Lollapalooza 2016

This year was my first time going to Lollapalooza since 2011 and I'm so excited to be able to blog about it! I had a good run until I got rained out while watching the Foo Fighters (with water up to my ankles and a crazy lightning storm happening around me), so that was when I decided to take a break for a few years. When I saw that Disclosure and a few other bands that I like were on the lineup this year, I figured I'd give it another try. The first artist I saw was Leon Bridges (he is relatively new and is known for the song "Smooth Sailing") and I had heard great reviews of his live shows. Let me tell you, he did not disappoint. If you love groovy soul music, then you will love Leon Bridges. He also had a very cool outfit on, which in my opinion, always adds a little something to a live performance! 

After completely devouring a slice of pizza and more than one baked good from Momofuku Milk Bar (I FINALLY got to try the desserts I have been seeing for years on my Instagram feed!), I continued to walk around Grant Park and figure out what band I wanted to see next. I chose Two Door Cinema Club, which was a very difficult choice because of how the stages were spaced out and the timing of the bands. I really wanted to see Jane's Addiction again but I was more concerned about not seeing Disclosure later. The main difference between this year and the previous years I had attended Lolla is the INSANE amount of tweens/teenagers! When Two Door Cinema Club started playing their 2011 hit "What You Know", these kids came out of all angles running to the stage, as if the song came out yesterday! It's actually pretty cool that all these kids are going to Lolla now, I would have loved to see people my own age when I started going. Anyways, Two Door Cinema Club was also really good and I discovered that I like a lot of their music.

 By the time their set ended, it was time to start getting ready for Disclosure. Luckily, they were both on the same stage so I didn't even have to move this time AND not one tall person got in my way! That was a huge win for me considering literally every concert I have ever gone to, the tallest/widest human being in the entire world stands right in front of me. I also had my incredible new 21st century Nikon camera to zoom in really close with! Disclosure came on right at 8:30 (another win) and they played until 10. Their show was the best I've seen in awhile and they were even better than when I saw them in 2014 at the Aragon, if that is possible. It blows my mind that 2 English brothers that are so young can come up with such incredibly genius songs themselves! I will always be in awe of them and look forward to their next Chicago show. I was also secretly hoping that Sam Smith would make a surprise cameo like he did at Coachella but no such luck this time. Regardless, the set was fantastic and the crowd was so energetic. They played most of the songs off their first album, Settle, as well as their newest album, Caracal. Nothing honestly beats being able to see one of your favorite bands playing outside on a beautiful summer night, it was truly magical. I'm so glad that I gave Lolla another chance this year, the weather was perfect and I got the closest I had ever gotten to the headlining act. I can't wait to see what bands are on next year's lineup - maybe there will be a Lollapalooza 2017 post!

Leon Bridges

Two Door Cinema Club

Disclosure

                The famous Crack Pie, Confetti cookie + chocolate chip-cornflake-marshmallow                                    cookie! (If anyone goes to NYC, you MUST make a trip to Milk Bar)

Crack Pie 

Aaaand here's me! 

If anyone has an Lolla stories they'd like to share, feel free to leave me a comment and stay tuned for my next post on one of my favorite bands Wild Belle!

-Ava