Bruno Mars Assembles One Of The Largest Crowds In Lollapalooza's Chicago History

in brunomars •  6 years ago  (edited)

Following a slow start in terms of attendance Thursday on day one of Lollapalooza 2018 in Chicago’s Grant Park, day two did brisk business early, with a massive crowd gathered on the festival’s south end by 4PM central Friday.
Future, performed for an hour in the sun Friday backed by a DJ.

One of the most interesting and unique stage presentations of the weekend thus far, Tyler’s set featured a two-tiered stage with a video screen both in between the two stage levels and behind the stage as a whole, with the rapper performing from atop a large platform in addition to the stage itself.
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Tyler’s energy on stage rivaled that of the crowd who danced and jumped at his command throughout. The rapper danced spastically, sprinting across the vast stage during performances of tracks like “Deathcamp” and “911/ Mr. Lonely” early in Friday’s set.

“I remember when I wrote this, I thought it was the best song I had,” said Tyler, the Creator from the stage Friday. “In my discography, I think it still holds up,” he continued, introducing the troubled relationship that defines the song, “Ifhy.”
It wasn’t just the festival’s south end that was packed Friday, as hordes of people made their way to the north end for concurrent performances by Greta Van Fleet and Post Malone. The Post Malone crowd was so large that it spilled out of Butler Field on the north side of Grant Park and into Jackson Dr.

Following release of a pair of Greta Van Fleet EPs in 2017, the Michigan quartet became the latest group tasked with the mission of saving rock and roll.

The almost cliché response to any band doing something interesting with a guitar today is indicative of a changing culture that’s driven by rap and hip-hop music and not rock and roll.

Lollapalooza’s bookings this year reflect that with Greta Van Fleet and Jack White acting as the preeminent guitar-based festival bookings.

Despite the fact that Greta Van Fleet have released only thirteen songs (their debut full-length release is scheduled for release this year), they had forty-five minutes to fill Friday night. That didn’t stop an overflow crowd from turning up at the packed American Eagle stage to see what the buzz is all about.

Sprawling out for almost twenty minutes on their first two songs alone, the quartet wore their classic rock influences on their sleeve during opening cuts “Highway Song” and “Edge of Darkness.”

3,506 views |Aug 4, 2018,2:13 pm
Bruno Mars Assembles One Of The Largest Crowds In Lollapalooza's Chicago History
Jim RyanContributor
Hollywood & Entertainment

CHICAGO, IL – AUGUST 03: Tyler, The Creator performs on day two of Lollapalooza at Grant Park on August 3, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Timothy Hiatt/WireImage)

What a difference a day makes.

Following a slow start in terms of attendance Thursday on day one of Lollapalooza 2018 in Chicago’s Grant Park, day two did brisk business early, with a massive crowd gathered on the festival’s south end by 4PM central Friday.

All of that can be credited to headliner Bruno Mars. Lollapalooza is the only American festival date Mars has booked and was easily the weekend’s most anticipated concert performance.

A massive throng gathering at the Grant Park main stage more than four hours before Mars’ 8:30PM slot was treated to a terrific set by Tyler, the Creator.

The California born rapper, and co-founder of alternative hip-hop outfit Odd Future, performed for an hour in the sun Friday backed by a DJ.

One of the most interesting and unique stage presentations of the weekend thus far, Tyler’s set featured a two-tiered stage with a video screen both in between the two stage levels and behind the stage as a whole, with the rapper performing from atop a large platform in addition to the stage itself.

Tyler’s energy on stage rivaled that of the crowd who danced and jumped at his command throughout. The rapper danced spastically, sprinting across the vast stage during performances of tracks like “Deathcamp” and “911/ Mr. Lonely” early in Friday’s set.

“I remember when I wrote this, I thought it was the best song I had,” said Tyler, the Creator from the stage Friday. “In my discography, I think it still holds up,” he continued, introducing the troubled relationship that defines the song, “Ifhy.”

