Day 1 of Lollapalooza 2018 came and went like a flash, but it was quite the way to kick things off this year. From the second I walked into Grant Park, I tried to make an effort to pace myself, but it was clear that this wasn’t the time nor occasion for such unproductive thinking. There were shows to be seen and fists that needed to punch the sky.
On the agenda for was Franz Ferdinand, Billie Eilish, CHVRCHES, (some) Camila Cabello, and I ended the night with Arctic Monkeys. Look below for some of the notable take-aways.
Supa Bwe fans were rewarded generously with his performance
Supa made sure that those in attendance would leave the downtown festival with a similar impression that made him aspire to grace this stage. Aside from delivering a vibe that was nothing but lit, the shining moment came when he came down to the floor and performed “I Hate Being Alive” from the middle of the crowd.
Billie is the future
Billie was spectacular. Her onstage energy rivals that of any of her fans’ fervent excitement to seeing her. She had the best use of a backdrop screen, at some points displaying Disney princesses to scenes from New Girl‘s Schmidt doing an Indian dance to looping a clip of a young & beardless Drake miming pulling the trigger as she played a short cover of “Hotline Bling” on ukelele. She may only be 16 years old, but her artistic persona and sound are developed enough to bet on some serious long-term success. Her catalog is already stacked with great songs, and I envision it will only get better from here.
The recent criticism didn’t faze Arctic Monkeys
Alex Turner and the rest of the Arctic Monkeys had a long road to headline the festival, but they sure did demonstrate why they’re one of the biggest bands in the world. To say they’ve got mixed reviews for their 2018 album Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino is putting it lightly, with one of the most exciting bands since hitting the scene that had gone on to be considered one of the last bastions of hope for an entire genre’s presence on a mainstream level, now being labeled boring. Call it stanning or whatever, but what I saw at that Grant Park stage was a band that was very comfortable with their status. They’re growing their catalog, with the more energetic work from their early albums sprinkled-in throughout the setlist and given an evolved rendition live. But they’re still interesting. They’re not a legacy band. Their music is still pulling in crowds, and the reception I saw around me served as a big fuck you to critics as so many sang along to “Four Out of Five,” “The Ultracheese” & “Star Treatment.” I’ll admit, I would’ve loved being swept away by the kind of energy that must’ve been going around on the north end of the fest with Travis Scott making a long-deserved return coinciding with Astroworld having just been released, but this Arctic Monkeys performance was still worth watching all the way through. They are still the band they became with AM, and that’s enough background for you to understand how much this crowd really enjoyed these Monkeys.
Favorite quotes/overheard lines:
- “I sacrificed the Gucci. I sacrificed the Ferragamo’s for y’all” – Supa Bwe
- “Years ago I jumped the fence. I got caught and sent to the office. I escaped. Now we’re here.” – Supa Bwe
- “Can you guys turn the fuck up?” – Billie Eilish
Photo Credit: Oscar Oliva Jr / Pursuit Of Dopeness
