BJ the Chicago Kid passionately sings live on the new Bud Light Dive Bar Sessions stage during day three of Lollapalooza on Saturday, Aug. 3rd.
BJ the Chicago Kid may not have been part of the initial lineup for Lollapalooza this year, but that didn’t matter. As the Chicago native brought the soul to his hometown that was part of the new Bud Light Dive Bar Sessions on the very small and intimate new stage added to Lollapalooza this year to deliver one of the best sets of the whole festival that most people wouldn’t even unfortunately known about or even seen.
Opening up with the very soulful and uplifting sounds of his Chance the Rapper and Buddy-assisted single, Church, which was quite appropriate to be playing on the Saturday evening day three Lolla set in Grant Park the night before Sunday morning. To really match the lyrics of, “She say she wanna drink, do drugs and have sex tonight. But I got church in the mornin’, church in the mornin’. She say she wanna drink, do drugs and have sex tonight. But I got church in the mornin’, church in the mornin’.” The Chicago native so soulfully sang the soulfully harmonious and almost gospel-infused chorus, as the very small and intimate dive bar crowd sang along and his live backing band provided the perfect live backdrop.
The Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter really brought the soul, as he showed off his very soulfully smooth and talented voice throughout the small nearly 30 or so longer plus set. That seen BJ go from everything from his debut single, Good Luv’n to the very soulfully and simmering feel-good slow jam, Love Inside, and very soulfully upbeat, Turnin’ Me Up. You know the soulful singer and songwriter couldn’t go without performing a very soulful and amazing rendition of his current soulfully passionate lover’s anthem and latest single, Time Today. Which his live backing band really helped bring the soulfully passionate lyrics and vocals from BJ to life even more as he performed it live for one of the few times he has so far live and really may have even been the first time he has performed live.
BJ would mention how he recently dropped his latest new solo album, 1123, and if it was alright if he played a few of those songs. To which the very small and intimate crowd gave a resounding, “Yes!” Of course, Time Today, being one of those, he would perform a few others in what’s perhaps a small sample size of what most people will get when he goes back on his upcoming headlining tour within the next two months to continue to help promoting the new album.
The singer even saying being originally from Chicago, how he always appreciates whenever he is able to come back home to play a show like this. Whether it be Lollapalooza or any other show here in Chicago. Because of how he was born and raised, as well as learned to sing here. Which is why he appreciated Bud Light bringing him out to play this very small and intimate set and for everyone in the crowd to thank Bud Light as well for doing so.
Whether it was the smaller and more intimate setting or whatever other reason it maybe, BJ delivered by far one of the best performances of the whole festival so far and what is easily one of the best you will see of Lollapalooza this year. It’s just to bad more people didn’t know about it and that BJ wasn’t a part of the initial lineup, which he should have been for years. Not only because of him being originally from Chicago, but one of the most talented singers and songwriters in R&B right now and really one of the most talented artists in all of music period right now. That includes his always soulfully amazing live performances he always puts on.
Hopefully this will be a small beginning step in the right direction for BJ to actual playing one of the main stages here at Lollapalooza in his hometown like he should’ve for years.