Lollapalooza opened in Grant Park Thursday for its annual four days of music, crowds and revelry, the main entrance chutes on Michigan Avenue loosening up for fest-goers a bit before 11 a.m. The Day 1 headliner is Billie Eilish on the T-Mobile mainstage, along with Karol G on the Bud Light stage on the north side of the park.
By one measure, this is the biggest Lollapalooza ever. Daily capacity inside the fences for 2023 is 115,000, up from 100,000 in previous years, an increase announced at the end of the festival last summer as part of the 10-year lease extension between the festival and the City of Chicago.
Visiting from places near and far, there was one artist many lined up early Thursday morning to see — Eilish. Many of the pop singer’s devoted fans wore comfortable sneakers, just so they could run to get a better view before she takes the stage at 8:45 p.m.
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Dalys Noriega, 20, started waiting at the main entrance at Ida B. Wells Drive at 5 a.m. — after originally getting in line at 8 p.m. Wednesday night and being asked to leave. She traveled to Chicago from Texas, and is hoping that Eilish performs the song “Wish You Were Gay.”
“For Billie Eilish — if she’s performing anywhere in the U.S. — I’ll be there,” she said.
The singer-songwriter, now 21, records and performs live with older brother Finneas O’Connell and was last in Chicago for a March 2022 performance at the United Center on her Happier Than Ever tour.
Also among the first in line was Victor Tran. The 18-year-old from Washington had been in line since 6:50 a.m. for his first Lollapalooza and was most looking forward to seeing NewJeans in the group’s first-ever U.S. performance. He planned to run to the T-Mobile stage first to claim a spot for their afternoon set. He was carrying a NewJeans lightstick, a white stick in the shape of a bunny head — the light-up devices are distinctive to K-pop groups, with fans swinging them in the air during shows.
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2023 is a big year for K-pop at the fest, with Tomorrow X Together the first K-pop group to headline Lollapalooza on Saturday night. The group first appeared at Lolla last year on the Perry’s stage.
Additionally, Karol G will be the first female Latin artist to top the bill. Coming later in the weekend: Kendrick Lamar and The 1975 are the big acts for Friday. ODESZA co-headlines Saturday, and Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lana Del Ray close.
Victoria Vole, a 25-year-old from Gurney, came to Lollapalooza as a volunteer at one of the water filling stations. She said it’s her second time volunteering as a way to cost-effectively see her favorite artists. “I think it’s definitely worth it. You get to hang out with cool people and you get to help out with a huge festival at the same time,” Vole said.
Tickets to fest run the gamut, with single-day general admission starting at $135, on up to $4,350 for Platinum 4-Day passes, complete with private lounges, catering, hair and glitter treatments and golf cart transportation. Lollapalooza is presented by Austin, Texas-based C3 Presents, a division of Live Nation.
For those unable to get inside the fences ringing Grant Park, the festival is also being livestreamed on Hulu.
Camp counselor pay and a three-month-layaway plan helped NewJeans fans Allison Kujawa, 17, of Minnesota and Dylan Boley, 20, a Columbia College student, afford their tickets. The first-time festival attendees were excited to see Hanni and Danielle of the K-pop group. “I’ve wanted to go since I was a little kid. I saw the setlist this year and I just knew this is my time,’” Boley said.
Near Buckingham Fountain, hundreds of people stood in line to purchase band and fest merchandise. Friends Lauren Miller and Cloe Owens said they were impressed how fast the line moved despite its length.
”I love getting shirts wherever I go, and getting my family magnets,” Miller, 19, said. The duo, who attend college in Kansas, decided to take their annual girls trip to Lollapalooza. Miller said she’s so impressed with Chicago she wants to apply to the city’s medical schools.
This story is updating.
