What You Missed at Lollapalooza 25 in Chicago

Surviving Lolla Twenty-Five: Another fucking photo essay of a music festival

Before all hell breaks loose in Grant Park – Lollapalooza 2016

Most of the attendees and artists who performed at this year’s 25th Anniversary weren’t alive for the festival’s inception, but that doesn’t mean Perry Farrell’s brainchild didn’t bring four days of music, magic and memories. Shit when I turned 25 all I did was buy a used Audi, get a bunch of tattoos and look for a real girlfriend. Lollapalooza blew my quarter-life crisis out of the water, so much that a photo essay feels appropriate for capturing* an estimated 400,000 music lovers, partiers and the culture that surrounded all of us!

“Stealing our parents’ clothes from the 80’s was was so savage bae!”

Wardrobe choice for Lollapalooza 2016: Basketball jerseys (most of Chicago players), crop tops and shorts that belong in a 2 Live Crew video and dressing like Jon Lajoie in the “Show Me Your Genitals” video.

Danny Brown Lollapalooza 2016

If you know them, see them! When well-known acts come to Lolla, they fucking bring it, or they’re Mac Miller.

VHS Collection Lollapalooza 2016

If you don’t know them, go see them! If they suck after the first 2 songs, which is a Lolla rarity, don’t worry there’s another 100 artists to check out

Chicago Dog from Chubby Wieners

If it’s there, eat it. Some of Chicago’s best eateries show up and offer the best of their menu even your hostel-staying ass can afford.

The real craft is dismissing the fact you just spent $40 on 4 beers!

If you’re gonna booze it up, skip the $9 Bud Light and go for the $10 Craft and Cocktails. Don’t let that hangover make you miss Modern Baseball!

Lollapalooza Map and Cashless Wristband

Keys to Success: App, map and strap. Aside from a Nalgene bottle and a few joints the all encompassing Lollapalooza app will help you plan, the map will get you there and the wristband will get you in and out as well being our wallet. (The wristband connects to your debit card, aka rent is late this month.)

Yellow Claw is still trap AF during Lollapalooza even from 300 feet away!

Audience Tip: Unless you love Big Grams so much you’ll wait and miss multiple acts to be up front or cram in with 30,000 sweaty betties and bros, it’s totally alright to watch from afar. The monstrous screens and sound barrier breaking speakers make it viable to enjoy jams and a little more personal space.

Band tees and sports teams, let everyone know you’re ’bout it ’bout it!

Rep Yo’ Clique: Whether it’s the city you’re from or the band you’re into, let you pride flag fly and you’ll most likely make some friends because of it.

Pierce the Veil? More like Block the View!

Don’t Be That Guy/Gal: Leave the umbrella, hula hoop and your face at home if it’s always going to be in the way of people’s viewing pleasure. “How was Lindsey Stirling?” “She sounded awesome but I couldn’t see shit except for this large man’s parasol!”

Don’t worry they are saying it with an “A” at the end and Ferg gave them permission.

Be Aware: If it’s EDM or Hip-Hop you’ll most likely encounter the current trend of “mosh-pitting” sweeping both genres. The same privileged 19-year old white kids can also be found repeating the N-word during A$AP Ferg.

Day drunk after visiting the Wabash Tap is cheaper than night drunk in Lollapalooza

See Chicago: Lollapalooza only encompasses the majority of Grant Park, needless to say there’s a whole world out there and the Windy City is pretty dope. Enjoy what the locals have to offer and you’ll come back for more!

Best $85 Ever: Leon Bridges, Nathaniel Rateliff and Lollapalooza T-shirts

Buy All the Things: Even if you’re ballin’ on a budget, you might never be back again. Some of my favorite shirts and merch are from festivals and shows.

A guy from Detroit running FROM something? No just overwhelmed with excitement of Day 1 opening of the gates!

One Last Note: Take pictures of everything, have fun, be respectful and make memories! Events like Lollapalooza are all about music, unity and grass roots… Shit those are all 311 albums and they weren’t even there! I’ll end with this, if you haven’t experience Lollapalooza yet, or it’s just been awhile, go fucking go! Til we meet again Lolla, I’ll be in you next summer!

Halsey on the big screen and Cornhole on the big green

Major Lazer’s major lazers!

Best seat in the house!

Potty Mouth proving Lollapalooza was all about the little guys and girl power!

Ghost was scarily good and under-attended!

BFFFFL! Best fucking forest friends for life!