Lollapalooza 2026 - Day Four Report

by Anthony Kuzminski

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Sunday August 2, 2026 - Grant Park, Chicago

The 2026 edition of Lollapalooza ended on Sunday with the fourth day of music, vibes and eventually sunshine taking over Grant Park. The fields at the park took a beating on Saturday from the rain and the overcast skies on Sunday eventually led to the sun coming out in time for MUNA's afternoon set. While Sunday did not have as much name recognition on the lineup, it also proved to be one of the most distinct days of the festival. While I saw fewer complete sets on Sunday, the variety made me happy as I walked throughout the festival taking it all in. Some days you wear your writer's hat, other days you're a fan and on days like Sunday, you're in discovery mode watching every genre imaginable from alternative to classic rock to pop to hip-hop to J-Pop to country and this is what makes Lollapalooza the best festival of its kind, the range it has each and every day.

The Bends 1:00
Bringing straight ahead classic rock to the shaded area of the Airbnb stage, the Bends, who hail from Baton Rouge, Louisiana who formed while attending LSU. Their no-nonsense brand of rock is easily accessible. Lead singer Hayden Field has a voice that is eerily similar to Caleb Followill of the Kings of Leon. The onstage camaraderie was evident as you can see the four members had a shared history as they tore through a sweet smokey set of southern rock.

After1:50
Channeling early 2000s alternative music with dance bears, singer Justine Dorsey and guitarist Graham Epstein, took to the Airbnb stage with grace and confidence. The rock-pop duo kicked things off with "Deep Diving," its languid melody entrancing the significant audience under the trees providing a perfect soundtrack for the last day. A new album, Fell Asleep in the Sun is scheduled for release on September 18th and they performed the superb and dreamy "Take Me To Sunrise" during their set.

Cruz Beckham and the Breakers 2:15
I'll let you look at the name and do your own googling for who Cruz's parents are, but I am here to tell you that Cruz Beckham and the Breakers were the biggest surprise on Sunday. Channeling music from a past life that could be considered a cross between Brit Pop and the British Invasion, Beckham and his band, the Breakers, played with certainty for their all too brief set. Performing at their first festival, the stage was bare, but the performance was enthusiastic. On the single "waste your pain" they give a nod to the Stones Roses while "Wear and Tear," coming from a forthcoming EP later this month, had Brit Pop DNA all over it, and I say this not as a diss, but a compliment, especially in the year 2026. Beckham captures not just the energy but the genuineness and vibes of that music while putting his own stamp on it. Beckham may only be twenty-one years old, but he came off like an old soul who raged and roared in a former life embracing the rock n' roll of an earlier time. The sets biggest surprise was a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" which was presented with a tenderness that made you catch your breath. He knew a straightforward cover may have been overpowering, but the nakedness of the arrangement was a key choice and in some ways, it felt deeper than a cover from an up-and-coming artist, but something inside of him that needed to be shared.

Waylon Wyatt 3:00
At merely nineteen years old, Waylon Wyatt found himself on the second biggest stage of the festival. A TikTok sensation, Wyatt proved there was more to him than an algorithm. I can't imagine what went through his head, but he delivered a set on old school country music where the stories of small-town American life with musicians that sonically owed more to Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson than modern male country artists. There was a sincerity in his show, and you could see the excitement on his face, presenting a convincing and surprising set.

Case Oats 3:30
Chicago's own Case Oats performed at the BMI stage who stood out with a set of wonderful Americana and rock songs that made you stop and notice. Notable was the pensive "Seventeen" with its inventive instrumentation and personal lyrics, singer Casey Gomez Walker taps into the beauty of youth while looking closely in the rearview mirror. There is a natural truthfulness to her writing. Their 2025 album Last Missouri Exit was well represented during the set. Drummer and co-songwriter Spencer Tweedy brings a wispy and reserved providing a perfect backbeat while never pushing these songs into a territory where they lose their soul, notably on the elegant "Bitter Root Lake."

Wunderhorse 4:00
Alternative rock is alive and well in Jacob Slater's nimble vocals and the textures of Harry Flwler's guitar. Performing "Midas" and "Butterflies" early in their set, Wunderhorse reflected spaciousness while not being afraid to share an uninhibited howl like on "Emily."

Amber Mark 4:20
Amber Mark showed off her life experiences with shades of R&B, bossa nova and even flashes of rock on her brilliant cover "A Little More" which segued into Prince's "I Feel For You." Shew grew up in Miami, New York and Munich so she brings a big scope of experience to her music as one can hear on "What It Is," "By the End of the Night" and "Doin' Me," all of which fuse the best of Sade, Janet Jackson and Lauryn Hill. She even kicked things up with a cover of Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" which had the whole field dancing.

