Foo Fighters w/ The Joy Formidable
Metro
Chicago, IL
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Although Lollapalooza weekend was almost a month ago, I had to write about this show. The festival weekend was Thursday to Monday with the festival contained within there which is usually enough, but as I packed Wednesday night the Foo Fighters delivered the tease via Facebook and the next morning at 10am simply asked, "Got any ideas of fun shit we could do on Saturday night?". At 11am tickets went on sale and sold out just as quickly, but through some stroke of luck (and with the assistance of a friend) I acquired tickets and was off to this gig. The festival enough was sufficient for my weekend, but being able to see one of my favourite bands in a small club (1,100 capacity) is pretty much a dream come true, especially at this stage of the game.
The festival up until Saturday at 9:45pm delivered quite a few solid sets and some disappointments but the best part of the weekend was about to take place once I took off from Eminem's headlining set. He finished at 10pm and the Foos hit the stage uptown at 11pm and they took priority.
Unfortunately, some incorrect planning landed me a couple of minutes late for the show but the second I got to the back of the club I was blown away by how close my vantage point was as the band finished up "Bridges Burning". Jumping into "Rope" from the new album Wasting Light and then "Dear Rosemary" it was evident that they were going through it in sequence as they did earlier this year before its release. As it turns out (thanks YouTube!) Dave told the crowd at the beginning that they would be playing the whole new album, which worked out great because it ensured that some songs which may not be on the Lollapalooza setlist would certainly get played on this night. Continuing along the guys rocked with their heaviest track in years, "White Limo" while progressing through the album, including sing-alongs "Arlandria" and "Back & Forth". One benefit of the live setting is it allows tracks to explode and take on a new life which is exactly what happened for me. Coming in I was a fairly long-time Foo Fighters fan, but not overly crazy about the new album as it settled in with me. Their style of music has been criticized for being too generic but it's fun and they have been one of my favourite bands for years, more on that later. They're a great fucking rock band, who am I kidding. Even the Bon Jovi-sounding "Miss the Misery" sounded great.
Moving on, they knocked down the tracklist and after finishing up the middle portion of the album it was time for the heartbreaking "I Should Have Known", which I don't expect to see on too many setlists going forward, so this was a nice treat to see in person (not that it's happy, but for rarity-sake). Concluding the Wastling Light portion of the night was recent single and closing track "Walk" which much like the others is an uplifting, catchy Foos track that meets the formula, but it's the formula that everybody in the Metro has come to love. This song is going to be a staple in the future and deservingly so.
Now that the new album was wrapped up it was time for the relatively older tracks, kicking off with the thunderous one-two punch of "All My Life" and "My Hero" that inspired more sing alongs and energy from the fortunate audience members. The former is an essential Foos track (despite oddly not making the cut on Sunday) because it brings a certain fury that just wakes everybody up and the latter is simply a classic. Nobody knew that the next night they would blow this rendition out of the water (ha!) but it was still extremely fun to sing along to this hit in such a small setting. Next up was "Learn to Fly", which although it is a classic it has always been somewhere in the middle for me and on this night I feel like I was just eating everything up as I found myself not overthinking and rather enjoying the experience (geeked out hard). "Generator", a song that I had never seen live was a nice surprise up next; yet another reason this show kind of redeemed the band in a major way for me, not that they really owe me a thing.
"The Pretender" and the Taylor Hawkins production "Cold Day in the Sun" were next up, followed by "Long Road to Ruin"; neither of which are favourites of mine but on this night it felt like anything the band did was gold... which brings me to "Stacked Actors". This has been one of my favourite Foos tracks since first hearing There's Nothing Left to Lose but in the arenas it always felt like it got passed off, with the band playing and adding some jams which usually don't feel natural (in the past). On this Saturday night in Chicago in the relatively tiny venue, it led to Dave Grohl entering the crowd through the balcony, jamming, and passing his guitar back to the stage by means of the audience; really cool moment that was certainly one of the highlights of the night for me. I hate to be that guy, but alot of people moved forward as Dave performed from the balcony which resulted in a better view. The crowd around me was extremely friendly for the entire night, having already saved spots while grabbing beers and just being politely energetic (the good kind!). I swear, I wasn't being a dick about it.
Slowing things down slightly was the acoustic rendition of "Times Like These" which eventually was completed by the rest of the band, then the cover of "Young Man Blues", another that I was previously on the fence about. After "Skin and Bones" was another track which demanded audience participation, "Best of You", and boy do they get it everytime. Finally, the main set closed with much earlier track "This is a Call" which has been inconsistently appearing on setlists so it was great to hear it again.
Of course they weren't done. The three-song encore started off with one of their earliest hits, "Monkey Wrench", which also required the energetic crowd. Next was one more that I had not seen live, "Hey, Johnny Park!", adding yet another point to the list of reasons for which this show was unique and kicked ass. Sadly, the most bittersweet point of the evening was the conclusion of the Colour and the Shape trio, smash hit "Everlong" wrapped up the evening. Argue it all you want, this is one of the best rock songs from the last 15 years and it's certainly a personal favourite of mine. Previously I had seen the band twice and each time this was performed mid-set with acoustic, so to see it for the first time with the full-band, start to finish, in a tiny venue like this felt like the perfect way to conclude this crazy Saturday night. I almost cried.
As the band exited the stage after about 150 minutes, this ridiculous evening of music ended with a poster giveaway in the lobby but unfortunately I was unable to snag one. The staff at the venue was incredibly friendly about it after I tried to obtain one, but no such luck. Oh well, the stack of pictures and memories will have to suffice.
So the Foo Fighters more or less have been around for most of my life as a music fan, starting with "Monkey Wrench", "Everlong", and "My Hero" in 1997/1998 (might have seen the "Big Me" video earlier, but I don't know for sure). They had their ups and downs (which is well-documented in Back and Forth, their very-own movie) which delivered a slew of hits and admittedly, some duds. After the release of "In Your Honour" in 2005 I felt like I had reconnected with an old friend in a big way, only to have mixed feelings about follow-up "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace". The accompanying tour didn't help this feeling of doubt as the band had moved up to extremely popular arena band, while also embracing their softer side, leading to some favourites of mine receiving a lighter feel in the live setting ("My Hero", "Everlong") and then something happened. They seemingly hit the jackpot by selling out two nights at Wembley Stadium in 2008 and as a result, it seemed as though they needed a new goal. When the band set forth to work on their 2011 release "Wasting Light" they scaled back their processes and amped up their material, seemingly the perfect mix for certain Foo Fighters fans. This past spring the group debuted the album in various clubs and smaller settings, including a handful of garage sets in front of lucky contest winners.
For me, I knew that I would be seeing them in a hockey arena in Buffalo in September, as well as in a field of people at Lollapalooza, but having the opportunity to see this band at Metro in Chicago was honestly a dream come true. I often wonder which acts I would truly want to see, and there are always many, but it's not everyday that one of your lifelong favourite bands who have exploded to superstar status play in a tiny club with you in the audience. I have always loved Chicago too, so it was certainly fitting. The energy was electric, everybody was just happy to be there and getting along in such a great way. This felt like a gig for primarily dedicated fans and not so much just something to do on a Saturday night, I just wish I could have helped out some of the unluckier few outside of the venue.
In 2007 I saw the White Stripes in Toronto, thanks to a very well timed, last-minute call and I always felt as if that show changed my perspective on music in many ways. Throughout the years I have seen plenty of shows, big and small, and I always considered that show elevated above the rest for the purpose it served in my life. On August 6, 2011, the Foo Fighters reminded me why they have always held a place with me. In arena shows you know what to expect and there is usually less room for surprises. I kept waiting for this set to feel typical but it just didn't, and it was damn fun. They pulled out surprises, they interacted with the audience and made everybody feel like they were just hanging out with these rock stars. This night was special for me on many different levels and it gave me the kick in the ass I needed as a fan. If they somehow stumble onto this review, thank you!
