In the same way that our methods of music discovery continue to evolve, so do the ways musicians work to be discovered. Ahead of this year’s Lollapalooza, WBEZ contributor and illustrative journalist Eda Uzunlar asked members of the Chicago-based rock-and-roll band Free Joel how they’re planning to use their five minutes in the spotlight.
“We have to go all in. We’ve gotta go crazy,” said Jillian Burton, the band’s bassist. She explained the group fine-tunes their visual performance to nab the attention of both live audiences and potential fans scrolling social media. “We want to stick out in front of people.”
Alongside Burton, Noah Martin (frontman and guitar), Reid Webber (guitar), and Kyle Krawczyk (drums), won their slot at Lollapalooza after performing in the city-run arts competition Chicago Made Music Showcase. Queen Key, Lil M.U., Peter CottonTale, Sherrionn and Corr Kendricks will also be performing in the festival’s slot designated for homegrown artists.
Catch Free Joel alongside other Chicago artists Friday, July 31, at 12:15 p.m. at Lollapalooza’s Tito’s Stage.
