Saturday at Lollapalooza always brings in an influx of fans, as more Chicago natives make their way to Grant Park. This year, Saturday’s lineup also meant an influx of new talent was headed to Chicago for the day as well, making for a showcase of what the next wave of music could look like. 

Early in the day, indie rock trio Winnetka Bowling League made their mark on the Lakeshore Stage, with a combination of catchy music and a quirky charm. Frontman Matthew Koma told the crowd a story about Munky from Korn’s son running into his house to make mac and cheese before playing “Sha La La.” If that wasn’t enough, their set closed with “Benson Boone” coming out in a jumpsuit to hurl himself to the floor with a series of backflips that all missed the mark. They better pay that guy well. 

At the BMI Stage shortly after, multi-genre hybrid act Eddie and the Getaway were turning heads with a high-energy set. The band have a new EP, “Tumbleweeds & Nicotine” set to release in September, and every bit of their southern influence seemed to show in their time on stage. Combining elements of contemporary country with the tempo of pop punk, the band’s sound and stage presence makes you believe that they’re moving into exactly the right place at the right time, and we’ll find out in the coming months if that’s true. 

Another band with a similar sound, but perhaps heavier on the country side of things is Ole 60. The Kentucky band took to the Grove Stage in the middle of the day for songs from their pair of EPs, capped off by breakout “Smoke & A Light.” Saturday’s set was their second in just over 12 hours, having played an aftershow the night before. There were no signs of fatigue, and there certainly won’t be much to slow them down in the future as well. 

Later in the day, the nearly annual Chance The Rapper cameo happened, once again drawing a massive Chicago crowd, this time to the Perry’s Stage. Chance was added to the lineup on Thursday, and a short 15 minute set was all that he needed. In that time, he hit favorites like “No Problem” and “All Night,” while QR codes for his new album, “Star Line” took over the screens. Now fully independent, it felt like Chance and his team were returning to their roots with the new record and his promotional tactics. Chicago will always have love for him, though, and they certainly did Saturday, with a massive crowd for his 15 minutes in the spotlight. 

Back at The Grove, another genre blending upstart was helping to usher in the future, as Bilmuri delivered a very Internet-influenced set. With a backdrop that featured American flags and Jar Jar Binks photoshopped onto a human’s body, and songs about drinking 1,000 beers, it all felt completely unhinged in the best way. There were guitars, it felt country at times, but there was also a saxophone… you might not have known exactly what you were watching, but you knew you were going to like it. The set did not fail to entertain. 

Back at the T-Mobile Stage, Doechii might have given Lollapalooza the definitive performance of the 2025 festival. In 50 minutes, she gave Chicago everything she and her team had, with an extremely well-crafted show that featured a giant boombox set, plenty of ass-shaking, and a school theme that laid out lesson by lesson what Doechii was trying to show you. Of course, the rapper was on point at all times, as well, with razor-sharp flows and a confidence that can’t be taught. No expense was spared on creating something top-tier, and the set culminated in not only her and her crew dancing off stage, but the cameras followed her back to a car wrapped in a tour announcement, before they drove off into the Chicago dusk. Doechii is a superstar, and Saturday showed you what’s coming next in hip hop. 

Saturday came to a close with Rufus Du Sol on the T-Mobile Stage, and K-Pop act Twice (with a drone show) on the Bud Light Stage. For a chill close to the evening, though, it was back to The Grove where Mk.Gee brought his own sizable crowd into the woods. The lo-fi alternative act mixed DJ drops with heavy flanged guitars, creating something that felt uniquely different in the process. There was a mystique about the singer and his band, with everyone backlit and smoke billowing from the stage. 

“Wow, you guys really showed up” remarked Mk.Gee, as The Grove was filled from side to side. There was little fanfare between songs, but he was animated when he was into a particular jam, yelling out ad-libs from time to time. In fact, there was so little fanfare that they rushed through their hour-long set, giving them time to play hit “Rockman” a second time after it appeared early in the show originally. It was a little awkward, but the Grant Park crowd had an even bigger reaction when he played the hit a second time. 

Day three of Lollapalooza 2025 was primarily about new faces, but the big names showed up in a major way as well. Stay tuned for one final day in Chicago as the festival draws to a close on Sunday.