Unfortunately I missed opener the Joy Formidable who hit the stage around 10 (as I was getting on the L en route to the venue). Then I got home and went to sleep at 4am, hours away from Lollapalooza where I would be lucky enough to see them again.
Setlist:
Bridge Burning
Rope
Dear Rosemary
White Limo
Arlandria
These Days
Back & Forth
A Matter of Time
Miss the Misery
I Should Have Known
Walk
All My Life
My Hero
Learn to Fly
Generator
The Pretender
Cold Day in the Sun
Long Road to Ruin
Stacked Actors
Times Like These (Acoustic)
Young Man Blues (Mose Allison)
Skin and Bones
Best of You
This is a Call
Monkey Wrench
Hey, Johnny Park!
Everlong
Album Breakdown:
Wasting Light: 11
The Colour and the Shape: 4
There is Nothing Left to Lose: 3
Echoes, Silence, Patience, & Grace: 2
In Your Honour: 2
One by One: 2
Foo Fighters: 1
B-Side: 1
+ "Young Man Blues"
Lollapalooza 2011 was already a week ago and had a seriously tough act to follow from 2010. Rules to making a satisfying sequel? Keep enough of the same things that worked from the first time and expand on the strengths, while thinning out the weaknesses. Did they succeed? I'm not sure, but 2010 and 2011 were completely different experiences for me and I am quite certain that I will return next year.
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First off, a quick primer as to the layout just incase a few common references cause confusion:
Moving from top to bottom and following the orange tags (from North to South):
Bud Light stage (top right, right): Hosts headlining sets each night as well as others throughout the weekend, including higher-tier acts. Big open field and has the Chicago skyline in the background.
Playstation stage (top right, centre): Hosts sets throughout the weekend including some high-tier acts, but no headliners. Concrete surface, experienced various sound problems on the weekend. Features sets as the main headliners prepare for their slots.
Google + stage (middle left, upper half): Small stage, hosts a variety of low-to-mid tier sets throughout the weekend, covered in trees, close to Michigan Avenue.
BMI stage (middle right, upper half): Similar to Google +, small stage, covered in trees, closer to Lake Michigan.
Kidzapalooza (middle right, bottom half): Features exclusively family-friendly content from various artists. I did not attend this stage this year.
Sony stage (bottom right, right): Hosts sets throughout the weekend including some high-tier artists, but no headliners. Smells like shit and includes sets as the main headliners prepare for their slots.
Perry's (bottom left, left): One big dance party in a tent, always expanding.
Music Unlimited stage (bottom right, right): Hosts headlining sets each night as well as others throughout the weekend, including more higher-tier acts. Big open field, very muddy in 2011 (especially for Eminem and the Foo Fighters).
=============================================== Thursday:
The festival started Friday morning at 11:30am and ran until 10:00pm each night; one lesson I didn't act on from last year was to pace myself. We arrived in Chicago Thursday evening and instead of resting up, it was off to a pre-show at the Double Door! I found out about this one on Thursday morning, hours before boarding and so it was a very pleasant surprise because it featured one of my favourite finds from this years lineup reveal, The Joy Formidable.
Double Door was hosting a free event featuring four bands (openers were Little Hurricane, Lord Huron, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.) but for various reasons we only made it for the latter (and headliner, of course). Starting with Dale Jr. Jr., our evening started off with a delay as the band was experiencing issues in setting up their stage, which was already putting a damper on things considering it was around 11:00pm and being out late isn't advisable when one has three straight days of music and powerwalking. The band itself wasn't bad and played a couple very random covers (We Almost Lost Detroit and Higher Love), but in general was quite forgettable.
The Joy Formidable started just after midnight and made it all worth it. Blowing through a very high-energy set that featured tracks from their breakout album The Big Roar, while sneaking in fan favourite Greyhounds in the Slips to the standard setlist, the band elevated their status for me on Sunday from must-see to camp-and-get-a-great-spot. The band is led by front woman Ritzy Bryan (vocals, guitar), Rhydian Dafydd on bass guitar (plus backing vocals), and rounding out the trio on drums is Matt Thomas. While each fan may have a preference or be drawn to Ritzy, it is the work of the whole group that makes them work so well. Say what you will about their studio work, it explodes in the live setting and I cannot give them a higher recommendation at this time. Check them out in the small venues while you can (they're opening for the Foo Fighters this fall and will get noticed).
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Friday:
Lollapalooza is officially here! Unlike last year we skipped the very first act of the weekend, which was disappointing for me but at the same time Wye Oak reportedly had sound problems and it would have put a damper on things. The new wristbands are cloth and so far the line to enter seems to be moving quite well. Where to begin...
TAB the Band: (12:15 - 01:00, North - Playstation)
Not much to really report on. Typical early-day band that I honestly didn't take much away with, aside from "We're on Facebook: TAB the Band. We're on Twitter: TAB the Band. We're on MySpace: Coldplay." They seemed like an enjoyable early-day band though.
Young the Giant: (01:00 - 01:45, North - Bud Light)
Wow! Very early in the day and the crowd on the north field is massive, very reminiscent of B.o.B in 2010 for the unexpectedly large crowd as the festival was beginning. These guys are enjoyable and pretty upbeat which made for a good starting point for the fest, but despite wandering to Tennis for a brief moment (not my scene) I did manage to catch their hit "My Body" which closed out their time.
Delta Spirit: (02:15 - 03:00, South - Music Unlimited)
I was looking forward to seeing these guys and while the set was enjoyable, they didn't steal my attention away for the complete time. I would certainly recommend checking them out but thinking back on the weekend I'm having a difficult time remembering anything memorable.
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals: (02:30 - 03:30, North - Bud Light)
This felt like the beginning of women dominating Friday at Lollapalooza 2011. I was on the fence ahead of time about checking out this set but I'm certainly glad I made the trek north as the set was full of energy and I can't help but recommend them when they're in town next (which happens to be my birthday this year... interesting!). Good interaction with the crowd and she even adjusted the lyrics to her/their single "Paris (Ooh La La)" to incorporate the festival, very naturally too.
Le Butcherettes: (03:30 - 04:15, North - Google +)
Surprise set of the weekend in many ways. I heard of them months ago as they are creating positive buzz for themselves, but I didn't follow-up as I had intended and upon walking to the restroom before Smith Westerns I overheard these guys starting up and I couldn't ignore it. The ridiculous amount of stage presence from front woman Teri Gender Bender made for an entertaining set which also included a furious display by drummer Gabe Serbian (I had never been at a show where a woman threw a high heel into the audience, nor have I heard a performer tell a crowd "I want to lick your tongues with my loving"). Definitely check them out in the live setting if you get the opportunity. I'm still mixed on the album itself but I know what I saw in Chicago and it was nuts. There was also projectile vomiting from behind the drums (...yup). This and Grace Potter felt like the serious boost that Friday needed.
Smith Westerns: (03:30 - 04:30, North - Playstation)
Coming off of two high-energy sets this was more or less the equivalent of Spoon in 2010 for me, where I'm sure they were good but I was coming down from the previous act and couldn't help but feel a little underwhelmed. Oh well.
