Lollapalooza is one of the premiere music festivals in the United States, held every August in Chicago. Here are some facts about Lollapalooza, past and present:
Lollapalooza was founded in 1991 by Perry Farrell, the singer for the popular band Jane’s Addiction. Farrell thought of the festival’s name after hearing it said in a Three Stooges movie.
It was originally a touring festival, but has been held at the famed Grant Park in Chicago since 2005. It also recently branched out internationally, with the very first festival in Santiago, Chile.
Grant Park, Lollapalooza’s home, is located at the edge of Lake Michigan near Soldier Field, where the famed NFL team the Chicago Bears play. It is also located right near Chicago’s famed Loop, an elevated train that “loops” around Chicago.
The very first Lollapalooza featured a varied line-up that included Jane’s Addiction, Ice-T, Living Colour and the Butthole Surfers. Later festivals have featured such acts as Snoop Dogg, The Black Keys, Devo, Cheap Trick, Beastie Boys, Cypress Hill and Sonic Youth. Every year the festival’s line-up has grown, but always features an eclectic array of bands.
The festival was performed every summer until 1997, when it was stopped due to declining popularity. This marked the end of the Alternative boom that was ushered in due to Nirvana’s staggering popularity in the early ’90s. Farrell started it back up again in 2003, only to have it canceled again in 2004 due to more weak ticket sales. The festival started back up for good in 2005, after moving to it’s new home in Chicago.
Kurt Cobain died the week of Lollapalooza 1994, the year his band Nirvana was supposed to headline. They wound up canceling.
Lollapalooza ranks as one of the country’s most popular and successful music festivals, alongside similar events including Coachella (held every april in Indio, California), and Bonnaroo (held every June in Tennessee).
Various Lollapaloozas have also featured Kidpalooza shows, which feature acts that cater to a younger audience.
