Lollapalooza India 2023 Review: AP Dhillon, Imagine Dragons, Jackson Wang, Diplo and more make it worthwhile MGG

In early November 2022, a surprise announcement awaited global fans as Lollapalooza India opened its doors to the first-ever edition of the multi-genre music festival. Set for January 28 and 29, the Mahalaxmi Race Course became a hub for music enthusiasts from all around India thanks to its varied acts that spanned over the 50 acres of festival grounds. 40 acts comprising indie-Indian artists, globally celebrated pop and rock bands, international soloists that have a strong fan following and desi-favourites who were a sure shot at success were brought in for the two-day event. 

Who performed at Lollapalooza India 2023 Day 1?

The first day saw acts with the likes of Easy Wanderlings who opened the event to the cheers of the crowd that was looking ahead to a good time. Meanwhile, Aswekeepsearching, Abhi Meer, and The Yellow Diary held the reigns in the afternoon. T.ill Apes, Kumail, Mali, Madboy/Mink, Sandunes, Tracy De Sá and Bloodywood were among those who brought a fresh sound to the mix while keeping the audience buzzing for more. Chelsea Cutler, Zhu and Japanese Breakfast saw through the evenings, setting the mood for the fans who had come in for a good time with cheers ringing throughout the venue. Meanwhile, Greta Van Fleet, Imanbek, Madeon and Kasablanca brought the people to their feet throbbing with head bangs to their curated rock sets. The night rolled in with AP Dhillon’s crowd-pulling performance as he was joined by Shinda Kahlon and the two set the stage ablaze, thousands chanting the Indo-Canadian singer’s name. Fans from all around came ahead to dance along to his many hits, never missing a beat while singing to his popular numbers. However, one act remained. The headliners for the event, Imagine Dragons were the stars of the night as they left no stone unturned to ensure that the crowd went home content and looking forward to more someday soon. ‘Believer’, ‘Demons’ and ‘Thunder’ have been their long-running favourites which found massive crowd reactions and at one point frontman Dan became emotional and led the passionate crowd to empathise with him at the same time. With a wish to come back soon and make India a frequent spot on their tour list, the acts left the attendees content and eager for more.

What was the highlight of Lollapalooza India 2023 Day 1?

While many would say it was the fan chants, going “AP, AP” or the moment when Imagine Dragons’ Dan took off his shirt much to the crowd’s delight or even when he ran into the crowd who welcomed him with wide arms, it had to be the moment he took the tricolour from the hands of a fan and waved it unceasingly.

Who performed at Lollapalooza India 2023 Day 2?

The second day opened to a lot of expectations with big names and heightened excitement, it was no less a fun-filled day. Adya led the beginning which was followed by Parimal Shais setting the tone for the music that would unfold. As eventful as the fans had hoped it to be, Bombay Brass, Siri, The F16s, Raveena, Tanmaya Bhatnagar, Tejas, and Kavya’s sets were bangers through and through. The Wombats took charge of the afternoon leading an exhilarating set with some of their best. Cigarettes After Sex and Prateek Kuhad were two of the most awaited acts of the night and they delivered with unmatched fervour and devotion. As the evening rolled in, thousands rushed to watch Divine take charge of the night with his chart-toppers. Meanwhile, on the other end, throngs of fans called for Jackson Wang who was making his Indian debut. The two soloists delivered fabulous setlists which earned elated gestures from the crowd. Diplo made sure that Indian fans knew he was here and looking forward to a good time. Presenting remixes of hits like ‘Oo Antava’ from ‘Pushpa’ he dipped into definite favourites. The Strokes was the closing act of the event, bringing the fans earworms and celebratory numbers aplenty.

What was the highlight of Lollapalooza India 2023 Day 2?

While there was no shortcoming in terms of the acts or what they presented, the second day was more about exploring the other aspects of the music festival which hosted a multitude of highlights in terms of food, art and inclusivity. Attendees celebrated their time at the event in large numbers, with the official count reaching a whopping 60,000 people over 2 days. And if that’s not an indication of just how great of a host India can be, we don’t know what can be.