CHICAGO, IL – AUGUST 03: Sam Kiszka (L) and Josh Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet perform during Lollapalooza 2018 at Grant Park on August 3, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)

It wasn’t just the festival’s south end that was packed Friday, as hordes of people made their way to the north end for concurrent performances by Greta Van Fleet and Post Malone. The Post Malone crowd was so large that it spilled out of Butler Field on the north side of Grant Park and into Jackson Dr.

Following release of a pair of Greta Van Fleet EPs in 2017, the Michigan quartet became the latest group tasked with the mission of saving rock and roll.

The almost cliché response to any band doing something interesting with a guitar today is indicative of a changing culture that’s driven by rap and hip-hop music and not rock and roll.

Lollapalooza’s bookings this year reflect that with Greta Van Fleet and Jack White acting as the preeminent guitar-based festival bookings.

Despite the fact that Greta Van Fleet have released only thirteen songs (their debut full-length release is scheduled for release this year), they had forty-five minutes to fill Friday night. That didn’t stop an overflow crowd from turning up at the packed American Eagle stage to see what the buzz is all about.

Sprawling out for almost twenty minutes on their first two songs alone, the quartet wore their classic rock influences on their sleeve during opening cuts “Highway Song” and “Edge of Darkness.”

For the millionth time, yes, their sound does bear a resemblance to the blues-based, guitar-fueled stomp of Led Zeppelin. But it neither starts nor stops there as the group channels a heavier sound that would make Black Sabbath proud, while casually jamming out their arrangements in a manner that might make the Allman Brothers smirk.

The latest Greta Van Fleet single, “When the Curtain Falls,” released in mid-July, is indicative of a growth in the young group’s songwriting and, with even more time to relax and try stuff out, Saturday’s highly anticipated, sold out aftershow at Chicago’s Vic Theatre should be even more interesting.
Large crowds moved south, seemingly en masse, following sets by Post Malone and Texas pop-rap collective Brockhampton for not just the biggest performance of the weekend, but in recent Lollapalooza history: Bruno Mars.
A giant crowd on the festival’s south end turned out for Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2016. That crowd was topped during a Lollapalooza Chicago homecoming set by Chance the Rapper last summer. But both of those gatherings were easily eclipsed by the one assembled Friday night for Bruno Mars.

Mars is the rare pop star whose appeal spans generations, conjuring up images of Prince for fans on the older end alongside an unquestionable charisma that’s ageless.

“Is Chi-Town in da house?” asked the star rhetorically following “24K Magic” second in his set. Fireworks soared above the stage, interacting with the Chicago skyline to provide a virtually unparalleled urban festival backdrop.

Mars, who barred photographers from his set, continued to roll out the hits, following quickly with “Treasure.”

“Chi-Town, I wanna see y’all movin’!” he declared, working the immense crowd into a frenzy with “Perm.”

Performing opposite Bruno Mars is not an enviable festival timeslot. But Cincinnati indie-rockers The National more than rose to the occasion.

Since forming in 1999, and opening for artists like R.E.M. and Arcade Fire, The National have quietly become one of the best, most dependable American live acts.
The group’s seventh studio album, Sleep Well Beast, released this past September, isn’t just one of the band’s best, it’s one of that year’s best.

As officially sanctioned Lollapalooza aftershows continue to become a bigger deal with each passing festival year, Chicago’s Metro acts as ground zero for the biggest acts in the smallest room.

Since 1982, the 1,100 capacity club has achieved legendary status amongst musicians and fans thanks to performances by artists ranging anywhere from Nirvana and Bob Dylan to James Brown or the Ramones.

No strangers to the Metro stage, The National turned in a nearly two hour performance Thursday night, treating fans to different setlists both at Metro and at Lollapalooza during a ninety minute headlining set Friday.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimryan1/2018/08/04/bruno-mars-assembles-one-of-the-largest-crowds-in-lollapaloozas-chicago-history/#440fa74b2a7c

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