Lollapalooza returns to central Paris for one of its most star-studded events yet.
Lollapalooza Paris returned for its eighth edition last weekend for what was set to be its biggest year yet, with 160,000 weekend visitors descending on the Hippodrome Paris Longchamp racecourse in the French capital. Centred around a mock-up of the Eiffel Tower, it became a regular occurrence for the headliners to ask the crowd, “Is that the real thing?”.
With the highlights of the weekend consisting of Olivia Rodrigo, Raye, Macklemore, Benson Boone, Finneas and plenty more, it was safe to say that this was a festival that catered to everyone’s music palette.
Here are just a few of those acts that stood out throughout the weekend.
Kicking off the weekend was Alex Warren, fresh off his headline London show earlier that week. Bringing his signature comedic style to Paris, his set was filled with strong vocals, his standout radio hits alongside tracks from his new album, that released on the same day. His comedic timing and convocations with the crowd kept them engaged early on in the day, with the added pyro doing its job as well. It’s hard to believe that with the stage presence he showed on Friday that he is so early on in his career.
The British rock band drew a large Parisian crowd for their Friday sunset set and proved why they deserved their spot on the packed Friday line-up. Playing a strong mix of established tracks and new material, the audience rewards them by being in good form for the full 60 minutes. ‘The Feminine Urge’ and ‘Nothing Matters’ were fan favourites, being sung back to the band in full force. A strong display of character and music working together led to a great performance for a Friday evening in Paris.
It is hard to imagine where Benson Boone gets all his energy from, and it simply does not seem to end. Benson was our first Friday Night headliner, and from the opening signature backflip to the last, Benson’s set was full throttle, featuring all of his chart anthems one after another. From serenading and interacting with the crowd Freddie Mercury style, to his set list composition, it is clear that he is a showman through and through. He is back in Europe on his ‘American Heart World Tour’ later this year, and I look forward to what he brings to those nights at the O2 Arena.
Our Friday night headliner was none other than Olivia Rodrigo. This was Olivia and the band’s last stop of their European summer tour, and she did not disappoint. After performing at some of the great festival venues throughout the summer, the die-hard Rodrigo fans had not lost their appetite and were at the barricade from very early on in the day. However, the moment she announced that the fan favourite ‘Lacy’ was to be performed, it became a very special show indeed. She had the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand for the full 90 minutes, through the rebellious teen anthems, to the slower heart-string pullers; this was the perfect finale to her EU Tour. I simply cannot get enough of Olivia and her amazing band.
Finneas was also wrapping up his EU tour with a finale performance in Paris. Coming off big shows like his warm-up set for Noah Kahan in Hyde Park, 45 minutes didn’t really seem long enough for him to showcase his arsenal of material. However, his melodic tones and stage confidence shone throughout the set, a clear differentiation from when he accompanies his sister on tour. A welcome change of pace that suited a warm Saturday in Paris very well.
The Colombian rapper made the festival his own with a spellbound performance that captivated the audience from start to finish. The Latin heavyweight made sure that the language barrier was not an issue by injecting high-paced, mesmerising energy throughout his performance, covering his now iconic stage design with ease and vigour. Performing the fan favourite of ‘Perro Negro’ made the Spanish linguists in the audience light up with excitement, which continued for the full fast-paced set.
Macklemore’s set can only be described as the highlight of the weekend. It had everything. His stagecraft was unquestionably the best of anything I saw at the festival that weekend, with his ability to connect with the audience through both his words and choreography. Opening with a monologue like a preacher addressing his congregation, he set the stage perfectly for his first major track of the set, ‘Thrift Shop’, taking everyone back to that nostalgic 2012 era. Right on cue, the heavens opened, flooding the festival ground and the stage, but Macklemore stayed rooted to the spot, and so did the crowd. Nothing beats dancing in the rain to his finale of ‘Can’t Hold Us‘. It became an enlightened experience, one that will stay in my memory for a while to come.
To conclude, Lollapalooza Paris for another year was the record-breaking RAYE. The six-time BRIT award winner was battling a small cold throughout, but put on a show to remember on a sun- soaked Sunday evening. She premiered new music as well as new choreography, making a light- hearted comment to the crowd that the footwork was a work in progress and needed to be refined. Her ability to work with the band to produce an atmosphere that maintained their classy presence from track to track is a class apart. Combining the definitive vocals with the majestic backing accompaniment is a match made in heaven. ‘Genesis’ was the track chosen to close out the set, making those who had already started to leave turn right back around and stay for the finale. RAYE is a fresh addition to any festival lineup and deserves all of her flowers for what is to come from her future material.
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Words & Photography: Wilfred Carter