Lollapalooza Day 4: Bakar bounces back, Sarah Kinsley gives a compelling performance

Rain found time for an encore on the final day of Lollapalooza 2023 as a steady trickle kept coming down over Grant Park on Sunday.

Festival organizers erred on the side of caution with video screens displaying emergency evacuation measures/directions just in case the weather situation deteriorated.

The rain made a mess out of the south end of Hutchison Field where the dirt on the softball mounds turned into massive mud pits, threatening to bring Woodstock ’99 vibes just in time for the headlining set from alums Red Hot Chili Peppers Sunday night.

The funk rock act was a clear favorite of attendees Sunday with fans wearing band T-shirts pulled from every era of their decades-long career.

Other big acts for Sunday include hip-hop favorites Lil Yachty and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, where there could be a focus on crowd control. Packed sets at Destroy Lonely and Yung Gravy earlier in the weekend prompted the artists to pause their sets and encourage people to take a step back to provide and avoid crowd surges. Many fans shared their experiences Saturday on Reddit, where it was reported several people had to be pulled over barricades.

Organizers also posted signs on screen boards during those sets with similar messages, urging concertgoers to “please take a few steps back and the show will resume shortly.”

Sunday started off with a slow crowd build, but that could change as the rain is forecasted to stop mid-afternoon and as the primetime acts heat up.

Bakar

Bakar might have been feeling the effects of the depressing weather Sunday. It took a bit for the London-based singer, producer and model (who often worked with the late Virgil Abloh) to bring some needed energy to his set. A sea change came in the set with the 2023 single “Alive!” as the singer took the message to heart and brought some life to the performance, jumping down from the stage to co-mingle with the crowd on the barricade. By the time he came upon uber hit “Hell N Back,” Bakar had climbed a section of scaffolding, standing on the lip of the VIP section as he led a mass singalong of the track, much like what happened this year at Coachella, where the crowd nearly drowned him out. By the time his new album “Halo” comes out in September, there’s no doubt the British talent will hit his stride and be a big one to watch. —Selena Fragassi

Sarah Kinsley

Some fans in Grant Park at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday undoubtedly were there specifically to see alt-pop singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sarah Kinsley on the Coinbase stage. But others in the crowd could be categorized as voracious listeners who were eager to hear whoever happened to be playing. But Kinsley, 23, made the journey worth it for fans, offering a 40-minute set spiced with balladry, dreamy soundscapes and slinky, danceable beats. Her rendition of the hypnotic tune “Lovegod” was particularly compelling, as Kinsley demonstrated her astounding vocal range and her self-described artistic debt to the alt-rock band Cocteau Twins. Kinsley seems to be one industry break away from huge stardom. Placement of one of her songs on, say, the soundtrack to a hit sci-fi series could be the ticket that allows fans to one day look back and say, “Oh, I saw her before she was big, when she played super-early in the day at Lolla.” —Bobby Reed