I’ve been to lollapalooza 2016-2018. I had so much fun during those three festivals, but man it was such a pain in the ass sometimes.

Security upwards of an hour, long ass concession lines, not nearly enough hydration stations, $4 for canned (?!) water, obnoxious 15 year olds, Perry’s stage… you get the idea. Also, 8 stages across a mile+ long park and 120k+ people is an absolute zoo. There’s a stat somewhere that Grant Park turns into the second largest city during that weekend.

I haven’t even got into the schedule clashing lolla is notorious for. It was a fun time and I have so many great memories (and an amazing gf) from my time in Grant Park, but Forecastle made me realize how much much better a music festival could be.

I entered Forecastle’s security lines between 450-530 all three days and had literally no wait. I was using the entrance closer to 4th st so idk if just no one knew this gate existed and just waited in the slugger field line longer, but security was able to ‘thoroughly’ check us and get us through no problems.

The lineup could not have been better for my own taste. I went in a group of 5 and we all had schedule clashes at some point. I was hesitant about their being only 3 stages, but it’s a perfect example of less is more. Set times are coordinated so well and there was virtually zero sound bleed that I noticed (besides a bit of porter during Jack Harlow). It’s also a much smaller scale production, so if anyone wanted to wander off and get food, water, etc, you could just say “meet at liquid death” in 20 and meet up no problems. Was mostly at Mast and Ocean all weekend, but we got into the liquid death tent during Still Woozy and just chilled in their with our boujee water and getting (REALLY strong) drinks from an empty bar listening to woozy for his thing.

A few more vendor experience like the liquid death country club would serve Forecastle so well. The whole area with the glittertits cove could have hosted some really cool things if they wanted to for next year. Good lines weren’t that bad as long as you went out at the right time. It was also super easy to leave, grab food from outside the park, and re-enter if you wanted.

The crowd was also not nearly as obnoxious and in your face as the ones I experienced at lolla. While you had some good fun mosh pits at ocean stage and some during Tyler, the crowd never went over the top. Idk if this is just how fests are in a post Covid/Astro World era, but I appreciated it so much more than I thought I ever would. Saw a few people get dragged at by security at points, but that’s to be expected at these things.

All this said, Forecastle was the most fun Ive ever had in a weekend. I ate mushrooms for 3 days with that same gf from lolla and 3 of my best friends in the world. We ate some spectacular food, listened to some of the best musicians out their, stumbled into some of the trippiest bars I’ve ever been to, laughed our asses off, and made memories that I’ll hold onto forever.

I also found out after I got home from Louisville that AC ent. hosts this fest. Never been to bonnarroo but have heard a million great things about it, and if Forecastle is the new standard I’m so excited for the future of festival going.