Whethan, Smashing Pumpkins, Charli XCX And Rain As Lollapalooza Resumes
Smashing Pumpkins were joined by YUNGBLD and Olivia Rodrigo Friday at Lollapalooza while rain impacted Saturday Whethan and Momma sets. Plus PARTYOF2, Claire Rosinkranz.
Lollapalooza 2026 faced heavy rain, causing delays to Saturday's schedule but still delivering memorable performances. Chicago local Whethan, a three-time performer, expressed his deep love for the festival, reminiscing about his first time DJing there at a young age. Smashing Pumpkins returned after 32 years, headlining Friday with guest appearances by YUNGBLD and Olivia Rodrigo.
Mother Mother, an indie rock duo, also took the stage and emphasized the importance of authentic team building in the music industry. The duo PARTYOF2, formerly known as grouptherapy, celebrated their rapid rise with a headline slot after their main stage performance. Indie rockers Momma braved the rain on Saturday and delivered a strong set.
Electronic artist, DJ, and producer Whethan, Chicago native, performed Saturday at Lollapalooza for the third time, despite the rain. "It's the biggest thing in the world to me!" he exclaimed, "Growing up, I just idolized it. It was like the one bucket list spot." Whethan, who has performed at Lollapalooza in 2017, 2019, and now 2026, emphasized the festival's reputation for curated and diverse lineups across genres.
The festival has built a strong, recognizable international brand, with Whethan performing in Chicago three times and at Lollapaloozas in Chile, Brazil, and Argentina.
On Saturday, the festival began with a delay due to rain, and continued despite muddy conditions. Whethan performed an aftershow at Sound-Bar nightclub in Chicago, with Louis the Child taking the stage at Tao nightclub about half a mile away. The rain began late Friday during concurrent headlining performances by Charli XCX and Smashing Pumpkins.
By midday Saturday, nearly four inches of rain impacted parts of the Chicagoland area, with Grant Park under water as the day started. Despite the muddy field and delays, Lollapalooza's final performances happened as planned, with updates delivered via the Festiverse app, social media, and the Lollapalooza website.
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