Lollapalooza's third day on Saturday started off with morning showers, and it never really fully loosened its grip on Grant Park until early evening, with sprinkles every so often, which ultimately affected how much of the day would go, regardless of the schedule set by the festival.
Despite the lagging start and the brutal downpours at times, The Linda Lindas set the bar high on the Tito's Handmade Vodka stage, refusing to let the weather dampen their spirits or keep the band from giving their fans the show they clearly came ready for, as evidenced by their dedication and enthusiasm no matter the forecast.
And the forecast did not keep The Knocks from starting a full-blown dance party over on the Coinbase stage, even as they acknowledged some of their usual crowd participation would have to be stinted because of the muddy grounds. They also thanked the crowd for being there, noting they have attended Lolla in the past numerous times but this was their first time performing.
The magic continued over at the Barcardí stage, where singer-actress Suki Waterhouse's performance served as a sort of refuge from the rain as an incredible audience surrounded the stage, many under the shade of the trees during her set, which included a penultimate cover quickly recognized by many fans as none other than Taylor Swift's "Lover," offering a stripped down, angelic rendition of the title track off Swift's 2019 album. It was truly a beautiful moment.
As the rain began to wind down and then sun showed, it was perfect timing for Sylvan Esso to take the Bud Light stage, much to the delight of the crowd, many of whom seemed to know plenty of the lyrics from the North Carolina duo made up of singer Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn. The pair's perfectly symbiotic delivery made for such a wonderful experience, as Meath also served as such a great anchor and even concierge at times, showing concern for the crowd, asking if everyone was taking care of their neighbors and staying hydrated.
The day's dance party further continued on the south side of the park over at the T-Mobile stage, where The Revivalists were injecting a much-needed boost to the late afternoon, with the New Orleans outfit, led by David Shaw, had the crowd increasingly revved up leading to the big closer, their 2016 hit "Wish I Knew You," albeit it an extended version of the track which included the band's signature jam-like instrumentation at the end, bringing their set to a glorious proper finish.
Another such bright-red highlight of what began as a gloomy day was easily Maggie Rogers, whose early evening set at the Bud Light stage was simply celestial, with the singer sporting a velvety red halter dress while she literally glowed under the sun. While Rogers is arguably still early into her career since her 2016 launch, there was such a maturity to her performance and richness in her vocals, and it was a great to see and hear her lean into her artistry with such confidence.
The positive vibes continued throughout the evening, with Ari Abdul delivering a glistening set at the BMI stage, while rapper J.I.D hyped up the T-Mobile stage, giving such a warm energy as he sported a black T-shirt paying homage to the late Mac Miller.
Then it was over to the Bacardí stage again for the mesmerizing sounds of Alex G, giving a terrific alt-rock performance which seemed to very much nod to the festival's early days. But it was also a pleasant way to begin winding down such an unpredictable day of festivities.
Closing out the night, Lolla treated attendees to a very broad scope of genres, with Pusha T top-lining Perry's stage, welcomed by an eager crowd, while Korean outfit Tomorrow X Together headlined the Bud Light stage, just a year after playing the festival, proving the strength of K-pop and the bad's own notoriety, marking Lolla's evolution and a career benchmark for a group whose star continues to only rise further.
Finally, ODESZA was on hand to end the T-Mobile stage on a high note, blending new music and older hits, while continuing the dance vibes of the day, perhaps coincidentally as the rain began defiantly creeping back into the atmosphere, proving just how important it was to have such good energy throughout the day on Saturday, not just powering through the rain but dancing through it—even until The Last Goodbye.
See photos from Day 3 of Lolla below, or see Day 1 and Day 2.
