For a first-time attendee of Lollapalooza, it can be maddening trying to plan your weekend. It’s so big, with so many bands, and there are so many stages. To top it all off, as part of the festival’s 25th anniversary celebration, organizers added a fourth day to the scrum. The typical time conflicts between headliners are still in play, but the sets that make or break a good Lolla experience aren’t the headliners anyway. It’s how you spend your mid-afternoon.
What Lollapalooza has always done an incredible job of in its final boss form is packing the bill with newcomers and experienced vets alike. Many side stage stars eventually moved up the list and became headliners just a few years later, so chances are if you schedule your days right, you’ll be up close with bands that will later pack the nightly main stages soon. But others may never get that chance, and still put on an unreal show.
Circling a few of these slightly under the radar acts will give you markers to guide your weekend, and provide you with just enough freedom to go rogue or improvise if the situation calls for it. Here are a few acts to keep an eye on if you’re dropping by Grant Park this week (or catching the free livestream on RedBull.tv.)
Thursday
Kehlani – 2:30 p.m. – Samsung Stage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRHoonuZ8og
For many, the knowledge of Kehlani starts and ends with the social media firestorm that involved her, Kyrie Irving, and PartyNextDoor earlier this year. But she didn’t let it derail her. She touched on her emotional state on “24/7,” and dropped the infectious “CRZY” in mid-July.
Focusing on the public image of Kehlani ignores the fact that she’s a damn good singer with a lot of presence. Her star is still on the rise, and in a Thursday afternoon slate that is lacking a bit in energy, you could do a lot worse. I expect her to come out with a big smile and bounce around the stage with a lot of fire, as a bunch of phones are pulled out afterward by festivalgoers who want to make sure they search her name.
Bob Moses – 2:50 p.m. – Pepsi Stage
There’s something about the heat, the sun, and the crowds that makes danceable music at Lollapalooza that much more fun. And Bob Moses will scratch that itch if you’re not quite ready at 2:50 on Day 1 to go all-in on the Perry’s stage. Bob Moses finds ways to put you in a trance with extended tracks that bob and weave, harkening back to a lot of British electronic-fueled bands that’d you’d likely hear in a Josh Hartnett movie or something.
The duo from Vancouver will likely take a little bit to get the crowd going, but if they stick with it in their set, they’ll have people grooving up front, with lots of heads nodding and bouncing on the grass.
Kurt Vile and The Violators – 6 p.m. – Petrillo Bandshell Stage
Okay, so Kurt Vile isn’t really under the radar to those who peruse festival lineups often. He’s a staple, and you really don’t know what you’re going to get with him from year to year. That said, his guitar-based songs translate well to stage if he’s fully engaged, and his latest album, b’lieve i’m goin down…, was one of his finest works to date.
As he told UPROXX last fall, “I feel like every time I play music, it gets a little better. Every time I put out a record, it gets a little better.”
He’s had almost a year to play those songs from b’lieve i’m goin down… and he has a stable of other great studio tracks that could get a fresh live take. If you’re waiting out The 1975 on the next stage over or aren’t interested in catching G-Eazy’s set, give Kurt Vile your full attention.
Friday
Haelos – Noon – Petrillo Bandshell Stage
Quietly building a following through buzz and a bit of mystery, Haelos broke out in a big way with a set at Coachella earlier this year, and they’re hoping to do more of the same at Lollapalooza. They didn’t get lucky with their time slot – they’re among the first bands to play on Friday – but the vocals of Lotti Benardout, Arthur Delaney, and Dom Goldsmith and the the catchy riffs put forth by Goldsmith will invoke all the fun you had with The xx way back when.
If you’re planning on getting to the park early on Day 2, get there in time for Haelos, even if you decide to grab lunch outside the park and come back.
Modern Baseball – 1:45 p.m. – Petrillo Bandshell
Let your pop punk love grow. Modern Baseball dropped the 11-track Holy Ghost earlier this year on Run For Cover records, and it’s insanely listenable. This is the perfect placement for the band, which gets an afternoon slot and an hour to win over a bunch of new fans who can hear hints of Say Anything, Yellowcard, Into It. Over It., Brand New, and even The Hold Steady in Modern Baseball’s guitar-based, reflective songs.
This is exactly the type of band that thrives at Lollapalooza. With so many choices, and all those other competing acts, a little bit of guitar rock and a few guys on stage having fun is enough to draw people from all over the park. Catch a few songs, and then listen to the rest of them on Spotify. (Also, if you enjoy this set make sure and find your way over to The Front Bottoms on Saturday.)
