#LOLLA headliner

[supop]

What do you think BTS will do next as soloists? Which member has been the most impressive in Chapter 2?

Hi hey hello :) I’ve been MIA for months but I’m surprised to see I’ve still been getting lots of asks. Did you miss me? Did ya did ya did ya? Going by the number of messages in my inbox I’d say, yes :) Sorry for ghosting you guys; I simply got bored with BTS and stopped keeping up with the group as whole. Meanwhile, their solo era has been fun to observe, huh? Some things I expected, other things I did not. I’m sure you’ve all missed supop thoughts. So, without further adieu, here are my guesses for 2023-2024, in no particular order:

Truthfully, I’ve been trying to post for the past 3 days but tumblr is glitching, and none of my posts are saving. Just as I was about to say F it.... if you can read this, then the issue must be fixed, right? This post hasn’t been proofread, so ignore any grammatical errors and the weird use of punctuation. I have a flight to catch soon, so I’ll answer more asks when I land, and as always.... keep it cute~

Individual YouTube channels (starting off with this because there’s been rumors about it for months now; I doubt all members will have one, but I feel like j-hope or Jungkook may go this route. I actually started to believe it when j-hope posted about his new Leica camera a while back. I know he’s into photography, but there’s always a deeper meaning behind everything he does/posts and he’s been carrying that camera around to all the events he’s been attending; maybe it’s just me overthinking, but it’s giving vlog material at the very least. Each member has a YouTube topic channel, but this will likely be a platform for more direct professional/business use where other creatives are featured or personal use for vlogging, trips, unedited material etc. without constant company oversight; aka without every single piece of content being scheduled by bighit/hybe and distributed via weverse; I also wonder if any more of them will get solo shows like Suchwita on the BangtanTV channel)

Individual Twitter accounts (this one seems farfetched, but so were their instagrams at one point; if they do indeed go this route I can eventually see some members leaving it up to the company to handle their respective social medias while others take a more hands-on approach with their fans—since instagram alone already seems like a struggle for some; they can also repost content from instagram which would also give them more individual exposure since the two social media platforms tend to have completely different audiences; it would also be nice for collaborators/brands/media to be able to tag them directly instead of @ the group account; finally, there’s a reason why each member has stuck to uploading all personal content on their respective instagrams since Dec 2021, so expect the group Twitter to become even more desolate than it already is if this does happen)

Individual TikTok accounts (Instagram, YouTube and Twitter....then why not TikTok too? It would make more sense when it comes to promoting their solo music and once again connecting with their respective audiences/fanbases; it only makes sense for solo artists to promote their solo work on solo accounts especially when their music and personalities are all so different; that’s 7 different audiences that should be catered to instead of trying to fit everyone into one big purple-colored box. All 7 members together represent BTS, but no single member is a representation of BTS; there’s a reason why JITB is completely different from anything BTS has released as group, and it’s the same reason why Indigo is so different from JITB; someone who likes JITB may not care for 90% of BTS’s discography and the same would apply to other members’ solo albums that have yet to be released; this is the obvious truth, but armys will continue to delude themselves as if the term bias doesn’t exist.)

Individual Facebook pages (and lastly, Facebook because all artists need a Facebook page to be able to link their music to their personal Instagram accounts; the BTS official Instagram account has it but when you scroll through you only see JK and RM’s music, which to me isn’t fair to other members who have music under their official Spotify profiles; the members are artists first, right? not influencers, therefore, artistry should be respected in a similar manner)

Opening their comment section on Instagram (limited comments are boring, but i don’t blame them; I’d sure they’re well aware that a select group of their “fans” are unhinged; just look at the way those same “fans” have attacked people who they’ve deemed to be “wrongly” associated with them or people they’ve “accidentally” followed; honestly I’m also worried about the occasional wave of hate/d.threats some members would receive in their comment sections from deranged akgaes; I will never understand not liking someone, yet going out of your way to invade their public accounts or content posted related to them just to spew hateful nonsense or send d.threats about how much you don’t like them; take a breather because it’s never ever that deep. And if you ever feel the need to take it that far towards anyone (celebrity figure or not), then may your pathetic existence quickly reach its expiration date; people also seem to have a lot more balls on instagram, so it’s a good thing Instagram’s safety features are a lot better than Twitter’s—i.e., the report and block buttons def work)

Following more people on Instagram (lol honestly following 0 people isn’t anything new from the celebrity pov and we can all thank Bey for establishing that, but following only your 7 group members is just...meh; are they gonna live as 7 for the rest of their lives? No, but they probably have to keep it this way otherwise there’s a possibility that every single non-bts related account on their following list would be harassed and stalked to oblivion by deranged fans; not to mention as it is, BH/Hybe staff already do such a great job at leaking private info related to BTS, you would think their proximity to such high-profile celebrities would result in ironclad NDAs but I guess not...sigh when will we be free)

Individual brand deals/endorsements (this one is already under way and was really really obvious from the start because we all know “7 or nothing”—not necessarily their bond but the way they’ve been marketed to fans—has always been nothing more than a sales gimmick; seriously not every member will have the skillset that a specific brand is looking for, so let’s let the ones who shine, shine; instead of trying to sell the lackluster ones as a package deal; “buy one get one free” should never apply to people; for the members yet to be announced there’s been rumors of various brands so let’s just wait and see...hopefully no controversial brands are chosen.

