Lollapalooza Review!
Wow. Three days in the sun with bands, beers, and beautiful views. And now, to the review:
'Not Rated':
These are bands I was too tired to give a fair shake.
Saturday, 4:30 - Sonic Youth - I had just finished rocking out to Wolfmother. I needed to sit down if I was going to make it through the rest of the day. Sounded pretty good from what I could hear, though.
Friday, 8:30 - Ween - Dude, you wake up at 4 AM, work a full day, drink like a madman, and still have the energy to enjoy Ween.
Sunday, 2:30 - Nickel Creek - Sounded great, (from what I could hear, Hot Chip was playing nearby and very loud) especially their cover of Britney Spears' "Toxic". Too bad The Hold Steady got me drunk, I probably would have enjoyed their set more.
'Meh' bands:
Friday, 2:30 - The Eels - This was the first and I saw when I arrived. They all seemed to be doing their best attempts at Castro impressions, which was fun, but it just wasn't there. I am not a huge Eels fan, but it sorta seemed like they were phoning it in. The security guard with mutton chops was mildly entertaining, though.
Saturday, Noon - Be Your Own Pet - A fairly typical punk band, nothing really special. The lead singer had a great punk voice, but a singer does not a band make. THe highlight of this one: When the singer what's her face puked during the penultimate song. Apparently it tasted like watermelon.
Sunday, 12:30 - The Redwalls - It was fun the first two times. Having seen them play the same stuff for the fourth time is just boring now. I really saw them just as a time filler.
Sunday, 4:30 - Matisyahu - This is a little unfair because I saw him directly after Andrew Bird. I just wasn't knocked out... I've seen better reggae in smaller venues, with fewer annoying people surrounding me.
'Good, not Great':
Friday, 3:30 - Stars - Thouroughly enjoyable, wonderful harmony, musically very talented. Unfortunately, as they were early on friday, most of my brain cells holding their memory are dead. I do remember the guitarist had a nice rack, though.
Saturday, 2:15 - Peeping Tom - Only got to see the end of their set, otherwise they may have been rated higher... Aside from that, what I heard was executed beautifully, especially 'Sucker'.
Sunday, 11:45 - Mucca Pazza - Wow. A 25 piece half marching band/half rock band. Probably the most original band of the show... I found myself mildly shaking my booty, with a constant smile on my face.
'Honorable Mention':
Bands that rocked my ass, but failed to crack the top 5.
Friday, 5:00 - Lady Sovereign - This chick, for being as small and British as she is, has got the goods.... Ran through pretty much her whole album (and did her hit "Cha-Ching" first, a set strategy that I really like) and it held up very nicely live. Having an artist on stage, painting a piece during the set was a cool touch as well. It's rare that I really enjoy hip hop, but this stuff is hard to deny.
Saturday, 1:30 - The Go! Team - Wow. I really like this band, but I was extremely concerned that they relied too heavily on studio effects to be very good live. Was I ever delighted, then, when they came out and rocked the place. They win the 'most energy' award. The amazing thing about this band live is, everyone seems to play everything, and they're constantly switching instruments. They also played pretty much their whole album, and a couple which were not on the album (perhaps the next?) which were fantastic as well.
Saturday, 7:30 - The New Pornographers - There was a rumor before the show (at least amongst my friends) that Neko Case might be playing with them, alas, this did not happen. Still, they played a great set with another woman from the band doing the Neko parts extremely well. They played several tracks, about half the set, from "Twin Cinema" including "Bones of an Idol" (which I thought they wouldn't dare try without Neko) and the other half from the two previous records.
Sunday, 1:30 - The Hold Steady - Wow. This band has got some juice. Very reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen's early days (maybe a little too much at times?), although the singer looks more like Elvis Costello. Even so, they're appeal was undeniable, especially to drink to. I got extremely drunk during these guys, mostly because their sound is so conducive to drinking.
...And now, "The Top Five (six)"
#5 - A tie! Between The Raconteurs and The Flaming Lips!
Friday, 6:30 - The Raconteurs - Jack White is now a living God. With little ego and all about the band, Jack and the boys powered through their entire album, and played a couple of inspired covers as well. "Bang Bang" the Nancy Sinatra song mad famous (again) by (who else) Quentin Tarentino in the Kill Bill movies, and they put Gnaris Barkley to shame with their cover of "Crazy". I unfortunately had to leave this band a little early to catch Sleater-Kinney.
