Lollapalooza’s 20 Greatest Rock Performances
Since launching in 1991, Lollapalooza has established itself as a single of the preeminent music festivals in the planet.
It was Perry Farrell, the Jane’s Addiction frontman and an influential leader in the alt rock movement, who envisioned an occasion exactly where talented artists from “fringe” genres – option, rap, punk, industrial, electronic, quite a lot something except pop or nation – could assemble and carry out. Everyone would be welcomed – in truth, the far more of a “weirdo” or “freak” you have been, the far more you would be embraced.
“I thought about all the amazing, wonderful people that I would bring together,” Farrell reflected decades later. “Not just the artists, but the people themselves. The patrons, the people that listened to it. The punk rockers or the post-punk rockers and the rappers, all these wild people.”
The notion was pretty much right away embraced.
“[Lollapalooza] was the Declaration of Independence of the alternative nation,” Tom Morello explained in the trailer for the 3-component documentary series Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza.
What began as a touring festival evolved more than the years, even disappearing for some time prior to returning as a single-weekend occasion. Naturally, the Lollapalooza has changed with time as nicely. What began as decidedly anti-corporate now has a extended list of significant sponsors, whilst the lineups have a tendency to skew far more towards pop, hip-hop and EDM artists.
Still, Lollapalooza’s roots are – and constantly will be – in the rock planet. And more than far more than 30 years, the festival has welcomed quite a few of the greatest rock acts on the planet to its stage. We combed by means of the archives (and our personal individual memory banks) to assemble our list of Lollapalooza’s 20 Greatest Rock Performances.
20. Journey (2021)
When Lollapalooza announced its 2021 lineup, Journey stood out like a sore thumb. Obviously, the band’s resume is impressive, but stacked amongst acts like Post Malone, Miley Cyrus and Megan Thee Stallion, a single couldn’t assistance but wonder if Neal Schon and corporation had been miscast. Then, the band took the stage on July 31, 2021 and entirely blew every person away. From emphatic opener “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” to triumphant closer “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Journey cranked out hit right after hit from their exceptional catalog. Schon tore by means of quite a few searing riffs all through the gig, whilst frontman Arnel Pineda was pitch-best all evening (even whilst showcasing some acrobatic dance moves). The band’s set was later released as a reside album and DVD, Live in Concert at Lollapalooza.
19. Black Sabbath (2012)
There have been quite a few queries surrounding Black Sabbath’s headlining set at Lollapalooza 2012. Would the reunited metal icons be capable to win more than a crowd largely created up of millennials and gen-x-ers? Could the band’s members – all in their 60s at the time and suffering from several ailments – be capable to deal with the rigors of a two-hour headlining set? Black Sabbath answered these queries and other people like them by delivering a pulverizing functionality on Lollapalooza’s primary stage. Was it best? Well, no. Despite displaying lots of power, Ozzy Osbourne’s voice seemed to waiver at instances, and there have been a couple of minor technical difficulties that briefly slowed the performance’s momentum. Still, Tony Iommi was in specially fine type as the band blitzed by means of such classics as “Iron Man,” “War Pigs,” “Sweet Leaf” and “Paranoid.” Along the way, Black Sabbath taught a new generation of fans what created them heavy metal giants.
18. Pavement (1995)
Lollapalooza 1995 skewed in an indie path, with Sonic Youth, the Jesus Lizard and Pavement top the way. The latter group had scored their most significant hit with “Cut Your Hair” a year prior and have been enjoying a period of crucial acclaim. Still, audiences have been employed to far more mainstream acts – such as Red Hot Chili Peppers and Smashing Pumpkins – and the Lollapalooza crowds have been commonly polarized by Pavement’s lo-fi style. One show in certain went down in infamy, as the crowd in Charles Town, W.V. pelted Pavement with mud till the band promptly reduce their set quick and exited with their middle fingers in the air. It’s a shame some of the crowds didn’t give Stephen Malkmus and corporation a possibility, contemplating how fantastic they really sounded. Hindsight getting 20/20, the band surely deserved a far better response.