The Kills: (04:30 - 05:30, North - Bud Light)
While I enjoy their music, I find their live show leaves something to be desired. The tracks are all performed well but it's essentially Alison Mosshart singing away, guitarist Jamie Hince doing his thing while a drum machine takes care of that part. Just feels like other two-piece bands are stronger at engaging an audience and making better use of the stage. Having said that I did enjoy the set, but it was nothing special (this was also my third time seeing them). Plus, Alison didn't faint this year.
Two Door Cinema Club: (05:00 - 06:00, South - Sony)
Caught the tail end of this set and I'm glad I did (bit of a roll developing here!) as it was filled with great energy from both the stage and the audience. In a far different manner than the last two acts, this one was very upbeat and dancey, especially for "What You Know" and "I Can Talk". They're in Toronto on September 17th at the Kool Haus and if Lolla was any indication, I am quite certain it's going to be a good time.
A Perfect Circle: (06:00 - 07:15, South - Music Unlimited)
After having seen them at Edgefest my expectations were lower, but I wasn't a fan of any of the opposing acts in this slot so I checked them out. Their brooding sound was far different than that of the previous set and this vibe was set from the get-go which included a cover of John Lennon's "Imagine". This was a pleasant surprise since their Toronto show had this song near the end, but definitely more engaging to put it near the front. Favourite live track by them was once again "Counting Bodies Like Sheep To The Rhythm of War Drums" which much like at Edgefest just feels like a giant thud every 3 seconds. I'd recommend checking them out if you have the opportunity to do so, but don't break the bank on it.
Finally made my way to Perry's to see what the fuss was all about as Skrillex was performing. This place was absolutely madness, but not really my scene; still cool to see a group so large having a great time.
Ok Go: (07:15 - 08:30, North - Google +)
Briefly caught some of this set and it's a little disappointing that they got such a conflicting time slot (this was an ideal time to start camping for the headliners), but from the chunk of their set I saw they were enjoyable. The band arrived with bright red, blue, yellow, and green suits which was consistent with my expectations of them being an outgoing band. They opened with "Do What You Want" and then I took off following about 4-5 more songs, but I hear great things about the conclusion of their set.
Muse: (08:15 - 10:00, South - Music Unlimited)
I feel like these guys don't get the respect they deserve. Their sound isn't for everybody, but their live show is damn good. As a non-fan I found myself engaged in most of the set right as "Uprising" hit; I'll give these guys the Green Day title from last year of being a band that I don't really enjoy on record, but they know what they're doing live (displaying the lyrics on a screen for a field of people is a good idea). Unfortunately, despite all of that praise there was this little indie band playing on the opposite end of the property for whom I was curious to see in the live environment, so for the first time in my Lolla history I split headliner sets and ventured off to...
Coldplay: (08:30 - 10:00, North - Bud Light)
Sadly I had just missed "Yellow" and "The Scientist" while at Muse but still managed to catch about 10 tracks which is sufficient for me, including "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face" and "Everything's Not Lost". My view (much like at Muse) was lousy but this set got me back into older Coldplay. This was a funny day for Lolla because neither of the headliners intrigued me on paper beforehand but despite each of them being enjoyable I also didn't feel obligated to stay, so to avoid mass exodus I listened to the encore from the exit (which I'm told was the most visual part of their set, whoops, I did get to hear "Clocks" though).
All in all this was a great start to the festival, one down and two to go.
=============================================== Saturday:
I hear I missed quite an opening set by J. Roddy Walston and the Business as the gates opened, but managed to spend some time with the guys so, it evens out. Rain clouds approach...
Phantogram: (01:30 - 02:30, South - Sony)
My first rainy set of Lollapalooza 2011 (and it would not be the last) was not really my scene, but this was a good time anyways. In hindsight it was nice to diversify what I listened to on the weekend and although I'm not certain I would push their live show as being must-see, they're nice on the ears. Check out the track "When I'm Small".
Fitz & The Tantrums: (02:30 - 03:30, South - Music Unlimited)
One choice that I was on the fence about was this set (especially since Friendly Fires have received plenty of praise), but I'm quite happy we picked this group and in addition to this I kind of wish I saw them in Toronto back in June. Featuring a motown sound the band gives the audience an entertaining show in the live setting and even broke out a couple of unexpected covers ("Steady As She Goes" and "Sweet Dreams", The Raconteurs and Eurythmics, respectively). Definitely check these guys out and be ready to dance (or head-bob). I feel like they are a great sunny day act to check out as well (especially since the rain stopped).
Death From Above 1979: (04:00 - 05:00, North - Bud Light)
Reunited Toronto rockers Death From Above 1979 brought it to Grant Park, but I feel like they would thrive more in a club setting compared to a sunny, open-field. In any event they were enjoyable, but with a ridiculous amount of hype in 2011 behind them it's tough to live up to those expectations. This felt like a similar experience to Le Butcherettes except it wasn't as engaging from a distance, but they'll be playing the Sound Academy in October where perhaps I will be closer.
Deftones: (05:00 - 06:00, North - Playstation)
Sound issues at the Playstation stage! I heard the set was good if you were close to the stage, but anywhere beyond the initial sea of people it was hopeless trying to hear them. Major disappointment considering I was curious to see these guys, oh well.
Checked out Patrick Stump and Ellie Goulding instead but neither of which were very engaging for me.
Ween: (06:00 - 07:00, North - Bud Light)
Uh oh, Saturday is derailing in a major way! I was on the fence about this set for months but they did not manage to grab my interest. I've heard extremely mixed reviews about this set, but I ducked out somewhat early in order to make my way south. They covered David Bowie's "Let's Dance" as well.
Tried to catch Lykke Li beforehand but it didn't really pan out.
Eminem: (08:30 - 10:00, South - Music Unlimited)
This was both extremely fun and disappointing. Fun in the sense that this was the largest crowd I had ever seen (in person) and everybody was having a great time while Marshall belted out new and old tunes. Disappointing in the sense that it's exactly what he did at every other show this summer and didn't feel natural. The musical content itself was good and it even appeared as though Em wasn't lip syncing (except on "No Love" or "Forever", but I can't blame him for needing a breath there). Coming off of last years album Recovery, the set contained a great deal of tracks from there, as well as all of the hits we've known to recognize, and some newer tracks from his 2011 album with Royce Da 5'9", Hell: The Sequel. His partner in crime even showed up to complete the Bad Meets Evil pairing and to perform their hits "Fast Lane" and "Lighters", the latter of which brought Bruno Mars to Chicago. The problem I have with Eminem in 2011 is that his shows jump from violent tracks such as "Kill You" and then to sappy ones like "Space Bound" which gives off a funny dynamic. Everybody in the crowd was singing/rapping along to all of his tracks (which is kind of scary considering the content of some songs), but I feel like he's at a major crossroads again with his career, or perhaps I'm growing out of him. To quote Alex Young at Consequence of Sound, "If Eminem’s goal was to awkwardly bridge two eras that couldn’t be more different, then mission accomplished." Also, why the hell would festival organizer Perry Farrell tease Dr. Dre appearing at Lolla and then not have it happen? Oh well, he did create this ridiculously enjoyable festival afterall, I can let it slide. I departed this set after "I Need a Doctor" which featured Skylar Grey and not Dre, as the song abruptly ended when his verse was to begin. Being such a large crowd it was quite a task to find the exit which means I still got to listen to closing medley that included "My Name Is", "Without Me", and the "Real Slim Shady", as well as 2010 hit "Not Afraid". I missed the finale "Lose Yourself", but I had much bigger fish to fry.
Foo Fighters played a secret gig at Metro in Chicago (capacity 1,100) which was revealed on Thursday morning. I'll devote an entire entry to it, but with all confidence I would say this was my favourite set of all time. Seriously. So while Saturday had many ups and downs, it had that major peak which resulted in me being home and in bed by about 4am. On paper this was a horrible idea, but one that was worth every second.
