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Lollapalooza Berlin | Day One
Olympiastadion & Olympiapark
9th-10th September 2023
This year’s Lollapalooza Berlin experience comes with a heat warning.
LTW’s Svenja Block reports back from a sweltering Day One (read about Day Two here).
The heatwave is the talk of the town and a recurrent topic over the next two days. Very lightly clothed festival goers start pouring through the gates to enter Lollapalooza – the girls’ pretty faces are decorated with shimmery glitter but the carefully applied make-up already starts to melt under the unusually hot September sun.
The opening act of the seventh edition of Lollapalooza Berlin is no other than Cher’s goddaughter – sultry looking Los Angeles based alternative singer/fashion designer Jesse Jo Stark. Moody, melodramatic mid-tempo numbers fill the air but the superb, dark and infectious Lipstick from 2022 album Doomed stands out. Could this song be her partner Yungblud’s favourite track also?
Eleven piece German techno marching band Meute are one of the more unusual bookings for this year’s festival. Good for them, Meute are pulling in a decent early crowd towards the stage.
Nineteen year old British-born, Canadian pop singer Lauren Spencer-Smith has already made big waves with her 2022 hit Fingers Crossed. ”Lauren, Lauren” chants can be heard from a dedicated group of young women behind the front barriers of the Main Stage South. One young woman in particular is feeling a little emotionally overwhelmed by it all, she keeps wiping away little tears but struggles to keep calm. She knows all the words to all songs and at this very moment it probably means the world to her. Spencer-Smith is currently on the road with her Mirror Tour – her voice is strong and powerful while the lyrics address relationship issues that are very relatable to her generation.
South African musician Moonchild Sanelly has already worked with the likes of Beyonce and Gorillaz. The Olympic Park area in front of the stage, however is almost completely deserted until MS starts her set. The early afternoon heat is so intense that many festival goers favour sheltering and observing from shady places next to the many food trucks and drinks stalls. Moonchild Sanelly has other plans though. ”How you doin’ Lollapalooza” , we hear the new Queen of future ghetto punk holler excitedly. The flamboyant singer’s appearance immediately catches everyone’s eye , the louder and bolder, the better. Heat resistant MS struts from one side of the stage to the other. And then she turns it up a notch by shaking and wiggling her booty – much to the delight of the thrilled audience.
Back at the Main Stage South British pop songstress Mimi Webb radiates happy vibes to the growing number of festival goers. Families who dip in and out of the nearby Kidzapalooza experience with their offspring watch from a distance and either dance along or chill on blankets while trying to keep cool.
The Weingarten Stage is a good hangout too, only up and coming female artists get to perform. German pop singer Futurebae fits this category and has good reason to celebrate. A couple of bottles of bubbly are generously shared with the thirsty front row audience. Brand new single Slay Queen is out and the debut album will follow in November.
The pop spectacle continues with alluring Swedish singer Zara Larsson who is sensational live. She has all of her dance moves down to a T and is photogenic beyond belief. Zara Larsson’s choreography is also very clever – her dancers and the ever changing visual backdrop frame her exquisite physique perfectly.
We still fancy a bit more popular music and American (but 100% Albanian by heart) singer Ava Max happens to be next up on the Main Stage N. Her 2018 worldwide hit Sweet But Psycho catapulted her to the top of the international charts. Many festival goers have secured their front row views while Zara Larsson is still performing.
The Lollapalooza timetable tells us that High Vis are due to play the Alternative Stage in a few minutes, and so the inevitably sweaty and hectic zig-zag walk through the masses across the Maifeld area to make it in time starts.
Who are High Vis? The five-piece from London, play dark, sweaty, aggressive but melodic, post-punk. Their guitar sound takes us back to the early 1990s, when indie guitar bands dominated the charts and music festivals. It’s ok to mention Joy Division and The Stone Roses here for those that need more musical comparisons. High Vis’ live shows are raw and explosive, hence a sold out UK/EU club tour, including Berlin a few months ago.
But right now, frontman Graham Sayle isn’t impressed with the modest audience turn out. He’s a bit pissed and maybe frustrated but hopefully all the band are having a good laugh and smoke post-gig about their stay in Berlin. Sayle informs all those in attendance that they are the only punk band on the festival line-up bill… Still addressing the slightly bemused crowd directly, he continues by asking who has heard of American hardcore band Turnstile.
There is no mosh pit and zero folks are trying to invade the stage or attempt to crowd surf.
It’s understandable that the niceness of the festival goers and the toughness of the Lollapalooza security team can be irritating to an energetic live band that most likely feeds off the audience and vice versa. Lack of atmosphere can be killer.
Interestingly, the festival organisers announce on Sunday evening that the local police have high praise for how peaceful both festival days have turned out. So there’s that, but also the extreme heat has probably helped to tame potential trouble makers.
High Vis play an excellent live set regardless and no, the crowd ain’t going wild but some might turn up at the next gig; festivals are great for discovering new music. We hear songs from their 2022 album release Blending and the excellent Walking Wires. Great stuff.
24 year old, local rapper Wa22ermann from Kreuzberg is intriguing and next up on the Weingarten Stage around the corner. Her über-cool attitude and no-nonsense, blunt, song writing skills include social stories based on personal experiences around her local neighbourhood with her friends.
Mumford & Sons need little introduction. The British indie-folk, three-piece, fronted by the amazing Marcus Mumford is welcomed with roaring cheers from thousands of festival goers who feel rejuvenated and energised after the sun has finally gone down.
On the way to see the ethereal and mysterious Aurora headline the Alternative Stage, there is time to finally catch a glimpse of the inside of the Olympiastadion and the contemporary home of the Perry’s Stage. The packed out infield parties hard with German entertainer, singer, and music producer Alexander Marcus. Bizarre.
Enigmatic, Norwegian artist Aurora has an elf and waif-like appearance – the energy that surrounds her is strong yet warm. The stage lights dramatically change from deepest red to orange and back to shades of blue. Aurora’s performance itself may leave you with goosebumps – time suddenly stands still and each and every one of her hand movements is slow and mindful. Aurora’s angelic voice accentuates her (imaginary) vulnerability. When she thanks the mesmerised crowd for coming out to see her, she speaks in the sweetest and softest voice. What a beautiful way to wind down and to end this long festival day. Some might even be running with the wolves tonight.
Please note: Use of these images in any form without permission is illegal. If you wish to use or license any images please contact Svenja Block at svenja@svenjablock.de
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All words & photography © Svenja Block Linktree | LTW author’s archive
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