Lollapalooza may have gotten it’s start in Chicago, but it is a multi-city international festival. In fact, the lineup this year's Chicago edition of Lolla featured almost half of the performers from other countries throughout the globe. Each international artists added its own flair to the four-day fest.
Columbian act Bomba Estereo gave this sentiment of cultural acceptance and inclusivity with their festival set. The only French artist on this year’s bill, Petit Biscuit, brought the literal fire to Lollapalooza with his pyro and interactive electronic set. Even though Irish artist Dermot Kennedy played earlier in the day, his crowd showed up to be serenaded.
Impressively, Liverpool’s The Wombats managed to fit in thirteen of their hits in their set, kicking things off with their showstopper “Cheetah Tongue.” There was even a costumed wombat roaming the grounds of the festival to promote their set, in the extreme heat no less. The wombat even started a larger-than-life conga train.
Swedish acts Lykke Li and Galantis both made their Lollapalooza performances to remember. Lykke Li came out with more laid-back vibes performing songs from her latest LP “So Sad, So Sexy.” Galantis brought out MAX to perform their latest smash hit “Satisfied.” Their set was filled with jumping and all the pyro you could tolerate on a hot summer day.
Amy Shark released her album Love Monster last month to critical acclaim. She hit the stage to a more than enthusiastic crowd. After her set she took to Twitter to express how her performance affected her, and that she was brought to tears of happiness. Other Australian performers included Tash Sultana, What So Not, Gang Of Youths, Alex Lahey, Vera Blue, and Chase Atlantic.
Canadians took over Lollapalooza 2018 including GRAMMY nominee Carly Rae Jepsen. Some of her fans had been waiting at the front-row stage barricade since doors opened just to get a glimpse of the Mission native. Reminiscent of her after-party appearance, Jepsen donned disco ball earnings and made her must-catch set a treat for fans.
One of the leading ladies of electronic music today, REZZ, brought her A-game to the festival. Surprisingly one of two female DJs to perform this year, the Canadian took the crowd by storm with her signature glowing eyes. Another Canadian, Daniel Caesar, was the hidden gem of Lollapalooza with a voice so soulful and pitch perfect it could serenade anyone. Other Canadians included headliner The Weeknd, Chromeo, and Excision.
German GRAMMY-winning producer Zedd performed to a massive crowd with fans spilling over on the sidewalks and standing on top of porta potties to catch a glimpse of the acclaimed DJ. His production value was top notch, it seemed like the audience traveled to another planet with the stunning visuals and out of this world beats. Having Zedd close out Perry’s Stage Saturday night was a great choice, ending the day with confetti and upbeat tracks.
U.K. natives and GRAMMY-nominated Arctic Monkeys performed an impressive twenty-one songs during their set. The Thursday night crowd was one of the biggest of the weekend, spanning blocks through Grant Park. Another U.K. GRAMMY nominee James Bay’s performance had a great combination of his previous album along with current album, Electric Light. He closed off the set with “Hold Back The River” to which the crowd jumped in unison.
An opener at last year's festival, Dua Lipa was the third highest female on the bill this year. The British singer/songwriter drew a crowd that knew every word to her songs up front and stretched to a seemingly endless length in the back as she performed songs from her self-titled debut album.
Newcomers Pale Waves stunned an impressively large crowd with their indie-pop tunes. This marked the first U.S. festival performance for the British band. Chvrches was also a highlight for many festival attendees, even surprising the crowd by bringing up Matt Berninger from The National to sing “My Enemy.” Other U.K. performers included Chris Lake, Rusko, Catfish and the Bottlemen, and Lewis Capaldi.
Whichever corner of the world the artists were from, each brought a unique flavor and style to the festival. With acts from over thirteen countries the multi-genre and international festival was a sight to see.