=============================================== Sunday:
Whew. Already done 3 days and 2 aftershows, but some of my most anticipated sets await... back to it!
Gold Motel: (12:15 - 01:00, North - Playstation)
They were good. I'm not sure how much of this set I actually remember, but it was enjoyable and unfortunately for them they shared a field with the Joy Formidable whose crowd was not nearly as full as it should have been so I opted to take advantage of this opportunity...
The Joy Formidable: (01:00 - 01:45, North - Bud Light)
One of the top 3 sets of the festival for sure! Saw them on Thursday night of course, but with those expectations, two festival days and a club gig from one of my favourite bands already in the books this weekend I anticipated they would have an extremely tough act to follow. Despite all of that, the band came out with their third Chicago set in four nights with furious energy to start the day off correctly. This set blew by and unfortunately they only played for about 2/3's of their alloted time (30 minutes versus 45), but I was definitely not disappointed with what they delivered; quality over quantity. Again, I highly recommend checking them out at this stage as I suspect they will gain popularity and their pricetag will likely increase. The set concluded with lead singer Ritzy Bryan slamming her guitar against a gong, throwing a drumset, and generally everybody in the band going as wild as they can to extend set closer "Whirring". Some of the studio tracks that I wasn't too fond of certainly came alive in this environment.
Rival Schools: (01:45 - 02:30, North - Playstation)
Man... this and Smith Westerns were basically the same for me. Nothing special, same stage, and I had just dealt with a high-energy set. This one was disappointing as their studio stuff is cool, but not much going on in person on this day.
Little Hurricane: (02:05 - 02:45, North - Google +)
Surprisingly good! This blues duo was a late addition to the lineup and after missing their opening set on Thursday I heard some negative buzz among people at the concert, so my expectations were low. Having said that, the description of the group from one concertgoer as being a "poor man's White Stripes" is somewhat accurate, but their set was good enough to warrant me buying their album afterwards, so it certainly wasn't bad at all in my opinion. Some slide guitar and bluesy riffs on a sunny afternoon were definitely welcome for me. I've talked to others who didn't enjoy this one, but I did, and since I'm the one doing the writing here that is what matters. Recommend!
The Cool Kids: (03:00 - 04:00, South - Perry's)
This felt like my first actual appearance at Perry's since I had an interest in seeing who was playing and not just feeling out the atmosphere. I stayed for about half of the set and managed to catch some personal favourites from Bake Sale, including "88" and "Mikey Rocks." They were also a late-add to replace Jay Electronica and they certainly managed to bring some entertainment to Lolla.
Flogging Molly: (04:15 - 05:15, North - Bud Light)
2010 was Gogol Bordello, 2011 is Flogging Molly. I'm not overly familiar with their catalogue but I knew what to expect: an extremely high energy set where everybody in the crowd is having fun with a Gypsy Irish punk band playing. Surprise surprise, this set was fun, even from afar and I would definitely check them out again (ALSO in town on my birthday against Grace).
Arctic Monkeys: (06:00 - 07:00 06:30 - 07:15, South - Music Unlimited)
Ugh. The set was scheduled to begin at 6pm and Mother Nature apparently isn't a fan of their music because it started to absolutely pour just before then for almost half an hour. Unfortunately this meant that the boys had a shortened set and as one of my most anticipated ones of the weekend this was very disappointing news. Thankfully, this was somehow a blessing in disguise as it led to one of their better sets that I have seen which consisted of a lively crowd (who had just been soaked), the guys being in better spirits, and no time to slow down which resulted in a consistently energetic set. Opening up with "Library Pictures" and "Brianstorm", the momentum carried through the set which included "Still Take You Home", "The View From the Afternoon", and breakout hit "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor". I made my way to a neighbouring stage towards what I thought was the end (7pm) but instead of finishing then they were given slightly more time which resulted in a proper finale. Playing a solid mix of tracks from their four studio albums and finishing with an unsuspecting closer ("When The Sun Goes Down") after "Flourescent Adolescent" I can't help but say this was one of the stronger sets of the weekend. Still no "Mardy Bum", but maybe someday. They also have some songs very well titled for this atmosphere which was definitely made apparent as they started to play them ("Crying Lightning", "She's Thunderstorms"). Oh hey, the whole set has surfaced.
After a quick appearance at Explosions in the Sky, it's now time for the main event...
Foo Fighters: (08:00 - 10:00, South - Music Unlimited)
How in the hell do they top a small club gig while playing in a field for thousands upon thousands of people? Call up Mother Nature and get her to rain down on one of their biggest songs, leading to torrential downpour and a massive sing-a-long in Grant Park, that's how. Leading off the set with "Bridge Burning" and "Rope" from their newest album Wasting Light, the guys quickly reminded Chicago that they can appeal to the diverse crowd at the festival. Upon playing "The Pretender", the clouds opened up and threw down perhaps more rain than the previous storm just as "My Hero" was beginning which led to quite possibly my favourite live performance of all time. Yes, of all time. Check out the video here. Despite having an umbrella in my sightlines we were still able to appreciate and partake in the moment that would go on to define the weekend. Seriously, perfect timing. Continuing along the boys played tracks from most of their previous albums including hits "Learn to Fly", "Monkey Wrench" and "Breakout", as well as new crowd favourites "White Limo", "Arlandria", and recent single "Walk", the Foo Fighters proved that they may very well be the best live band on the planet right now. Again, my write-up, I don't care if their songs sound alike, they're damn fun and they're one of my favourite bands. Not to be outdone from the Metro, Dave entered the crowd to jam during Stacked Actors which was fun but with such tight time restraints (10pm curfew, thanks Green Day) the typical moments of excess felt like they ate into the space where other tracks would have gone. In what I imagine was a very rare moment, band and crowd-favourite "All My Life" was not played seemingly due to the band running out of time; considering Dave himself said in the documentary Back and Forth that this track is essential for their shows, this omission seemed odd. However, it wasn't until analyzing the setlist afterwards that we noticed it was missing, so it didn't hinder the experience for me. Before the conclusion of the set, Dave brought out Jane's Addiction frontman and Lollapalooza creator Perry Farrell to thank him for making this festival the success it has been over twenty years. The band then jumped into "Everlong" to close out this extremely memorable set and weekend.
I can't believe I forgot to mention the mud. Much like Eminem's set, thanks to the rain this was an extremely muddy affair for which my Adidas shoes did not live to tell.
===============================================
Summary:
Total Acts Seen on Friday: 9 (and some of Tennis and Ok Go)
Total Acts Seen on Saturday: 5 (and some of Deftones, Ellie Goulding, Patrick Stump, Lykke Li, and Beats Antique)
Total Acts Seen on Sunday: 8 (and some of Kingston Springs, Cage the Elephant and Explosions in the Sky)
Total Acts Seen at Lollapalooza 2011: 22
Total Nights Slept on Couch: 4
Total Vince Carter Toronto Raptors Jerseys Spotted: 1
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Food:
Lobster Corndog (Grahamwich, South): Slightly more crispy than last year, but I feel as though it has been improved. Maybe in 2012 I will buy one (for less than $9) and hit the sweetspot.
Deep Dish Sausage Pizza (Connie's Pizza, North): I'm in Chicago, I pretty much had to have another at some point.
Chicken Gyro (Greek Delights, North): Good, hit the spot on Saturday evening.
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich (Robinson's No. 1 Ribs, North): Tasty! Required a fork and knife, the bread was essentially decoration. My preferred of the two I had.
