The Lollapalooza is back: how was the return of the festival, which attracted 400 thousand people for four days

08/02/2021 15:31

• Clarín.com

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Updated 08/02/2021 3:31 PM

The pandemic is still far from over and

the Delta variant is causing concern

around the world, but there is some good news anyway.

For example, this weekend the Lollapalooza returned to Chicago, where it celebrated its 30 years with the outdoor presence of

more than 400 thousand people

for four days.

Artists such as

Foo Fighters

, Post Malone, Tyler The Creator, Miley Cyrus, Marshmello, Illenium, Journey, Megan Thee Stallion and Roddy Ricch

performed on the traditional Grant Park stage

, among more than 170 bands and soloists.

Many of the musicians expressed their emotion at the reunion with the live audience after more than a year in which the tours and face-to-face concerts had to be canceled due to the pandemic.

Chicago: the return of the Lollapalooza pandemic.

The excitement of the musicians

"All of us

are strong enough to face anything

that comes our way in life and everything is easier if we do it together with the people we love," Miley Cyrus said at the end of the first day.

And he added: "In quarantine we were alone and we got over it. Today

there is a light at the end of the tunnel

and Lollapalooza is that light for all of us. Now we are here together, we achieved it, we made it possible."

Post Malone described last Saturday night as the best of his life.

Photo Rob Grabowski / Invision / AP

An euphoric Post Malone also took the opportunity to reflect on the improvement in the health situation: “I just want to tell each of you that I love you.

This is probably

the best night of my life

.

I am happy to have come out on stage and sing these songs again for you. I love you so much people!

I am the luckiest man in the world!

Let's celebrate life! "

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl also expressed his excitement, making a reference to the festival's creator: “

It's a revolution.

If it weren't for Perry Farrell and Lollapalooza, none of us would be here.

And I never said 'bye', because if you come back, we come back, that's how it works! "

Rico Nasty also stopped by the Lollapalooza in Chicago.

AP Photo

The protocol to enter 

The return of Lollapalooza was totally in person and with

no capacity limit

.

All attendees had to present, without exception, a vaccination certificate or, failing that, a negative PCR test no more than three days old.

The images of the first two days, in which crowds of fans were seen crowded around the stages, caused concern in the health authorities, so that

from the third day the mandatory use of chinstraps was required

in the interior spaces, regardless of vaccination status. 

Then the Chicago Department of Public Health announced new recommendations, in response to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) raising the status of the city's transmission rate to "substantial."

The Lollapalooza returned with no capacity limit and worried the health authorities.

AP Photo

Expert concern

Beyond holding Lollapalooza,

health experts are concerned about upcoming massive events

in America, such as the Sturgis Motorcycle Race in South Dakota, the Minnesota State Fair, and the Iowa Fair, because

 the cases of coronaviruses are on the rise

.

Dr. Megan Srinivas, an infectious disease specialist based in Iowa and nationally recognized for her research, issued a stark warning in that regard.

He said

people have the misconception that being outdoors is safe

, when in reality the virus can spread in large condensed crowds like state fairs and large concerts.

Specialists assure that outdoor crowds are not a safe place either.

Photo Rob Grabowski / Invision / AP

"Every time we see a large congregation of people, especially with the mixed vaccination status, we will see a high risk of transmission and increases in transmission," he noted.

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