From the moment Lollapalooza announced Xdinary Heroes was part of their 2025 lineup, I was determined at least attend whatever day they played. By sheer dumb luck, I was able to snag a four-day pass the day they went on sale.

Lollapalooza kicked off on Thursday, July 31 at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois. While there were plenty of artists I was looking forward to Saturday through Sunday, I knew from the moment the schedule was released that the six-member Korean rock band was the primary draw for day one. Going into my first Lollapalooza with that as my primary goal left the rest of the day completely open

The first thing that struck me as I approached Grant Park was the sheer size of the festival. Streets were blocked off roughly a week before, but I didn’t fully understand just how massive until I passed through the gates. Security, as one would expect, was extremely tight. There were two checkpoints to hit before you even got to the airport-style security check: one to show your wristband and the other to actually scan it. While you were able to keep your belts and shoes on, pockets had to be empty and bags had to be open.

While I entered the festival with the intention to camp for Xdinary Heroes, I couldn’t help but be pulled towards the BMI stage during Girl Tones‘s set. While I’m not terribly familiar with them or their music, they brought a classic riot grrrl energy I’m always a sucker for. The sister-duo rocked the stage with the energy of a full band and reminded me why I love going into festivals even if I don’t know much of the lineup: you get pleasant surprises like Girl Tones.

To be honest, I struggled navigating the festival in the beginning. It’s possible that I wandered around for a good ten minutes looking for my desired stage, even after asking personnel for help, before arriving at The Grove just as Black Party’s set began. I could already see a small crowd of dedicated Xdinary Heroes fans, called Villains, who had the same thought as me but more dedication.

The vibe completely shifted when Sunami took the stage. Entirely separate from Black Party’s relaxed vibe, Sunami brought San Jose hardcore to The Grove. Despite the band’s violent reputation, the crowd was energetic but not overwhelming. The mosh pit was tame when compared to their infamous debut show, but most things would be. Still, even Villains camping at the barricade were head banging to songs like “Y.A.B”, short for “You’re A Bitch”, and “GATE CRASHER”. “Real Bay Shit,” indeed.

FCUKERS (pronounced “Fuckers”) solidified Lollapalooza’s eclectic nature for me. Following Sunami, the electronic duo played club-ready bangers with a relaxed confidence that got the crowd dancing. I don’t have much to write home about Glass Beams and Overmono. Glass Beams, a project spearheaded by multi-instrumentalist Rajan Silva, had the most intriguing persona. Each member of the band donned bejeweled masks and the dreamy psychedelic rock they played well. However, I didn’t find the performance itself terribly engaging. I don’t think it was meant to be, but that doesn’t necessarily play well to a festival crowd that just got done shaking ass to a band called FCUKERS. Overmono’s DJ set also got the crowd dancing, but it couldn’t have prepared the crowd for what came next.

Unfortunately, I can’t say much about 2hollis as a performer. Neither his onstage presence nor his music is what stuck with me after his set. In fact, I couldn’t remotely focus on the stage. From the moment his set began, his fans started pushing the crowd and throwing elbows without the faintest thought of safety or consent. Far from the respectful pit of Sunami, I spent the majority of the performance helping defend less-experienced concertgoers who had no interest in making the entire crowd a mosh pit as 2hollis fans seemed to. Thankfully, there were several people near the front of the stage who had similar or greater concert-going experience than mine that were able to help.

A defense that was shouted in my face more than once was, “It’s 2hollis”, as if this is something I should expect from his show. Maybe that much was on me: prior to this set, I had never heard of 2hollis and didn’t have any idea what to expect from the crowd. However, this is a festival crowd. Not everyone here is waiting to see 2hollis and I don’t believe you should just expect everyone in it to just be down for whatever. Also, it doesn’t matter if you’re seeing 2hollis or a hardcore death metal band. Mosh pits require consent and have their own set of rules and etiquette. They’re not mindless, violent pushing and shoving from people who don’t seem to care if anybody gets legitimately hurt.

