EXPERIENCE THE MUSIC MANIA WITH LOLLAPALOOZA
MUSIC, MADNESS AND MAYHEM
Lollapalooza is essentially one of the premier music festivals. With innumerable genres and days of non-stop music, it is a mecca for those who love music. However, the name itself raises some questions as it sounds like a mumbo-jumbo of random words put together. While the origin of the word remains unknown, Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines lollapalooza as ‘extraordinarily impressive’ or ‘an outstanding example’.
In what way did this term become associated with a music festival? It started with the Alternative Rock band Jane’s Addiction and their leader Perry Farrell. The band, in 1991, had a multi-city farewell tour which also had appearances from other prominent artists such as Nine Inch Nails and Ice T. This successful tour led to the establishment of the Lollapalooza festival, which from 2005 onwards, has occurred yearly in Chicago. However, from 2011, Lollapalooza started expanding globally, with India as a destination in 2023.
With 40 performing artists and four stages set up at the Mahalaxmi Race Course in Mumbai on January 28th and 29th, attendees can choose their favorite acts based on the stage they’d be performed on. This may also cause a dilemma if a person has more than one favorite artist performing on separate stages at the same time. To deal with this setback, some food and drinks will be needed to uplift that souring mood. It is not a festival if there are no delicacies to indulge in, so expect some gourmet pop-up kitchens and food trucks to fill those empty stomachs and provide more calories to burn. And if hours of dancing and singing to amazing performances don’t completely deplete energy, the leftovers can be spent on games, rewards, and other surprises. So, brace yourself because this is going to be one hell of a ride!
LOOKING AT THE OFFICIAL LINEUP
Promising an immersive experience with 20 hours of live music, here’s the official lineup released by Lollapalooza India on their website and social media.
‘TALENT GALORE – ARTISTS THAT WILL SUMMON UP A STORM’
Headlining Day 1 of the festival, the pop rock band Imagine Dragons, with several hits up their arsenal, such as Believer, Thunder, and Radioactive, set the tone for an already promising start. Greta Van Fleet, yet another blues/progressive rock band with comparisons to Led Zeppelin in their style of music, guarantees a heart-thumping performance. And then there is AP Dhillon with his Punjabi megahits Majhail and Brown Munde. These songs are just enough to add that just right amount of extra spice to the festivities. But for those who wish to bump into some EDM, look no further as Grammy-nominated producers Zhu and Madeon and Grammy-winning producer Imanbek will be there to turn it up. Other bands, such as Kasablanca, Japanese Breakfast will be there in their element. That Indian touch desperately needed will be provided by the bands The Yellow Diary, Bloodywood, Aswekeepsearching. With a lot of banging music from even more artists, Day 1 of Lollapalooza will have some ears ringing by the end of it.
If Day 1 was looking stellar, this Day 2 line-up is even more next level elevating this festival to even higher musical heights. The headlining event of the day is the indie rock Grammy-winning band, The Strokes, with hits such as Reptilia, You Only Live Once, and Last Nite. The responsibility of playing some EDM falls on the shoulders of DJ and producer Diplo, who is more than capable of carrying this duty. Jackson Wang, Oh! How can you get wrong with Jackson Wang? This man, with his music, his voice, and his incredible dancing, can charm the pants off of men and women alike. Jackson Wang, a member of the K-pop group GOT7 and an incredible solo artist, will undoubtedly be the talk of the town, as he hits the stage because he knows he was born for it. Then there is the sweet voice of Alec Benjamin, known for his hit Let Me Down Slowly, who will definitely not let the crowd down. Bringing the hype from all the frontiers, Divine, the Godfather of Indian hip-hop and rap, will break the stage! Day 2 will feature multiple solo artists and performances by several Indian artists, setting the stage ablaze and making the body rock to the tunes and beats of the music.
GET YOUR HANDS ON THOSE TICKETS
AND INDULGE IN THE CULTURE
With such a large-scale event comes a lot of ticketing queries. Tickets for the two-day event can be booked for each day separately. General admission tickets for one of the days are priced at around ₹ 7,500, while nearly ₹ 12,000 is the cost for both days. The VIP tickets with benefits such as viewing of two main stages, exclusive bars, and food stalls, and a premium experience cost nearly ₹ 14,500 for one day and ₹ 23,000 for the two days. As a final option, NEXA Lounge tickets with even more accessibility than VIP tickets start from $64,000. The entertainment & ticketing company, BookMyShow is responsible for the distribution of tickets along with them being the producers of Lollapalooza India.
So, put your music caps on, and make your way to the heart of Mumbai to experience one of the biggest music festivals. Revel in music, art, and culture from all parts of the world. And remember, stay hydrated!
