From surprise cameos and unreleased songs to inflatable Chicago Beans and black bear jokes, Lollapalooza 2025 gave us everything. Whether it was Djo’s hometown love letter, Clairo’s last-minute triumph and Shelly reunion, or Dominic Fike’s heart-melting onstage moment with his child, this year’s festival was overflowing with unforgettable highlights – and we’re breaking down our favorite moments from every single day.

Lollapalooza has been happening every year since 1991, and fans continue to return – for good reason!

The Chicago festival’s safe initiatives and exciting lineup result in a refreshing space for fans to connect with their favorite musicians. With an abundance of special guest appearances, unreleased songs, and unwavering energy, this year’s festival was one for the books. In case you missed it, we’re here to highlight our favorite performances from the weekend!

Thursday, July 31^st

Music festivals are all about variety, an aspect that bLAck pARty knows all too well. With a setlist ranging from chill R&B hits to club jams. The musician was accompanied by DJ Icee, who spun some tracks before introducing the main act. He also joined bLAck pARty during his set, which really set the stage for the artist’s new album, The Last Dance. This LP is focused on DJ culture, so it was only fitting that a DJ was there alongside him on the Lollapalooza stage.

Magdalena Bay brought an out of the world energy to their set, providing an intergalactic experience. The pop duo brought the drama with theatrics, outfit changes, and an electrifying enthusiasm. Fans were encouraged to “sit back, enjoy the show” as the group performed “The Beginning” as their last song.

Keeping the crowd engaged is a task that Australian pop duo, Royel Otis has mastered. An outgoing act rubs off on the crowd, which was evident during this performance. In the midst of technical difficulties, the group improvised by playing elevator music while fixing their instruments. Fans took the song “I Wanna Dance With You” quite literally, as they began to jump and groove to the beat. Before playing a fan favorite, “Sofa King” they dedicated the song to the crowd saying, “This one’s for you guys. Every single fucking one of ya’s.” Speaking of well-perceived songs, the duo played their version of “Linger” by the Cranberries and “Murder on the Dancefloor” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

If you were at the festival this weekend, you probably saw an abundance of red hats with the words “GLASS” plastered on the front. Tyler, The Creator continues to carry his legacy with him and back to Lollapalooza. He performed tracks from his latest album, DON’T TAP THE GLASS, along with fan favorites. Tyler admitted to the crowd, “I almost didn’t make it y’all, there was a storm in Atlanta. But I was like nah, fuck that we gotta get to this bitch tonight.” After 2024’s cancellation, Tyler is back and better than ever after the releases of CHROMAKOPIA and DON’T TAP THE GLASS.

Even though Tyler, The Creator concluded Thursday’s festival, the night had just begun for many concert-goers. Lollapalooza’s aftershows allow for an intimate experience with your favorite artists on the festival’s lineup. Ocean Alley’s aftershow was no different, providing listeners with an up-close-and-personal experience. The six-piece played an unreleased song called “Drenched”: “We’ve got some new music coming out, a new record. It’s called Love Balloon. We’re fucking stoked to have some new music to play for you guys. And on that note, we’re gonna play an unreleased track.” The group also performed a variety of cherished hits ranging from “Confidence” to their very own rendition of “Baby Come Back” by Player. Thursday’s show was the perfect way to prepare the band, and their fans for the group’s festival performance on Friday.

Friday, August 1^st

As the sun radiated its heat, Dogpark channeled their sunny vibes as their set started the day. “Breaking in Brooklyn” is always a crowd favorite, no matter the destination it’s played in. The band’s infectious head nodding and hair flips prompted fans to do the same as they rocked out- even during unreleased songs. Lollapalooza seems to be the festival of unreleased gems, as many acts showed all the tricks they have up their sleeve. For Dogpark, they revealed two unknown songs to fans. “This next one we’re gonna play is not out yet, we’ve only played it two times. It’s probably coming out in September, it’s called September.” The second track from the vault was titled, “I Don’t Mind.” Dogpark showed fans who they are, why they should care, and what’s next for them in the span of 45 minutes.

hey, nothing created such a lighthearted, entertaining environment mixed with vulnerable lyrics alongside humorous commentary and fan interactions. Before playing their latest single “Black Bear” they joked: “We just put out a song yesterday about getting into physical altercations with black bears. Except, we would never do that because we love animals.”

Chicago is a special city to Djo, a sentiment that he’s carried into his music and his Lollapalooza set. Djo, also known as Joe Keery, started the show with his song “Runner” which later transitioned into “Gloom.” As the second song began, a black curtain fell down, only to reveal a giant inflatable bean replica. Keery brought this tourist attraction right to the crowd, welcoming them to Chicago. The crowd was as enthusiastic about Djo’s performance as he was: “You’re not messing around man, I don’t think I’ve ever seen this amount of people in my entire life” he added. The Stranger Things star surprised fans with a video cameo from castmate Charlie Heaton during “Charlie’s Garden.” Speaking of recordings, Keery grabbed the stage videocamera and began running around filming his band and the crowd. Not only is he an artist and actor, he has now stepped into a new role as a cameraman. This set was engaging and interactive, as the musician truly felt at home during his Lollapalooza performance. While playing this show, Keery admired the crowd, and how far he’s come. As he looked out towards the audience in awe, his facial expressions showed that it was evident he was experiencing an “I’ve made it” realization. This intimate moment touched fans as well, as they shared an emotional milestone with the artist. His last song was memorable, as he played “Back On You” while the United Voices Chicago Choir accompanied him. This set was proof that you may be able to take the man out of the city, but you will never be able to take the city out of the man.

