August 3, 2007, 5:24 pm : Lollapalooza – Day One

Those of you that know me will know how much I love music festivals. Coachella is my old favourite, really kicking off the USA summer season and Lollapalooza, which is pointing toward the end of the summer (bummer). This year had a really interesting batch of bands, so I cashed-up some airmiles and spent the weekend in Chicago, soaking up the sun, sounds, beer and occasional spot of rain. Here’s the run-down for Day ONE:

Friday: First band up was The Fratellis, were very average, but can be forgiven because of the iPod-soundtracking ‘Chelsea Dagger’ . Well, possibly not. They didn’t look like all that thrilled to be there, thank Christ for Ghostland Observatory, my Lolla new favourite band and completely unexpected discovery. As I got close to the stage, I was thinking that this cool chick singer would be the kind of girl I’d go out with, then, to my relief it turned out to be a groovy guy in too-tight jeans with a voice like Geddy Lee and some very groovy moves. A little later, M.I.A. didn’t really do it for me, but I really want to hear the new tunes she’s putting out soon. Right before I take off for some food, I register for the TXT message services, promising exclusives and alerts. The return message looks like my Mom wrote it – perfect wording, no TXT-SPK and the whiff of a lawyers pen – will hold my cynicism til I see how this unfolds on my phone. This needs to have the coolest TXT and interactive experiences going – how more SISOMO can you get with music, big-ass video screens and sponsored by a phone company!?! Rock my world over the next 3 days – PLEASE!! After a break with some Mexican food and margharitas up in Boystown, I made it just in time for Satellite Party, Lollapalooza grand-papa Perry Farrell’s new band, which didn’t suck as bad as grumpy bloggers would like you to believe. With some Porno for Pyros and Jane’s thrown in (along with Farrell throwing back Jagermeister and Veuve Cliquot), another pleasant surprise. Then, for the 3rd time this year, I grooved on LCD Soundsystem, with about 10,000 other people, very different than seeing them at Coachella and at the El Rey in LA. Good good, fun with the same set-list (minus …NY you’re bringing me down…thank goodness). They played ‘Daft Punk’s Playing At My House’ which was pretty cool, because Daft Punk was playing at the stage right behind them directly after their set. Daft Punk, what can I say? I dig the tunes, the look and the robots schtick but I can never get past the fact that this is a couple of producers with a fuck-off tunes and light show. I’ve always been a little wary of them after I heard that it isn’t really the Daft Punk guys in the seriously expensive suits, just a couple of hired hands. I took off a little early, hit an after-show party and ticked off the shows for Saturday.

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