Security finally intervened when the moshing caused an undefined medical emergency. Thankfully, the crowd begrudgingly complied when a security agent instructed everyone to take several steps back. In response, according to Annisyn Krebs-Carr for The Daily Illini, 2hollis said:

“Step back, don’t hurt each other. I know it’s crazy. I love you, I love you, I don’t want you to be hurt. If someone falls down, pick them up.”

While Krebs-Carr said “the safety of the crowd was restored”, I can’t say I felt the same way. After the show resumed, very little changed regarding the crowd’s behavior. Fans of 2hollis may have been “invigorated” by this performance, but several others continued to feel at risk until the set ended at 8:30. 2hollis himself may have showed “a genuine display of concern for his fans” but, from the poor view I had of the set, he also seemed all too ready to bask in their unchecked energy until security stepped in.

Frankly, as far as first impressions go, this was the poorest I’ve experienced in quite some time. As someone who has been going to concerts for over a decade, I can confidently say I’ve never been in a worse crowd. While 2hollis fans were exiting the stage area, one particularly overzealous participant loudly bragged about still getting videos of the performance despite the raucous crowd and showed no remorse when someone responded by shouting, “I couldn’t breathe, asshole!”

I’ll concede the pocket of fans I happened to be trapped in may not represent the entirety of the fandom. I certainly hope this is not the kind of crowd 2hollis cultivates and enables overall.

Despite everything, it was all worth it at 9:00 when Xdinary Heroes took the stage. I’ve been waiting to see this band since their 2021 debut, and it was clear I wasn’t the only Villain who felt that way. As soon as those lights went up and the members took their spot onstage, the mood immediately shifted from indignation to rapture.

They kicked off their set with “FIGHT ME”, the first track off their most recent record Beautiful Mind. Followed immediately by “Break the Brake” gave fans the perfect outlet to release any residual anger. Further highlights included “Strawberry Cake”, a song I praised at great length when I reviewed their debut album back in 2022. However, getting to see it live far exceeded my expectations. Getting to scream “if you seek it/why owe you” at the top of my lungs during “Freakin’ Bad” was another definite highlight, if I only have to choose a few.

One of the really special things about Xdinary Heroes is the dynamic between the members. I would call them the The Breakfast Club of K-rock: six disparate personalities coming together to create something truly special. The leader is their drummer Gunil, a soft-spoken goofball with an unexpected badass streak, best showcased in how he smacked the cymbals at the end of “Money on My Mind” with his bare hands. It was hard for me to take my eyes off O.de, who looked unreal as he played his keyboards with passion and precision. Guitarist and vocalist Gaon had an undeniable boy-next-door charm, while Junhan provided a quiet mystique as he shredded one mind-melting guitar solo after another. I only wish I had been a little closer to the middle of the stage so I could catch more of Jungsu’s onstage charm, but hearing his crystal clear voice round out their sound was nothing short of delightful.

However, if I had to single out just one of the members as their star, it would be Jooyeon with a bullet. He is a born performer, and not just because his hair should be considered a paid actor. Jooyeon has the charisma and sizzling stage presence of a classic rock star front man. Without guest vocalist YB Yoon Do-hyun to scream the chorus to their most hardcore song “iNSTEAD!“, it was Jooyeon who took up the mantle. While screaming isn’t usual forte, the way he roared with his entire chest did that part. Taking your eyes off him is truly an Olympic sport and should be treated as such.

To the audience’s delight, Xdinary Heroes ended up closing up shop with their debut track “Happy Death Day”, an offbeat and macabre take on the birthday song. Considering this was their debut performance on Chicago soil, it felt simultaneously fitting and an unexpected gift. I may have ended my first day of Lollapalooza covered in mud and somewhat burnt by an enraging experience, but it was all worth it for Xdinary Heroes.

As far as first impressions of a festival go, I learned three important lessons: don’t wear white shoes to Lollapalooza, or any music festival, avoid 2hollis crowds like the plague, and don’t miss Xdinary Heroes next time they stop in Chicago.

And that was just the beginning.

ALL PHOTOS WERE TAKEN BY THE AUTHOR AND EDITED BY JONATHAN KNOELL EXCEPT WHERE OTHERWISE STATED.