Pulled Pork Sandwich (The Smoke Daddy, South): This one actually was to be eaten as a sandwich versus the one at (north vendor). Very rarely have I had a bad pulled pork sandwich and this was not the exception.
Drinks:
Budweiser: Bud's Bud.
Sweet Leaf Original Tea: Delicious! This was my weapon of choice when beer and water were not appealing to my tastebuds; forgot to import some back to Canada.
Water: Once again, Mother Nature brought the heat before the storm and so the water at Lolla was certainly refreshing (very, very refreshing)... and free as you walked in!
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And with that another Lollapalooza is in the books... nuts! While 2010 and 2011 were completely different experiences, I felt even with a less appealing lineup this year that the actual delivery of certain acts may have helped trump last year. Each stands alone as an overwhelmingly positive experience for me and I will certainly be back in 2012, as well as recommend the trip to my friends. While there were instances of slight disappointment, there was still a whole weekend full of exceptional moments that I am glad I got to experience first-hand and I look forward to next summer.
Well, until next time...
===============================================
Thanks to the Lollapalooza community for putting together various setlists, check it out for the non-headliners as well:
Setlist (Muse):
Uprising
Supermassive Black Hole
Hysteria
(Star-Spangled Banner/Interlude intro, Back In Black outro)
Map of the Problematique
Butterflies & Hurricanes
(Glastonbury 2004 intro)
Guiding Light
Citizen Erased
Nishe
United States Of Eurasia
Helsinki Jam
Undisclosed Desires
Resistance
Time Is Running Out
(House of the Rising Sun intro)
Starlight
Stockholm Syndrome
Plug In Baby
(Burning Bridges intro)
Knights of Cydonia
(Man With a Harmonica)
Setlist (Coldplay):
MX
Hurts Like Heaven
Yellow
In My Place
Major Minus
Lost!
The Scientist
Shiver
Violet Hill
God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (alternate)
Everything's Not Lost
Us Against the World
Politik
Viva La Vida
Charlie Brown
Life Is For Living
Clocks
Rehab Intro (Amy Winehouse)
Fix You
Every Teardrop is a Waterfall
Setlist (Eminem):
Won't Back Down
3 a.m.
Square Dance
WTP
Kill You
No Love
So Bad
Cleanin' Out My Closet
The Way I Am
Fast Lane (feat. Royce da 5'9")
Lighters (feat. Royce da 5'9" and Bruno Mars)
Airplanes Pt. II
Stan
Sing For The Moment
Like Toy Soldiers
Forever
Cinderella Man
'Till I Collapse
Love the Way You Lie
I Need A Doctor (feat. Skylar Grey)
My Name Is
The Real Slim Shady
Without Me
Not Afraid
Lose Yourself
Setlist (Arctic Monkeys):
Library Pictures
Brianstorm
This House Is A Circus
Still Take You Home
Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair
She's Thunderstorms
Teddy Picker
Crying Lightening
The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala
The View From The Afternoon
I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
Fluorescent Adolescent
When The Sun Goes Down
Setlist (Foo Fighters):
Bridge Burning
Rope
The Pretender
My Hero
Learn To Fly
White Limo
Arlandria
Breakout
Cold Day in the Sun
Long Road to Ruin
Stacked Actors
Walk
Monkey Wrench
Let It Die
These Days
Times Like These
Young Man Blues (Mose Allison cover)
Best of You
Skin and Bones
Everlong
Today is schedule release day for Lollapalooza and as I indicated earlier, it's a big part of my summer. This morning was like Christmas, except I totally forgot about it upon working and can now weave through the scheduling selections and perhaps narrow down some choices. Throughout the summer I will continue to update this as I find out who's who.
So far my expectations are improving (thankfully) as they did last year when I started to actually figure out more on the artists. Here's a look at last year's killcount and how it compares to my tentative lineup for this year:
Total Acts Seen on Friday: 8
Total Acts Seen on Saturday: 14
Total Acts Seen on Sunday: 12
Total Acts Seen at Lollapalooza 2010: 34
Total Acts Scheduled for Friday: 11
Total Acts Scheduled for Saturday: 10
Total Acts Scheduled for Sunday: 10
Total Acts Scheduled for Lollapalooza 2011: 31 (down 3)
Still plenty of holes to fill and I'm sure this is more than I had going into the fest last year.
Please note that this entry was originally written in August 2010.
Yet another weekend in Chicago has wrapped and after three years I finally made it to Grant Park for Lollapalooza; it was an absolute blast from start to finish. As the weekend went on I knew I would have to write down some findings because there were alot of new acts I had come across who would soon find a home on my playlist. Some pleasant surprises, few disappointments, but in general I'm going to recap my experience from the weekend of Lollapalooza 2010.
===============================================
First off, a quick primer as to the layout just incase a few common references cause confusion:
Red (top left): Budweiser stage -- Home to headliners and other sets throughout the weekend. Big open field, provides pretty nice sightlines of the Chicago skyline.
White: Playstation stage -- Hosts sets throughout the day including upper-tier acts. Concrete surface, no sets occur at the same time as the Budweiser stage in order to not create conflict (unless you're the Antlers and feel the need to keep playing through the Dodos scheduled time).
Green (towards the bottom, left): Sony Bloggie -- Hosts a variety of low-to-mid tier sets throughout the weekend. New stage this year, covered in trees.
Orange: Main entrance
Gold (back towards the top, centre): BMI Stage -- About the same as the Sony Bloggie. Smaller stage, covered in trees.
Teal (slightly right from BMI): Kidzapalooza -- Features family-friendly affair for those who brought their kids or... for those who just want to take in a set or two featuring material aimed at children.
Yellow (bottom right): Perry's -- I didn't actually make it here but from what I understand it's one big dance party.
Pink (top right): Adidas -- Similar to Playstation, it hosts sets throughout the weekend including upper-tier acts. Headliners perform on the same field but on a different (and bigger) stage. No sets are scheduled at the same time as the Parkways stage to prevent conflict. Smells like shit on stage-right.
Blue (far right): Parkways -- Hosts the headliners and other sets throughout the weekend. Stage-left includes a giant rig with a camera, I suggest stage-right.
=============================================== Thursday:
Arrive in Chicago, take my routine walk to the lake and accidentally explore the perimeter of the festival, soon discovering how much walking the next three days will have in store.
=============================================== Friday:
Buy sunglasses, apply sunscreen, pack a 1L bottle of water, put on something comfortable (LIGHT blue t-shirt, shorts) and head over to Grant Park around 10:30am in anticipation of the 11:00am opening of the gates. Slight delay at the gates due to an issue with the scanner, plus everybody needed wristbands for the weekend. Get inside the park around 11:25am and head immediately for the South Field and...
B.o.B: (11:30 - 12:15, South -- Adidas)
What an unexpected surprise! Call me the uncool guy in the room, but apparently since the schedule came out in March he has become a bit of a star, so despite the very low billing, he had quite a following. I had only heard a couple of the singles and didn't know what to expect but he wound up getting the festival off to a flying start! One of my favourite sets of the day/weekend for sure, good start! Played guitar, bounced around, got the audience involved, and even lost his shoes. Tons of energy as a performer and the crowd was completely eating it up. Closed with a cover of Kids (MGMT) which went over pretty well.
The Ettes: (12:30 - 1:15, North -- BMI)
Heard some buzz about them most recently opening for The Dead Weather and wasn't quite sure how their sound would come across in a festival setting on a bright Friday afternoon. Playing the smaller BMI stage was a good choice for them; I enjoyed this set and have set out to find some of their material. Their drummer (Poni) is great to watch, think this is what they mean by stage presence.