17. Tool (1997)
Gloomy theatrics? Check. A penchant for the unexpected? Check. Dynamic material and a quickly increasing fan base? Check and verify after far more. Tool genuinely had all the appropriate components when they set out on Lollapalooza’s 1997 edition. The 33-date trek failed to provide as a lot hype as its predecessors – other acts such as Snoop Dogg, Orbital and the Prodigy have been met with mixed reactions at several stops. But Tool was the standout act, often stealing the spotlight from artists greater on the bill. Led by Maynard James Keenan’s brooding magnetism, the group tore by means of material from 1993’s Undertow and 1996’s Ænima (then their most current release). It would not be till 12 years later that they returned to the festival after far more.
16. The Cure (2013)
Seeing the Cure at a enormous summer time festival is not perfect – the band’s material is created for darker, far more intimate settings, and the summer time heat has a tendency to make fans’ eyeliner run. And however right here was Robert Smith’s group in 2013, delivering a captivating headlining set on the Lollapalooza stage. The Cure stuck to the hits, of which they have quite a few. “Pictures of You,” “Just Like Heaven,” “Friday I’m in Love” and Fascination Street” have been amongst the quite a few memorable tunes performed that evening, however the band never ever seemed to be going by means of the motions with their classic material, delivering the songs with power and freshness.
15. Devo (1996)
Eccentric new wave is not normally the form of music you’d count on to captivate a festival crowd, but Devo is no standard act. The Akron, Ohio group created their Lollapalooza debut in 1996 and won more than fans at every single cease with their distinctive and engrossing reside performances. Things went so nicely that they came back the following year and did it all once more, then returned after far more for the 2010 edition. Could everyone have predicted that these energy dome-wearing ‘80s rockers would become Lollapalooza regulars? Not likely. Still, we’ve discovered more than the years that these guys should really never ever be doubted. After all, they’re not guys – they are Devo.
14. Queens of the Stone Age (2013)
Some acts appear to impress with pyrotechnics or colorful light displays. Queens of the Stone Age have no interest in such factors, and as an alternative aim to overwhelm fans with their distinctive brand of rock. That’s precisely what Josh Homme and corporation did in 2013 when they took the stage at Lollapalooza. Then fresh off the release of their sixth studio album, …Like Clockwork, the group churned by means of captivating new material like “My God Is the Sun” and “I Sat by the Ocean,” whilst also mixing in lots of their earlier hits, such as “No One Knows” and “Little Sister.” Homme was in command all through the set, fluctuating involving aggressive and acerbic at several points in the functionality. Those hunting for bells and whistles most likely headed towards the EDM stage, but for fans like us who bask in pure, unfiltered rock, there was no far better location to be.
13. Ramones (1996)
After releasing their final album, 1995’s ¡Adios Amigos!, the Ramones accepted an offer you to be component of the 1996 Lollapalooza lineup. For 22 dates, the band joined the touring fest, delivering their hyperactive tunes to audiences across America for the final time. The hugely influential punk group’s significance was not lost on attendees, as droves of fans turned out to mosh to “Blitzkrieg Bop” a single final time. Lollapalooza served as a swan song for the Ramones, although they did play a single final show right after the festival ended – Aug. 6, 1996 at the Palace in Los Angeles.
12. Nine Inch Nails (1991)
Sure, the 1991 version of Nine Inch Nails that performed on the debut Lollapalooza was extremely various from the Nine Inch Nails that would come later. The Downward Spiral was nevertheless 3 years away and Trent Reznor had only shown flashes of the genius he would later regularly unleash. But what NIN lacked in expertise they far more than created up for in ferocity, as Reznor hit every single Lollapalooza stage with a hunger as opposed to any other act. There have been bumps along the way, such as technical difficulties that resulted in Reznor trashing his gear on far more than a single occasion. Still, the aggression on show was palpable and a sign of future factors to come from Nine Inch Nails.