Muna 4:45
Lead singer Katie Gavin grew up in the Chicago suburb of Wilmette, so whenever she makes it back to Chicago, it's considered a hometown show. Opening with "It Gets So Hot," the three-piece band hit the stage with the same drive and determination they have previously brought to Lollapalooza in 2016 and 2022. The rhythmic pulsating beats immediately captured the huge crowd's attention. Despite clouds hanging over the festival for the better part of three days, it was shining down on MUNA. The band has evolved since the bedroom confessional aspect of their debut bringing lighter and shinier sounds to their albums, but the songs capture the same level of warmth.

Gavin's inner thespian ruled the day, but credit must be given to guitarist Josette Maskin, who centers the songs while Naomi McPherson paints the songs with synthy rhythms perfecting their brand of indie electropop, notably on their recent single "Wannabeher." Yearning for missed opportunities and lost loves, MUNA synthesizes sorrow in such a melancholic and personal manner in their indie pop sound. Lead singer Katie Gavin is a star on the stage, not just a great performer or artist, but a star who the audience can look up to and see a reflection of themselves. Josette Maskin and Naomi McPherson fill out the band and forge the band's cathartic pop landscape veering into familiar yet bold new territories. The crowd enthusiasm spilled over to "I Know a Place" and the set closer "Silk Chiffon," which the crowd sang back every word which felt like a homecoming that was nothing short of celebratory.

beabadoobee 6:45
Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus was born in the Philippines but moved to the United Kingdom when she was three and grew up in London and has been releasing music under the name of beabadoobee for the last nine years. Despite only being twenty-six years old, she sings with significant life experience. Much of the set reached for the skies with a world building set that felt widescreen in scope. The jazzy "The Perfect Pair" she gracefully tells a tale of heartache while on "Cologne," the band's guitars surged and on "Beaches" she comes to terms with an imperfect life, but one that keep moving forward as long as you're throwing yourself into it.

aespa 7:45
K-pop has been a presence at Lollapalooza for several years now and the South Korean girl group aespa consisting of Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning, at four members they are one of the smaller K-pop acts today. An enormous crowd appeared for them and watched their fourteen-song set with focused concentration. The set had several debuts, including "Can't Help Myself," "SHAKIN'" and "Switchblade," the latter of which Ty Dolla Sign made a guest appearance. While there are hundreds of K-pop bands in the market now, few are as good as aespa, with their harmonies and choregraphed dance moves, they're a deeply enthralling act to watch. The way the group can slip inside a melody, is not easy feat and all eyes were on the four of them. One element that helps aespa elevate their live game was a live band who helped flesh out the songs giving them more energy than many of their counterparts, and this was especially noticeable on "Hold on Tight," the song they provided to the Tetris movie a few years back.

The Chainsmokers 8:45
Taking of Perry's stage for the finale of the weekend, Alex Pall and Drew Taggart delivered a tight set full of balance and cohesion. Perry's DJ stage is always a draw, even at 12pm when the doors open, but to maintain the energy, especially at the end of the day, is no easy feat. With crowds spilling out into the streets, the crowd waved their arms in-sync but they were especially vocal on "Closer" which found the crowd, despite exhaustion, erupting into a deafening applause and sing-along. Despite having peaked on the pop charts a decade back, for several of the younger attendees, this is a group and their songs tap into a youthful nostalgia.

Ado 9:20
Who is Ado and why did they perform in front of a gigantic gate at the closing of Lollapalooza? The Japanese singer does not reveal her face. She sings in the darkness, and her team does everything in their power to protect her anonymity. The mystery behind her is part of the appeal, but even with the unidentified person onstage, the music and performance was profoundly compelling. The setup with a metal cage and blazing lights is also reminiscent of a wrestling match, but for Ado, there was no posing, only singing. While labeled J-pop, it does a disservice to her as the set she performed at Lollapalooza was heavy on guitars and driven with a nuclear force. Singing in Japanese, the crowd hung on every note and word even if they didn't understand the lyrics. The Airbnb stage was mobbed with fans and their light sticks swaying in unison. While Tate McRae and the Chainsmokers had bigger crowds, Ado delivered one of the weekends most unique and memorable sets.

The xx 9:50
The electronic rock band from Wandsworth, England closed out the festival with "I Dare You" and "Intro." This is all about opening space in their music that sounded great inside Grant Park under the stars and moon. Shifting between the dark and the light, the xx rode their minimalist sound to the finish line.

Between the xx, the Chainsmokers, Ado and Tate McRae, Lollapalooza offered something for everyone. Is the music solely focused on the alternative genre like it once was? No, but if you seek out new experiences, you will find several acts at Lollapalooza every day who will fuel your soul.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMUSIC Network. His daily writings can be read at The Screen Door. He has seen over 1,000 concerts in his life and has covered Lollapalooza in depth for fifteen years. He can be followed on Twitter

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