The Walkmen: (1:00 - 2:00, South -- Adidas)
Had listened to a few tracks by them last week in preparation but unfortunately I just wasn't feeling this set. Back on the same stage that B.o.B had just lit up came this fairly bland set. Further research indicates there were some sound issues as well, but still, made my way over to the Southern-most point of the festival for...
Raphael Saadiq: (2:00 - 3:00, South -- Parkways)
I was deciding between this set and Jukebox The Ghost. I cannot express how thankful I am for a few people pretty much forcing me NOT to miss this set as he was quite energetic and delivered a solid showing. Playing at the same time was Mavis Staples on the opposite end of the park who supposedly did quite well, bizarre scheduling since they share a similar type of sound (at least compared to the rest of the weekend). I only recently became aware of Raphael Saadiq and knew this set would have a different feel from the rest of the festival; this is definitely in my top 10 (or 5) of the weekend. With an array of performers on stage, breaking out the guitar on occasion, and just a great showman I cannot recommend him enough. Fun stuff.
Lunchtime!
Had heard of one food item in particular and coincidently it was one of the first stands I walked by... Graham Elliot's Lobster Corndog! $9 for what looked like a fairly small meal was delicious and Lobstery. Grabbed beer number one for the weekend (Bud) and made my way to my first appearance on the north field for...
Drive-By Truckers: (3:00 - 4:00, North -- Playstation)
Hmm, perhaps I was too far away from the stage but I just couldn't get into this set. I tried, I drank, didn't work. I talked to people who had alot of fun at this set but I was not one of them. Used this as an eventual washroom break and as an opportunity to find a good spot for...
The New Pornographers: (4:00 - 5:00, North -- Budweiser)
As a Canadian I was expected to be a fan beforehand but to be honest I didn't know them too well. Couple of people next to me broke the word to me that the organizers of the festival had a recycling program going on for where one could carry around garbage bags, fill it with recycling/beer cans, and get a free t-shirt. Good idea to keep the park clean but... I'd rather just be the one populating the bag than the one carrying it around. The start of the set didn't win me over at all and I went to grab a beer in what was feeling like a disappointment. Made my way from stage-left to stage-right, with better sightlines and began to really enjoy this one! Eventually was able to maneuver towards the middle of the crowd to meet up with friends (unsuccessful) but was able to enjoy the set from closeby. Need to look into finding some albums by them, and random songs were immediately recognizable from all of my years in Canada. Turns out the initial stereotype WAS true! They had some good banter about Gaga as well and how she is just "a girl trying to make it in the big city;" had to be there. Gaga was definitely the bantering punching bag of many acts this weekend. At the end of this set I found myself about 20-30 rows back in the middle for one of my most anticipated sets of the day...
The Black Keys: (6:00 - 7:15, North -- Budweiser)
Had just recently gotten into these guys, saw them play last Tuesday night at the Kool Haus in Toronto and just like they did there they knocked this set out of the park. Minimal banter, just straight-up rock. Highly recommend checking these guys out if you have the opportunity to do so. I don't even know how to elaborate on this set, they were great, they were expected to be great, and I had a good spot. Some criticized the change in the band as they added a bassist and keyboardist for some of the set, finished somewhat early, but I certainly enjoyed myself. I suppose you can't please an entire crowd, especially one that large. Funny side note, Green Man was crowd surfing during this set. He'll be back later this weekend. Now time to play the waiting game and plant for the Friday Northern main event...
The Strokes: (8:30 - 10:00, North -- Budweiser)
Hmm. Already scheduled for a relatively short headlining set, they arrive approximately 15-20 minutes late and finish with about that same amount of time on the schedule after playing for a grand total of 60 minutes. Odd for their first show back in North America in over 4 years. Having said that, quality over quantity. Highly energetic crowd feasting off of the music and despite some moments of songs blending together, this was damn fun. Julian Casablancas is an interesting frontman. Dry, yet funny banter. Definitely worth checking out over Gaga on this evening, in my opinion at least.
And day one is a wrap. On the way out of the festival I overhear one of the food vendors slashing prices on desserts so I decide on a cupcake from More. As it turns out, this was one of the most deceivingly rich desserts I've had in quite a while. Good, but not what my body needed after a long day in the heat. I've been to other one-day festivals and reached a similar level of exhaustion, but never have I had to continue it for the next two days. Oh dear.
MyNameIsJohnMichael: (11:15 - 12:00, North -- BMI)
Here's a band that I had heard about leading up to the festival but wasn't sure they were worth waking up early for, because honestly, I could have slept and recharged a bit longer in order to prepare for the next two days. But I'm on vacation, let's soak this up. These guys kicked ass; three drummers, including one trash can (with metal chain). I can't find a torrent of them and I had the album in my hand at the FYE stand but opted to return on Sunday for it (did not), so now I must hunt down a copy of the album in Toronto. Outlook... not very optimistic. These guys are from New Orleans and just like B.o.B on Friday they played a very high energy set to begin day two. This was their first show in Chicago, so assuming the album itself isn't a dud (compared to the live show) I would expect to see their name pop up in a town near you. Hopefully Toronto, but I assume it willl probably be awhile.
The Morning Benders: (12:00 - 12:30, North -- Sony Bloggie)
Saw these guys open up for The Black Keys and couldn't remember if they were any good; they seemed better suited for a festival but I did not spend much time at this set. They seem to have a decent following too as there was quite a turnout at the Bloggie for this one. Since I saw them already in the week, I figured I would move elsewhere...
The Kissaway Trail: (11:45 - 12:30, North -- Playstation)
Saturday was going to be a day of exploration as there weren't many bands I wanted to see until about 2pm, so consider this the first experiment. They were okay, standard affair for 11:45 on the second day of a festival with hundreds of artists available. They covered Where Is My Mind? by The Pixies which caused two guys in front of me to absolutely lose their shit (picture the McPoyle family dancing at the Eagles training camp). Otherwise... nothing noteworthy.
The Soft Pack: (12:30 - 1:15, North -- Budweiser)
The program described these guys as "no-frills, back-to-basics rock" which seemed more appealing than the MGMT comparison that Skybox had gotten, so I checked them out on the North field. Incredibly bland set, the stage felt extremely big for this tiny band. I just couldn't get into this set at all, but as a result, perhaps it made the next one stronger by comparison...
Skybox: (12:30: - 1:15, North -- BMI)
I wrote down random notes on my Blackberry incase I would forget: "Either the lead singer is high or retarded, but hilarious". I can see the comparison to MGMT but they really could have just left it at "incorporate electronic elements" and been fine. Very high energy, fun set, so far two for two at the BMI stage on Saturday. The lead singer (male) stormed off before the last song, returned in a bra and soon removed his pants to finish the set. Bizarre finish, but a very fun set, and one I remember five days later.
Harlem: (1:00 - 1:45, North -- Sony Bloggie)
Back to the Bloggie for Harlem. I had heard bad things about these guys and how they recently phoned in performances opening for The Dead Weather, but they were definitely better than I expected. Good banter, good stage presence (they switched the guitarist and drummer halfway in order to "be a new band" incase we got bored, touche), overall good set. I stayed for most of it and had no urge to take off.
Lunch time!
I had heard recently that Giordano's is one of the last places locals to go for deep dish. However, that was one of the two places I had tried in Chicago. As a result, noticed there was a stand for Lou Malnatti's, for which I had heard good things, and I grabbed a cheese slice from here. I really liked the sauce.
