The second day of Chicago’s iconic Lollapalooza Festival had the perfect mix of punk rock and electronic pop, thanks to headliners Machine Gun Kelly and Dua Lipa.
With a cigarette in hand and the studded pink leather biker jacket of dreams, MGK stepped out onto the Bud Light Seltzer stage for a night the crowd will never forget.
The rocker treated fans to hits from his 2020 studio album “Tickets To My Downfall” as well as his latest release, “Mainstream Sellout.”
The musician — whose real name is Colson Baker — took a moment to reflect how far he’s come, remembering when he played during the daytime 1.30 p.m. slot last year.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment a long f–ing time,” he told the crowd.
MGK later teased he’d be “bringing friends out” — prompting major screams from the audience.
Fans were ecstatic to see Iann Dior show up for MGK’s “Fake Love Don’t Last” track, with 17-year-old musician Glaive later surprising fans to sing “More Than Life” with the rocker.
And if screams were anything to go by, it seems as though the crowd’s favorite guest appearance was none other than punk rocker Avril Lavigne, who came out to sing the track “Bois Lie” with MGK — a song the pair collaborated on earlier this year.
MGK later went on to deliver electric performances of his mega hits “Floor 13” and “el Diablo.”
Elsewhere, British superstar Dua Lipa was entertaining a different crowd nearby.
Taking to the T-Mobile Stage, the singer kicked things off with her hit track “Physical” from her Grammy Award-winning 2020 album “Future Nostalgia” which houses some major disco and electronic pop hits.
Dressed in a glitter jumpsuit, Lipa’s electric set flowed into “Love Again” and “Levitating” — both songs being from her 2020 album.
She later performed “Cold Heart” — a song she recorded with Elton John. And while the Rocketman wasn’t in attendance, he did appear on the big screen in a recorded video to sing along to his part.
Much like MGK, Dua Lipa took a moment to reflect on her music journey as she recalled first performing at Lollapalooza’s small stage at a 2 p.m. slot in 2017.
Before capping off the night with her hit song “Don’t Start Now,” the singer asked fans to “stand up for women’s rights, stand up against racial injustice, stand up for the LGBTQ community, and stand up for each other.”
Day 2 also saw R&B superstar Tinashe take to the stage, firing things off with her 2014 track “2 On.”
She later performed another hit from her debut album “Aquarius” — this time, it was “All Hands on Deck” — a track that proved to be a major hit among the crowd.
The singer told fans her Lollapalooza stint this year was special for many reasons other than the fact it was her first. She revealed that her proud family was in attendance, including her grandma.
Day 3 promises a big night of music with J. Cole set to headline. Other huge names include Big Sean, Lil Durk, YG, Willow, and Duke Dumont.
The festival is available for streaming exclusively through Hulu.
