Photos/Review: Lollapalooza Chile 2016: Day 2

Words + Photos by Marco Denzer

In terms of weather, the second day of Lollapalooza Chile was exactly as the first… temperatures in the low to mid 70s, and sunny with a chance of great music.

As the public waited for the gates to open, the excitement from many people in the crowd was palpable. It was obvious that some of the bands had very distinct followers and they were here to enjoy the festival.

“In Europe they’re dubbed the heirs of Rhythm and Blues… In America they’re the new protocol of Soul,” said the announcer over the speakers. Then, elegantly dressed in their typical suits and ties, Vintage Trouble appeared on stage and was greeted by a very loud and rowdy audience that clearly knew what they were in for. The sun was hot at 1:30 in the afternoon, but things got much hotter when the band started their seven-song set by playing the Gospel infused “High Times (They Are Coming)”. The song’s driving beat marked the tone for an outstanding performance. The quartet was doing great at this point, but lead singer Ty Taylor really won the audience over by belting out Chile’s national soccer chant in between the first and second songs. This immediately elevated the show into an absolutely crazy, pelvis pushing, fist pumping, soccer chanting, soul shaking dance party that everyone loved.

A massive young audience slowly gathered in front of the VTR stage and patiently waited for Twenty One Pilots. The duo was one of the most anticipated acts of the second day lineup, and the excitement of the fans was undeniable. By the time the pair hit the stage, the audience could no longer hold back its energy and suddenly rushed forward as they sang along to “Heavydirtysoul”. It was showtime, and clearly nothing was going to stop them from celebrating with the band. The twelve-song set included hits like “Guns for Hands”, “Lane Boy”, “Ride”, “Car Radio” and a very good crowd pumping cover of “Jump Around” by House of Pain. It was an extremely entertaining performance that included lots of audience participation, crowd surfing, and the aerial acrobatics of Josh Dun and Tyler Joseph.

Bad Religion performed on Itau stage to deliver a heavy dose of adrenaline on Parque O’Higgins, and judging by the large size of the mosh pit swirling at the center of their audience… they loved it. The seasoned veterans of L.A. punk ripped through an impressive set of more than twenty songs featuring their new drummer Jamie Miller. Three and four part harmonies, driving beats, and guitar-shredding licks of hits like “Fuck You”, “Sinister Rouge”, “Do What You Want”, and “Delirium of Disorder” kept the energy level very high as the festival entered its evening hours.

With a joyful smile on her face and fists pumping in the air, Brittany Howard led Alabama Shakes on stage as she affectionately shouted, “What’s up Santiago? What’s going on Chile”? Then, without any hesitation or fanfare, she began singing “Future People” like a soulful siren that easily enchants the listener with her melodic voice. The band immediately captivated the sizeable audience that had gathered for their show. They continued with “Rise to the Sun”, “Be Mine”, “You Ain’t Alone”, and “Don’t Wanna Fight” to deliver a deeply gripping, visceral, and romantic set. The only component missing from their performance was the top-notch light show they’ve used on other occasions, but the Chilean crowd didn’t seem to mind. The music was too good.

Expectation and excitement were high as the sky fell dark over Parque O’Higgins and thousands of fans waited for Mumford & Sons, one of the most anticipated bands on the lineup and one that generated lots of buzz with festival attendees. The minutes before the band walked on stage seem to last forever, and then as the musicians streamed in one by one the audience let out a huge roar of elation. The band started things off slowly with “Snake Eyes”, and gradually turned up the heat with a mixed set of tunes selected from all three of their major productions Babel, Sigh No More, and the most recent Wilder Mind album. And to make things interesting, they even included a cover of The Kinks “You Really Got Me” as part of the set. Mumford & Sons skillfully blended their musical prowess with an excellent light show to deliver a stellar performance, exactly as the public had anticipated.

A triumphant finale to an excellent festival was set by granting final performance honors to Florence + The Machine. Led by the charismatic Florence Welch, who sang, danced and twirled from one side of the stage to the other, like a mythical enchantress dressed in a long green flowing gown… red mane waving in the air. The band delivered a riveting performance that included hits like “Ship to Wreck”, “Shake It Out”, “Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)”, “Dog Days Are Over”, and many others to captivate and delight the audience from beginning to end.

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