Musicians fling themselves into mosh pits and destroy equipment on stage. Video of police beatings and the 1992 L.A. riots. Some tense language (from Henry Rollins for example) within songs performed drew parallels to being at the venue and being in a concentration camp.
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Now-mature musicians reflect on themselves as young, willful adults, as decades-old mistakes are shown. They discuss how to behave (or not) when experiencing technical difficulties on stage, and logistical concerns with crowd management and soaring temperatures at outdoor venues with limited water and shade. Ice-T, Perry Ferrell, and others talk about fearlessly diving into the racial divide of the time, especially with regard to police brutality.
Diverse Representations
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While most of the bands on the inaugural tour composed of White men, the organizers included Ice-T and all-Black rock band Living Colour intentionally to expose the mostly White audience to them. Ice-T and Farrell controversially dueted on Sly and the Family Stone's "Don't Call Me N----r, Whitey" and then left the stage arm in arm. Noticeably few female musicians were invited, and those who were discuss the very different accommodations and experiences they had.
Organizers persevere in their belief in the importance of the musical festival to expose lesser-known musicians to new audiences and to support activist organizations and voices, at a time before the internet made information readily available.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza is a three-part docuseries on the early 1990s birth of the music festival Lollapalooza and its founder, lead singer of alternative rock band Jane's Addiction and Perry Farrell. Along with the '90s music, expect drug and alcohol mentions, partial nudity, and lots of language (episode one is entitled "F--k the Man"). Ice-T and Farrell controversially dueted on Sly and the Family Stone's "Don't Call Me N----r, Whitey" during the inaugural tour. The series examines the festival in the context of 1991-92 U.S. history, when Generation X was finding its voice(s) and police brutality and racial conflict were daily headlines.
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What's the Story?
LOLLA: THE STORY OF LOLLAPALOOZA is a mini-series about cofounder Perry Farrell's cultural, art, political, and musical festival, Lollapalooza. Born, in part, as a farewell tour for his band, Jane's Addiction, Lolla began in 1991 in Chandler, Ariz., and proved to music fans and event executives that something special had been created. The series follows the origin of the festival through concert and interview footage of Farrell along with other rock icons (Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers, et. al.) and the business and marketing professionals that ran the back-end of the traveling concert.
For music lovers, Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza is an energetic look at the counterculture of young America in the 1990s. The musicians interviewed are still passionate about their craft and take thoughtful looks back at the exciting origins of the musical phenomenon that still exists in 2024. It's a thought-provoking look at the civilly engaged and creatively expressive musicians and youth who came together for Lollapalooza. While there's some adult language and partial nudity, the overall message of Lolla is the love of music, free speech, and acceptance.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what was happening politically in the United States in the 1990s, and how politics and economic events can breed various forms of counterculture, protest, art, and music. Who are the musical acts today that you and your children can think of who have been politically vocal, or who speak up for certain charities/organizations? Does that affect how you feel about their music?
Discuss the monoculture of the 1990s and how Lollapalooza featured a cross-section of musical acts, performers, and info booths. From rap to metal to industrial to alternative to funk, Lollapalooza exposed audiences to a variety of musical acts, genders, races and ages. Are there music festivals today that present similar diversity?
If you're a musician, would you model yourself after any of the featured bands? If not, who are their musical influences and what kind of in-person musical events are most of interest?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Megan Andersen
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