PHOTOS: BRIGID GALLAGHER | After two solid days of music and festivities, the 3-day pass holders tiredly woke themselves up Sunday morning from their deep slumber, while others excitedly looked forward to their first day of the fest. The final day of Lollapalooza started off somewhat ominously, as both fans and performers were evacuated around 2:30 due to the oncoming storm. Luckily the delay only lasted 45 minutes, and instead of cancelling or shortening any sets they appropriately just shifted the entire schedule back.
The first band up after the delay was Moon Taxi (who might have been completely cancelled if not for the schedule shift) and they did a perfect job of getting people right back into the festival spirit. With the sun shining again, they got everybody smiling and moving around with their upbeat melodies and rocking rhythms. Almost every song played had a vocal hook that could get stuck in your head for days, and the instrumentation was raw and powerful.
They also allowed for moments of improvisation (an unfortunately rare occurrence at Lollapalooza) as they jammed various songs up to massive climaxes. Many of these jams were highlighted by the shredding lead guitar work of Spencer Thomson, but also by lead singer Trevor Terndrup, who ripped a couple of fiery solos himself. They even brought up Walk the Moon’s lead singer Nick Petricca for a fun cover of Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” This is a band that has found their niche in the festival circuit, so be sure not to miss them when they come through your area.
The crowds excitedly flocked over to the Bug Light Stage for the daytime Odesza set which didn’t disappoint. The duo threw down a synth dance party which never let up over their hour set. The audience latched right onto the vibe of the show and was constantly moving and waving their arms in the air. The sound emanating from the group was crisp and groovy, and there was good flow throughout the show. They also brought out the Chicago Bulls drum line at different points in the set, utilized their own horn section, and had partial drum kits for each of member to play at different points. While most everybody in attendance might have preferred to see them at nighttime, the daytime set landed well and everyone had a great time under the hot Summer sun.
From there I headed across the field to see the gypsy punk gods Gogol Bordello. As you could guess if you’ve seen them before, this show was blistering with energy as the members ran around the stage and jumped back and forth into the crowd. Each of their songs had a galloping momentum to them, as if nothing could slow them down or get in their way. Songs such as “My Companjera” and their anthem “Start Wearing Purple” sent everyone in the crowd into a frenzy as they pumped their fists and flailed their arms and legs with excitement. Overall the group put on a thrilling show which was a definite high point of the day.
TV on the Radio kicked things off around dusk, and their set had a little bit of everything. Their lo-fi guitars created a raw sound, their musicianship was tight, and Tunde Adebimpe’s strong lead vocals and captivating stage presence tied the whole group together. While the sound was a bit too quiet and the audience seemed unfortunately emotionless at times, the band built the energy through the set and with hit songs like “Wolf Like Me” and “Golden Age,” they were able to reel the crowd into excitement.
To close out the festival, dedicated “Bassheads” and curious music fans alike collected on the north field for Bassnectar to throw one last party for the festival. You could just feel the energy from his loving fanbase, many of whom likely came to the fest just to see him. Bassnectar, or Lorin Ashton, did a superb job of constructing a balanced performance, rather than just playing a repetitive cycle of buildups and drops. He built in sophisticated breaks between raging peaks, made no two drops the same, and kept the crowd engaged throughout.
His light show was visually stunning, and his sound system shook the air for miles. Fans followed along with the music step by step and could be heard singing along with most all his tracks. Unfortunately due to the nearby lightning storm he had to cut his set short, but not before pleasing the crowd with a couple more heavy hitters (while also showing his metalhead roots with samples from Slayer and Pantera which rocked the audience). It was a strong way to end the 3 days fest, and the crowd walked home satisfied with the great weekend of music.
