Ok, Sunday was really a suckie day at Lollapalooza. It was hotter than hell and humid as a mutha! I have to say the weekend was really disappointing in that most of the talent never hit the mark. It all seemed so blase, so milk toasty, so "when is this thing going to go off"? Never, i was soon to realize Sunday as i walked away from the sounds of Jane's Addiction playing their hits one more time as if no one had ever heard them before. God it really sucks musically right now; doesn't it? I feel like this is as bad as when the punk movement was born out of a fat, lazy music business whose acts sh*t on their fans. Ok; maybe not that bad, but where is the stuff that makes your hair stand up? where is the next Clash, the next Jesus and Mary Chain, the next Strokes? Stuff that makes you get up and blast the songs as loud as you can. Nowhere i tell you....NOWHERE!! Well maybe somewhere, but we haven't found it yet. Until that day, we seem to retread everything and smile like happy idiots sucking it up. Two of the things i am most excited about is the Faith No More reunion and the Radiohead set; both at Reading this year as i will be. Great bands, but they are already on every one's radar. I remember the year The Strokes played Reading and their was such a mania in the UK and especially in London that summer for them. We were there in the early summer and everything was Strokes and Strokes related. They were the toast of the country. People were truly excited by them and their music. They were added to the Reading fest that summer late and on a side stage. There was so much furor over them playing a small, side stage that the promoters a few days before the fest; added them to the Friday main stage...how cool! We were sitting backstage and everyone looked like they were in The Strokes (when Londoners love something, they go 110% all out...sometimes cool and sometimes silly, but always entertaining), loads of suit jackets, skinny ties and cropped hairdo's. So none of this exists right now in the music scene and it is a bit perturbing, something has got to break out and amaze us soon!!
So uncle Lou....what can i say about a set so disjointed that even the hardest core fan had to be scratching there head. I have been lucky enough to see him in the past three decades and even once in New York City at the Beacon Theatre. All his shows are different and always new and challenging. He has such a huge catalog to pick from, he seems not to duplicate sets. So I take my wife who has never seen him and has been a fan since she first heard his music. I was very excited as the rest of the weekend had been a bit of a let down except for Arctics, Kings Of Leon and Glasvegas; so let's show these frat boys and wannabe fashionista girls how the lower east side on NYC does it. Snoop was on at the other main stage at the same time and i heard it was the biggest crowd of the weekend; WTF!! Reality show = NO credibility in my book, no matter how hard you were, what you produced entertainment wise or how many gold records your ass has. YOU F*CKIN' BLEW IT WHEN YOU DID THAT TV SHOW!! You ruled, but no more. Snoop is no more a "G" than my Mom is. I know i am going off on a tangent, but what does this say about the lemming mentality that pervaded this fest? You have guys leaving it all onstage and everyone wants to see Snoop shizzle the fizzle. Back to Lou, he was 15 minutes late and i don't think he quite understands that to do 144 bands in 3 days; you need a tight schedule or all goes to hell. I think he was the only late act all weekend; not 100% sure, but everything else seemed to run like clockwork. So Lou straps it on 15 minutes late and immediately launches into "Sweet Jane"....SWEET!! Next was "Dirty Boulevard"; nice one again Lou!! Now is when it all goes so terribly wrong; Lou seems mad or uninterested in the remaining set. He plays several very slow numbers and brings the great start to a screeching halt. A few more obscure songs and then we get to the noise part. I thought "Metal Machine Music" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Machine_Music) was way ahead of its time and i know Lou has done these intense "noise" sets in past decades; but this was just annoying noodling. This went on for the next 30 or 40 minutes, such a huge bummer. I don't want a greatest hits set, but come on throw us a few bones in this oppressive heat and humidity. He went over on his set and Band Of Horses had to start across the field, that was a weird situation. He ended with "Walk On The Wild Side"; could you be anymore predictable? I was a bit pissed, upset and mostly bored as I sweated backstage trying to figure out Lou's psyche for that set. Right now backstage is being over run by Hollywood wannabe creepoids, trying to get a touch or piece of Perry Or Dave....yuck....time to go swimming.