Individual fashion global ambassadorships (similar to the above, except I think only the members interested in fashion should get involved in this, but then again, this is the k-entertainment industry we’re talking about, and as of late ambassadorships have become part of the whole “album promo” package deal; either way I’m sure the money is good for BTS, and at the end of the day it’s a win-win; interest or not, the artist gets paid and the brand gets “exposure”) **side note: ambassadorships are cool, but the real deal would be with whichever brand pursues a true partnership with the artist by creating a collaborative fashion line or collection that expresses their artistic vision through fashion and/or even a performance that speaks to the brand’s image. pretty red carpet and campaign pictures are nice, but what the world needs is a tangible piece that can be held or tangible memory that can be seen. I think that’s what truly separates the artist-turned-fashion icon/creative director/business mogul from the rest.

More fashion week appearances (so far we’ve gotten Louis Vuitton, Dior, Hermès. I’m glad j-hope didn’t/hasn’t yet? signed with LV otherwise we never would’ve gotten 3 completely different, yet ultimately iconic looks from him in the span of just 3 days; Jimin for Dior; Suga for Valentino; other members may also attend shows for the brands they will be announced as Global/House Ambassadors) **another side note: Hobi wore clothes from LV’s unreleased collection which is rare feat in itself and he was also invited behind the scenes, shown the collection prior to the show, and he entered and exited the venue via a private entrance that was reserved for VIPs. I also saw a photo of Hobi with the Arnaults. Do you know how difficult it is to meet them? You can’t just meet them lol, they’d first have to want to meet you. And Hoseok did that with not 1, but 3 (maybe 4 because 2 of the brothers attended the Dior show) members of the family, including the LVMH CEO himself. It’s not even enough to be a high-profile celebrity; You usually have to have a long-standing working relationship with them or with one of their brands which means their connection with Hoseok must run pretty deep, and they have plenty of trust in him as a global representative. The same thing applies to Hermès. They do no care how rich or famous you are. Before you’re even able to purchase one of their bags directly, you’d have to be a longtime/VIP shopper. Even then getting a bag isn’t guaranteed. You’ll forever be on a waitlist, it could even take years, until you’re invited to purchase one. You also can’t pick and choose which model or color of bag you want lol. Everyone knows about the Birkin, but most are lucky to even be offered a Kelly for purchase. And not only did Hoseok meet with their executives, they also gifted him a Haut à courroies 50 bag (the one in his airport photos upon arrival from Paris) which is one of their largest bags, and is more difficult to secure than a regular Birkin. In short, he got the full VVIP treatment from both rival brands. Who else can relate? With that said, more than an ambassadorship, there could be a j-hope fashion line or a collection of some sort in the works; or perhaps he was doing field research to decide which brand will be in charge of designing his world tour outfits....who knows, only time will tell; as for fashion week there’s still New York, London, Milan, more in Paris, and even Seoul; appearances and shows will depend on the brand)

More solo magazine covers (this also isn’t anything new but even Hybe’s nugu groups with zero impact and lots of payola are already getting solo covers in top magazines, attending fashion week, and having brand ambassadorships under their belts, so it’s ridiculous it took BigHit/Hybe almost a decade to allow bts members the same opportunity)

Vogue, GQ, Hot Ones? video interviews (as much as I love a good magazine interview, there’s nothing better than being able to observe body language; I was surprised when we got GQ’s ‘10 things Jin’, but it only proves that more spontaneous less unscripted interviews where the gp can easily tune in are no longer beyond the realm of possibilities; which means I’m expecting Vogue to come through with any of the following: Life in Looks, 24 Hours with, 73 Questions, Get Ready with, Beauty Routine, etc; more 10 things with GQ; and Hot Ones would be great)

More solo interviews (see tv appearances)

More solo TV appearances w/Korean media (I know that new Mnet program is currently in the works; and I’m kind of hoping for more popular variety shows and broadcasts; anything that would promote their music domestically vs. the fan-targeted content posted on BangtanTV)

More solo TV appearances w/Western media (it’s no secret that Korean media can be restrictive when it comes to artistic expression, so similar appearances at tv programs like late night shows for an interview and performance would be great; just like they’ve done for many years as a group, so it’s ridiculous how they’re not getting a similar promotional rollout for their solo careers)

More solo red carpet appearances (this one technically isn’t a stand alone event, but you can include any activities here that aren’t necessarily centered around them or any of the other ones I’ve listed; like them getting invited to a movie premiere of a friend of a friend’s)

More solo performances (probably minor ones because I really don’t think any of them will put on a performance as major or as lengthy as the scale of Hobipalooza’s headliner setlist and preparation; unless of course its j-hope himself; as for festival performances, there’s of course Lollapalooza, but we also have Coachella, Rolling Loud, Something in the Water, Wireless Festival, Splash Festival, Made in America, The Governors Ball; most of these festivals have a primarily hip-hop/rap-centric audience, so don’t expect vocal line to make any appearances. I can’t speak for Yoongi or Namjoon, but I doubt Hoseok will be interested in doing anything less than a headlining stage. Otherwise expect performances at the usual Western music award shows, year-end Asian music award shows, and South Korea’s music bank/inkigayo)

Solo world tour announcement (we can dream right?)

