Berlin has not forgotten Lollapalooza

By Johannes Malinowski

Thousands of mostly young people flocked to the Olympic grounds from noon on Saturday, many of them with glitter make-up. The music festival last took place in 2019, but then had to pause for two years due to the pandemic. Reason for the late September date this year: the international break in football. “The Olympic Stadium was not free beforehand,” said a spokeswoman.

Biggest act right at the beginning: The Berlin DJ Alle Farben (37, bourgeois Frans Zimmer, “Please tell Rosie”). From noon onwards, he heated up the audience in front of Perry’s Stage in the Olympic Stadium for two hours.

The other two large stages are to the left and right of the bell tower on the Maifeld. It was even emptier there in the early afternoon than in previous years, and the large meadow only filled up in the course of the afternoon. When the Kassel alternative band Milky Chance (“Stolen Dance”) took the stage at 3.45 p.m., the atmosphere was the same as in previous years. Berlin has not forgotten Lolla!

The difference to the past festivals: The sixth edition was less international this year.

Exception: The US rapper Machine Gun Kelly (32, real name Colson Baker, “My Ex’s Best Friend”). The musician from Cleveland (Ohio) delivers something between college rock, hard hip hop and melodic pop music. Later, the Cologne pop rockers Annenmay Kantereit (“Pocahontas”) performed.

The Osnabrück DJ Robin Schulz (35, “Show me Love”) and the Chemnitz rock band Kraftklub (“shots in the air”) ended the first Lolla day around 11 p.m.

The organizer did not want to reveal how many tickets were sold for Saturday. Sunday it continues from 11 a.m. Highlights: rapper Casper, the Fantastischen Vier and finally the Berlin dancehall combo Seeed. Tickets for 94 euros are still available on site.