MØ – 3 p.m. – Lakeshore Stage
Even if you don’t recognize MØ, you’ve heard MØ. It’s impossible not to have. As the featured artist on Major Lazer and DJ Snake’s “Lean On,” and with tracks like “Kamikaze” and her cover of the Spice Girls’ “Say You’ll Be There,” MØ has been on the cusp of achieving superstardom for a couple years now.
Teaming up with Diplo on her upcoming second album could push her over the top, and a few more festival dates like this one won’t hurt. Nor does “Cold Water,” another featured track with Major Lazer and Justin Bieber that’s already getting play everywhere.
Saturday
LOLAWOLF – 1 p.m. – Bud Light Stage
Filled with the sort of weird, wonderful, random energy we’re used to from Santigold and early M.I.A., LOLAWOLF is a chance for Zoë Kravitz (yes, daughter of Lenny Kravitz) to really shine. She’s got a ton of bravado for a frontwoman, and Jimmy Giannopoulo and James Levy craft tracks that allow her to step out of her comfort zone.
This isn’t the band’s first festival gig – they previously played at South By Southwest and Made In America – but there’s more music coming, especially after “Teardrop” (with a little help from Miley Cyrus) went online a few days ago. Don’t be surprised if LOLAWOLF comes out there on Saturday acting like they have something to prove.
Baio – 1:50 p.m. – Pepsi Stage
It seemed like you couldn’t go anywhere without hearing “Sister Of Pearl” for a few months. It was like Vampire Weekend all over again, and for the former bass player of those indie darlings, Baio knew something about being played constantly in coffee shops and Urban Outfitters. That said, his debut solo effort feels familiar and different all at the same time, with loops and strong bass lines to go with driving percussion – and a lot of electronic flair.
I’m expecting a surprisingly upbeat set, more Jamie xx than Vampire Weekend, with those on the Pepsi Stage surprised at how sweaty they’ll be at the end of it (stay hydrated folks).
Leon Bridges – 4:45 p.m. – Bud Light Stage
If you missed out on Leon Bridges’ Coming Home last year, now’s your chance to catch up. The soulful Texan’s voice is unforgettable and fits in any time and place. He even got a boost with a full album remix by MICK, who placed Bridges vocals with Texas hip hop.
No matter which way Bridges chooses to perform – stripped down and alone, or a full band complete with horns and background singers – he’ll likely connect with the crowd. He’s tailor-made to kick ass at a place like Lolla, much like Austin native Gary Clark Jr. did a few years ago.
Sunday
FIDLAR – 2:45 p.m. – Bud Light Stage
Get out to FIDLAR, move your feet, and rock out. It’s simple. It’s easy. And after three days, you’re going to need that last bit of adrenaline to carry you through the rest of the festival. FIDLAR makes songs that move fast, take no prisoners, and never take themselves too seriously.
Some bands have their sound sucked into a vacuum at Lollapalooza, while others see theirs amplified and you’re hit like a strong punch to the jaw as you walk closer and closer to the stage. FIDLAR definitely fits into the latter category, and even if you’re two stages away you’re going to wonder what all the fuss is about.
Halsey – 4:25 p.m. – Samsung Stage
If you wrote Halsey off after “New Americana,” that’s completely understandable. But you’d be doing yourself a disservice for a talented vocalist who has the potential to put on a really good show. Her album Badlands feels a little bit like the spot Ellie Goulding was in right before “I Need Your Love” shot her into the stratosphere.
The curiosity alone is enough to draw me over to the Samsung Stage on Day 4 to see what Halsey has to offer. Control the crowd, connect with the audience, and put herself into the songs, and we might have another future headliner on our hands.
Vince Staples – 7:45 p.m. – Pepsi Stage
This is more of a disclaimer than an “under the radar” pick. Do not miss Vince Staples. Whether you’re going with LCD Soundsystem or Ellie Goulding to close out the festival (or Die Antwoord if you’re just a really big fan of Chappie), you have plenty of time to catch at least most of Staples’ set and still get to your spot in time.
The Long Beach artist oozes energy and urgency, and if he’s already tapped into speaking for his generation, the scary thing is how much higher he can still climb. At the Pitchfork Music Festival last year in Chicago, we saw Chance The Rapper go from mixtape rapper to an ascendance into the public consciousness. A year later – across the city on the last night of Lollapalooza – Vince Staples (who wasn’t able to make his Pitchfork set a year ago due to a flight cancelation) might not be all that far behind.
