A common thing of Lollapalooza thus far is thanking crowds that have followed artists from smaller Lolla stages all the way to the giant headlining slots. Dua Lipa did it on day two, and J. Cole echoed a similar sentiment in an incredible headlining set. Cole wasn’t the only notable act of the day. Read our full day three recap in order below!
Alexander 23
It was a homecoming for Alexander Glantz, who performs under the name of Alexander 23. “I’m from Chicago,” said Glantz, “So this is extra special for me.” The rising star played his recently released debut album ‘Aftershock’ for the first time. The thought of Glantz playing his debut album to a huge festival crowd in his hometown was a special one and elevated the performance. The performance was lacking at times, but he did shine in his emotional ballads ‘Somebody’s Nobody’ and ‘Cry Over Boys.’ Known for his vulnerable and honest lyrics his songs didn’t translate as nicely to the festival crowd as I imagined. His vocals were impressive and I would recommend people to see him on his upcoming tour.
Dashboard Confessional
Dashboard Confessional, the band all of my high school friends loved. It wasn’t until they were on the stage that I remembered this band has HITS. They played all of them too “Vindicated,” “Screaming Infidelities,” and “Stolen.” The set was perfect for the festival crowd and was loved by longtime fans and those seeing them for the first time before the Wallows set. Frontman Chris Carrabba noted that the fans in the audience were probably too young to know the song, but despite ages everyone knew the iconic songs of Dashboard Confessional on Saturday afternoon.
Wallows
Wallows is one of multiple bands that serve as side projects for hollywood actors. Seeing Dylan Minnette and Braeden Lemasters of Wallows on the T-Mobile stage you would have no idea that this wasn’t the main focus of the group. The indie rock outfit impressed with strong performances of recent hit ’13 Reasons Why’ as well as ‘Pictures of Girls.’ This is the second time in less than a month Road Trip Playlists has been at a Wallows show and time after time they do not disappoint.
Turnstile
Turnstile made a statement on the Lollapalooza stage, and the statement was that Hardcore music should be more represented at festivals. The band was well represented by their fanbase in the crowd and the band rewarded their day ones by playing “Canned Heat” from their 2013 EP Step 2 Rhythm. As a live set there was an absurd energy with the crowd dancing, singing, and of course, a good amount of mosh pits. As a collective the brand brought out a truly dynamic show that I was happy I did not miss on the Discord stage.
Tomorrow x Together
Tomorrow x Together isn’t quite as big as their K-Pop counterparts BTS, but if you saw their Lolla set it was easy to see their isn’t a big gap. The five-piece pop group recently began their US tour and their stop at Lolla showed the almost flawless presence that the band has. They put on a show from start to finish. Their set was highlighted with performances of “Good Boy Gone Bad,” “Magic,” and even surprised the crowd with an appearance from Iann Dior for a performance of “Valley of Lies.” TXT isn’t quite to the level of BTS (who Sunday headliner J-Hope is a part of) but they are on the rise in American circles.
Chelsea Cutler
Chelsea Cutler is a star. Seeing her live set is always an absolute treat. I have been obsessed with her since seeing her in a surprise appearance with Noah Kahan in New York City. It was only one song, ‘Crazier Things,’ and I listened to it on repeat for over 5 months. Cutler played that song on the Lolla stage and it got even more special for me. After experiencing tech issues she played it unexpectedly as an acoustic cover as the sun was setting and it was a really amazing experience. I love Chelsea Cutler, and this set was perfect.
J. Cole
J. Cole was the perfect way to end an incredible day at Lollapalooza. The Grammy Award winning rapper noted his other experiences on Lolla stages and now being on the Saturday headlining slot. It’s no wonder why, the artist went on to play a collection of hits including ‘Nobody’s Perfect,’ ‘No Role Modelz,’ and ‘Stick.’ The artist began the set with songs from his 2021 album The Off-Season, and fans throughout the crowd were glued for the entire performance.