Lollapalooza Day 4: Nico Vega roars to life, while Teddy Swims brings Georgia verve and storytelling
And just like that, Lollapalooza 2024 is coming to a close after an incredible few days where the weather miraculously held out, and fans witnessed the making of a star before their very eyes (Chappell Roan), saw an orchestra on the festival stage for the first time ever (Laufey with the Chicago Philharmonic) and even got some guest spots (Chance the Rapper with Reneé Rapp).
Not bad for the 20th edition of the event since it laid roots in Chicago in 2005.
Like Thursday’s switchup of Chappell Roan to a bigger stage, the same upgrade is happening today with super buzz act The Last Dinner Party moving over to the Tito’s Handmade Vodka Stage in a slightly later time slot, 5:45-6:45 p.m. The change has also affected the flow of the schedule on the Bacardi Stage as a result, so if you were planning to see any acts there, you may want to look at the schedule before finalizing plans today.
It's also the last chance to get some grub at Chow Town, Lollapalooza’s foodie festival that’s just as curated as the music itself. The offerings are quite expansive this year, with a larger footprint from which to grab bites. In addition to the four main areas of Chow Town itself offering regular fare from tacos to pizza to shwarma to burgers, there’s Dessert Island with a plethora of sweet fixes including frozen pudding, Vibe Village that has creative picks like the Kong Dog, and the Plant Base area with a range of vegetarian/vegan options. But above all, water is key with temps inching up towards 90 degrees for the festival’s finale.
Scarlet Demore
Chicago's Scarlet Demore was one of the first acts to open up the festivities Sunday, continuing the swell of incredible women artists who have dominated the lineup this weekend. Today alone, Melanie Martinez headlines the Bud Light Stage while The Last Dinner Party is one of the hottest tickets, and Nico Vega’s banshee singer Aja Volkman and Japanese metalcore band Hanabie. will no doubt turn a few heads.
In Scarlet Demore, the ever-enthusiastic singer Cat Ayala is a big part of the draw of the local act (also featuring guitarists Alex Gonzalez and Joel Smith and bassist G Passaro) who have steadily been growing their following since forming in 2017. Coming off like a gothic Gwen Stefani, Ayala’s natural retro-skewed vocal style is a unique match for the instrumental assault behind her.
There are notes of ska but the act also has a heavy focus on alternative rock, a bit of punk and even some riot grrrl influence, particularly in the empowered lyrics that tie it all together.
“All I want you to do for the next 40 minutes is just have fun, I don’t care if you ever listen to me again,” said Ayala. “This time is as much yours as it’s ours.”
The crowd heeded the message. By the time Scarlet Demore tore into clear fan favorite “Wendy’s a Pisces,” a decent faction had rallied together, singing along and pumping their firsts in the air. With Chicago’s rock scene exploding the past few years, and particularly hitting a fever pitch in 2024, Scarlet Demore is on the cusp of breaking out just the same. — Selena Fragassi
Nico Vega
Maybe some people came over to see Nico Vega because they heard the actor (and local native) Michael Peña was in the band. “I am from Chicago, I am your son,” he joked during the set, extending his arms out like he was giving one big virtual hug.
Or, maybe some came over because they were curious about the Imagine Dragons connection (Nico Vega’s singer Aja Volkman was married to Dan Reynolds for a number of years).
And still maybe some had come out after following the band for years like yours truly.
No matter the scenario, what the crowd got was a true feast of rock 'n' roll with one of the best frontwomen/vocalists in the game. Volkman is a tour de force, her voice a gravely, husky, raspy growl that brings to mind a modern-day Janis Joplin while her in-your-face prowling at the lip of the stage and Tina-esque sashaying kept eyes tracking her for the better part of 40 minutes.
Though the music project began some 20 years ago, it went through a near-decade hiatus until reforming in 2023. And in many ways the past year has marked a positive new beginning. Not only does Peña, an original member, return to the fold for the first time since 2007 (when his acting career took off) but Volkman has also found her voice and presence again after taking time to raise her family.
The band — joined by drummer Dan Epand and guitarist Rich Koehler — even has a guest horn section this time around.
The Nico Vega of 2024 also appears even more amped up than in the early days. When the group barreled through new song “$5,” you could feel the fire in Volkman’s chest unfurling through her microphone as the bandmates' aggression egged her on.
“Has anyone ever made you feel worthless? Guess what baby, you are priceless and there’s no replacing you,” Volkman professed in the middle of the performance.
