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Thursday, August 9, 2018
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
ARTS

Given the constant turbulence in 
Detroit, I’ve always considered Chi-
cago as the closest city to Ann Arbor, 
and the capital of the Midwest. 
Rather than venture east down I-94, 
my family always opted to go west a 
few extra hundred miles.
I familiarized myself with the 
Loop over Woodward Avenue and 
Chicago-style hot dogs over Coney 
Island depots in secret parts of 
D-Town. I could even trace a map 
of Grant Park on my palm to help 
locals navigate the 319 acres of 
urban greenery.
But add in multiple stages, food 
vendors, medical tents and an influx 
of very dehydrated people and Grant 
Park transforms from the familiar 
to barely ordered chaos.
At Lollapalooza, you can stop in 
the middle of a road with working 
traffic lights and take in old-school 
rock through one ear colliding with 
EDM from the opposite side. The 
diverse, but strictly structured line-
up makes for a hit-or-miss schedule 
spread over four exhausting and 
memorable days.
DAY ONE
Nick Mulvey opened Lollapaloo-
za at Tito’s stage to a low-energy 
crowd, many of whom were stalling 
for a nearby act: A position in the 
schedule no musician would envy. 
The English singer-songwriter’s 
elaborate rhythm guitar patterns 
and lyrics did not make the task any 
easier.
However, 
Mulvey’s 
English 
roots were not the source of his 

set’s appeal. The abundance of 
British-influenced rock makes a 
soloist unlikely to provide original-
ity. Instead, Mulvey pulled from his 
musical education in Havana, Cuba, 
for rich vocal runs that engaged the 
listless, intimate gathering in a call-
and-response.
In comparison to Mulvey’s listen-
ing-room style atmosphere, Cuco, 
at the neighboring Bud Light stage, 
was a lesson on psychedelics and 
swagger.
The young hip-hop artist added 
an interactive screen to an electric 
instrument ensemble that shim-
mied with each bump of the drum-
set. A plume of cannabis smoke 
saluted him when he, needlessly, 
asked, “Where my smokers at?” As 
Cuco fluctuated between dazed 
swaying and crazed jumping, the 
crowd matched his every move.
Afternoon 
festival-goers 
not 
inclined to hip hop or EDM hop-
scotched across a dusty field for 
the slew of alternative bands at 
the adjacent Lake Shore and Grant 
Park stages. People worried about 
permanent damage to their hear-
ing lounged on a hill like football 
fans impartial to the final score, just 
hoping to watch both endzones for a 
spectacular catch.
Although admirable each in 
their own right, a general lack of 
stage presence made the badass 
and expressive sign language inter-
preters a better show than the fea-
tured performers. The cameramen 
agreed, often focusing on an inter-
preter with a ginger Khal Drogo-
esque ponytail fohawk who did a 
more impressive air guitar than the 

actual musicians.
Seasoned vets Stars, who last 
played the festival a decade ago, 
strained to keep non-superfans 
interested. 
The 
vocal 
pairing 
between the reserved Amy Millan 
(of Broken Social Scene) and aged 
maniac Torquil Campbell clashed 
poorly live.
While Millan’s angelic voice 
created a contemplative mood, 
Campbell 
went 
haywire 
with 
incomprehensible shouting too far 
away from his microphone to pick 
up a signal. Since Campbell largely 
contributed melodica and tam-
bourine, while sharing vocals with 
his bandmates who had legitimate 
instruments, his antics were likely a 
sign of overcompensation.
The Wombats and Franz Ferdi-
nand followed, drawing crowds of 
supporters, but fading into the cli-
ches of their respective genres with 
little impact.
The next two bands to share the 
expansive field were the standouts 
of the whole first day. I would nomi-
nate them as headliners if the first, 
LANY, had a longer discography 
and the second, CHVRCHES, had 
more intentional set design and cho-
reography.
Paul Klein, frontman of LANY, 
burst onto the stage with a freshly 
shaven head and an unintentional 
mission to bring back sagging pants. 
At various points, Klein flashed the 
audience his boxer-briefs, coupling 
this carefree nature with an extro-
verted intensity that added depth to 
the bubbly and relatable set.
Even with a number of techni-
cal setbacks, LANY kept the energy 

