LIVE REVIEW: INNERVIEW DOES LOLLAPALOOZA, THURSDAY 7/28

A light but steady rain got Lollapalooza 2016 off to a damp and slightly delayed start, with gates opening about 40 minutes late and an eager crowd rushing in to see acts like Tennyson perform an affable set of gentle electronic pop that got the fest off in an ambient mood. Frances bore her soul on the piano while Lucy Dacus’ self-deprecating numbers kept the crowd guessing and thoroughly entertained. Kehlani’s act was high-energy if redundant, not that the swarms of kids head-bobbing along while snapping selfies seemed to care all that much, with Melanie Martinez offering up a similarly forgettable pop-laden performance. Things got back on track with the freak psych vibes of Yeasayer and musings of singer Chris Keating, who declared his love of Michelle Obama in between mystical songs from outer space and quips on the presidential election. Wild Child’s set was most noteworthy for the time frontwoman Kelsey Wilson threw her panties into the crowd while Daughter’s performance was an early festival highlight punctuated by soul-wrenching songs enmeshed in a quiet, haunting beauty that clearly made an impact on those in attendance. Kurt Vile did not disappoint with a stoned-out set that fans could appreciate through the haze of smoke, paving the way for a flawless set by G-Eazy most notable for the irresistible song “Fuck Donald Trump.” A Bulls jersey-clad J. Cole drew a huge crowd with backup singers and a live drummer for a set that started out strong but tended to fizzle at the end, while Lana Del Rey proved she belonged on a headlining stage with a quintessentially disturbing but romantic set that had all eyes captivated on the white baby doll-dressed crooner. BY JOHN KURNAT–PHOTO BY SARAH HESS
Next: Lollapalooza Friday 7/29