Lollapalooza recap

Another Lollapalooza has come and gone – and while the energy and fun level was still the same (ie: through the roof), this year’s festival was a little more successful than 2013.

I didn’t get dehydrated and pass out. No ambulances were called.

It was also more convenient.

I booked a room at the Congress (!!!) right across the street with several of my good friends for the weekend. Last year, we stayed half an hour outside the city and had to walk/ drive/ take the CTA into the city. This year, the festival was literally right outside our front door. I’m not even joking. The Lollapalloza sign was right across the street from our hotel.

I drove in with two of my friends that couldn’t get the Thursday before the three-day festival off, so we didn’t get in until 2 or 3 a.m., even after the time change. We went to sleep right away and set up a mini-bar in our hotel the next morning.

Bring it on, day one!

1. I’m the short one. 2. Yes, we’re sweaty and gross. This was taken at the end of the day. Mental note to not do that again next year.

I saw Brillz, Hozier, Iggy Azalea, Lorde, Zedd, Eminem and Phantogram. Hozier was incredibly amazing live, and I wasn’t really feeling Iggy too much. Lolla placed her at the Perry’s stage, which is small and boxed in, and there was a 45-minute road jam after her show when the audience tried to clear out. Looking back on it, I probably should have went to see Portugal. The Man. instead.

After day one, we went out for deep dish pizza (When in ~~Rome~~ Chicago) and went to sleep to prep for…

Day two!

crop top | headband (old via American Eagle – similar) | shorts (old via American Eagle – similar) | shoes | lips

Day two started with a bottomless mimosa brunch at Brasserie by LM on South Michigan, right next to our hotel and the festival. I had banana french toast and it was phenomenal. We may have overstayed our welcome by a bit enjoying those mimosas, but then we went on to Grant Park to catch Temper Trap, Fitz and the Tantrums, Grouplove, Smallpools, Outkast, Krewella and Calvin Harris. Picking a headliner was so hard because I really could not choose between Outkast, Krewella and Calvin Harris. I ended up skipping from one to the other to the other so I could catch a piece of all three sets. I was also bummed that Grouplove and Smallpools were at the same time, so I only caught a bit of Grouplove before heading back to the Grove stage to see Smallpools.

We concluded day two with more deep dish pizza. Because Chicago.

And then day three, which is always the saddest of the days.

crop top | shorts | boots | headband | lips

Despite having several of our plans thwarted by a gigantic rainstorm, we still managed to see RAC, The 1975, Airborne Toxic Event, Kings of Leon and Chance the Rapper – although I’m incredibly bummed about missing Childish Gambino due to the downpour.

Although, the huge downpour occurred during Airborne Toxic’s set, so everyone was forced to stow their phones and just live in the moment while Sometime Around Midnight played. Perfection.

My ride had to work the next morning, so we roadtripped back to Michigan right after the last set of the evening.

It’s always so sad to watch the Chicago skyline disappear when I leave the city, just like how it’s always breathtaking to see it appear out of nowhere once I make my way toward the city limits. Every time I find myself in Chicago, I swear to myself that one day I’ll move there. But somehow I still haven’t.

As an aside, I usually rely on fast fashion retailers for almost everything I wear to a music festival. There’s no sense in spending big money on something that will likely get ruined by mud/ rain/ crowdsurfers/ etc. Also, my MAC Candy Yum Yum lipstick was a huge hit. I might have shared it with a few girls throughout the weekend because it was that popular. It’s just so fun and bright and perfect for a summer event like this!

Here are some more highlights (ie: blurry, grainy and crappy iPhone photos) from Lollapalooza 2014. Until next August’s festival!