'Complete pandemonium' greets local weightlifters onstage with sensation Chappell Roan at Lollapalooza
Lawrence Scott, Katie Nguyen and Inez Carrasquillo aren't usually performers. At least not in the way they were on Thursday, when the weightlifters found themselves on stage with global phenomenon Chappell Roan at Lollapalooza.
A few weeks ago, Scott, owner of Rockwell Barbell gym in North Center, received a call from a producer saying he was looking for people to lift weights on stage at Lollapalooza during a rising performer's set, not name-dropping Roan just yet.
"Once we started getting a little closer to Lolla, they told us who it was and we kind of had a mini freak-out," said Scott, 40.
Scott and strongwoman Inez Carrasquillo were chosen to be on stage with other weightlifters from Chicago-area gyms. The anticipation mounted, and they played her high-energy tracks more and more as the date grew closer. Rehearsal day arrived, and they met Roan and her team.
"There's kind of an aura about her, how she's kind of like the people's champ. She's very down to earth," Scott said. "I would say that that rings true for her and her entire team."
Scott's fiancée and gym operations manager Nguyen was added to the roster during the rehearsal, and the clock began ticking toward the performance. Carrasquillo, who won the 2022 Arnold Amateur Strongwoman World Championships and was dubbed "North America's strongest woman" at a competition last week, listened to Roan's songs on repeat the day before joining her on stage.
"[I had to] mentally prepare myself for what was going to happen," she said. "It was exciting. I've never felt so anxious and excited."
The group got to the festival early and checked the time often. Megafans of Roan had camped out at her stage since the festival gates opened Thursday morning, and the crowd grew bigger throughout the day.
By the time Roan was set to perform, the crowd "went as far as I could see," Scott said. "I looked back and they just kind of disappeared into the trees."
The fanfare steadily rose, with chants of "Chappell, Chappell," and plenty of pink cowboy hats in the crowd. The band and weightlifters walked on stage, then the excitement exploded when it was time for Roan to take her place at the microphone.
"Chappell followed behind us and it was complete pandemonium at that point," Scott said.
The group joined Roan, clad in a hot pink and bright blue wrestling singlet and mask for "Femininomenon," "Naked in Manhattan" and "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" before taking a short break during slower songs and coming back on stage for the song responsible for a dance phenomenon "HOT TO GO!"
"I'm still shaking at the awesomeness of it," Nguyen said. "I never would have anticipated this."
Dancers, backup singers and other performers can dream of getting onstage with A-list musical acts and work toward that for years.
Carrasquillo, Scott and Nguyen, on the other hand, couldn't have seen it coming.
"I thought I was getting a call originally for like a security gig," said Carrasquillo, 30. "I'm not like a backup dancer or anything."
Roan, known for her drag-inspired looks and queer themes in her lyrics, has become an icon for many LGBTQ+ fans, something that resonated with Scott. Rockwell Barbell has a large queer customer base and has for most of its 10-year history.
"I don't know if they were aware of that" and if the gym was sought out for those reasons, but it was "very fitting," Scott said.
"They feel like they belong — they do belong, they're celebrated just like everyone else," he said. "Things work out in a special way."
Roan's fanbase has skyrocketed this summer, and Nguyen said seeing not only the number of fans but the twinkle in their eyes seeing their favorite pop star would stick with her for a long time.
"Seeing her fans adore her, she could take over the world if she just asked them," said Nguyen, 33. "You could be yourself and you were just around your friends."