Lollapalooza 2026: Day 2 Recap
- Kamari Crews
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Performances
My first performance of the day was Mother Mother (3:30PM – 4:30PM) at Tito’s. I was quite surprised to see Mother Mother on the lineup back in March, because I wasn’t quite sure how their music would fit in with the festival. However, after watching their set it became apparent to me that their music is perfect for a festival. Ranging across a few different genres, Mother Mother’s set was ideal for indie rock fans but perfect for enjoyers of any other type of music as well. Their sound engineering was fantastic at the Tito's stage and the band had incredible chemistry on stage. The setlist was a perfect mix of unreleased songs, deep cuts, and popular tracks, making it the perfect set for a festival, in my opinion.
Following Mother Mother, I made my way across the park to T-Mobile for what I believed would be Zara Larsson’s set. Unfortunately, Lil Uzi Vert had to pull out of the festival due to travel concerns and Zara’s set was pushed back. While I was upset about the absence of Uzi, the silence was soon filled by the wonderful sound of Suki Waterhouse (5:20PM – 6:20PM, Allianz). Suki walked on stage and instantly captivated the crowd at Allianz as well as those waiting at T-Mobile and put on a stellar performance. Aside from her energetic stage presence and amazing live vocal performance, something that stood out to me was her outfit on stage. She came out wearing leather underwear over fishnets and a beautiful floor length, pink feather coat with tall, laced up pink boots. Her fashion whilst touring has always been one of my favorite things about her, but she truly outdid herself with this outfit.
Following Suki’s performance, Zara Larsson began her set at T-Mobile (6:20PM – 7:20PM), and she finally had her “Chappell Roan moment.” Zara, who was not headlining, was estimated to have a crowd over 115,000 people, and she is so incredibly deserving of it. I have been a fan of Zara Larsson for nearly a decade, and it is so beautiful to watch her finally get her flowers. Every single part of her performance was insane: her dancing, her vocal runs, her outfits, and the chemistry she has on stage with her dancers truly made it impossible to look away. Even if you didn’t know every song, it was impossible not to dance and sing along. Zara Larsson is genuinely one of the best pop singers and performers of our generation and I know we will get a chance to see her headline in the near future. Incredible performance.
The final performance of the night was Charli XCX (8:40PM, T-Mobile). I have seen Charli perform once before, and have watched many videos, but I can confidently say that this was the best performance of her career, and I knew this within the first 15 minutes. She instantly captivated the audience. Her stage design, costume changes, and vocal performance were genuinely unreal, and I never wanted the set to end. My favorite part was when she played “Track 10.” The crowd was electric and it was pouring rain at this point, which only added to the ambience of the set. Similarly to Zara Larsson, Charli XCX has been around for years and didn’t necessarily “blow up” until the release of BRAT in 2024, but I am so grateful she did because this performance changed my life. “Track 10” is one of the best songs ever made, by the way.
Food & Beverage
This year, I stopped by Harold’s Chicken again and got their chicken tenders and fries. Priced at $17, you get four tenders and a large serving of fries that is incredibly filling and very tasty. Harold’s simply tastes the best at Lollapalooza. Later in the day, I made my way over to Plant Base for the first time and ordered fries from Vegan Plate Chicago. These fries were incredible. They were seasoned perfectly, affordable, and the serving size was huge. I would highly recommend checking them out, as well as other vendors in Plant Base. It’s a great way to get quality food while avoiding long lines in Chow Town.
Again, the Press Lounge’s happy hour provided me with a seltzer and lots of water. When spending hours on your feet every day in the hot sun, food and water are a priority. PLEASE stay hydrated!
Brand Activations
One of my favorite brand activations from last year was the CocaCola Roller Rink, so it was only fitting that I stop by again. Located right next to Buckingham Fountain, the CocaCola Roller Rink allows festivalgoers to take a break and roller skate in the middle of the festival. In addition, a second line allows festivalgoers to redeem one free CocaCola a day, and includes regular Coke, Cherry Coke (my favorite), and Coke Zero. It’s an incredible way to take a break from the music and get a refreshing beverage to carry you through the rest of your day.
Another activation I visited on Day 2 was L.O.L Surprise. The activation allowed festivalgoers to discover hidden prizes in their “Surprise Wall”, inspired by an oversized disco-ball. Within these mystery compartments were exclusive collectables and even VIP upgrades. Additionally, there were numerous photo ops, changing to unlock collectable bracelets, and even ways to win festival credit and enter a Lollapalooza Sweepstakes. Overall, the activation, similar to L.O.L Surprise Dolls themselves, was full of incredible opportunities to win new items every hour of the day and was a popular attraction throughout all four days of the festival.
Closing Thoughts
Fridays are always my favorite day of Lollapalooza Weekend, and this year was no different. Despite sporadic rain throughout the day, the weather was beautiful and incredibly fitting for the artists across Friday’s lineup. I am eager to see what the rest of the weekend has in store!
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