And when they pulled out 2013 banger “Beast” from the vault, the message — about giving the working man more respect — spared no prisoners, taking on new meaning as economic disparity only grows.
Hopefully this new iteration of Nico Vega is the total resurrection needed to propel the band to the big leagues. Judging by the number of fans Wikipedia’ing the band as they watched, hungry to learn more, it’s a very good sign. — Selena Fragassi
Carmen DeLeon
Carmen DeLeon, a 23-year-old Venezuela native, started her set by acknowledging the political turmoil in her home country. Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner of a presidential election just a week ago, making it unsafe for migrants to return to the country as long as he's in power.
She began the performance with her two Spanish-language hit songs, "Mala Memoria" and "Mariposas," before warming up the crowd with a catchy chorus in "Wonderful."
Despite everything going on back home, she stressed that while she and her fellow Venezuelans "wanna raise our voices" for justice, she was here to have an incredible time. DeLeon tied a Venezuelan flag around the base of her microphone and got ready to dive in.
The BMI Stage, located underneath a shady canopy of trees, is special to DeLeon. 16 years ago, Lady Gaga & The Starlight Revue performed a mid-afternoon debut set in the same place.
So as a tribute to the superstar, DeLeon performed an emotional cover of Lady Gaga’s “Always Remember Us This Way" from the "A Star is Born" movie soundtrack that left her teary-eyed.
"You guys are the ones that make my dreams come true," she said, filled with gratitude, to the audience. "I'm gonna clap for you guys!"
Much of her music has a tropical flow inspired by reggaeton and Latin trap beats, but when leaning into rocker vibes, she sounds great backed up by a band.
She complimented — and then apologized — to a fan for "having beautiful eyes."
"I just can't stop staring at them," she said.
DeLeon said she's got "no filter" and likes to tell it like it is. She frequently interacted with fans throughout the set, telling one of them not to smoke because it's unhealthy for them. Another fan gifted her a scarf, which DeLeon put on right away.
This all led to her song "El Vecino," which she said was written about a gorgeous neighbor who rejected her. (To be fair, it was her pitbull's fault for scaring off his tiny schnauzer.)
The show ended with encore of "Wonderful," where she allowed the fans to finish the chorus as she exited. — Ambar Colón
Teddy Swims
“In the spirit of having a great time today, I’m invoking an Atlanta rule: Stay with it!” said Georgia-born singer-songwriter Teddy Swims on stage Sunday afternoon during what’s been one of the warmer Lollapalooza weekends in recent memory. “Let’s stay hydrated and check on your friends. Safety is first."
With platforms like TikTok and YouTube enabling artists to quickly develop a following, Lollapalooza has been forced to adjust its schedule this year to accommodate artists like Chappell Roan, The Last Dinner Party and Swims, each of whom was moved to a larger station in anticipation of significant audiences.
Swims attracted a massive early crowd Sunday at 4:45 p.m., performing in Grant Park’s Hutchinson Field on the T-Mobile south main stage.
Bounding onto the stage in a Chicago Bulls jersey, Swims wasted no time exposing the crowd to his powerhouse lead vocal over the course of an hourlong set that saw him backed by red-hot backing band WildHeart.
While guitar cut through opener “Goodbye’s Been Good to You,” nothing could overpower Swims’ pristine vocal, especially impressive on such a hot, humid day.
Swims offered up one of the weekend’s most rewarding performances, pausing despite the festival expanse to share poignant, introspective stories. He bucked the festival trend by offering up a unique performance instead of regurgitating the exact same festival setlist, performing one song, “Bad Dreams,” live for the first time.
“Alright, I’m gonna get serious if I can. We usually don’t play this at a festival,” said Swims, setting up “Some Things I’ll Never Know.” “I find the older I get, you don’t get closure when people leave your life. You may never get it. The only thing you can do is accept things you can’t control. So, if you’re willing to take a blessing, this song means a lot to me.”
In a rare festival moment, Sunday’s packed Lollapalooza crowd actually quieted down, embracing both the message and the performance as Swims addressed the audience over a gorgeous piano backing.
Simmering throughout, Sunday’s performance boiled over as Swims and company launched into megahit “Lose Control,” with a gorgeous, extended jazz-driven piano intro giving way to the only element capable of overpowering Swims’ incredible voice: a big crowd singing a huge hit.
“Thank you so much, Lolla for making us feel at home! This is the best band on the planet,” Swims said, leaving the stage as the band played him off in a manner akin to the legendary James Brown. —Jim Ryan
Check back later for more reviews.