LIVE REVIEWS
Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters performs at Lollapalooza in Chicago.
Sacha Lecca for Rolling StoneThe last time the Foo Fighters headlined Lollapalooza’s flagship festival in Chicago in 2011, the band appeared to have the power to control the skies. During “My Hero,” every guitar stroke seemed dramatically timed to each torrential downpour, eliciting buoyant cheers from the crowd. Back then, weather was the typical worry at an outdoor festival. Now, of course, the main concern over large gatherings such as Lolla is the potential to become a super-spreader event.
In a press conference on Sunday morning before the festival resumed for its fourth and final day of 2021, Mayor Lori Lightfoot gave an update on Covid-19 and, along with the Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady, discussed Lollapalooza. Lightfoot said, “90 percent of the people that are at Lolla are vaccinated” (although it was unclear who provided the data for that statistic) and that the festival had done a good job with the protocols. She said Lollapalooza is only one of many large outdoor gatherings the city has held this summer and that Chicago’s been able to reopen carefully because of the emphasis on getting vaccinated. “I feel very good about what we’ve done,” she said. “Obviously we’ll know a little more in a week to 10 days.”
Addressing videos that showed attendees holding up their vaccination cards as they quickly went through gates with what appeared to be little examination, Lightfoot said that she and Arwady visited the gates themselves and that they were “comfortable” that the protocols that were put in place were solid, adding that the fest had even turned “hundreds” away.
On Friday, city health officials recommended universal mask-wearing indoors, and the festival followed suit with the guidelines, requiring attendees to wear a mask in indoor spaces on the grounds starting on Saturday. On Sunday morning, Lightfoot also gave a stern warning that anyone riding the CTA — Chicago’s public transportation system which is flooded with riders getting to and from Lollapalooza’s four-day run — should wear a mask.
The press conference was not the only Lollapalooza-related breaking news that morning. The festival announced that it would be removing DaBaby, one of its headliners from the lineup, following the rapper’s homophobic remarks at Miami’s Rolling Loud. He was replaced by Young Thug, while G Herbo took Young Thug’s previous daytime spot on Sunday. “Lollapalooza was founded on diversity, inclusivity, respect, and love,” the festival tweeted. “With that in mind, DaBaby will no longer be performing at Grant Park tonight.”
Young Thug performs at Lollapalooza in Chicago.
Steven Nunez for Rolling Stone
All this before gates even opened, but once they did, the lineup changes proved to be a wise choice. G Herbo adeptly slid into Young Thug’s late-day mainstage slot, drawing an enthusiastic, large crowd for his compelling set, which included guest turns from fellow hometown artists Chance the Rapper (“PTSD”) and DCG Brothers (“Mmhmm”). Later, Young Thug’s vibrant last-minute headlining turn on the opposite side of the field from Foo Fighters included guest Gunna, and was packed with fans who sang along to the bars.
Meanwhile, on the mainstage, just as threatening thunderstorms didn’t stop the rock in 2011, the pandemic didn’t quash it, either — at least not on the last day of Lollapalooza 2021. Foo Fighters are the quintessential festival band, whose anthemic, hit-filled material — coupled with frontman Dave Grohl’s magnetism and humor — is an ideal match for the setting. And the fest veterans did not disappoint the fans who packed the field tightly on their side of Grant Park. The stalwarts primarily stuck to their tried-and-true set list from recent shows. They opened with “Times Like These,” which has taken on new resonance in our current pandemic era, and they delivered their greatest hits — “The Pretender,” “Learn to Fly,” and “My Hero” among them.
Grohl is a consummate performer, swiftly working all sides of the stage while also engaging the audience in friendly banter and communal participation. His connection to Chicago runs deep, as he recounted with his story of seeing beloved Chicago punk band Naked Raygun at age 13 at the Cubby Bear in the city’s Wrigleyville neighborhood. “It changed my life,” he recalled. “I wanted to do this the rest of my life.” Some “235” penned songs later, he said he wanted to perform them all. And while that couldn’t happen, he would deliver as many as the two-hour set time would allow.
Beyond their own anthemic hits, the band also dropped their cover of Bee Gees’ “You Should Be Dancing” and for their rendition of Queen’s “Somebody to Love,” Grohl made a return to the kit while drummer Taylor Hawkins took on lead vocal duties. It was a family affair to boot: for Grohl’s daughter Ophelia, they sang “Happy Birthday,” and he and his daughter Violet sang their cover of X’s “Nausea.”
