Thursday, July 31, 2008

Lollapalooza 2008

Since Lollapalooza starts midday tomorrow (Half Day At Work!) and goes into the night I won't have time to update until maybe Monday. But if I do, it will be right here on this post.

For those of you going to the show, look for me at these band's sets which I will not miss for the world.

Friday
2:15-3:15 - The Go Team
4:15-5:15 - Gogol Bordello
5:15-6:15 - Mates of State
7:15-8:00 - Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks (Sorry CSS)
8:00-10:00 - Radiohead

Saturday
1:30-2:30 - Mason Jennings
3:30-4:30 - DeVotchKa
4:30-5:30 - Explosions In the Sky
6:30-7:30 - Broken Social Scene
8:30-10:00 - Wilco (Sorry reunited Rage Against the Machine)
11:00-??? - Broken Social Scene - Afterparty at The Metro

Sunday
3:00pm - Roll out of bed
5:15-6:15 - Flogging Molly
6:30-7:30 - Girl Talk (Sorry Gnarls Barkley)
8:15-10:00 - Nine Inch Nails unless I really want to see Kanye West

Otherwise I'll be bouncing around from set-to-set trying to catch as much as possible.

Update (12:22 am Saturday): I knew the moment of the night was probably going to come during the Radiohead set and it did. The band was playing at the southmost stage with the backdrop of the South Loop and the Field Museum behind them. There was a glow from Soldier's Field where, I know now, the Bears were holding a fan family night and I commented on it between songs.

At the end of the family night, there was a fireworks display. Radiohead kicked into "Fake Plastic Trees" from The Bends and I watched as the colors exploded in the sky and how they reflected off the building. It wasn't intentional and you'd have to be several degrees beyond stoned to believe the song and display synced up. Still it was a really beautiful moment and one which I'll treasure forever.

Alright, I'm too tired from the sweltering heat to stay awake much longer. Tomorrow is going to be a long day including an afterparty. I'll update at the end of the day if I'm still awake enough to be coherent.

Update (9:10 am Sunday) Sometimes in life you have to take the good with the bad, the better with the bitter. So when you take a frisbee to the face at Lollapalooza, try to remember it was at Lollapalooza that you blocked a frisbee with your face. Call the guy a fucking asshole and move one with it.

There are too many bands to see to waste your time on some piece of human trash (Seriously, this guy was a total dick. No "Sorry"s, just laughing.) and you were on your way to see Broken Social Scene. Which Dan and I did see. For the first of two times. As the sun was setting behind the Chicago skyline. Which was awesome.

The second time was later that evening at the Metro. After an ordeal with the doors not opening until when the opening band Yeasayer was supposed to be on stage, BSS hit the stage around 12:30 in the morning and played straight until 2:15. There wasn't a lot of duplication between their set earlier in the day and they actually played my favorite song, "Lovers Spit." Dan and I caught a cab home after the show and climbed into bed at 3 am.

Update (10:39 am Monday)

I'm back at work today and, despite having the worst dry-mouth ever last night, I woke this morning without Lil Wayne voice. I'll have to try even harder next year.

My brother wasn't able to stay for yesterday's festivities. All of the bands he wanted to see started after 5:00 and he had a 7 hour drive back to Minnesota to tackle. We went to brunch out in Bucktown with one of his friends, we said our goodbyes (all the way until this upcoming Saturday) and he drove home.

He does get a million points at life though because he figured out a way to take off his wrist band and get it onto my other friend's wrist. Since he has a big wrist and her wrist is small, he cut his band close to the clasp and then she and I stitched it onto her wrist with a needle and thread. We tightened the clasp so it covered the stitches and it looked like it had been on her wrist all along.

While there we saw three different acts and all three were an absolute jam. Flogging Molly is always great, Girl Talk was off-the-hook and then Mr. Kanye West brought his manic energy to the people. Overall Lollapalooza was great and I'm glad my bro was there to share it with me.

P.S. The new Ghostface and Raekwon?

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