Review: Charli xcx delivers jaw-dropping drama amid made-for-movies downpour

<p>Draped in black and hanging onto a microphone stand, Charli xcx listlessly sang “I think the dance floor is dead,” a vocal-fried message from her song “Rock Music” seemingly lost on the thousands of fans who headbanged, jumped and most definitely danced throughout the British pop superstar’s headlining set at Lollapalooza on Friday.</p><p>Helping her tear through her 23-song set was a three-piece rock ensemble, about 15 dancers and a made-for-the-movies downpour for peak dramatic effect.</p><p>Having already graced the stage Thursday for a thrilling appearance in Lorde’s set for their “Girl, so confusing” collaboration, Friday night was Charli’s turn to deliver one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend.</p><p>The night marked Charli’s first large-scale live performance since releasing her seventh studio album “Music, Fashion, Film” last week. Judging from the massive chorus of voices, fans were already off-book despite the tight turnaround, ready to welcome yet another new era for the artist.</p><p>Still, the set’s biggest moment happened during pulls from her previous albums, especially her ultra-popular 2024 release “Brat” and its subsequent remixes — an era still so recognizable that even the top of Willis Tower looked like it was lit in the record’s green theme Friday night.</p><p>The ground pulsed as Charli’s bass-heavy hits “Sympathy is a knife,” “Von dutch” and “Guess” moved the crowd to dance hard.