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Lollapalooza 2008 in Chicago, IL has come to an end and while this post is a few weeks late, it’s good to reminisce upon what happened. I’m going to review the groups that I saw entire sets of, as well as groups I photographed. A few photos have been placed in this post. You can also view selected photos of my experience at the festival here.

Day 1:

We started out the festival with Manchester Orchestra, whom I’d seen in concert twice before and thoroughly enjoyed their music. Unfortunately, the singer’s voice was completely shot. Every high note turned into a blood curdling scream which was nearly the opposite of the band’s sound. While it was a poor way to start out the festival, it was good to see that they are still around. 

We wandered around for a while then took a seat waiting for Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco)’s acoustic set to begin. We were more or less 10 feet from him and he played the show looking like hell as usual. He sang from the ground amongst a crowd of small children (the show was on the Kidzapalooza stage) who clearly were there with parents that enjoyed Wilco. He asked the kids for requests who would repeat whatever their parents wanted to hear and played with the same slight tinge of rock ‘n roll arrogance that makes him so unique. The show was short but great. I had prime seating so vision wasn’t an issue but even the spectators two rows back couldn’t see anything at all.

Next up was The Black Keys. I’m not their biggest fan but I do appreciate their music and I felt that they put on a great show. I don’t know much about them but they were energetic, funny, and engaging and played the dirty, dirty, rock ‘n roll roots-blues like it ought to have been played.

At some point during Day 1 we saw a relatively disappointing performance from Mates of State. For any Wes Anderson fans out there, this was THE show to see of the weekend (next to DeVotchKa) and unfortunately sound technical issues made their set somewhat painful to sit through. 

The second to last act we saw of the day was Bloc Party who put on a great show musically and technically but just looked absolutely exhausted. Others in the audience noticed this too; it just looked like the band needed to eat a few sandwiches and take a long, long nap.

The final show of the evening was Radiohead who put on quite a phenomenal show as usual. For level of Radiohead fan, the setlist was sure to please as they played the majority of their hits, most of the new record In Rainbows, and a few rarities as well. A great way to end the first day.

Day 2:

We woke up especially early to make it down to Grant Park to see the group Does It Offend You, Yeah? While they had a fairly small drawing, they were one of the more fun bands of the weekend. Their crazy mismatched sound mixed with slightly raunchy lyrics made for a very entertaining show.

Next up was Dr. Dog, one of my favorites hailing from my future home in Philadelphia, PA. Their set was quite good and they played the majority of their hits. The show was both entertaining to watch and fun to listen to as the band stomped around stage and screamed out their lo-fi sound. I caught wind of an unfortunate rumor that one of their singers had contracted a throat illness and could not sing many of their songs which is why several big tunes were left out.

Dr. Dog had played at the same time as Mason Jennings, another show I wish I could have seen (I heard, from several people, that his set was quite great) so I went to see Mason play on the Kidzapalooza stage. It was good to see him up close and in a more intimate setting, however it was very apparent that he was tired and didn’t want to be playing that show. Other than that, he sounded great.

We sprinted across the park to see the final few songs of the amazing Colorado group, DeVotchKa (who put on an incredible show) then saw the entire set of Explosions in the Sky. I’d seen Explosions before and was absolutely amazed by them and yet again, I was not let down. Their raw energy and focus while on the stage make for one of the best shows you can see today. They seldom speak to the audience but there is no need as their music makes up for the lack of words.

We took a few hour’s refuge in the shade and went to see Wilco that night which was another great show. This was my fourth Wilco show and probably my least favorite, however they were under time constraints and pressure to play bigger hits. They entered the stage wearing Sgt. Pepper/Mariachi costumes which were a huge hit with the crowd. Not only were they still entertaining and funny as usual, but they revealed a new song which has yet to have a title. They only referred to it as a “WIP” or work-in-progress.

Day 3:

We started out the day with Kid Sister, an amazing Chicago local rapper who is rumored to be dating Kanye West. Her incredible lyrics and stage presence complemented the great dancers she brought on stage with her. It goes without saying that her DJs were incredible.

Next up was What Made Milwaukee Famous who, while a great band musically, just couldn’t keep the crowd engaged in their show. Brazilian Girls was next followed by Chromeo who together put on two of my favorite shows of the weekend. Brazilian Girl’s sex appeal was unleashed upon the dancing crowd and Chromeo’s raw 80’s beats made everyone groove. 

We stuck around for the first 5 songs of Girl Talk and left when people started getting naked and climbing trees. It was a fun show to watch from afar but was overcrowded and way too crazy. In the afternoon we hung out and listened to Flosstradamus spin some records then saw the beginnings of both Kanye West and Nine Inch Nails in the evening. 

Another year at Lollapalooza has come and gone and we had a blast to say the very least. Thanks to Chicago and everyone who helped in any way to help make Lollapalooza such a very special experience. Please remember to look at the rest of my photographs here. Thank you for reading.

-Alex