More solo music collaborations (there’s been many rumors on this one so let’s way and see; hopefully collabs involving actual good music and more collabs with artists that don’t cater to the demographic of bubblegum pop music lovers; seriously enough is enough with the abysmal lyrics and the lack of good production on some of these collabs)

More solo albums (duh! and emphasis on the solo part; as much as I love a good feature or collab, there’s no good reason for those featured artists to be eating you up on your own song, much less album; features should add to the album, not make the album itself—especially when you’re a musician who aims to establish an individual identity and move away from the idea that you’re nothing without bts/without other people propping you up; next: jimin -> suga -> jungkook -> v ; in that order of album release is my guess)

More solo singles/EPs (the 94s; Namjoon has been hinting a lot at releasing new music, so likely an EP; I think Hoseok will also release another album before he enlists, if not an EP; I think they both have more options than other members since they’ve already officially debuted as soloists)

Subunit singles/EPs (once all of vocal line have released their solo albums, i can see BH trying to push for subunits; don’t expect full on albums with only 2 or 3 members on it, but I can definitely see a single or two or more happening; again likely with vocal line)

More OSTs (original soundtracks; again with vocal line)

More individual enlistments (they all technically have until early/mid 2024 to enlist if the tentative 2025 BTS reunion is supposed to happen, but once you taste the high life of individual freedom can you ever really go back to the mundane days of group work? Yoongi has until the end of 2023, Hoseok and Namjoon both have until the end of 2024, Jimin and Taehyung 2025, Jungkook 2027; I’m curious to see—to the absolute horror of armys—if anyone, especially maknae line, will put off their enlistment past 2024....I think Hybe was foolish to announce a “comeback” date; only doing so to calm investors and give themselves an additional 2 years to “ease their dependency on BTS” by bridging the profit gap between them and all their other groups; well if all else fails, i guess they’ll have the company stans to rely on)

or Paired enlistments (again? I really doubt a 2025 reunion will happen simply because a lot of things aren’t adding up at the moment, but if they enlist in pairs it may be a sure sign otherwise. It still makes me laugh how this time last year armys were so sure they’d be getting a bts world tour announcement only for it to be a hiatus + enlistment announcement instead. The signs of exhaustion from the members and lack of effort with the group in all aspects were way too obvious. I will never understand why fans keep deluding themselves. Seriously what group at the peak of success releases an anthology as an album? With only 3 new songs? And the purple warriors ate it right up. They could’ve at least put the demos on streaming platforms. Don’t even get me started on the 3 english songs that took over a year of “convincing” before the members agreed. Lmao my point is bts have never 100% been open about their plans, yet we all know they plan and settle things months in advance. Which means enlistment had likely already been decided on prior to the second leg of the ptd concerts. And yet, they showed no signs of it and acted like everything was swell. Even RM said the 2025 date was tentative; there’s also the Expo 2035 to consider, but after all those infrastructure problems, I’m pretty sure Busan won’t win the bid. People should accept that if the members want to keep doing their thing solo after 2025, then that’s okay. If they come back as a group, then that’s okay too. These days most of them seem happier and lighter being able to do their own thing without being tied down to the rigorous schedules that come with being “7”. So, why pressure them to do anything more as a group just to fulfill the selfish desires and needs of fans?)

Dating news ??? (this isn’t a big deal either and it’s none of our business but all it really takes is one member to open the floodgates of deranged hyperventilated tears; although it’d probably be in their best interests to continue to keep their personal lives private for that very obvious reason)

Grammys attendance (BTS has several nominations, but I doubt all 6 members will attend; j-hope’s Equal Sign was submitted for “Best Song for Social Change”; there’s been hints of a Pharrell collab involving RM; I doubt the Recording Academy will want to miss out on that BTS viewership clout so I expect at least one or two members to attend and maybe we’ll even get a performance from them)

Met Gala attendance !!!!!! (first comes FW....then comes....seriously, j-hope is just wow and this has to be said. I’ve seen the photos/videos from PFW and modeling/posing aside, not only does his entire aura change, but even his etiquette and mannerisms change depending on where he’s at and what he has on. It’s like the outfit and environment molds itself to him. It’s almost as if cameras were created for the sole purpose of capturing his presence. You know how Koreans have this thing of calling someone “Human [insert brand name here]” j-hope is like that but with every brand. As a longtime lover of fashion, it’s rare to see someone be able to digest every style so well. I can actually count on one hand the number of celebrities who are able to pull it off. He fits perfectly in everywhere he goes, and it’s no wonder why every show gave him the best seat in the house next to all their executives and other notable figures in the fashion industry. It’s amazing, not only do brands love him but so did all the photographers/journalists. He gives you something to write about just by simply existing. So it wouldn’t be a stretch to expect the star of this year’s Paris Fashion Week to finally make his Met Gala debut this May, right? Imagine j-hope attends, goes all out and does one of those behind the scenes ‘get ready with me’ videos with Vogue. Do you see the vision? He’s the only member who has a genuine passion for fashion, does his research, looks good in everything he wears, and isn’t just content with wearing whatever a stylist hands him. He’s also the only member who I’ve seen several designers go out of their way to praise. This year’s Met theme is super flexible too and I’m sure there’s lots of brands that would absolutely love to see j-hope ‘The MVP of Fashion Week’ dressed in their designs)