LIVE REVIEWS
The closing hours of Reading 2026 have finally arrived. Florence + The Machine brought the rain during ‘Dog Days Are Over’ at The Grid, opening the heavens and leaving the festival site completely soaked. The weary fans who have stayed behind are wet, exhausted and clearly feeling the effects of the weekend. What they need now is one final enormous celebration to make the wait worthwhile.
The Gallery tent comes alive as the speakers blast ‘Favourite’ by Friday’s headliners and fellow countrymen Fontaines D.C., receiving the kind of reaction usually reserved for ‘Mr Brightside’ at a drunken wedding reception. Moments later, Kneecap display their familiar statement accusing Israel of carrying out genocide against the people of Palestine and Lebanon, with support from the UK government. It captures the Belfast rap trio perfectly, combining serious political messages with an unapologetic party atmosphere.
“We use our platform to talk about what we believe is right,” Mo Chara explains during the performance, before recognising those who “aren’t so fucking lucky” and whose voices have been suppressed. He soon encourages the audience to roar “fuck Netanyahu” and “free free Palestine”. Later, he starts a powerful chant of “Aaaaaa-ndy Buuurn-ham’s a waaaaaaan-ker” to the melody of ‘Seven Nation Army’, targeting our new Prime Minister over his claim that “a united Ireland is off the table”. Laughing, he asks: “The BBC won’t broadcast that, or will they?” As it turned out, they did not.
Away from the headlines and the controversy, there is no denying the connection Kneecap have built with their audience. Politics may shape the conversation, but the crowd also came to enjoy themselves, ready for a rave after the rally. The performance begins carefully with the heavy rumble of ‘Smugglers & Scholars’, before exploding during the Grian Chatten collaboration ‘Better Way To Live’ and the threatening energy of ‘Sick In The Head’. “Are ya ready for a mad one?” Mo Chara shouts. The response is already obvious.
The atmosphere becomes increasingly chaotic as the hip hop rhythm of ‘Cold At The Top’ and the hypnotic trance sounds of ‘An Ra’ send the entire tent into motion. The trio jokingly thank the UK for everything it has given Ireland, listing UKIP, fish and chips, a mental health crisis, Jimmy Saville, HP Sauce and Bloody Sunday. However, the show reaches another level once the second half begins. The explosive ‘Sayonara’ brings the ‘beef’ to ‘IBEEFA’, while ‘Get Your Brits Out’ and ‘Guilty Conscience’ give the crowd every reason to obey Móglaí Bap’s demand to “oooopen up the piiiiiit”.
Anyone watching closely may have questioned why the cameras continued to focus on Móglaí Bap and Mo Chara. The pair eventually reveal that they have spent recent weeks performing alongside a “provisional” DJ Próvai. Wearing the familiar tricolour balaclava, the temporary replacement handles his role as the crowd agitator with confidence while their bandmate enjoys some paternity leave. “Some things are more important than music, and that’s family,” they explain. How sweet. Móglaí Bap quickly destroys the tender moment by adding: “As you might know, the Brits took all our potatoes from Ireland; they took all our cocaine,” before declaring, “but we still have all our caaandy.” The group then charge directly into one of the biggest tracks ever written about extremely powerful ketamine.
‘Liar’s Tale’ sparks another huge reaction with its response to Keir Starmer, “genocide armer”, while the group warn that “you’re not getting away with doing nothing”. It is a politically charged message hidden inside an irresistible anthem from musicians who have experienced the “belly of the beast” through the legal system. Their latest album, ‘Fenian’, has helped Kneecap fully embrace the celebration that has always been part of their identity. Their live production now feels capable of filling arenas, blending the intimacy of a late night lock in with the rhythmic force and visual scale of The Chemical Brothers, the reckless electronic punk spirit of The Prodigy, and the fearless political honesty of Public Enemy. The spectacular visuals complete the experience.
Kneecap fans at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME
Kneecap fans at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME
Closing with the powerful combination of ‘Fenian’, ‘H.O.O.D.’ and the enormous ‘The Recap’, Kneecap bring our final celebration at Reading to a thrilling conclusion while also finishing their last festival appearance of the summer. “It’s been a pleasure to spend it with you mad c**ts,” Mo Chara says before leaving the stage. The feeling is mutual.
Return to NME here for the newest reports, reviews, photographs, conversations and further coverage from Reading & Leeds 2026.
