LIVE REVIEW: INNERVIEW DOES LOLLAPALOOZA, THURSDAY 8/2

Day one of Lollapalooza 2018 boasted a totally stacked lineup and a favorable forecast. With years of no middle ground between scorching hot weather and torrential downpours, the subtle cloud cover was the perfect accessory to get the four-day festival started. Early fest-goers were treated to a full day of amazing performances, with local acts like Teklife’s DJ Taye and Valee getting things hyped before lunchtime. Avant-garde pop vocalist Allie X showed off her impressive range while dressed like a candy wrapper in a gold lamé piece, stunning the crowd while including songs from her upcoming album Super Sunset. Atlanta producer London on the Track lit up Perry’s Stage, blasting hip-hop hits from the likes of Kodak Black, XXXTentacion, and Rae Sremmurd. All Time Low revived our teen scene dreams, connecting with their audience all throughout the set. (I mean, how can you hear “Dear Maria, Count Me In” and not sing along?) Jaden Smith (yes, son and spitting image of Will Smith) filled the grounds surrounding the American Eagle Stage. Armed with next-level dance moves, Smith entertained young listeners and secured his credibility. Just across the way, Billie Eilish was setting up for her much hyped set, which she performed in a blindingly fluorescent getup while including a cover of Drake’s “Hotline Bling”. The stage then cleared for Louis Vuitton creative director and Off-White label creator Virgil Abloh, who performed a DJ set opening with the Chicago Bulls theme song. Grammy-nominated soul crooner Khalid reminded us that he has collaborations and connections, with Normani Kordei (of Fifth Harmony) and Alina Baraz both joining him on stage for a couple of songs. Thursday ended with the anticipated Travis Scott show, scheduled just hours before his album Astroworld dropped. Highlights included lasers, stage dives…and even an on-stage wedding proposal.
–BY DANIELLA THOMPSON–PHOTO BY CAMBRIA HARKEY/LOLLAPALOOZA 2018
Next: Lolla Day Two