Stars: (2:15 - 3:15, North -- Budweiser)
Yikes. Playing the Budweiser stage on the North field, these guys made me want Metric to play even more. After the New Pornographers had torn up this stage and represented Canadian music quite well, I just found this one to be a stinker. The lead singer (whoever she is) came off as if she was trying too hard ("It's up to YOUUUUUU Lollapalooza... it's up to YOUUUUUUU!!!"). As such, I went for my first beer of the day after about three or four songs and wound up at...
Dragonette: (1:45 - 2:30, North -- BMI)
Uh... wow! I had heard the name and all that I knew was that there was a female lead, but the disappointment of Stars led me here and for that I'm thankful. Fun set, stayed for about half. Three for three at BMI on Saturday!
The Verve Pipe: (2:30 - 2:55, South -- Kidzapalooza)
The Verve Pipe played songs for kids, including one about cereal and how it can be eaten any time of day (yes!). I don't think the smile came off my face during this set and one of the lasting moments that I wish I had a picture of was when the lead singer was finishing that song about cereal, he held the acoustic guitar above his head for a solo WHILE pouring Fruit Loops (from the guitar) into his mouth. They were all over the stage. Very, very satisfying set. Guy standing next to me had a Vince Carter Toronto Raptors jersey on. I had to ask if he was from Toronto and if he was a Carter fan (Boston and no), nice guy, but I think he wore it for Gogol Bordello (purple).
Against Me!: (2:45 - 3:45, South -- Adidas)
Was wandering, grabbing a beer and recognized a few songs of theirs from a distance, so I went to check them out. Accidental third time I've seen them now (opening for Foo Fighters in 2008 and V-Fest) and they were pretty fun to watch. Nice sightlines of the famous Chicago skyline during this set on the South Field. The lead singer tried to return the audiences beach ball that landed in his way and accidentally popped it with his guitar, whoops. Fun set, left early in order to catch...
Gogol Bordello: (3:45 - 4:45, South -- Parkways)
Wow. What a fun band to see, I will certainly be at their next Toronto date. Very energetic, amazing stage presence, and just a ton of fun to watch. So much going on and the crowd ate up every second of it. There is a torrent of the webcast of this set going around so surely some good YouTube videos are bound to pop up as a result. Not sure what else to say, I began my trek to the North field after Start Wearing Purple concluded, which meant I had my back to them for one song, but I had gotten my fix.
Metric: (5:15 - 6:15, North -- Playstation)
Back to the North field where I got a fairly decent spot for one of my highest anticipated sets of the weekend. However, I also had a fairly decent spot in Toronto last week and wound up not fully enjoying myself. So if there was one set I would be greedy with and move to the front for, it was Metric. Thankfully, I could do so without being a huge dick since people were sitting on the ground and allowing people to overtake them (within reason, of course). Started off a bit shaky with Emily messing up the opening line of Black Sheep, eventually the set gained momentum and the biggest crowd I had ever seen for a Metric show seemed to enjoy themselves. I certainly did, as did those around me, especially the ones with the Canadian flags. I have heard a couple of underwhelmed people with regards to this set, but I have also heard a great deal of praise and how they are "headliner worthy". Let's see about that!
Spoon: (6:15 - 7:30, North -- Budweiser)
Poor, poor Spoon. After Metric I needed a set to come down on and unfortunately Spoon was the winner of that spot. They were good, I wandered the crowd and never really planted for this set, but they were enjoyable to listen to. I checked out FYE and the beer tent a bit during this set and honestly cannot recall very much of it. Near the end of it though I decided I was done with the North field for one day, would skip Phoenix and migrate South for...
Gree... wait, dinner time!
Slice of cheese and sausage pizza from Connie's. I'm in Chicago, why not grab some deep dish... oh wait, for a second time today! Poor planning on my part, don't eat two slices of deep dish in one day especially when the food variety at the festival is surprisingly diverse. Think I preferred the earlier slice but neither were bad.
Green Day: (7:45 - 10:00, South -- Parkways)
Holy smokes. I saw these guys last summer, knew the setlist generally would begin with new stuff, conclude with old, they would get the crowd involved, have lots of pyro, and generally kill time with various antics. What I didn't anticipate was having an absolute blast at this set. Repeat, I had a blast at this set. They had the longest headliner slot and vowed to play all night, as they did and shattered the curfew by about twenty minutes (playing close to 10:20pm). I've read alot of shocked reactions from this set and how even Gaga could have taken a tip from them as apparently her set was a little shaky. I suppose Green Day have been doing the festival gigs for decades and as a result have it down strongly. Anyways, incredibly fun set, despite that it may have cost them an appearance by me at their show next week in Toronto because in my opinion, they may not be able to top the energy of this one. We shall see. They must be aware of when I'm in the crowd, because for the second show in just over a year they failed to play Welcome to Paradise, despite adding songs from last year.
EDIT: They did not play Welcome to Paradise in Toronto.
Would like to negatively plug Blackberry. Had two long-distance pocket dials at the conclusion of this set (despite my phone being OFF initially), two text messages of "PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP" and a Facebook mobile-photo upload (error message with my cell number being displayed to my wall instead). If I change my Blackberry settings to put a password on I risk the phone dialing 911 instead of random contacts on my list. Consider this a small victory for iPhone's. Even my portable CD player in the late 90's had a physical switch to prevent accidental pocket-usage. Get on it, Jim.
Heyy we've gone from sunny, sunny, to... rainy. Time to buy a poncho!
Frank Turner: (12:00 - 12:30, North -- Sony Bloggie)
Had heard quite a bit of buzz from festival goers about him and how he kind of got snubbed on the set here. Whether or not I agree is irrelevant but he delivered a solid opening set for Sunday. Playing the small Sony Bloggie in the rain didn't prevent him from providing a fun set; upbeat, acoustic songs in which the audience was able to get involved in, no complaints here! He has opened for Green Day and Flogging Molly recently and created positive word of mouth for himself. Hopefully he peaks his head in Toronto sooner than later. Reminds me of a Sam Roberts-type act.
The Antlers: (12:15 - 1:00, North -- Budweiser)
There were not many bands left that I was really eager to see and as such, experimentation continues! Yikes, quick stumble out of the gate on this one. Pretty bland set, in the rain... much like the Soft Pack they felt very small on the Budweiser stage and I just could not get into this one.
The Dodos: (1:00 - 2:00, North -- Playstation)
Remember the part where I was on my feet for two straight 12-hour days? It hit me full-force during one of my anticipated, early sets of the day. Back and foot pain sinks in despite a pretty good set going on in front of me. I haven't heard their newest album, I like Visiter (and the songs Jodi and Fools). Neko Case popped up to sing a few songs with the band (I'm not overly familiar with her but she plays with the New Pornographers). On the plus side, the sun is now peaking out and the poncho is gone-zo.
Needed... a break. Lunch time!
Pulled pork sandwich. It was a pretty good pulled pork sandwich, definitely got bang for my $4 USD. So far the food at Lolla has been great.
Seeing as how I was still tired I decided to take it easy for an hour and explore the park. Grabbed a Lollapalooza t-shirt, a beer, sat down on one of many free benches in front of Buckingham Fountain and took in the skyline for about twenty minutes. Nice and refreshing, second-wind here we go!
Mumford & Sons: (3:00 - 4:00, North -- Playstation)
Had heard quite a bit of buzz about this band as well so I went to check them out and was able to secure a good spot while on my lunch/recovery break. Unfortunately, Mr. Sun wasn't being lazy and the Playstation stage didn't have much shade, nor did I have a water in my hand, so at about three or four songs into this set I felt restless and completely owned by the sun, and decided to bail in favour of some water and shadier grounds. I hear it was a very good set but I just couldn't get comfortable.
