Grant Park could be mistaken for a desert on Saturday, complete with temperatures in the mid-90s, relentless sunshine and a periodic dust cloud blowing across the fields. Early in the day, the audiences gathered at sets from New Orleans funk outfit Tank and the Bangas and Columbian electro duo Bomba Estereo were minuscule when compared to the lines at Lollapalooza’s water stations and the groups of people lounging in the shade.
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Despite the heat, it was an eventful afternoon, beginning with a packed performance from rapper Lil Pump that was brought to a halt by security several times, and ultimately cut short, after attendees in the front were crushed against the stage barricade. The day continued with the infectious pop stylings of Dua Lipa and Carly Rae Jepsen, but the most captivating set of the afternoon was an appearance from St. Vincent, who unleashed guitar riffs, electro-pop beats and a bit of raw emotion from atop a riser on the main stage.
The evening ended with a potentially confusing scheduling choice: Vampire Weekend on one end of the park and the Weeknd on the other. Those in search of hit R&B singles and production values gravitated to the south end of the park, where the Weekend performed in front of a gigantic sculpture by artist Es Devlin that was illuminated by projections. Across the park, Vampire Weekend made its way through a set filled with the strange musical asides, such as a snippet of Chicago’s “Saturday in the Park,” a rendition of the Seinfeld theme song and a cover of Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man.” The set was devoid of material from the group’s forthcoming record, but frontman Ezra Koenig ended the evening by promising that he’d be back in Chicago with new songs soon.
Take a look at our favorite photos from day three of Lollapalooza.