Hope On The Street Comeback (putting this out there just because there’s rumors that people saw him filming something dance related in Paris; what could it be? maybe for his YouTube channel? a MV? maybe LV ad campaigns or commercials of him dancing? one of the models danced at their recent show so i’m sure they’re open to incorporating more of that type of creative expression in their marketing; either way, if the rumors are true, then naturally we’ll find out soon enough because it’s j-hope)

Drama/Movie roles (lead, second lead, or guest appearances; I don’t think any of them will go this route until they’ve at least released a solo album because if they’re actually serious about their solo music careers, it’s much easier to take an established artist-turned-actor seriously, than it is to take an amateur actor-turned-artist seriously—especially in these fragile times of solo uncertainty for many)

Contract renewal announcement (their contracts expire in 2024?, but I don’t think all of them will renew with BigHit/Hybe; I doubt there’ll be any news on this until later this year at the earliest...although there may be leaks and speculation here and there; since solo activities are in full force—besides re-releasing BTS’s entire catalog as vinyls and repackaged special editions—I’m curious to know what other ways hybe plans to milk them during their hiatus in order to keep pumping that BTS money into their new groups and push a BTS successor. Gotta keep those investors happy, right? Hybe has always had a lot of internal issues with their staff and the way things are handled. Hybe has also spent the last two years promoting their plans to “reduce dependency on BTS”, and have been investing in any and every venture, to the point that their slogan “we believe in money” should be changed to “we believe in profit”. If you notice any positive deviations in the company’s usual behavior regarding how the members are being managed, then they’re likely trying to butter them up behind the scenes to get them to renew. I’m also curious about the current status of their contracts, and if any new conditions were added regarding their solo work; I feel like some may have already renewed but, again, I could be wrong; half the members have already sold a portion of their 1.2% in collective hybe shares; all it really takes is for one member to leave the company and I’m pretty sure at least half would follow suit; there’s power in solidarity)

That’s all that comes to mind for now. As for your second question (which member has been the most impressive in chapter 2) if it wasn’t already obvious, the answer is: j-hope. It’s only been 6 months, and between his solo debut, critically-acclaimed album, multiple iconic performances, being the star of Paris Fashion Week, documentary on the way. Who else is doing it like him? He’s been booked and busy since the group’s hiatus was announced, accomplishing all that in just 6 months. He set the bar high for himself and continues to raise it. 2022 was the year of HOPE and there’s no signs of him slowing down in 2023. He deserves all the recognition he’s getting because not only is he the most impressive, he’s also produced the most impressive results overall. Let’s put bias aside and face the facts because anyone who says otherwise is a l-i-a-r.

I’m sure the haters are gonna say “he only accomplished all those things because he was the first one to release his album”. Well, any of the other 6 could’ve released theirs first, yet here we are 6 months later where some of them still have nothing close to a finished album and are busy idling their time away. Any reason they give for not being in the studio working is an excuse. Not to mention j-hope was working on his solo debut and preparing solo performances while BTS was still active as a group, meanwhile others were what? Taking vacations? Partying? Playing video games? Not that there’s anything wrong with doing any of that. If you want to rest, then by all means rest, but don’t expect to be on the same level or have the same results as someone who consistently works hard like j-hope. Even with the group being inactive it was only j-hope showing up to every award show in the name of BTS (Jin enlisted, but what were the other 5 busy doing)? Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

“Effort plays an important role in trying to stay where I am now. I will always try my best because efforts will never betray me.” — j-hope, 2018; “Efforts never betray you....All my efforts have never betrayed me....Looking back, the efforts I made didn’t betray me, in the end.” — j-hope, 2023

And “j-hope always has a plan”, so it’s only natural for him to never miss out on a golden opportunity to show the world who he is and what he’s capable of doing. It’s one thing to be talented, it’s another thing to have excellent work ethic, strong social skills, the confidence and charisma to pull off anything. Not to mention he’s always super genuine, humble and polite with everyone he meets—and we can’t forget that heart-shaped smile. These attributes go a long way and are invaluable especially when you work in industries as cutthroat as music or fashion where first impressions are always a make or break. That sort of discipline and awareness isn’t built overnight. I’ve seen some videos of j-hope’s PFW interactions (with executives, photographers, and just recently, his bodyguards) and it always makes me go: “wow I want to meet him, I want to talk to him, he seems like a really nice guy, he’s a natural model, he’s super good-looking, I can’t help but smile too”. So, imagine how all those people on the receiving end of his affections feel? Exactly. Hence why j-hope will continue to be invited into those exclusive spaces. His body language is always warm and inviting, he’s good at connecting with people from all walks of life. Even something as simple as a smile or wave is enough to make someone’s day and j-hope gets that. The more time passes, the more obvious it becomes that he’s the main reason BTS even lasted this long as a group. Other members don’t call him “갓이홉” (god j-hope) for nothing. **final side note: even the way j-hope reposted all those photos from local photographers on his IG story is so ¡wow! Lots of celebrities wouldn’t even bother. Not only is he giving them more exposure in such a competitive industry, he’s also letting them know how much he appreciates their work. And some of these photographers often run around FW for free in order to build up their portfolios. Now, you never know who could’ve watched his story, saw those photos he reposted, and offered them a job. It’s little things like that, that go a long way, because guess what? The next time he comes back to Paris the same photographers will be happy and ready to capture him on their cameras. In fact, notice how some of them posted even more photos of him after that repost? Exactly. j-hope should really teach a masterclass on networking and building connections; the first thing on the agenda? Making the best first impressions. The second thing? The subtle art of personal branding. Don’t try to give Bighit/Hybe any credit either because as we’ve seen from some lackluster solo activities and the incredibly botched debut solo album rollouts (especially j-hope’s and especially when compared to the debut of other groups under the same company), thus far, BH/H does not give enough fvcks about BTS as soloists to invest money into them individually. the same way they’re currently doing for their other groups; they might care for some members more than others so a sponsored opportunity or two may come in the realm of that possibility, but they definitely value “OT7” above all because that’s where they believe the money lies. Ultimately, how each member’s solo career will turn out relies heavily on their ambition, respective goals, personal initiative, the drive to want more and to be more in their own right. They may be at the top as a group, but as soloists they’re just getting started.