We made it down to the site by 4pm and it was still pissing rain on the fest and downtown. I really wanted to see Hockey at 11:30am, but that went to the wayside as i saw rain when i awoke and looked out the window. I really like their record and think this is one of the few bright spots in music right now (there is such a severe drought of talented acts and artists in the past several years; what is going on? where is the talent, the urgency, the new sh*t everyone wants!!); so i suggest checking them out as i think you will not be disappointed. Another act I was trying to see was; Hey Champ, from Chicago/Rockford and on Lupe Fiasco's label. They have played several shows for me and i think they are one of the city's best new acts (competition is not so tough as we have a ton of mediocre bands and very few gems). Did not see them...but will book them at the club soon. We made it to the site and walked into the fest to the sounds of the Bloody Beetroots doing a DJ set. I love this act from Italy, they are crazy and heavy! The DJ set is good, but the live set is supposedly over the top. I did a DJ show with them in the winter and it killed, 2010 is the year i am told for the live set to debut around the world; can't wait for this one!! Good, loud, undulating set from the Italian lads. On to the next act which happened to be Thievery Corporation on one of the two main stages. We were early for their set, so we grabbed a drink (free sweet tea backstage, very nice) and heard the sounds of Montreal's Crystal Castles. They ripped onto the scene 2 years ago and were quite the buzz child last year. Crazy female singer, manic lights, driving beats are what this is all about. I thought the initial cd was good and had some interesting turns on it and i do like a good, strong front person. The show i did with them at the abbey was insane and the crowd was as intense that night. However i just have this nagging feeling i have seen this and heard this all before. Then there is the artwork plagiarism charge, the accusations of music borrowing, been thru several live line up changes, etc. Just leaves you wondering a little bit if this is all organic or a well rehearsed attack at fame at all costs? Anyways, thought the set today was a bit on the weak side. After several live viewings, i feel they may be a one trick pony; hope not, but leaning that way. Onto Thievery Corporation, a lot of people coming and going during their set, many female singers and the main two guys on turntables, mixers and computers. The sound was amazing for their set! I mean it was the best sound by far, beating any other act we saw all day and night! Better than Kings Of Leon and Depeche Mode! I guess having the company doing Lolla is your management company helps on days like this. Very bass orientated and some middle eastern influences thru out their set made for a nice vibe on the pitch floor. Loads of dancing and vibing for most of TC's set. Various singers came and went doing vocals with a nice lighting and video effects to co mingle with the musicians and music. We left for Peter, Bjorn and John on the Citi stage. I know little about these Swedish guys except for that incredibly infectious song; "Young Folks", which is a killer pop song by any standard! Peter is the main singer and guitarist, he looked like he had been mugged by Tommy Hilfiger in a dark alley and made to wear his preppy stuff along with a super "little boy" haircut (see pic above). Cute is what i was thinking they were after....interesting. Stayed for most of the set and was totally entertained by this Scandinavian trio; well done. Raced over to Perry Farrell's stage which is basically a dj set up and club like atmosphere in between some trees....kinda cool and better than last year's Perry;s set up; but still lacks something. Caught the last 20 minutes of A-Trak (Kanye's old dj) and he had the crown moving and a grooving. Good songs and nice flow, but nothing to write home about. Next up was Simian Mobile Disco from the UK. Have always been a big fan of these guys and love most what they release. Their debut album in 2007; "Attack Decay Sustain Release" , was a big fav of mine that year and still is. Nice songs and intense bass were what i heard and then it was time to head to the Chicago 2016 main stage (remember last year it was the AT&T stage, but they pulled out leaving a big hole in Lolla's budget, i would think...OUCH!!). Let me preference this next review first, i love DM and have followed them from the start thru their many re-inventions and re-incarnations! I have seen them 8 or 9 times and even saw Dave Gahan (singer/see my pic...not too shabby) on his solo tour several years ago and have enjoyed each and every show. So WTF happened last night? I am still trying to figure it out myself. They opened with several new songs off their recently released; "Sounds Of The Universe", which got things off to a slowish start. The sound was no where near the excellence that Thievery Corp. had enjoyed, it was a bit mushy and didn't have the bass presence they need live. Band looked good, but they seemed to be in slow motion for the first 6 or 7 songs. It just never got started, very frustrating and kinda boring to tell the truth. Big bummer in my book. Kings Of Leon started 15 minutes after DM started, they are having co-headliners this year again (good idea..i think Radiohead last year were the solo headliner on friday though). So with much sadness re: the DM set and turn of events from them, we quickly headed the mile or so to the other end of the site to the Budwiser stage and the mighty KOL!!! I have a great KOL/Caleb (singer) story i will relate to you in a later posting, it it quite funny and my wife has told me several times about this meeting in a London bar when i was three sheets to the wind...:)!! Anyways, I think they have one of the best lp's released this decade. This last album is just chalked full of hits and gems. There is easily 7 or 8 singles on this thing, something that is almost unheard of these days. Most bands get a single or two and rush release a whole lp of filler and 2 or 3 good songs. NOT KOL!! If you have not sat down with; "Only By The Night", get it and get ready for some killer music and soul searching lyrics. We were in London in December and KOL mania was in full bloom, they had had the no. 1 lp and 3 follow up smash singles with "Use Somebody" just playing on the radio and tv there every hour. "Notion" seems to be taking on a life of it's own right now here and this could be the one song that makes them as popular here as they are in the rest of the world. Remember that it was the UK where they first charted..."Molly's Chamber". KOL definitely won the attendance contest tonight, far outdrawing the DM crowd down the street. We walked in on "notion" and it was all great after that. Nice stage set of 12 video screens and some lovely mood lighting. Only complaint was that the sound was not nearly loud enough...Hmmmm!!! Best comment so far from ant stage came from Caleb...."you guys make us fell way bigger than we are"....how freakin' cool is that?? i love humility, esp. after 8 years of the past administration...HA! Good day, a bit soggy, KOL ruled the night and we wore out wellies (english for galoshes/rubber boots) so we wrre unfazed by mud and water!! Now comes the heat for Saturday and Sunday....ARGHH!!!
