Scene and Be Seen
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Most go for the music. Some go for the celeb sightings. And others opt to channel their inner Mick and Bianca. Motives aside, last weekend proved that once again, Lolla rocked.
The three-day festival is all about the music. I get that. I’ve gone for the full three days for the past four years. So if you want music reviews and a performance analysis, check out our fab Sounds section. But you’ve made your way to the Scene section, which inherently means that I’m going to give you the glitz and glamour, the booze and the babes and the star studded happenings of the weekend. Because after all, a Dos Equis, some popchips and a disheveled Ke$ha always does the body good.
Leave it to the Hard Rock Hotel to play host to generous VIP lounges, chic pop up shops, gifting suites and pre- and post-parties. Perez Hilton kicked off the weekend with his “One Night in Chicago” party on Thursday, which included performances by Chicago native Kid Sister (her big bro is part of Flosstradamus, an electro-pop duo who performed on Perry’s Stage) and B.o.B.
The Music Lounge, which celebrated its fifth anniversary, was a three-day VIP + Artist retreat that included the Express Rocks! at the Music Café (guests noshed on food from China Grill, drank UV Vodka and Red Bull and hydrated with smartwater while taking in acoustic performances from veteran and emerging artists) and Belvedere Nights (invite-only, post-Lolla concerts on the fourth floor of the Hard Rock where the likes of Phoenix, Temper Trap, Hockey and Mike Posner performed). If one needed a caffeine boost, Café Bustelo was onsite with unbelievably strong and utterly delicious coffee beverages. Like hoopsters, I predict the next indie trend will be sporting the eponymous yellow, Café Bustelo t-shirts and fanny packs. They have clever marketing. I’ve only seen the brand at influencer events. So maybe hoopsters won’t latch on. It’s not campy enough.
Mike Posner
The lounge was decked out with fab swag like Carrera Sunglasses (worship), Onitsuka Tiger Shoes (too hipster for me, but very cool) and the Bugea guitar boutique (wish I played). If you wanted to get pampered, guests could pop into the Garnier Fructis Rock Star Salon and get their hair teased a la White Snake, or should I say a la Ke$ha, whom I literally bumped into six times. Other artists who were at the lounge included Cut Copy (best show of the weekend – well, that and Gaga), Semi Precious Weapons, The Constellations, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Zoe Kravitz, Hayden Panettiere and Erykah Badu.
Want a mani and a facial? The FUZE® Refresh Lounge had spa treatments galore.
Craving a floor length fur vest? Chicago’s beloved Sofia Vintage had a pop up shop on the third floor (Moneypenny stopped by to get outfitted for an Artist Collective they were hosting).
It’s also worth mentioning that the food on site at Lolla was top notch: Kumas, Sunda, Graham Elliot and More Cupcakes were just a taste of what was available.
Party on, Garth.