I wrote this post about a year ago, and it seems that Hoseok has finally given us an answer. He’s clearly in it for the long haul and plans to have a very long and very flourishing career in both music and fashion; chess, not checkers~

[highvern]

pledis (and by extension hybe) really do everything in their power to make the most insane business decisions

[bigsleeps]

someone on twitter said they've been spelling out ATPOIAM backwards in their instagram captions and is predicting an announcement on monday and now i am here with my clown hat on

[rimouskis]

also I'm just too old to go to festivals anymore. I witnessed lolla once (1 time) [a single time] and I was like: actually I'm good thanks

[agustdiv1ne]

i just saw your post abt txt going to yoongi’s concerts in august & i have to break some news for you that its during lollapalooza weekend😭 they definitely cant go 💔

now anon why would u tell me this. why would u break my heart like that.

[itzskzidle]

stray kids twitter update

The Lollapalooza Chicago vibes are unreal🔥 Thank you to Lolla for having us as headliners, and to STAY both near and far for heating up Grant Park with us!❤

[klapollo]

melanie martinez being a headliner at lolla while KESHA is in tiny text. go stand in the corner.

[yongbokiee-felix]

[Ski Manager]

A night at Lollapalooza Chicago that shined with STAY with unforgettable energy ✨

STAY, who watched from afar, thank you for being with us during this special moment!

The Lollapalooza Chicago vibes are unreal 🔥

Thank you to Lolla for having us as headliners, and to STAY both near and far for heating up Grant Park with us! ❤

[tomorrowxtogether]

230416 Lollapalooza’s Tweet

TOMORROW X TOGETHER @TXT_members is back again, this time as HEADLINERS!⁣

Don't miss your chance to see #TXTPALOOZA on Saturday of #Lolla 🔥 1-Day Tickets are on sale now at⁣ lollapalooza.com

#TOMORROW_X_TOGETHER⁣

[fairyofshampgyu]

Lord fucking lord I’m literally crying and screaming and beating myself up BEOMGYU FUCKING HELL OH GOD HE LOOKS SO IMMENSELY GOOD IM LITERALLY SOBBING HIS HAIRRRR HIS KERSET HIS FACE HOS HEADPHONES HIS HISHIS HIM 😩😩😩😩😩💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞💞 I literally am tearing up

I’m literally so excited for lolla it’s gonna be insane I know my soul purpose ever since it was announced was to watch lolla performance THEYRE HEADLINING IM SO I just know I will not be surviving lolla

ALSO YEONJUN PURPLE HAIRRRRRJFJF

[lobotomy-lady]

got tickets for riot fest (just friday) bc fall out boy is headlining & I didn't have the money to see them on tour last year & was very bummed about it. I love having a paycheck I didn't even have to think twice about dropping money on this & even got ticket protection bc I remember being so pissed in 2018 when I volunteered at lolla just to see lorde & she got rained out after 3 songs. I seriously haven't been to a concert since last august bc I've been fucking broke all year until I got this job. I missed it so much live music is like drugs to me (only if the band is good though. during the shmt fob & green day were fantastic but weezer sucked ass, not that surprising but god they did not give a shit. I'd have been mad if I had come for them rather than the other 2)

[abortionado]

Tyler the Creator just cancelled for my Lolla date and MEG THEE STALLION is headlining instead

[doomandgloomfromthetomb]

Sonic Youth - Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, California, August 18, 1995

Weird times in the summer of 1995! Sonic Youth was facing the Alternative Nation as the headliner of Lollapalooza, sharing a bill that included Beck, Pavement, Cypress Hill, Elastica, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Jesus Lizard and — most notoriously — Hole. Throughout the tour, Courtney Love grabbed the lion's share of the attention thanks to her chaotic antics, both onstage and off.

Lee Ranaldo sets the scene:

"There was this slightly strange pall hanging over the whole tour, like, this is the spawn of Nirvana. . . . For a lot of people in the indie community, there was a bit of ambivalence. People wondered, is this good for our community, that these bands we've come up with are now on this big, high profile tour? Is this the beginning of the end? Or the end of the end?"

