Day 2 of Lollapalooza India 2024 – Green Day, Goosebumps & the Perfect Ending

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If Day 1 of Lollapalooza was all about the thrill of soaking in multiple artists and the rush of navigating the venue for the first time, Day 2 had just one goal: Green Day 🔥

I didn’t rush in as early as I did the previous day. After all, I had one mission which was to secure a great spot at the Corona Sunset Stage and wait it out till Green Day exploded onto the scene. I left my hostel a little after lunch, caught an auto to Andheri station, grabbed a return local train ticket, and rode straight to Mahalakshmi. The timing was perfect. By around 3 PM, I had made my way into the festival grounds.

Before heading over to the Corona Sunset Stage to camp for Green Day, I had some time to spare and I’m so glad I did, because I ended up catching Kamakshi Rai’s set on the adjacent stage. It was my first time seeing her perform live, and she was fabulous. Her vocals were smooth, her energy was infectious, and she had this effortless stage presence that just pulled you in. Definitely one of those unexpected discoveries that made the day even better.

Now, here’s the thing!! campers had already begun to claim their barricade spots like they were setting up for a music pilgrimage 😂 and honestly, it felt like one. I somehow found myself a spot right next to the barricade and planted myself there under the scorching sun. And I’m not exaggerating when I say it was blazing.

But what truly made things bearable was the thoughtful staff. People were handing out water bottles to those of us sitting through the heat, and someone passed around Bandanas soaked in cold water and I tied one around my head and immediately felt less like a potato roasting in the sun 🥵 There was also this brand called Liquid I.V. that handed out free electrolyte sachets and wow, that was a godsend. Slightly salty, a little sweet, but mostly refreshing. They were walking around making sure folks didn’t collapse, which I deeply appreciated.

The first act on this stage was Green Park at 3:15 PM. I hadn’t heard of them before, but they quickly got my attention. Think indie pop rock with some groovy guitar work and energetic vocals. Their sound was a great way to warm up the crowd, and the band had that easygoing stage charm that made you want to bop along even if you didn’t know the lyrics. They’re definitely going on my post festival playlist.

Following them at around 4:25 PM was Raman Negi and this one got me genuinely excited. He was formerly the lead vocalist of The Local Train, one of India’s most loved rock bands. I’ve followed their music for years, so seeing him solo was a treat. His performance had raw energy and heartfelt lyrics that got the crowd swaying. You could see people singing along, especially to the songs that gave off that familiar Local Train vibe.

While waiting at the Corona stage, I also caught bits of Aurora’s set on the Keep Walking Stage, which was directly across from where I was. If you haven’t heard her before, she’s this ethereal Norwegian artist with a voice that sounds like it belongs in a fantasy movie. Her energy is pure and infectious, and when I heard her voice float across the grounds, I knew I had to make a quick run.

I turned to the sweet couple next to me and asked, “Could you please hold my spot for a few minutes?” They were kind enough to say yes. So I dashed across, caught a few songs from Aurora’s set, didn’t have the time to capture anything here since I was in a hurry, and even managed a quick detour to the washroom. Oh, and thanks to organisers , people who showed proof of traveling by local train received a free beverage coupon! I traded mine in for a chilled orange juice that tasted like heaven at that point.

By the time 6 PM rolled around, the sun had dipped, and a cool breeze began to settle over the venue. The crowd density around me began to grow. We all knew what was coming next. At 6:10 PM, Nothing But Thieves took over the stage. A British alternative rock band with incredible range. Their hit “Amsterdam” was the one I was waiting for, and the crowd went absolutely nuts for it. The lead singer, Conor Mason, has this amazing ability to switch between falsetto and pure power, and it was one of those performances where even the non fans were jumping by the end.

Across the field, Louis Tomlinson formerly part of One Direction started his set on the Keep Walking Stage. And to everyone’s surprise, he sang some One Direction songs too. It was an emotional moment for many in the crowd and you could see fans tearing up. It was a wholesome throwback.

And then, right before Green Day took the stage, something magical happened.

They played Bohemian Rhapsody over the speakers 🔥

I swear, it was like a switch flipped !!! everyone began singing. Imagine thousands of people singing every line, every note, word for word with the headbanging part included. It was goosebumps inducing. I looked around and just… smiled 🥹 These were my people. These were music lovers. I won’t lie, I had tears in my eyes. Happy tears.

Soon after, Green Day’s mischievous mascot “Bunny” ran out on stage and started hyping the crowd and then, just like that, Green Day walked out. The crowd erupted into the loudest cheer of the night.

You could feel the emotional weight of this band playing for fans who had waited years for this. For many of us, this band shaped our teenage years. Their music was an outlet, a rebellion, a comfort and now, they were right there, in front of us.

The Band Hit Every Major Hit In Their Arsenal:

1. Boulevard of Broken Dreams

2. Holiday

3. 21 Guns

4. When I Come Around

5. American Idiot

6. Holiday

7. St. jimmy

8. They ended with Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) 🥺
   
   

Before launching into American Idiot, they inflated this massive balloon shaped like a hand holding a grenade. The exact image from their iconic album cover. I swear, it was such a cinematic moment. I still get chills thinking about it.

And Billie Joe Armstrong 🔥 what a performer. He had this insane energy that didn’t let up for a single second. His interaction with the crowd, the constant running around the stage, pulling people in ! The man’s a living legend.

But the absolute fan highlights ? Two people actually got pulled up on stage. During Know Your Enemy, Billie called up a fan named Siya and handed her the mic to sing a part of the song and damn, she crushed it. The crowd went wild. The energy she brought matched the band’s! it was like she belonged up there.

Later, during Dilemma, he brought up this guy and get this, had him play the song on Billie’s guitar. And after the performance? He gifted him the guitar. What even?! That was such a once in a lifetime fan moment, and everyone around me was losing it. Later in the WhatsApp group, I found out his name ‘Ishan Parikh’ and honestly, I felt so happy for him. Can you imagine that being your story ? Played with Green Day and took home Billie Joe’s guitar.

The fireworks at the end were, to be honest, not that great especially compared to Day 1. But no one cared. We just saw Green Day. Live. And it was everything I wanted and more.

By the time I left, it was nearly 11 PM. Somehow, I managed to hop onto a train back to Andheri, picked up some dinner, and reached my hostel. I crashed into bed, smiling like an idiot. Green Day live? I still can't believe it happened.

Back at the hostel that night, still buzzing from Green Day’s performance, I finally opened the limited edition Lollapalooza poster that @yugadi had gifted me for my birthday. Unfolding it felt like unwrapping the whole experience all over again and I couldn’t stop staring at it. It’s more than just a poster now. It’s a reminder of two unforgettable days, a birthday gift that captured a memory I’ll hold on to for a long time. I was genuinely so grateful.

The next morning, I checked out of the hostel, my bag a little heavier but my heart a lot fuller. I took an auto to the railway station, grabbed a quick breakfast, and treated myself to a soft serve ice cream, a quiet little ritual before the long journey back to Chennai. As the train pulled away from Mumbai, I found myself replaying the weekend in my head. From solo train rides to standing under the sun waiting for Green Day, from new friends to surprise performances — Lollapalooza India was everything I’d hoped for and more. These two days ? Definitely going in my year’s highlight reel.

P.S compiling this video was a pain in the ass since the videos have been captured in 4K and the output .mp4 file was a whopping 37 GB and it took me about 12 renders to reduce the output file size to keep it under 5 GB so that I could upload it to 3Speak 😪

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