SB19, Sombr, Wet Leg And Empire Of The Sun Kick Off Lollapalooza 2026

SB19 performs connected time 1 astatine Lollapalooza. Thursday, July 30, 2026 astatine Grant Park successful Chicago, IL

Photo by Barry Brecheisen

“Lollapalooza!” shouted vocalist Justin connected shape successful Chicago arsenic Filipino boy set SB19 made its Lollapalooza debut Thursday afternoon. “Are you ready? I emotion the energy!”

SB19 made history Thursday successful Grant Park, a capacity which now stands arsenic the first by a southeast Asian creator successful Lollapalooza’s much than 2 decades arsenic a destination show successful Chicago.

Flanked by a troupe of backup dancers, the 5 members of SB19 tore done a 1 hr mid-afternoon group connected the Allianz stage, a masterfully choreographed capacity steeped successful hip-hop, popular and EDM sounds, delivering a group that seems destined for bigger stages later successful the time astatine a show adjacent you and soon.

Moving from “Gento” early successful the set, SB19 performed their latest azygous “LAWLESS” for the first clip up of today’s merchandise of the caller track.

“It was really amazing,” said vocalist Josh backstage pursuing the set. “It was really nervus wracking astatine first. But erstwhile we sewage to the stage, we were conscionable having fun. We were conscionable being lawless each of the time,” he said referencing the caller single.

“This Lollapalooza shape is really large for us,” added Justin. “So, we should not return that for granted. We should do our best. And do more.”

Despite precocious temps arsenic Lollapalooza kicked disconnected Thursday successful the Windy City, SB19 tore done their capacity successful beforehand of a raucous crowd, galore waving the emblem of the Philippines arsenic the P-pop group’s lyrics appeared connected surface successful some English and Filipino.

“Music has that powerfulness to really link people,” explained Pablo backstage. “Even though we person different languages, erstwhile you perceive to a definite music, you consciousness the aforesaid emotion the opus is trying to convey. And, so, done that, we’re capable to link to each other. And done these benignant of festivals, for illustration Lollapalooza, we get to spot each different and person that relationship and person that energy. And it’s conscionable astonishing to beryllium successful the soma and perceive astonishing artists and stock different cultures and different euphony together.”

The thought of euphony bringing group together during divisive times was a conception that manifested itself passim time 1 astatine Lollapalooza.

Earlier this month, Australian indie popular duo Empire of the Sun released their latest single, “Llego,” a collaboration pinch Venezuelan vocalist Danny Ocean that dropped arsenic portion of the FIFA World Cup soundtrack. Not dissimilar the world shot tourney itself, euphony helps further observe the ideas of civilization and unity.

“With everything happening successful the world, euphony is still the strongest conduit for soothing people’s souls. And I ever want to beryllium portion of the adjacent biggest point connected the planet. Because that’s what excites me,” said Empire of the Sun vocalist Luke Steele backstage Thursday, anterior to a 1 hr group connected the Bud Light northbound main stage.

In 2010, Empire of the Sun made its North American debut connected shape astatine Lollapalooza successful Chicago, pinch the show itself conjuring up a number of memories for Steele.

“It’s ever been an unthinkable festival. We did the 1 successful Chile 1 year. And I went to play 1 of Perry Farrell’s aft parties,” he recalled. “He’s created thing that’s conscionable wholly iconic. 35 years now running. It’s an institution successful America.”

New York singer, songwriter and shaper sombr was a item Thursday complete the people of 1 hr connected the Bud Light southbound main stage, building a span to a headlining Thursday nighttime capacity by New Zealand-born popular prima Lorde.

Sombr’s breakout deed “undressed” precocious eclipsed a cardinal streams connected Spotify unsocial and Thursday day the vocalist dropped the trim successful beforehand of a monolithic early day crowd successful Chicago. Shortly thereafter, sombr welcomed a impermanent to the stage, putting his rotation connected “She Looks truthful Perfect” alongside 5 Seconds of Summer.

“We feelin’ warmed up?” he asked to rapturous applause. “OK. We’re gonna return it down for a 2nd earlier we get to the remainder of the hits,” he continued, pinch resplendent synths soon mounting up “Potential.”

Amidst a summertime show run, sombr is group to motorboat an arena circuit successful September, capitalizing connected the monolithic occurrence of his debut workplace medium I Barely Know Her.

“I conscionable wanted to opportunity convey you for coming to my set,” said sombr, nearing the extremity of Thursday’s Lollapalooza performance. “I’ve been successful a acheronian intelligence authorities and this is helping truthful much,” he continued, mounting up “back to friends.” “I wrote and produced this erstwhile I was 18. I want you to singing it if you cognize it!”

The southbound extremity of Grant Park was packed Thursday pinch sombr’s group giving measurement to 1 hr pinch Isle of Wight indie rockers Wet Leg, who wrapped up Thursday’s capacity slate connected the adjacent Allianz stage.

“I don’t want your love, I conscionable wanna fight!” cooed vocalist Rhian Teasdale, tearing into Thursday’s group via “catch these fists,” strapping connected a guitar soon aft arsenic Wet Leg followed pinch “Oh No.” Incisive guitar trim done arsenic Wet Leg plowed up pinch “Wet Dream” early successful Thursday’s set.

DJ and shaper John Summit, who hails from Naperville successful Chicago’s westbound suburbs, headlined the Bud Light shape successful beforehand of a important gathering, delivering a pyro-fuelled homecoming group from a multi-tiered stage. Summit staged an aural and ocular onslaught connected Grant Park, weaving successful everything from the Prodigy to Pink Floyd complete the people of 90 minutes arsenic clouds of fume roseate supra the festival’s northbound end.

Swedish station punks Viagra Boys helped adjacent retired nighttime 1 of Lollapalooza 2026 during a 1 hr group adjacent to the Art Institute of Chicago connected the Airbnb stage.

With lingua often planted firmly successful cheek, Viagra Boys sewage rolling Thursday nighttime pinch “Man Made of Meat.”

“Alright, Lollapalooza! Are you fresh to f–ing party?!” asked frontman Sebastian Murphy, soon rhyming nostalgia pinch chlamydia during “Waterboy.”

“Why are each these group truthful f–ing acold distant from me…” mused the quotable vocalist, pinch an oculus connected the Lollapalooza VIP section. “Except for these 9 f–ing rich | people!” he continued, taking a humorous attack to the show exemplary successful 2026 arsenic he delivered the punchline. “Oh, it’s conscionable a joke, travel on!” Murphy said pinch a grin up of “Punk Rock Loser.” “It’s beautiful to spot truthful galore punk stone losers present tonight!”