Here in Mountain View, we're at the end — of Lollapalooza '95, at least. Following what was an especially crazed/truncated Hole performance, Thurston takes to the mic to dedicate their set to "one of the great hippie punk rock geniuses": the recently departed Jerry Garcia, who had just played Shoreline a few short months later. (Interestingly, former Dead keyboardist Tom Constanten hung out with Sonic Youth backstage this evening at Lolla!) Does SY then break into a Jerry-style "Expressway To Your Heart"?! No, but they do float into a massive "Expressway To Your Skull," joined by Pavement's Stephen Malkmus, howling along on vocals. Incredibly fun.

What follows is equally fun, with the band dipping into the back catalog for excellent renditions of "Mote," "Brother James" and "100%" in addition to a heaping portion of Washing Machine, which wouldn't be released into the wild for a few more weeks. The title track is a motorik marvel, with Steve Shelley surging and soaring, Kim Gordon delivering an impossibly cool/enigmatic vocal.

The peak, of course, is "The Diamond Sea," a nightly ritual that boils over into a seething cauldron of beauteous feedback, stormy clangs and ineffable noise. Is this the end of the end? For some other bands, it might have been ... but it's inspiring to see that even at this midpoint in their career, Sonic Youth was forging forward, making some of the best music of their lives. Time takes its crazy toll ...

Bandcamp | Merch | Concert Chronology

[callmehotnotpretty]

CHAPPELL ROAN via instagram “Due to some scheduling shifts, I’ve had to jump out of the lineups for Superbloom and Lollapalooza Berlin. Wanted to make sure I see my German fans so I’m adding a headline show in Berlin at Columbiahalle on 31 August to kick off my EU tour!! ⋆｡°✩ Tix are on sale on 2nd August at 10am CEST ✩ ⋆｡° Lolla ticket holders will get first access on 29 July at 10am CEST. See you beauties in August”

[pommpuriinn]

TXTPALOOZA

🧷 Joohyung enjoying her time at lollapalooza

Author’s Note: guys I just came back from chicago because I flew to see txt and it was so fun! It was actually my first ever time flying and going to a music festival so I would 100% do it again. I also heard them rehearse from my hotel it was crazy.

It was the day before txt’s actual performance and everyone besides Kai went to the festival grounds ro enjoys some artists sets. Joohyung even got dressed up and did her makeup with a festival feel. Joohyung was ready to enjoy herself with her members. She danced around with Yeonjun and Taehyun during Kendrick Lamar with a Budlight can in her hand. Joohyung qas only there for a bit until she heard Beomgyu and Soobin were going to get food, so she made her way to them. As Joohyung was walking to their location she did get stopped a few times to take pictures with moas which she gladly allowed them to.

Once she stopped the two with one of their staff member she ran up to them. “Wait I want one too.” Joohyung startled the two. “You came out of no where.” Soobin held his chest, as he chuckled. The four walked to watch the 1975 after getting their food and eating it on the way. Beomgyu wrapped his arm around Joohyung’s shoulder, as the two enjoy their time together. Joohyung would occasionally laugh when she see a moa covering them mouth shock at seeing them. Joohyung would even wave at them with a smile on her lips.

Joohyung was giving rockstar girlfriend vibes as she was wrapped around Beomgyu throughout the night. She was also caught smoking a cigarette and basically saying ‘I don’t give a fuck’ as she wink at the phone camera with her cigarette in her mouth. As well as the couple kissing from time to time. They were really living their best life in chicago.

Of course Joohyung ended the night taking photos and just randomly opened an instagram account because she wanted to post her own photos. She was a bit tipsy while making that decision.

PERFORMANCE DAY

makeup | hair | nails

༊*·˚ hearing everyone count down made Joohyung all excited as they were seconds away from running on stage and being the first ever Korean group to headline.

༊*·˚ the second they got on stage and yelled ‘hello’ to chicago all the nervousness they felt washed away with the live band immediately playing ‘I know I love you’

༊*·˚ Joohyung couldn’t wipe the smile off her face as she saw all the excited faces of moas and even non faces. Especially during ‘Dear Sputnik’ everyone jumping around and just having the time of their lives. “Jump! Jump!” Joohyung ran across the stage while jumping almost loosing her grip of her mic.

༊*·˚ “hello lolla I’m Joohyung~” Joohyung blow a kiss making the crowd scream. “We have a couple surprises up our sleeves, right guys?” Joohyung looked at her members. “Joohyung is right, so stay tune!” Kai nodded.

༊*·˚ The group immediately go into their next song ‘Devil by the Window’ Joohyung siren eyes caught everyone’s attention and it was constant screams whenever Joohyung was showed on the big screens.

༊*·˚ Next it was everyone’s favorite b-side ‘Tinnitus’ Joohyung took everyone out when it was her center part during ‘want it, want it’ she started twerking while looking back at the crowd and singing. Joohyung was feeling herself for sure during ‘Tinnitus’.

༊*·˚ Joohyung took her in-ear out to head everyone sing ‘CYSM’ and hearing the band behind them was Joohyung’s favorite thing ever. Joohyung just closed her eyes and took in the moment, as she sang along with the other members lines.

༊*·˚ ‘GBGB’ was one of the songs Joohyung was excited to perform because they got to do the dance break for chicago including Joohyung lighting Beomgyu’s rose which obviously is a crowd favorite. At the end Taehyun and Joohyung both belt out ‘good boy gone bad’ before the end of the song.