Saturday, 6:30 - The Flaming Lips - Simply amazing show. Wayne (as is his style) started the show tumbling atop the audience in his inflatable bubble... and upon reaching the stage, proceded to help throw about thirty giant blue balloons into the crowd. Added to this were sexy alien ladies on one side of the stage, and Santa's on the other... with huge inflatable spacemen, an alien and a santa behind them. They played pretty much all my favorites off the new album, and the title track to "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots", as well as "She Don't Use Jelly". Awesome show.
#4 Sunday, 6:30 - Wilco - This was my end to the festival (I did not stick around for Broken Social Scene). I was not feeling well, the sun and the drinks finally having their effect on me, but Jeff(complete with awfully interesting beard) and the boys made me forget all of that. They played a good selection of their old songs, which turned into singalongs, and a number of new ones as well, which sounded great. I can't wait for the new album.
#3 Friday, 7:30 - Sleater-Kinney - Supposedly, this was their last tour show (their final last stand to be, appropriately, i their hometown of Portland) and they did not disappoint. Jamming with a metric fuckton of rock n roll energy they made their way through songs that covered their entire career. As far as I am concerned, the greatest all female rock band ever, finishing up on top, the way it should be... preow...
#2 Sunday, 3:30 - Andrew Bird - I am not incredibly well acquainted with Andrew's catalog, I have a couple of discs, but even so... what an amazing set. If you don't know who he is, he plays fiddle, guitar, and whistles... with only a drummer accompanying. He basically creates loops right there on stage, beautiful, rich loops... that mesh delightfully with his voice... The entire set was intoxicating... Rachel an I moving up whenever we could to try and get a better look.... Easily he was the sleeper of the festival.
And now for #1
Saturday, 3:30 -
WOLFMOTHER
Holy fucksocks. I expected these guys to rock, but c'mon.... As Perry Farrel said to introduce them, "It's the way rock was, the way rock will be, the way rock should be." They pretty much played their whole allbum, jumping around on stage like the crazy aussies they are, making my booty shake completly involuntarily, and just... the set was mildly indescribable... just go see them for yourself.
'Not Rated':
These are bands I was too tired to give a fair shake.
Saturday, 4:30 - Sonic Youth - I had just finished rocking out to Wolfmother. I needed to sit down if I was going to make it through the rest of the day. Sounded pretty good from what I could hear, though.
Friday, 8:30 - Ween - Dude, you wake up at 4 AM, work a full day, drink like a madman, and still have the energy to enjoy Ween.
Sunday, 2:30 - Nickel Creek - Sounded great, (from what I could hear, Hot Chip was playing nearby and very loud) especially their cover of Britney Spears' "Toxic". Too bad The Hold Steady got me drunk, I probably would have enjoyed their set more.
'Meh' bands:
Friday, 2:30 - The Eels - This was the first and I saw when I arrived. They all seemed to be doing their best attempts at Castro impressions, which was fun, but it just wasn't there. I am not a huge Eels fan, but it sorta seemed like they were phoning it in. The security guard with mutton chops was mildly entertaining, though.
Saturday, Noon - Be Your Own Pet - A fairly typical punk band, nothing really special. The lead singer had a great punk voice, but a singer does not a band make. THe highlight of this one: When the singer what's her face puked during the penultimate song. Apparently it tasted like watermelon.
Sunday, 12:30 - The Redwalls - It was fun the first two times. Having seen them play the same stuff for the fourth time is just boring now. I really saw them just as a time filler.
Sunday, 4:30 - Matisyahu - This is a little unfair because I saw him directly after Andrew Bird. I just wasn't knocked out... I've seen better reggae in smaller venues, with fewer annoying people surrounding me.
'Good, not Great':
Friday, 3:30 - Stars - Thouroughly enjoyable, wonderful harmony, musically very talented. Unfortunately, as they were early on friday, most of my brain cells holding their memory are dead. I do remember the guitarist had a nice rack, though.
Saturday, 2:15 - Peeping Tom - Only got to see the end of their set, otherwise they may have been rated higher... Aside from that, what I heard was executed beautifully, especially 'Sucker'.
