Festival

PHOTOS: Lollapalooza Day Two – Chicago, IL – 07-29-2022

Photos and Words By Callie Craig

As I approach the festival gates on Friday, I could already hear the echoes of hometown hero JORDY blasting through the speakers. I couldn’t help but add some speed to my step to catch what was sure to be a serotonin-filled set. And I was not disappointed. The Chicago-born, LA resident brought energy, excitement, and a cotton candy swirl of hyperpop to the T-Mobile stage. I was truly taken aback by the masterful craftsmanship of the upbeat melodies and simple, yet impactful lyricism from JORDY. I continued my morning with a set from New York-based Del Water Gap, and who I’ve been dying to see since I first heard High Toos in 2018. And once again, I was not disappointed. I somehow left day one thinking “it can’t get better than this“ and by the end of that set on day two, I knew I was wrong.

In the early afternoon I headed into the woods to find the discord stage where British indie duo Wet Leg played their first Chicago festival. And fans came out in droves to witness these two shred the stage. A few hours later I found myself back at the same stage snagging a spot to catch MUNA play their first Lollapalooza. After recently being signed by Saddest Factory Records, the label founded and owned by recording artist Phoebe Bridgers, MUNA have skyrocketed to the top of the pop charts, with hits like Silk Chiffon and What I Want.

The evening was filled with bits of sets as I couldn’t decide on one that I needed to stick to. And classics Lollapalooza fashion, I found myself running from stage to stage to catch a few songs of a handful of artists that I just couldn’t miss. From King Princess to Hinds to Glass Animals, I couldn’t justify having a single minute of downtime. Around 7:30, I staked out of spot near T-Mobile stage to claim my territory for the highly-anticipated performance from Dua Lipa. I’ve seen Dua Lipa a handful of times over the years and have been astonished by the way she’s risen to the top of the charts. After headlining the Lakeshore stage in 2019, it’s no surprise that Dua Lipa has found herself back at this festival for athird time. While the energy, dancing, and loud sing-along of the set was reminiscent of Dua Lipa shows past, there was something different about this show. It’s clear that the Albanian singer has been putting in an incredible amount of work into herself, her voice, her dance moves, and her production. After she shut down the T-Mobile stage with hits like physical, hallucinating, and the show staffing levitating, Lollapalooza was officially halfway done.