Lolla returns to roots with lineup full of hidden gems

By Rosie Finnegan, Opinion Editor

Machine Gun Kelly, Dua Lipa, and Green Day are artists you wouldn’t expect to see at a festival clashed together, let alone at Lollapalooza, one of the most populated festivals in Chicago.

Each year, the Lollapalooza lineup engenders a wide variety of reactions from festival goers. However, this year the response seems to be largely negative. 

In past years, headliners have been popular hip-hop artists and pop singers, but with the 2022 lineup featuring Metallica and Green Day as headliners, it seems like the festival is moving back towards its roots.

Something that should really catch any music lover’s attention is the fact that Jane’s Addiction is the special guest. Lollapalooza was actually created by the band’s lead singer, Perry Farrel, as a farewell tour for Jane’s Addiction in 1991. Even if the group is not your personal favorite, it will definitely be interesting to see the band perform 31 years later at a festival that was once dedicated to them.

Going past the headliners, the festival offers a pretty large array of genres to choose from. Some artists that have performed at Lolla previously and are worth checking out are Glass Animals, King Princess, Wallows and Royal Blood. You also may be interested in seeing Big Sean, Charli XCX and Dominic Fike, who recently starred in Euphoria. 

If you are a fan of TikTok, then you may remember the band Måneskin, winners of the Eurovision contest, who dominated the charts with their cover titled “Beggin’.” Other than Coachella in April, this will be one of the band’s first North American shows.

But some of the real gems lie in the smaller artists that are attending for the first time. These include COIN, known best for their song “Talk Too Much,” Inhaler, Role Model, The Wombats, The Regrettes, and Del Water Gap. 

Although many people are less than satisfied with this year’s lineup, plenty of well-established and up-and-coming artists will be on offer. If you still cannot be convinced, consider waiting until the day-by-day lineups are released, and give some of these smaller artists a chance. Or take advantage of the option to attend some of the after-shows if a day at Lollapalooza does not interest you.

After so many live performances had to be cancelled over the past two years due to the pandemic, we should take a moment to celebrate and keep an open mind to discovering bands we didn’t know we liked.

No matter what, this year’s festival is sure to be a good one, and history will be made. 

Tickets for Lollapalooza can be purchased here. General admission is $350 for the full four-day pass. The even includes more than 170 performances spread across eight stages. Food, drinks, and lockers are also included at the festival. The festival is on July 28-31, located in Grant Park, Chicago.