Indie pop trio, Wallows, started their Lollapalooza journey as fans 12 years ago. “The first time we all came to this festival together was in 2013, we were just having a good time. Everyone who was playing sets up here, it just seemed like a pipe dream. The first festival we ever played was here in 2018 on the Tito’s stage at like noon.” The three continued to express their love for the festival by declaring that Lollapalooza is, in fact, their favorite. Lead singer, Dylan Minnette, stepped off the stage during “OK” and began pointing the microphones towards fans, having them sing parts of the song.

While a majority of the festival went to catch Olivia Rodrigo’s headlining set, we love to support the underdogs. Bladee brought the energy to the Grove stage with flashing lights and bass-boosted beats.

Saturday, August 2^nd

Playing festivals has always been a dream for singer-songwriter Landon Conrath. Five years later, he performed at his first ever festival. His excitement bled into his performance as he was energetic as ever. This set was yet another reminder that hard work does pay off, even if the results take time.

Live performances are a true testament to a band’s liveliness, no matter what genre of music they create. Jazz influenced duo, Wasia Project, managed to keep fans engaged as they exuded an upbeat energy, even during their slower songs. Lead singer Olivia Hardy added, “This has truly been like a highlight of our year so far.”

Orion Sun paired her heartfelt lyrics with hand motions and dancing in order to further convey the emotions behind her music. Before playing a fan favorite, “dirty dancer” she asked “Do we have any dirty dancers in here?” This set was full of good vibes, as her genuine smile lit up the stage.

Clairo began her performance by showing the crowd her classiness, as she sipped wine alongside her band before playing. This aspect of the show was prevalent, from the stage setup, even to the black and white video on the screens. The indie-pop sensation admitted to the audience: “You have no idea how much it took for us to get here today” she laughed. “We were on a plane that boarded twice, and deplaned twice. And then we took another plane, and we got here one hour before we were supposed to go on stage.” That didn’t stop her though, she still managed to put on an incredible show- one that will continue to be talked about by fans. She shocked listeners when she said “Okay Chicago, so I think today’s a good day to bring out some of my friends.” In that very moment, the crowd began to scream as the remaining members of her musical project “Shelly” came on stage. The group performed their most popular song, “Steeeam,” a hit that Lollapalooza attendees never expected to hear live.

Sunday, August 3^rd

Flowerovlove stole the show, not once, but twice with her performances at the Bud Light stage and Toyota Music Den. Her first set at Bud Light included lots of colors. backup dancers, and a poster giveaway to end off the show. During her smaller concert at the Toyota Music Den, she grabbed fans’ phones and began recording videos as she sang. Flowerovlove made an effort to connect with listeners on a deeper level and even brought two attendees on stage so they could feel what it was like.

Even though they were a last-minute replacement, that didn’t stop Post Animal from having a great time. The Chicago-based band knows how to put on a great show, which was evident from their amazing stage presence.

Sometimes the best shows are the most unexpected ones: Joey Valance and Brae were no exception. The interactive rap duo were one of my favorite sets of the weekend, bringing an unmatched energy to Lollapalooza. They even covered “365” by Charli XCX, showing fans that they love to have fun. These two aren’t just your regular rappers, they fuse dancing into every aspect of their music and shows. The duo reminded fans “Don’t be afraid to dance, that’s the number one thing.”

Dominic Fike started his show strong with jams like “Babydoll,” “Westcoast Collective,” and “How Much Is Weed?” He played a cover of “Yellow” by Coldplay along with three unreleased songs. However, the biggest surprise was when Fike brought out his child onto stage- a moment fans couldn’t get enough of.

Still Woozy always stuns the audience with his funky and one-of-a-kind dance moves, just one of the unique qualities he brings onto the stage. His live performances incorporate his band unlike any other group does, as they collaborate to provide a memorable concert just as they did at Lollapalooza.

Omar Apollo wasn’t on this year’s lineup, but that didn’t stop him from making a live appearance. Apollo joined LATIN MAFIA on the stage to perform their song “Hecho para ti.”

Even though A$AP Rocky’s performance was cut off, his set was quite memorable. Not only did he debut “lvl” live, he also played “Demons” for the first time ever- a moment that will go down in history.

Lollapalooza was unforgettable this year, as each day provided its own flare and surprises.

Fans will continue to reminisce on this weekend as they wait for next year’s lineup. After such a great collection of musicians on the 2025 lineup, next year seems to be quite promising. Whether you were familiar with a majority of the artists or just came for a good time, Lollapalooza is the highlight of the year for music lovers worldwide.

Hopefully throughout this weekend, whether you were in attendance or not, you discovered new music. After all, that’s what music festivals are all about: and we’re glad you chose Atwood for all your Lollapalooza coverage!

Stay tuned for our exclusive on-site interviews with artists from the festival!

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 © Charles Reagan