Ellie Goulding at Lollapalooza 2013 in Chicago. Veronica Werhane/Neon Tommy

On the tails of Coachella, EDC and Firefly, it’s the Windy City’s time to shine in the 2014 summer music festival season. The three-day festival is set for Aug.1-3 and will be held in Grant Park. Last year’s Lolla did not disappoint, and with a solid lineup of artists, killer food/drink vendors and new cashless wristbands, Lollapalooza is not 'paloozing around.

With approximately 130 artists from all walks of life, the 160,000 festivalgoers will have plenty of awesome performances to choose from. Headliners include heavy hitters such as Eminem, Calvin Harris, Skrillex and OutKast, as well as new and up-and-coming bands. Chart-toppers or not, Lolla is stacked with impressive talent that shouldn’t be missed. Here are NT’s picks for performances to check out:

Chromeo

You may have heard “Jealous” on the top charts lately, but Chromeo has been around for awhile. The Canadian electro-funk duo is back with a new album, “White Women,” and funk seems to be well received by listeners. Chromeo attributes the ostensible staying power of their funk vibe to mainstream artists like Daft Punk, who “give it a little bit of cred.” In such a diverse lineup, Chromeo is sure to put on a performance full of energy, soul and enthusiasm.

The 1975

This English indie rock/pop hybrid band is one of the more interesting artists at Lollapalooza. Hailing from Manchester, the four-lad band has been making music together since they were 15 years old. Though the band has been playing together for roughly 10 years, it wasn’t until last year that they released their self-titled debut album, which came out at #1 on the UK Albums Chart in September 2013. The 1975’s music is just as unique as its story—the band is all about syncopation, and the layering of live instruments with electronic sounds makes for intricate yet smooth and enjoyable music.

Royal Blood

Another UK-bred band, Royal Blood may be the next new rock band out of Brighton. Drawing inspiration from legends like Queens of the Stone Age, Led Zeppelin and even early blues music, the rock duo delivers exhilarating but nuanced rock n’ roll. Don’t underestimate the power of the two-piece format; these guys can produce a heck of a lot of sound using just voice, drums and bass. Royal Blood has been compared to the White Stripes, as well as the Pixies, Black Keys and Led Zeppelin. Plus, the Arctic Monkeys are big fans.

NONONO

If someone were to ask about a 2014 rebirth of 80s music, the answer might be no—No No No, that is. The Swedish band of three combines the diverse musical influences of its three members to create a sound that would otherwise seem like a sure-fire fail: 80s music, female singer songwriter and hip-hop, to name a few. “Pumpin’ Blood” disproved that hypothesis as a chart-climbing favorite, and we’re itching to see what else the eclectic Swedes will have up their sleeves at Lolla.

Kongos

Originally from South Africa, this alternative rock band of four brothers was featured in Rolling Stone’s “10 New Artists You Need to Know” in February 2014. And if you keep up with college football, you’ll recognize “Come With Me Now” from ESPN’s college football promo videos. If you like Arcade Fire, Queens of the Stone Age or Mumford and Sons (per Rolling Stone), be sure to check them out—they’re sure to put on a fun show.

Reach Senior Arts and Culture Editor Veronica here. Follow her on Twitter here.