11. Arcade Fire (2005)
Lollapalooza went by means of some adjustments in the early 2000s. After briefly reviving the touring version in 2003, weak sales forced the cancellation of the 2004 edition. In 2005, Lollapalooza returned as a single weekend festival in Chicago, as it has remained ever considering that. At the time, no a single knew if this version of the fest would falter just as the touring version had, so accomplishment was crucial for survival. The lineup integrated an impressive blend of nicely-established artist – such as Billy Idol, Pixies and Weezer – with a new wave of up-and-coming acts, such as the Killers, the Black Keys and Arcade Fire. The latter band genuinely created the most of their time in the spotlight, delivering a higher-power set of indie rock that left fans and critics alike raving. Though Arcade Fire only had a single album of material at the time, the Canadian group wowed with a dazzling set complete of raw emotion. It was a sign of factors to come, and a springboard to their extremely productive profession.
10. Depeche Mode (2009)
A giant wall of white light engulfed the stage as Depeche Mode stepped out to carry out their headlining set at Lollapalooza 2009. The legendary English act, who are no strangers to enormous crowds, then proceeded to give a masterclass on how to dazzle a festival audience. Frontman Dave Gahan was in great type as he slinkily moved across the stage, dancing, gyrating and encouraging the crowd to sing along as he delivered quite a few of Depeche Mode’s classic hits. Tunes like “Policy of Truth,” “Enjoy the Silence” and “Never Let Me Down Again” clearly resonated with the audience, even if quite a few fans in attendance weren’t even born when these songs have been released.
9. Iggy & the Stooges (2007)
While the single-weekend format of Lollapalooza has delivered lots of memorable moments, it has commonly lacked some of the urgency and frenetic power of the early years’ touring model. Thank god for bands like Iggy & the Stooges, who can show up and turn the whole festival on its head. Four years right after they initially reunited, the proto-punk legends stormed into Chicago for 2007’s fest. Their set was a single of the most blissfully chaotic scenes in Lollapalooza history, with thousands of fans going wild. Things hit a frantic height when the crowd stormed the stage through a rendition of “No Fun.” Iggy Pop, who gleefully lapped up the mayhem, helped restore just sufficient order to finish out the set.
8. Soundgarden + Temple of the Dog (1992)
This a single is sort of cheating, but we can not genuinely assistance ourselves. Soundgarden have been component of the 1992 Lollapalooza lineup, alongside acts such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ministry and – most importantly – Pearl Jam. Soundgarden had led the grunge charge, as the 1st of their sub-genre to sign a significant label deal. With 1991’s Badmotorfinger, they officially hit the mainstream, earning a passionate fan base and even scoring a Grammy nomination. Soundgarden’s sets have been exhilarating events, energy by a single of rock’s most dynamic voices. Chris Cornell’s band would have earned a spot on our list on their personal, but that 1992 lineup gave them a possibility to routinely group with close friends Pearl Jam. Unsurprisingly, the bands sometimes morphed into Temple of the Dog, the grunge supergroup that scored a timeless hit with “Hunger Strike.” Considering how electrifying – and uncommon – a Temple of the Dog look proved to be more than the years, we opted to let them share the No. 8 spot with Soundgarden.
7. Metallica (1996)
At the time of its announcement, Lollapalooza’s 1996 lineup was decried by quite a few purists who felt the festival had somehow sullied its reputation by booking metal giants Metallica as the headliner. Then James Hetfield and corporation came out and totally obliterated all preconceived notions about the band. With energy and fury, Metallica converted every single non-believer, delivering such classic tunes as “One,” “Enter Sandman,” “Nothing Else Matters” and “Master of Puppets.” The band also memorably welcomed Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell onstage to join them on “For Whom the Bell Tolls” during the final two stops of the tour.
6. Foo Fighters (2011)
Dave Grohl was at the very first Lollapalooza, even though he didn’t play. The drummer was in Los Angeles with his new band at the time, Nirvana, as they worked on the album Nevermind. Intrigued by the inaugural festival’s lineup, the musicians decided to check it out. “Me and Kurt [Cobain] went down and we sat in the audience and we thought, ‘Oh my god. Music is fucking changing. There’s 20,000 people here. To see bands that are actually fucking cool! What the fuck? How did that happen?’” Grohl recalled decades later when his band, Foo Fighters, headlined the 2011 Lollapalooza in Chicago. That night, the Foos showcased everything that has made them their generation’s premier rock act, with thunderous tunes and unbridled energy. Even a torrential downpour couldn’t extinguish the band’s fire, as Foo Fighters just kept on playing. Instead of ruining the moment, the rain became another element of the performance, as thousands of soaked and muddied fans sang and cheered with every note.