༊*·˚ The group quickly ran to the sidelines to change(right one) into their next outfits as they were going to start the unit stages. Joohyung was going to perform a song she’s been hinting since LA and their final Tokyo concerts. As the lights turned off and Joohyung and her dancers got into position the band and lights turned on, and the beginning of ‘Spicy’ started. The crowd erupted into screams while they were hearing an unreleased summer song. Everyone found it to be a very addicting song and want it to be release as soon as possible.

༊*·˚ Joohyung finished her song she ran back to the side lines to change once again to perform ‘Lonely Boy’ with Kai and Yeonjun.

༊*·˚ It was time to cool down especially after ‘TCHFTG’ unit jumping and dancing around. So ‘Anti-Romantic’ started playing and hearing everyone sing along made Joohyung feel warm. She couldn’t stop smiling as she moved with the song.

༊*·˚ Again with ‘Farewell, Neverland’ Joohyung was staring at everyone that was there to see them and moving with the song, as she sang.

༊*·˚ The group wanted to sing ‘Blue Spring’ at lollapalooza because they weren’t able to have a concert at chicago during their US leg of Act: Sweet Mirage. So they wanted to share this moment with chicago moas. Seeing all the bright lights coming from everyone’s phones was a moment that Joohyung will always remember.

༊*·˚ “Let’s turn it up!” Joohyung yelled, as the ‘No rules’ started playing. Hearing the fan chants as they were dancing made Joohyung add even more power to her dance.

༊*·˚. ‘Cat & Dog’ was another surprise for everyone. They especially loved it when Joohyung was acting cute and placing cat finger ears on top of her head and sticking out her tongue. Hearing all the barks cause Joohyung to laugh into her mic while dancing.

 ༊*·˚ ‘Happy Fools’ was one of Joohyung’s favorite moments as they got to bring Coi Leray out again. Not only did she rap her verse, but txt got to do a remix on ‘Players’ Coi’s as well. Moas screamed when Coi started twerking on Joohyung and she was just laughing. Of course after performing Coi has to get her hugs and she made rounds hugging each member. She especially squeezed Joohyung into the hug before giving Beomgyu his, but as Coi was making her way off stage both Beomgyu and Joohyung caught each other staring a little too hard at Coi. Both turned to look at each other and bursted out laughing and after Joohyung turned to walk to the center, but not before feeling Beomgyu tap her ass. Moas that saw unleashed a demon scream.

༊*·˚ “Make sure to sing along to our next song!” Joohyung quickly got into position with adrenaline high. Moas sang along basically to all of ‘Blue Hour’ including the dance break part which everyone waits for.

༊*·˚ ‘Wishlist’ was another one of those songs the group just jumped around with moas as they sang their hearts out. Joohyung grabbed a water bottle and splashed water at moas and even throwing the empty water bottle to the crowd.

༊*·˚ Joohyung squealed as she heard ‘Loser Lover’ playing, as many could tell she loves this song especially for a music festival like this. “Fucking jump!” Joohyung yelled, as the members and everyone else was jumping having a good time.

༊*·˚ Still no breaks and they went into their next song ‘Magic’. Last minute Joohyjng choose to dance with Soobin during the dance break. Both smile at each other once they finished their part it was very much and endearing moment between the two leaders.

༊*·˚ Finally the members got a little break as they gave their back up dancers time to shine and dance. Joohyung was getting a makeup touch up and drinking water as she closely watched their dance kill the stage.

༊*·˚ It was time to perform ‘Do It Like That’ for the first time. Luckily moas got to hear Joohyung sing more as the Jonas Brothers couldn’t come due to different schedule. Once it was Joohyung turn to dance she couldn’t stop beaming, as everyone was hyping her up.

༊*·˚ Sadly, it was time to say ‘goodbye’ before performing the last song of their set at lollapalooza. “I really want to thank everyone for coming to see us perform fan or non fan. This is a so real moment that I will never forget. Again thank you and I hope to see everyone soon.” Joohyung waved.

༊*·˚ ‘Sugar Rush Ride’ was the last song of the night. It was really a moment to remember especially with the fireworks towards the end of the song while the group was dancing giving their all one last time.

[goldennika]

Initial Thoughts on TOMORROW X TOGETHER's The Name Chapter: Freefall

Ok so i just listened to TNC: Freefall in full and damn, okay. Really solid album, sonically. And i say sonically bc i haven't read up on the lyrics just yet (i don't think the eng trans are out yet ☹️)

Am loving how they're showcasing more of their vocals (txt lower register enthusiasts, we are being fed at last 😭) and the whole band/session feels of the music really emphasizes that.

can we take a minute to talk about beomkai's vocals?? bc i really think this might be their era 🥹 and seeing as all of the boys have at least 2 credits to their name in this album, it really feels like this is their sound, and their personal music preferences came through too

i'm on the fence about DILT's inclusion in the album though. we all know it was not a planned track at all but it was a really good opportunity for them to collaborate and have a fun summer track out before headlining lolla 2023.

that said, it just doesn't seem to fit in (at least sonically) in this album. i don't know if moving it higher up in the tracklist would have been better since i haven't read the lyrics yet but sonically, it might have worked more since the more powerful/complex sounding tracks are in the first half, imo

but overall, this album is full of surprises, and very good ones at that!! I'm sure i'll love it even more when i listen to it again but yeah, from the first listen alone, i would recommend this album!!!