level high. While the audio-tech-
nicians tried to solve the mystery 
problem, Klein launched into an 
impromptu solo performance of 
“Made in Hollywood” that proved 
his charisma alone could carry a 
concert.
CHVRCHES had the task of play-
ing against platinum-selling artist 
Khalid. They delivered a set that left 
no regrets for those who passed over 
the young R&B singer. Despite lead 
vocalist Lauren Mayberry sport-
ing the stature and speaking voice 
of a twelve-year old girl, her vocal 
strength made the open space take 
on the dimensions of an enclosed 
stadium.
After these two knockout perfor-
mances, the headliners for Thurs-
day night were a disappointment 
from the inaccessible Arctic Mon-
keys to the unnecessary Galantis 
— I’m sorry, but what’s the point of 
watching a DJ “live” — and the may-
hem of Travis Scott, which included 
a naked man, an awkward proposal 
and an even more cringe-worthy 
attempt from a fan to snag a photo 
with Scott.
Although there will never be 
a consensus on “objectively good 
music,” fun sets with a broader 
appeal make a reliable headliner 
fallback option, which Thursday 
lacked. LANY’s catchy lyrics, where 
one listen turns the chorus into a 
sing-along, could have filled that 
role.
Similarly, the upbeat electro-pop 
of CHVRCHES welcomes newcom-
ers rather than only entertaining 
longtime fans. Plus moving May-
berry’s band into the last time slot 
would add a more than worthy 
female-driven act to the all-male 
headliner schedule.
DAY TWO
Matt Maeson kicked off Friday 
with a hard-to-beat standard for 
the otherwise weak early afternoon 
schedule, which included a pitchy 
cover of Avril Lavigne from Alex 
Lahey.
Maeson showed his nerves dur-
ing soundcheck, running through 
his songs up to the last minute and 
incessantly chain smoking. How-
ever, every musician knows a little 
anxiety gives urgency and authen-
ticity to the performance. Dressed 
in all white, Maeson provided 
soulful, raw vocals with his father 
slaughtering the occasional guitar 
solo. 
Among the series of smaller 
artists, the BMI stage, known for 
introducing artists like Chance the 
Rapper and Lady Gaga, presented 
pop-punk band Mainland. Located 
beneath a tunnel of trees, the area 
lured people to the shade for some 

new music.
In an interview with The Daily, 
Mainland lead vocalist Jordan Topf 
described the origins of the band’s 
name, “The first time I heard the 
word ‘mainland,’ my mom told me 
a secret she kept from me my whole 
life about a time when she was 18 
and fell in love with this profes-
sional surfer and moved to Hawaii 
with him to have a secret marriage. 
She ended the marriage because she 
missed the mainland of California. 
It’s this hidden piece of her story 
that resonated with me when we 
were trying to find a name. We’re all 
from California and that became the 
genesis of our name.”
Although based in New York City, 
the California-roots of the band 
members shine through their East 
Coast veneer as they explore dark-
er subject matter through bright 
hooks.
Anticipation for Post Malone 
overshadowed James Bay whose 
evening set unfortunately turned 
into an opening act for the rapper. 
Eager Post fans occupied the front 
area and many did not hide their 
disinterest in Bay’s highly contrast-
ing musical style.
Regardless, Bay put on a master-
class on guitar and vocals. Unlike 
other attractive rockstars, Bay left 
no question that his talents lie in his 
music and not just his looks.
Traditionally, sets end on the 
musician’s biggest hit. After a late 
rendition of “Let It Go,” the crowd 
braced for the possibility of “Hold 
Back the River,” Bay’s other chart-
topper. Sensing the anticipation, 
Bay led the audience in an extended 
karaoke of the song’s bridge, “lonely 
water,” before letting the dam break.
A few years ago, during the wave 
of popular alternative music that 
benefited The 1975 and Mumford 
& Sons, The Neighborhood play-
ing the relatively small Tito’s venue 
would have been a surprise. How-
ever, since their breakout single 
“Sweater Weather,” the band has 
struggled to create songs distinct 
from one another with each verse 
reminiscent of the last and not in 
a way necessary to make an album 
cohesive. Played one after the other 
live, the similarities become more 
apparent and turn memorable tunes 
into uninteresting repetitions.
Even with the promise of Bruno 
Mars and The National to close the 
night, the craze around Post Malone 
made the popular rapper feel like 
another headliner. An hour before 
his start time, the crowd began 
chanting his name.

Lollapalooza 2018 curates a 
varied, impressive lineup

FESTIVAL REVIEW

ALICE LIU / THE MICHIGAN DAILY

MEGHAN CHOU
Summer Senior Arts Editor

Read more at MichiganDaily.com

