… go see Metallica!!” – the point is, some weird stuff happens. Every once in a while, some famous artist will come to the Kidzapalooza stage and play a 15-minute set of random kid songs. Perry Farrell, Slash, Band of Horses, and Eddie Vedder have all made guest appearances. You think I'm crazy saying this, but you will not regret going. Plus, it is only 15 minutes long.
- Flume- 6:25pm, Samsung- I'll admit, I'm not the biggest fan of EDM. Having seen the positive reviews of Flume's newest album, Skins in addition to several of my friends raving about him, I decided to give this EDM star a listen. Let me tell you, Flume is quite talented, and his album with all of its strong guest features and stadium filling beats was surprisingly refreshing. Flume has been around for a few years, and he stands out among the crowd by creating otherworldly music that has the ability to be both relaxing and energetic at the same time. His performance will not be lacking in sound and in-your-chest beats, and he may even bring out one of his guests off the album, many of whom are performing throughout the weekend.
- HAIM- 6:45pm, Bud Light- HAIM is no doubt one of the worthiest rock bands of our time. The sister act from California released their debut album Days Are Gone in 2013 and have been touring ever since. Their songs possess a retro sound that has cross generational influences such as 70's era rock (‘The Wire') and 80's synth pop (‘Forever') which give the band a truly distinct sound. Following in the footsteps of female rock icons Pat Benetar and Siouxsie and the Banshees, HAIM have risen to fame with catchy hooks and a prime mix of instrumentals. Having been on the festival circuit the past few years, HAIM knows what it takes to get the crowd rocking out, and Lollapalooza won't be an exception.
- Vince Staples- 7:45pm, Pepsi- Having been in the background of hip hop for a while now—with guest features on Odd Future tracks and a few solid mixtape releases—Vince Staples time has finally come. The 23-year-old MC doesn't work to create music with meaning, forgoing radio hits and gangsta rap lifestyles brags for songs focusing on racial profiling, the destruction of communities, and police violence towards minorities. These dark subjects are rapped over even darker beats to create an introspective journey through Staples' mind and past. Get a feel for Staples music by taking a listen to his 2015 album, Summertime '06 and don't miss his show this Sunday evening.
- LCD Soundsystem- 8:25pm, Samsung- Quite possibly one of the bands I'm most excited to see, LCD Soundsystem is one of those bands whose music is almost impossible NOT to like. Mixing electronica, indie dance, and rock, their music is so fun and catchy and danceable, that placing them as the closing headliner of the four-day festival will be the perfect way to cap off an amazing weekend. Having split back in 2008, just last year they announced their reunion as well as plans to tour the festival circuit this year, so this performance is going to be truly meaningful for hardcore and casual fans alike. LCD's songs have always been a bit longer, so I'm excited to see which ones they end up performing in their hour and 30-minute slot. I can already picture the crowd erupting with cheers once we hear the opening piano melody of ‘All My Friends,' one of the bands biggest hits.
Authors: Petar Djordjevic, Evan Boyd, and Nick Nager