Vic Mensa Helps Flume and the Crowd 'Lose It'

On the final day of Lollapalooza 2016, ZHU, Local Natives, and Flume help it go out with a bang.

Four days of Lollapalooza is hard, but Sunday at Grant Park in Chicago was bittersweet. Sunday meant the festival was almost over, but it was also the day that left a lasting impression with an incredible lineup that included Local Natives and Flume. 

Louis The Child is a name I had seen pop up before in the past, but I had no idea what to expect for their live show. At Pepsi Stage, they really knew how to work the crowd with their synth-heavy drops coming unexpectedly or mixed with engaging vocals. I was very impressed in Louis The Child, and will listened to more of their Soundcloud page.

Local Natives is an indie rock band based in Los Angeles, California. They have been releasing singles throughout the year, and have already announced that their third album Sunlit Youth will be out this fall. Local Natives was on Bud Light stage and performed their new singles, including "Villainy" and "Fountains of Youth," but also did some of my older favorites like "Three Months" and "Breakers." After three years of not seeing them live, it seems that they are staying true to their roots, but it's still interesting to see a sneak peek into what direction they are moving in with the upcoming album.

When I first heard the new Flume album Skin, I immediately started counting down the days until I got to see him live for the first time. Flume was at Samsung stage and played a good mx of the old and the new, with a little over half of the songs he performed being from Skin. He played in the daylight, which did not allow for his light show or the ambience to have its full affect. With the huge following he has and his production setup, he would have been better-suited for a closing nighttime times slot. The entire crowd went wild when he brought out Chicago-native Vic Mensa to help him perform "Lose It." (Flume will play The Orpheum September 14).

After seeing his ability entrance his audience, I decided to finish off my Lollapalooza experience with ZHU at Pepsi Stage. ZHU's set felt like a disco party Sunday. His music is groovy, and I love his simple approach to performance. He uses a minimal light presentation but still manages to make the production look stunning. 

One of the most interesting things about Lollapalooza was the comprehensiveness, which has been part of the festival since its start 25 years ago when Jane's Addiction--who played this year as well--headlined. Also on the bill that year was rapper Ice-T with his heavy metal band Body Count, punk band Siouxsie and the Banshees in their goth-dance phase, ska band Fishbone, along with Nine Inch Nails, Violent Femmes, and Henry Rollins, and that aesthetic has only grown. There is really something for everyone at Lolla. Headliners like Radiohead and Red Hot Chili Peppers draw in older crowds, while fans of electronic music even have a niche of their own. Lollapalooza has created a place where any two people with completely different tastes in music can have an equal experience, and it remains the blueprint for the modern rock festival.

For more on Sunday at Lollapalooza, check out the Chicago Tribune's coverage.