Twenty year’s ago, Perry Farrell never expected Lollapalooza to get this big.
“Now we’ve got 90,000 freaks each day”, says the Lolla founder and head figure.
The festivities in Chicago’s Grant Park started out muggy. Around noon the gates opened and a steady stream of people flooded to the most influential music festival since Woodstock, with its celebrity hosts, famous cakes, well-known curators and the biggest bands around.
Yeah, this is what it’s all about. And today was all about “Perry’s.” Named after the festival founder, this dance stage has graduated on to being the biggest on in the festival.
Skrillex, The Bloody Beetroots, and Girl Talk all graced this stage Friday night for a marathon of fist-throwing beats and bangers. About 15,000 people now fit in this Coachella-esque tent, as compared to the tree-lined miniature valley they carved out years prior.
It was U.K. band White Lies’ third year there. “I love Lollapalooza, it seems like it’s the one American festival that’s really established itself,” says Jack Lawrence-Brown, drummer from White Lies.
The 20th anniversary Lollapalooza cake was crated by Ace Of Cakes star Duff Goldman and was unveiled at a press-conference early in the day.
Who needs cake though when you’ve got prestigious beats pounding into your head? Besides Perry’s, the main stages housed Muse, Crystal Castles and A Perfect Circle.
Muse is just one of those bands you need to see. I’m not a huge fan myself but their live show is indisputable. Fireworks blasting off in the near proximity didn’t hurt either, especially during anthems like “Super Massive Black Hole.”
And how does this year differ from others? “It’s pretty fucking hot this year, I’m feeling a bit warm.” Says Lawrence-Brown “Tour is all about having something nice to eat and having a nice drink afterwards, and it seems that’s what Chicago is about.”
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