Lollapalooza was a great chance to check out bands that piqued my curiosity but hadn't yet turned me into a fan.
Yeasayer I got to hear some of this band's swirling psychy rock before running off to Jeff Tweedy, and the interesting rhythms were intriguing enough to make me run back for the end of the set.
Gogol Bordello It's true. They put on an awesome show! No Dogs We're Barking, but there was plenty to boogie to, including American Wedding. And the dancers' underoo marching band costumes at the end of the show were fashion inspiration!
Mates of State This husband-wife duo was charming to start off with and the strings added dimension, but it wore a little thin by the end.
Raconteurs I caught the first part of their set, which was and I knew would be rockin after seeing their First Ave show a couple years ago, but I had to miss the second half so I could catch...
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks I wouldn't have missed this set, just to see former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss in action. Overall I had the same reaction to the set as I did to the discs, though. Really solid, but nothing overly exciting.
Radiohead I am the only one on earth who is not a Radiohead fan. I certainly liked the radio hits, but it took all I had to keep listening to In Rainbows in prep for the show. That said, their live show gave me a better sense of why they are popular. They definitely set an intriguing mood, which their lighting heightens.
Dr. Dog I really liked my first listen of Dr. Dog's latest release Fate. Which made it surprising that I had the same reaction to Dr. Dog as I did to the Jicks. Really solid musicians, but they just seem to be lacking a certain something that would make their 60s-era pop modern or unique.
Gutter Twins The former frontmen of Screaming Trees and The Afghan Whigs didn't seem to be bringing much new to the table.
Okkervill River I got to catch the last four songs of this set, including Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe. Will Sherf and Co played with so much energy I wish I had seen the whole thing. (Though that would have meant missing Spank Rock, which never would have happened) I liked The Stage Names, but wasn't enamoured, but I'll definitely be giving it and the upcoming The Stand Ins, a closer listen.
Devotchka Like Iron and Wine, I think this band needs to be seen in a more intimate setting. It was fun to hear some of the more uptempo stuff from Mad and Faithful Telling, and they totally rocked the tuba and theremin (is it a multivitamin or an instrument?), but the set got a little snoozy by the end.
Broken Social Scene Booooor-ing, even with the woman from Stars there.
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings Fun set, but Ms. Jones was not happy with the sound and let it be known several times. --Once right in the middle of a song, she complained "I've got another show tomorrow, you better get this right"
Nicole Atkins and the Sea Surprisingly, this ended up being one of my favorite sets of the weekend. I had listened to her full-length Neptune City and liked a few songs, but her voice bothered me a little. But wow, she's the real thing. Brooklyn's on Fire was awesome, and she ended the set with, of all things, a cover of a Doors song, and it was really cool! I'll definitely be checking out that CD again.
Love and Rockets I was basically just waiting to hear So Alive, but got bored and hungry, so I didn't even hear that!
Nine Inch Nails Hearing Closer brought back fond memories of my dancing days, but I was exhausted by Sunday night and got bored with the instrumental stuff, so we left early.
Sets I wish I had caught
Bang Camaro and Ha Ha Tonka (they started too early)
The Ting Tings and Rogue Wave (we started too late)
The Weakerthans (they didn't show!)
DJ Momjeans (just kidding!)
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