Sunday, 11:45 - Mucca Pazza - Wow. A 25 piece half marching band/half rock band. Probably the most original band of the show... I found myself mildly shaking my booty, with a constant smile on my face.
'Honorable Mention':
Bands that rocked my ass, but failed to crack the top 5.
Friday, 5:00 - Lady Sovereign - This chick, for being as small and British as she is, has got the goods.... Ran through pretty much her whole album (and did her hit "Cha-Ching" first, a set strategy that I really like) and it held up very nicely live. Having an artist on stage, painting a piece during the set was a cool touch as well. It's rare that I really enjoy hip hop, but this stuff is hard to deny.
Saturday, 1:30 - The Go! Team - Wow. I really like this band, but I was extremely concerned that they relied too heavily on studio effects to be very good live. Was I ever delighted, then, when they came out and rocked the place. They win the 'most energy' award. The amazing thing about this band live is, everyone seems to play everything, and they're constantly switching instruments. They also played pretty much their whole album, and a couple which were not on the album (perhaps the next?) which were fantastic as well.
Saturday, 7:30 - The New Pornographers - There was a rumor before the show (at least amongst my friends) that Neko Case might be playing with them, alas, this did not happen. Still, they played a great set with another woman from the band doing the Neko parts extremely well. They played several tracks, about half the set, from "Twin Cinema" including "Bones of an Idol" (which I thought they wouldn't dare try without Neko) and the other half from the two previous records.
Sunday, 1:30 - The Hold Steady - Wow. This band has got some juice. Very reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen's early days (maybe a little too much at times?), although the singer looks more like Elvis Costello. Even so, they're appeal was undeniable, especially to drink to. I got extremely drunk during these guys, mostly because their sound is so conducive to drinking.
...And now, "The Top Five (six)"
#5 - A tie! Between The Raconteurs and The Flaming Lips!
Friday, 6:30 - The Raconteurs - Jack White is now a living God. With little ego and all about the band, Jack and the boys powered through their entire album, and played a couple of inspired covers as well. "Bang Bang" the Nancy Sinatra song mad famous (again) by (who else) Quentin Tarentino in the Kill Bill movies, and they put Gnaris Barkley to shame with their cover of "Crazy". I unfortunately had to leave this band a little early to catch Sleater-Kinney.
Saturday, 6:30 - The Flaming Lips - Simply amazing show. Wayne (as is his style) started the show tumbling atop the audience in his inflatable bubble... and upon reaching the stage, proceded to help throw about thirty giant blue balloons into the crowd. Added to this were sexy alien ladies on one side of the stage, and Santa's on the other... with huge inflatable spacemen, an alien and a santa behind them. They played pretty much all my favorites off the new album, and the title track to "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots", as well as "She Don't Use Jelly". Awesome show.
#4 Sunday, 6:30 - Wilco - This was my end to the festival (I did not stick around for Broken Social Scene). I was not feeling well, the sun and the drinks finally having their effect on me, but Jeff(complete with awfully interesting beard) and the boys made me forget all of that. They played a good selection of their old songs, which turned into singalongs, and a number of new ones as well, which sounded great. I can't wait for the new album.
#3 Friday, 7:30 - Sleater-Kinney - Supposedly, this was their last tour show (their final last stand to be, appropriately, i their hometown of Portland) and they did not disappoint. Jamming with a metric fuckton of rock n roll energy they made their way through songs that covered their entire career. As far as I am concerned, the greatest all female rock band ever, finishing up on top, the way it should be... preow...
#2 Sunday, 3:30 - Andrew Bird - I am not incredibly well acquainted with Andrew's catalog, I have a couple of discs, but even so... what an amazing set. If you don't know who he is, he plays fiddle, guitar, and whistles... with only a drummer accompanying. He basically creates loops right there on stage, beautiful, rich loops... that mesh delightfully with his voice... The entire set was intoxicating... Rachel an I moving up whenever we could to try and get a better look.... Easily he was the sleeper of the festival.
And now for #1
Saturday, 3:30 -
WOLFMOTHER
Holy fucksocks. I expected these guys to rock, but c'mon.... As Perry Farrel said to introduce them, "It's the way rock was, the way rock will be, the way rock should be." They pretty much played their whole allbum, jumping around on stage like the crazy aussies they are, making my booty shake completly involuntarily, and just... the set was mildly indescribable... just go see them for yourself.