Inside Lollapalooza Day 3 & 4: Mud, Mosh Pits & Music
After heavy rain and flooding swept through Chicago on Friday and Saturday morning, Grant Park was left covered in mud and puddles. Forcing Lollapalooza to delay opening the gates for Day 3. As fans waited in ponchos there was uncertainty about what the weather would bring. But nothing could kill the excitement of finally hearing your favorite band live. Once the gates opened fans embraced the conditions and turned the mud into part of the experience. What started as a gloomy day became a weekend of muddy moshing and performances from some of indie and rock's most exciting artists.
The weather definitely changed the festival uniform. Rhinestone tops and crochet ponchos were traded for rain ponchos and hunter boots. Some attendees resorted to wrapping their shoes in plastic bags just to make it through the mud while others ditched their shoes completely.
After the delayed start, the first set I caught on Saturday was from Die Spitz and they absolutely rocked. The all-girl rock band from Austin, Texas came out with great energy and didn't let up once. They played fan favorites like "I Hate When GIRLS Die," "American Porn," and "Hair of Dog". The crowd matched their high energy with crowd surfers moving above the muddy floor beneath.
One of my favorite moments of the set was when the crowd started a “girl pit”. Being part of it was a reminder of how important it is for women to take up space in a scene that's often seen as intimidating. Everyone was covered in mud, but that only made the sense of community feel stronger. It was one of those moments that reminded you the pit really is for everyone.
Moving across the park from one muddy mosh pit to another, it was time for one of New York City's most talked-about bands, Geese. Opening with "2122," Geese kicked the set off on a high note. They pulled heavily from 3D Country, playing fan favorites like "Gravity Blues," "Cowboy Nudes," and "I See Myself" while still making room for classics from their latest release Getting Killed.
Frontman Cameron Winter introduced "Trinidad" by telling the crowd, "this one is up for interpretation." The second that first beat hit everyone knew what was coming. As the chorus came the crowd screamed back the iconic line "There's a bomb in my car" and the pit instantly exploded.
The set took a more peaceful turn when rain started falling right as "Cobra" began. Standing in the crowd shouting "You should be ashamed. You should be shames only daughter" while the stage lights cut through the rain felt unreal. It was almost therapeutic like everything around you slowed down for a second.
Closing out Saturday was Grammy-winning Best New Artist Olivia Dean, who delivered an incredible performance filled with soul and passion. Opening with “Nice to Each Other” and “Lady Lady,” Dean immediately gave the crowd a reason to dance and celebrate love. She later invited Sam Fender to join her for a duet of “Rein Me In” a bittersweet song about wanting to hold onto someone while being afraid of letting them get too close.
Just as her latest record The Art of Loving explores the many sides of love, her live show captured every emotion that comes with it. A performance that moved between moments of joy, heartbreak, grief, and hope was the perfect way to close out Day 3.
The final day of Lollapalooza began on a slightly less rainy note, but the mud was still everywhere. The band After brought a dreamy start to Sunday that felt straight out of a 2000s rom-com. With their Y2K-inspired synth-pop sound the whole performance felt like something out of a coming-of-age movie.
Playing fan favorites like “300 Dreams” and “Outbound,” it was impossible to stay still. It was the perfect little groove to start the day and ease into the final Sunday of the festival.
Following After's dreamy set, Water From Your Eyes brought a different energy to the stage. The Chicago-based band delivered a memorable hometown performance. The moment was even more special after sharing that they once attended Lollapalooza as younger fans themselves. Now returning to the festival stage as performers, the band reflected on how surreal it was to be there. You could tell how thankful they were for the opportunity to make music alongside their best friends.
That feeling of connection carried into the next performance. Before Turnstile took the stage excitement was building throughout the crowd. Conversations around the audience centered on one thing: how unforgettable the set was going to be. Fans showed up in Turnstile merch and handmade signs filled the crowd.
What made Turnstile’s set feel so special was how much it belonged to the people in the crowd. A cameraman in the pit captured all the chaos. The footage was displayed on the festival screens so everyone could feel like they were part of the show. Among the crowd were young fans on parents shoulders holding up the rock and roll hand sign. The entire experience proved that Turnstile’s music reaches far beyond any one scene or generation.
The iconic beat drop in “Birds” is one I have heard many times before, but experiencing it live was nothing short of spectacular. Feeling the entire crowd move together turned a familiar sound into something completely unforgettable. The gigantic mosh pitt was messy and loud but somehow one of the most welcoming moments of the day.
As the final song approached frontman Brendan Yates told the crowd to give everything they had left. “Pick up your friends, hold them up, bring the energy for one more song,” he shouted. And everyone did exactly that. The crowd was jumping, water was flying through the air, and everyone was covered in some combination of mud and sweat. Crowdsurfers moved overhead as strangers pulled each other up.
Headlining the final day of Lollapalooza were The Chainsmokers and The X. This created a classic festival dilemma where you wish you could split yourself in half just to catch both sets.
With both performers leaning into their throwback hits the night had a very 2016 Tumblr kind of vibe. From The X’s “Intro” to Chainsmokers’ “Roses,” the set felt like stepping back into an era of Tumblr edits, black chokers, and songs playing through wired headphones. Sunday night in Grant Park became a celebration of the internet nostalgia that shaped an entire generation.
As the stages come down and Grant Park returns to normal the memories of Lollapalooza stick around long after the final set. Despite the delayed start and muddy conditions the festival pulled through and delivered an unforgettable final two days. A ruined pair of shoes felt like a fair trade for a weekend filled with great music, unforgettable performances, and a real sense of community.
Now the countdown to next year begins.
See you next year, Grant Park.
