It’s finally time for the biggest music festival of the year to play before a Chicago crowd, and with it comes a lot of tough decisions on who to watch across the four days of Lollapalooza.
While I can tell you right now that we will be bouncing around Grant Park to catch as many performances as possible (even cutting sets short for the sake of it), there are some artists that we’re most excited about checking out.
That’s where our latest Dope Dozen list comes into play. Check out our list of the top 12 artists to see at Lollapalooza 2022.
Audrey Nuna
Sunday – Coinbase, 1:45pm-2:30pm
This Jersey artist first caught my attention when she recruited Saba for her 2021 track “Top Again,” and since then I’ve been wanting to experience her mix of R&B and Rap in a live setting. If you’ve also been wanting to scratch that itch for that musical dynamic that made 90s music so fun, let Audrey Nuna take you there on Sunday.
Beach Bunny
Sunday – Coinbase, 5:15pm-6:15pm
Chicago over everything. This local Rock band has been growing their reach thanks to a combination of catchy hooks and fun riffs, both of which make live shows that much more enjoyable. Now add the fact that they’re playing before a hometown crowd, on the final day of the festival, with new album Emotional Creature having dropped just a week prior, and they’re now sub-headliners of the biggest festival in the Midwest, and you’ve got yourself great romanticize your life vibes to enjoy to the tune of Beach Bunny.
Denzel Curry
Sunday – Solana x Perry’s, 8:45pm-9:45pm
Denzel Curry put on a stellar afternoon Lollapalooza set right after he dropped ‘ZUU’ in 2019. Since then, he’s dropped a bunch of stellar music alongside so many notable collaborators. Denzel’s unmatched when it comes to live performances, so an opportunity to see him close out the weekend for a field of Lollapaloozers at Perry’s will be an opportunity you don’t want to miss. He truly always comes with something fresh and with Dojo’s withdrawal from the lineup, I feel as though this is your next best bet. Check out:
“So.Incredible.pkg”
“WISH (feat. Kiddo Marv)
“MAD I GOT IT | MAD 1 G0T 1T”
Djo
Sunday – Bud Light Seltzer, 3:15pm-4:15pm
There are a lot of reasons to see Joe Keery/Djo this Sunday afternoon. Whether you’ve enjoyed his guitar work since he was a part of Post Animal, or you have been getting excited about the latest Djo releases, or maybe even you’re just a fan of Stranger Things and his iconic hair in that series, so whatever it may be that makes you want to see him live… you’re not wrong. I’ve been digging the direction that Keery has taken for forthcoming new album DECIDE so if you’re anything like me you’ll also be excited about getting a chance to see how much more of that project will feature on his setlist.
Dua Lipa
Friday – T-Mobile, 8:45pm
There’s not much left to say about Dua Lipa who is one of the top 2 biggest contemporary Pop stars these days (still bummed about Doja Cat won’t be performing this year). The English artist reached superstar status after 2020’s Future Nostalgia, and the fact that she blew up in that way despite dropping it right as the world went into lockdown shows just how undeniable this project was. The music is on-point, her dance moves have improved, and I can say right now that her Future Nostalgia Tour is on my list of top 5 concerts of the year, so you can expect her Lolla moment is going to be a spectacle you won’t want to miss.
Jazmine Sullivan
Thursday – Bud Light Seltzer, 7pm-8pm
The Philly-born singer had one of the best albums of 2021 with Heaux Tales, the perfect way to come back after a 6-year hiatus that had critics and fans buzzing. Since then, Sullivan has won a pair of GRAMMY awards and sang the National Anthem at Super Bowl LV. Sullivan is now slated to play a sub-headlining set on one of the biggest stages at Lolla, so you know it’s going to be a whole-ass good time listening to a sea of people singing “Pick Up Your Feelings” and “Bust Your Windows” at the top of their lungs.
The Marías
Sunday – Tito’s Handmade Vodka, 4:15pm-5:15pm
This California outfit has now grown into Indie darling status thanks to their brand of soft and glossy instrumentation paired with velvety-smooth vocals and the prominent celebration of lead singer María Zardoya’s Puerto Rican background, which has resulted some mighty-fine Spanish-language songs that anyone can appreciate. After scoring a #1 hit last year with “Hush,” the group surprised fans by being featured on Bad Bunny’s 2022 album, Un Verano Sin Ti, in what I consider to be one of the best songs on the album. There is nothing I’d want more on the final day of the fest as the sun starts creeping down than to vibe out to this group.
Metallica
Thursday – T-Mobile, 8:15pm
The festival has been evolving, so Metallica featuring as one of just two legacy acts stands out when you compare them to the other headliners but it couldn’t be a better time to catch them live than now. With an already-iconic catalog at their disposal, Metallica reached a new generation of fans thanks to the inclusion of their legendary “Master of Puppets” in the latest season of Stranger Things. Much like how Kate Bush got a major boost from appearing on the show, Metallica also benefitted by shooting up to #1 on the iTunes Rock charts. That kind of energy is the stuff you need for a music festival crowd, so when you combine that with love generated from life-long fans being thrown in the mix (they were my third concert ever) and Metallica doing what they do best, and you’ve got yourself a can’t miss set (sorry Lil Baby, you’re still cool tho).
Maxo Kream
Thursday – Discord, 7:45pm-8:30pm
We were blessed to see a Maxo Kream set last year during during Pitchfork ’21. Maxo is a commanding live performer and it will be impossible to look away during his set. Maxo has a wide range of sounds throughout his discography which always makes for an emotional rollercoaster of a live performance. Look out for old bangers off of ‘The Persona Tape’ as well as emotional cuts off of ‘Brandon Bands’ and ‘WEIGHT OF THE WORLD’. If you’re looking to get active on Thursday, get deep in the crowd for Maxo’s set and enjoy yourself. We might even get to enjoy a live performance of the 2010s classic “Fetti.” Check out:
“Grannies”
“Brothers” (feat. KCG Josh)
“Cell Boomin” (feat. Father)
Pi’erre Bourne
The infamous super-producer and talented vocalist Pi’erre Bourne will be blessing Chicago with a 45-minute set on the Discord stage this Thursday. Pi’erre’s last appearance in Chicago was at Lenny’s Tent Stage during SPKRBX and Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash ’21; as he ran through some of his most popular solo tracks such as “Poof”, “4U”, and “Switching Lanes”, Pi’erre offered a set to remember for new and old fans alike. His relaxed performance style perfectly compliments his bouncy production and dreamy vocals. Be sure to hit this set for some low-key moshing paired with addictive music. Check out:
“Marie Curie”
“Poof”
“YNS”
Royal Blood
Friday – Bud Light Seltzer, 4:45pm-5:45pm
This UK duo has always stood out to me for how hard they Rock from a bass and drum alone, so when they went in a more dance-centric direction on 2021’s Typhoons it made me want to see them live again that much more. Songs like “Figure Out” and “Out of the Black” will have you headbanging, and songs like “Trouble’s Coming” and “Typhoons” will get your hips shaking. That’s what Fridays are for!
Wet Leg
Friday – Discord, 2:50pm-3:30pm
After Doja Cat had to drop out, Wet Leg instantly became the act I most wanted to see at Lolla 2022. The duo from Isle of Wight just released their debut this year and they’ve already gotten the attention of Harry Styles and Barack Obama thanks to their crude & witty lyrics delivered on top of a Post-Punk-propelled sound that combines dry and almost dejected vocals with frenetic instrumentation. They’re a band that has so much hype around them that has been proven worthwhile, so this is a perfect opportunity to be part of that and celebrate a band that’s truly living a moment here.
