Man of many bands Jack White, a packed Portugal. The Man and girl power galore wrap Lolla

Jack White Photo provided by David James Swanson/ Jack White 2018

Even with its continued four-day extension, Lollapalooza flew by in a flash, but not before sending home the masses with an exhaustive rock n’ roll overview from elder statesman Jack White. The man of many bands may have recently released “Boarding House Reach,” though outside of a quartet from his most wide-ranging album to date, the singer, songwriter, producer and record label runner gave a generous glimpse of his earliest days in the garage and supergroup side projects.

And of course there was enough music representing virtually every style imaginable to last a lifetime, which is exactly why Lollapalooza remains the world’s top festival destination and the countdown is already on until 2019.

Jack White

Portugal. The Man by Charles Reagan Hackleman/ Lollapalooza 2018

No less than 10 smoldering tracks came from The White Stripes (including “Icky Thump,” “Fell In Love With A Girl” and “Seven Nation Army”), The Dead Weather were fiercely represented by “I Cut Like A Buffalo,” while The Raconteurs’ “Steady, As She Goes” and “Broken Boy Soldier” sounded just as vital as when they debuted over a decade ago. All the while, White was a lean, mean, guitar-grinding machine who poured every ounce of his essence into growling vocal delivery, backed by superb musicians who shared a similar revivalist ethos.

Believe it or not, Portugal. The Man just beforehand actually had a larger crowd, at least as far as unofficial eyeball estimation is concerned. However, the alternative/experimental/psychedelic rockers more than deserved the adulation, thanks to a quirky, colorful, consistently engaging set steeped in chart-topping originals from “Woodstock,” a few more off the prior “Evil Friends,” plus sprinklings of classic rock, metal and hip-hop covers.

Women also ruled the final round with Jessie Reyez in particular rising to the occasion, debuting not only her soulfully raspy vocals and vulnerable songwriting, but making a bold stance against sexual abuse. For the climax of “Gatekeeper,” the survivor climbed the stage rigging just below the gigantic Lollapalooza banner and had supporters chanting along in solidarity.

Jack White

Jessie Reyez by Sydney Gawlik/ Lollapalooza 2018

Colombian newcomer Kali Uchis brought some jazzy, vintage soul proceedings to the affair with classy delivery and backers that could slip somewhere between the sheets of The Isley Brothers and Sade. Dorothy also referenced yesteryear, but flipped towards the rock n’ roll rumblings of Janis Joplin or Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane/Starship) with authenticity and abandon.

Out of all the younger guys, the Taylor Swift-approved Bazzi brought out a “Cosmic” blend of chilled out R&B and beat-centric pop. Based on the decibel level of singing along to viral smashes such as “Beautiful” and “Mine,” this one-time opener for Camila Cabello and future Justin Timberlake tour mate will easily leap up to a similar level sooner than later.

As for the event itself, the many moving parts seemed to go off without a hitch and there wasn’t a single drop of rain, alongside countless eco-friendly and community-driven initiatives. And of course there was enough music representing virtually every style imaginable to last a lifetime, which is exactly why Lollapalooza remains the world’s top festival destination and the countdown is already on until 2019.


Lollapalooza returns to Grant Park Aug. 1 through Aug. 4, 2019. For additional details, visit Lollapalooza.com.

For additional information on Jack White, visit JackWhiteIII.com.