5. Pearl Jam (1992)
When Pearl Jam was initially booked for Lollapalooza’s second year, the Seattle grunge group was still unknown to many music fans outside of the Pacific Northwest. Their debut album, Ten, had been released in ‘91, but sales were slow and the band’s first two singles – “Alive” and “Even Flow” – had only earned moderate radio airplay (a fact that seems shocking in hindsight). But by the time the summer of ‘92 rolled around, grunge’s mainstream invasion was in full effect. Ten had ascended to become one of the era’s biggest albums, and Pearl Jam was suddenly one of the hottest bands in the world. The group had an early time slot on Lollapalooza’s 1992 touring festival, but fans didn’t seem to mind, regularly turning out by the thousands to mosh and crowd surf to their newest rock icons. Meanwhile, Pearl Jam turned every set into a raucous affair, with Eddie Vedder regularly climbing high atop the stage scaffolding during their performances.
4. Paul McCartney (2015)
More than 50 years into his incredible career, Paul McCartney delivered a show-stopping headlining set at Lollapalooza 2015 that left fans – and fellow artists – in awe. Across 32 songs, Macca rocked through classic material from the Beatles, Wings and his solo catalog. Then 73 years old, the legendary musician showed no signs of his age, propelling the thousands in attendance to join him in one of the biggest sing-alongs in the festival’s history. A rousing duet with Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard on “Get Back” was icing on the cake, as McCartney cemented his place in Lollapalooza lore.
3. Rage Against the Machine (1993)
Rage Against the Machine made their Lollapalooza debut in 1992, appearing on the side stage. By the following year, the politically-charged rockers were a main stage act, and their fiery performances delivered some of the festival’s most memorable moments. Then in the midst of their sudden rise to fame, Rage Against the Machine routinely whipped fans into a furry thanks to Tom Morello’s incendiary guitar, along with Zack de la Rocha’s impassioned vocals. Still, arguably their most legendary set featured no music at all. During a stop in Philadelphia, the band protested Tipper Gore’s Parents Music Resource Center – the censorship group responsible for the “Parental Advisory” stickers on CDs – by appearing onstage totally naked, with black duct tape over their mouths. A reunited Rage Against the Machine eventually returned to Lollapalooza in 2008, showing plenty of their trademark intensity (but much less nudity).
2. Jane’s Addiction (1991)
It’s impossible to discuss Lollapalooza without mentioning Jane’s Addiction. After all, the festival was the brainchild of frontman Perry Ferrell, and the whole thing wouldn’t exist if it hadn’t been initially devised as a framework for Jane’s farewell tour in 1991. Of course, Lollapalooza turned into much more than that (and Jane’s Addiction didn’t stay away for long). Still, the inaugural year set the high standard by which all other Lolla’s would be judged, and Jane’s Addiction were the unquestioned kings of the touring event. Ferrell’s dynamic onstage presence was unlike anything seen before, while Dave Navarro delivered blistering riffs at every stop. The band was also prone to do the unexpected, like performing Sly and the Family Stone’s “Don’t Call Me N—a, Whitey” alongside Ice-T. Jane’s Addiction would return to Lollapalooza on quite a few occasions, but year a single remains the most crucial.
1. Radiohead (2008)
Less than a year right after releasing their mesmerizing LP In Rainbows, Radiohead took the stage to headline Lollapalooza. Plenty of consideration was offered to their new material – and, offered how extraordinary the songs have been, it is not like any fans complained. But the band also delved into their impressive back catalog, supplying a selection of tunes from all through their profession. Across 24 songs, Radiohead showcased why they are deemed amongst the greatest rock acts from the previous 40 years. Adding a colorful backdrop to the scene, fireworks from nearby Soldier Field lit up the sky as the band played “Everything in Its Right Place” and “Fake Plastic Trees,” a spine-tingling moment for the thousands of fans on hand. This is the sort of set you inform your youngsters about, a after-in-a-lifetime functionality nicely worthy of getting No. 1 on our list.
