“We are Chevelle, from here!” lead singer and guitarist Pete Loeffler exclaimed when his heavy metal group took the stage.
The trio hails from north suburban Grayslake and formed in 1995. Its history as a group translated to the crowd; while some college-aged attendees could be spotted, there was a much larger presence of middle-aged fans.
The band kept high energy throughout the set, with frontman Loeffler parading around the stage during guitar solos. Drummer Sam Loeffler hit the drums with such force, the combined sound with Dean Bernardini’s fuzzy bass lines made the rhythm section sound like a heartbeat over the crowd.
The energy from the crowd was not as consistent. Plenty of crowd members sang along to every word, but there were just as many silently nodding along, appearing to be hearing the group for the first time.
Perhaps it is the genre conventions of heavy metal that caused these issues, but the band’s biggest problem throughout the set was that many of their songs sounded alike — same heavy guitar riffs, same fuzzy bass lines, same kicking drum beats.
The crowd kicked into full gear during “Send the Pain Below,” a grunge-inspired tune with an exciting breakdown midway through.
In addition to their rock career, the Chevelle musicians recently launched a beer with Revolution Brewing, named La Gargola Helles Lager.
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is not a typical Lollapalooza act that’s primarily concerned with amping up the crowd. The band’s music is moody and thoughtful, with its set on Friday reflecting that same feeling.
A large crowd formed in front of the stage, with an even larger assortment of people sitting on the lawn outside of the Bud Light Stage. The set garnered a crowd of all ages, with everyone casually swaying along to the music.
The first standout moment came when lead singer Ben Gibbard brought out an acoustic guitar for a rendition of “I Will Follow You Into the Dark,” one of the group’s most recognizable tunes. The crowd could be heard singing along, with the end of each verse resulting in cheers.
The second moment came towards the end of the set, when Gibbard introduced, as he put it, “one of “Chicago’s finest”: Chance the Rapper.
Upon the mere mention of Chance’s name, the crowd burst into action, rushing up to the stage to catch a glimpse of the star.
Chance performed “Do You Remember,” a collaboration between him and Gibbard for his debut album “The Big Day.” According to Chance, this was the first time the song has ever been performed live.