Hockey: (3:30 - 4:30, North -- Sony Bloggie)
They had sound issues a year prior and have returned. Upbeat set and was surprisingly enjoyable. The popular spots at this point in the day were anything shady and so the sightlines weren't ideal (trees and tree branches produce shade), but still managed to enjoy myself.
XRT Lounge about two minutes away is giving away sweatbands? ON IT!
X Japan: (4:00 - 5:00, South -- Parkways)
First time playing in America. They are essentially an over-the-top Japanese hair metal band (click the link or the photo album) and they delivered a surprisingly very fun set. I was skeptical of whether or not to check them out but I had a smile on my face the entire time. Some crowd interactions tanked (language barrier, too) but most people were won over by the end. I don't anticipate they'll have too many shows on this end of the world so it was cool to check them out while they were here.
Frightened Rabbit: (5:00 - 6:00, North -- Sony Bloggie)
Back to the Bloggie and the sightlines have gotten even worse now that the sun is out in full-force (at 5pm?! Whatever.) This was also a good set, albeit a bit uncomfortable though due to the sun.
Erykah Badu: (5:00 - 6:00, South -- Adidas)
I saw one song of this en route to the South field for Wolfmother. From what I hear she was disappointing, came on twenty minutes late and was upset when Wolfmother essentially kicked her off the stage by starting their set on-time on the same field.
Better secure a good spot for the next set... oh wait, there's Green Man and Darth Vader!
Wolfmother: (6:00 - 7:00, South -- Parkways)
Kicked ass! Sure they sound like every popular rock band from the 70's, sure they turned over half of their band recently, but they sure know how to deliver a fun set. Saw them in November at the Kool Haus and knew what to expect but had a great time here. Started thinking in my mind how I could snag a burrito on the North end of the park, catch some of the National, and make it back in time for Soundgarden. But first, I must lie on the grass and charge up. Found an open area of grass, laid down, looked at the blue sky and listened to Vagabond. Blissssss! Closed their otherwise high energy set with Joker and the Thief to a very satisfied crowd. The audience is growing larger and larger for the main event.
Dinner time!
Spicy Baja Chicken Burrito from a vendor on the North end. Good, but I rushed it in order to not be the guy eating a burrito as the crowd formed for the North field's three-hit combo.
MGMT: (6:00 - 7:15, North -- Budweiser)
Caught the tail-end of this set unexpectedly (which included seeing Kids, so, saw the essential) and there is already a ton of people up North awaiting Arcade Fire later on. Can't really comment on this set because I saw so little of it, but there were definitely more people up North than there were down South.
The National: (7:15 - 8:30, North -- Playstation)
Saw the first three songs and booked it for South in order to secure a good spot for Soundgarden. However, got to see Fake Empire and a couple of others. Seemed good, I heard this was a very good set, but awkwardly scheduled considering most people at the other stages were camping for the respective Sunday headliners.
EDIT: As it turns out, I thought I had, but they did not actually play Fake Empire while I was there. That one was closer to the end of the set and probably conflicted directly with Soundgarden.
Powerwalk more than I had this weekend in 3... 2... 1...
Cypress Hill: (7:00 - 8:00, South -- Adidas)
En route to my eventual landing spot for Soundgarden I caught a song here. I heard they had a six foot bong on stage at one point, and I was able to hear Rap Superstar (or was it Rock?). Otherwise, I knew where I was going and it was not in the crowd for Cypress Hill.
Soundgarden: (8:00 - 10:00, South -- Parkways)
How the hell did I get so close?! Saw Wolfmother at the South field, trekked North for some of MGMT & The National, grabbed a burrito, a beer and completed a round trip of the park in under an hour in order to see Soundgarden? Go Mikey go! According to MapMyRun.com it was a 1.62 mile trek from Wolfmother and back to Soundgarden. Chris Cornell has grown his hair back to return to a look more in line with the 1990's. The band sounded pretty good. Very different set from Green Day, closer in feel to The Strokes. Minimal banter, lots of music (for which I also wasn't overly familiar with beforehand, aside from the singles). Apparently some of those at The National could hear the noise all the way across the festival, that's fun. Cornell at one point got in the crowd and after playing Black Hole Sun they absolutely destroy the final songs on their set, wicked finale. Just when I thought the set was ending with Like Suicide, they follow it up with one more. Great finish to a memorable weekend.
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Summary:
Total Acts Seen on Friday: 8
Total Acts Seen on Saturday: 14
Total Acts Seen on Sunday: 12 (including Cypress Hill & Badu as a 0.5 each)
Total Acts Seen at Lollapalooza 2010: 34 (!!!)
Total Minutes Played by The Strokes: 60
Total Minutes Played by Soundgarden: 120
Total Minutes Played by Green Day: 150
Total Nights Slept on Couch: 4
Total Showers Over Three Day Period: 6
Total Water Consumed: 3L
Total Beer Consumed: 8.5L
Total Vince Carter Toronto Raptors Jerseys Spotted: 2
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Food:
Lobster Corndog (Graham Elliot's, South): Tasty, was as good as I expected. Looked small but it made up for it in quality.
Black & White Cupcake (More Cupcakes, North): Fucking rich and not what I wanted following The Strokes; wanted something lighter but if you need a very rich cupcake with multiple layers of richness, check it out. In any other setting I'm sure it would have been delicious.
Cheese Pizza (Lou Malnati's, North): Pretty good, I expected this to be my lone slice of the weekend and I enjoyed it.
Sausage Pizza (Connies, South): Poor planning before Green Day meant I had to grab a quick slice; I should have diversified my portfolio but... too bad.
Pulled Pork Sandwich (Goose Island Brew Pub, North): Pretty good lunch, had alot of excess pork.
Grilled Cheese Pretzel (Goose Island Brew Pub, North): Saw a baked guy loving one before The Strokes and had to try it before the weekend was up.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream (Temptation Frozen Desserts, South): Disgusting, visually. It was alright but the presentation and ice cream all over the side of the cone kind of grossed me out before I even ate it.
Spicy Baja Chicken Burrito (Burrito Beach, North): Not bad, ate this during The National but felt kind of rushed.
Missed out on (or would have rather substituted)...
The Dipper (Windsor Ice Cream Shoppe, North): "Frozen Cheesecake on a Stick Dipped in Chocolate"
Windsor Roll (Windsor Ice Cream Shoppe, North): "Vanilla Ice Cream Rolled in Chocolate Cake w/ Whipped Cream & Hot Fudge"
Drinks:
Budweiser: Had about 3-4 tallboys per day, but it's Bud... not much to say.
Water: Refreshing! Very, very refreshing.
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In closing, in 2008 I took note of Lollapalooza when the ridiculously stacked headliners were announced (Rage Against The Machine, Radiohead, Kanye West, Wilco, The Raconteurs, and Nine Inch Nails). I mentally committed on going, and did not. I heard it was a ton of fun and in the end was disappointed with my decision. In 2009, I was not impressed with the headliners and sadly wrote off the festival. I heard it was a ton of fun and even missed the very first show by Them Crooked Vultures as a late addition to the aftershow lineup. In 2010, I bought my ticket in advance of any official confirmations and when the line-up was announced I was somewhat skeptical. Gaga, Green Day, and a bunch of bands for whom I had no idea existed. From August 6 to 8, 2010, I met a bunch of great people, enjoyed the beautiful city, and discovered a ton of new music.
If your gut tells you to do something and this action is legal, attainable, not harmful to others, and affordable, I highly suggest going with your initial instincts and taking the plunge. You may wind up having an amazing time.
73 days, 1,766 hours, and 106,002 minutes until the gates open for Lollapalooza 2011 on August 5th.