Track first impressions under the cut! very raw reactions ahead haha

Track 1: Growing Pain

oh damn gritty TXT ???

LOWER REGISTER LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOO

legitimately gave me goosebumps

EXCUSE ME THE OOH's IN THE CHORUS???? DELICIOUS

H U E N I N G K A I

that's it. that's the thought.

the guitar is so good ugh

ROCK BAND TXT LET'S GOOOOOOO

this will absolutely kill when performed live 😵‍💫

Track 2: Chasing That Feeling

HERE FOR THE SYNTHS(??)

giving TCHFTG and Blinding Lights by The Weeknd (i love The Weeknd btw)

Yeonjun's voice is so soothing??????

wait is the nod to the TCHFTG instrumentals intentional??????

maybe this is just me but their choreo (based on the MV) looks like it goes so hard but this song feels relatively chill/easy listening (esp compared to their last few title tracks bc sugar rush ride was a doozy to take in) so it seems a bit... off? idk idk

looking forward to a stage/practice vid to come out to appreciate their performance more!

Track 3: Back for More (TXT Ver)

already reacted to this before and ugh so good

HUENINGKAI POPPED OFF IN HIS VERSE UGH

Yeonjun's is also so good

love their adlibs so much 🥹

super interesting to place this track right after Chasing That Feeling 🤔

dance break instrumental and adlibs have my whole heart actually

like i can see them dancing in my head even if i'm just listening

Track 4: Dreamer

oh shit i love the bass already??????

FIRST LINE IN AND I'M IN LOVE ALREADY???

kinda scared to check the lyrics ngl

oh this song is delicious

i can already see all the tiktok edits happening (not necessarily a bad thing for them imo)

ooh shit "let me break it down for you" jdfh;kdjsfb;nsfkja

I LVOE THIS TRACK?????????

WAIT IS TAHT ALL SOOBIN IN THE CHORUS??????????

or is taehyun there too?

the "let me break it down for you" is going to haunt me in my dreams thanks

Track 5: Deep Down

strong start. nice

WTF IS THIS DIRECTION THEY'RE TAKING I LOVE IT????? 😳

yooo the minimal instrumentals in the start was so good

oh it got clubby in the chorus

OH HELL BEOMGYU IN THE CHORUS SHOULD HAVE COME WITH A WARNING (deep down i need you more)

this feels so different from the usual TXT but it works??

okayyyy the trumpet sounding stuff in the outro was a nice touch

Track 6: Happily Ever After

pretty sure i'll cry if i read up the lyrics of this one haha 🥲

oh this track is so smooothhhh in the pre-chorus

oohhh the la la la's are growing on me

it's like happy fools but more refined?????

LOVE the blending/harmonization 😩

GIVE ME ALL THE LAYERED VOCALS @ BIG HIT

SOOBIN I LOVE YOU (outro ver) 🥹😭

Track 7: Skipping Stones

the cymbals? hi-hats? at the start oh god *chef's kiss*

feels like a band session up in here!!!

HUENINGKAI LET'S FUCKING GOOOOO

oh damn beomgyu???

taehyun with the high notes mhmmm

band txt is the future i can see it all so clearly now

LOVE the way they start off each line durign the verses. scratches my brain sooooo good when they give the little oomph then blend it down ugh (sorry idk musical terms)

kinda obsessed with this music already wtf

the female vocals too!!

HUENINGKAI EXTENDED NOTE LET'S FUCKING GOOOO

HE MADE IT SOUND SO EASY?????????????

mhmmm soobin's falsetto

wow

just wow

FUCK ME WITH THOSE OHs AT THE END OF THE SONG GODDAMN

Track 8: Blue Spring

i know we were joking around about band txt but what if it's not a joke anymore bc we've had track after track of band/session sounds and i am not okay anymore

i'm never gonna be normal about this song sorry not sorry

POP OFF HUENINGKAI GODDAMN

what if i cry.....

hmmm the rest of the instrumentals kicking in. so good.

and then they strip it down??? to let the vocals shine????

so so good

COME THROUGH WITH THE DRUMS

soobin's verse with yeonjun's adlibs is what dreams are made of actually

god yeonjun and hueningkai are gonna make me cry

NO FUCKIGN WAY THEY ADDED MORE OF TAEHYUN'S ADLIBS????

STOP THE FUCKING CAR THEY'RE HARMONIZING INT EH CHORUS TOO??????????????

TYUNNING ADLIBS IN THE OUTRO????????????????

MY JAW IS DROPPED AND I CANNOT BREATHEEEEEEEEE

Track 9: Do It Like That

ok yeah ngl the mood shifted dramatically after all the band txt sounds lol

DILT is a cute song but i don't think it makes sense in this album

or at least not in this placement???

i may reconsider if this was a TXT ver lol

or maybe they were thinking about our mental health when they decided to keep it in the album

i would probs be a sobbing mess if tnc: freefall rly just ended with the studio ver of blue spring 🥹

Track 10: Chasing That Feeling (English Ver)

including this here bc why not it's on the tracklist anyway haha

tbh i wasn't feeling this track much from the teasers

but hearing the song in full changed my mind

the build up is good

why does yeonjun's voice sound so good in this genre like how is it soooo good

time's a thief that won't stop stealing -- well damn did i feel that

taehyun our belting star 🥺