Lollapalooza Wrap-up:
So it took three long days but my college roommate Justin and I braved this year’s Lollapalooza. 16 bands, 3 days, several changes of clothes and about 9 hectaliters of sweat and body odor.
But boy was it worth it. I’ve never seen so much great music packed into one space over such a short time in my life. Below is a recap of everything we saw. I got home late last night and decided I’m never listening to music again.
That lasted about 20 minutes.
The Place: Grant Park, Chicago, IL.
Day 1: Friday
Justin: Such a charming Canadian pop group. No, I don’t mind at all if you curse (they apologized for swearing).
Kevin: Probably the nicest band at Lolla. Matisyahu could have beaten them up.
Kevin: I was convinced after hearing LS featured on Sound Opinions that she was a short black woman with an afro not the sixth Spice Girl booted out of the band for beating up a hotel chambermaid..
Justin: When, at 5:30 on a Friday afternoon, half of the crowd answered “Who here is drunk?” in the affirmative, I knew Chicago was Sov’s kinda town.
Justin: Jack White may be big enough for this festival, but this band’s sound sure wasn’t.
Kevin: No matter how cute Jack White is, his band is too down and dirty to be on this giant outdoor stage. The air swallowed their sound whole.
Justin: The rockin’ ladies gave one of the tightest live sets I’ve seen. I hope their ‘hiatus’ is very, very temporary.
Kevin: The female Rush. Coming from me, a huge compliment.
Day 2: Saturday
Kevin: My highlight of the festival. More fun than a giant trampoline.
Justin: You never forget your first time seeing The Go! Team. The second time was pretty great too.
Justin: They rocked like nobody’s business. I’m convinced that the world needs more bands fronted by skinny dudes sporting Jew ‘fros and intoxicatingly high vocal ranges.
Kevin: What Justin said.
Kevin: A great album in need of a better live act. Just too groovy and laid back for the day’s midpoint.
Justin: They were a very entertaining, massively hyped gimmick that deserved better sound guys.
Kevin: I am the only person within Chicago city limits who have not heard of this band. Loud, power-pop fun.
Justin: Smoking Popes is emo… that will kick your ass!
Justin: We were stuck at the back of the field, so what could’ve been the weekend’s greatest spectacle looked like an entertaining TV show.
Kevin: I really need to see them again at full strength and not after a day of baking. I’m sure they are great. I just wasn’t up for it.
At this point, Kevin and Justin split up to see different headliners.
Kevin: I love TNP and have all three of their albums but this is the second time I’ve been let down by their live act. Why do they always seem to be performing half asleep?
Justin: Thievery was the sleeper act of the weekend. They need to come back for the World Music Festival where they’ll have a more captive crowd.
Kevin: Kanye got dogged by a lousy sound system but once the gear caught up with him, he practically set the park on fire.
Justin: Manu’s world party is an hour and a half of hard rock, salsa, reggae, rumba, funk, and flamenco punctuated by a leaping, sweaty, and pharmaceutically enhanced crowd.
Day 3, Sunday
Justin: These kids must have some damn good band camp stories!
Kevin: I’d kill to see them on a double bill with The Extra Action Marching Band.
Kevin: Bruce Springsteen meets Tom Waits meets a giant glop of Catholic guilt. Holy wonderful!
Justin: Lead singer Craig Finn noted this was some of the most fun he’s had before 3pm. I call it some of the best live rock I’ve heard before 3pm.
Justin: Don’t know what I was expecting from a modern bluegrass band at a big festival, but they exceeded expectations.
Kevin: We sat down for this one. Lovely summertime chillout music.
Kevin: Who knew the typical Matisyahu fan is a shirtless frat boy?
Justin: Clear the way for the funky, funky Hassid…
Justin: Wilco is a very satisfying live band. They didn’t transport me to a higher plane and I didn’t feel their pain, but it was a beautiful Sunday night homecoming.
Kevin: I would love to see Wilco again when I haven’t just been on my feet for the last three days. Wilco is a great band but I was done.
And there you have it.
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A day of baking? Is that the heat or some other out-of-body experience entirely? Word choice is everything. Just looking out for you. 🙂
A day of baking? Is that the heat or some other out-of-body experience entirely? Word choice is everything. Just looking out for you. 🙂
Just heat, man. Oy!
Just heat, man. Oy!