Let’s talk about music.
Rather, let’s talk about a music festival. The only thing that has been getting me through the spring has been the anticipation of Lollapalooza at the end of summer. Admittedly, when the line up was announced I was completely disappointed. Due to a dry wedding in Alberta last summer, I had to miss the Perry Ferrell run festival that takes place in Chicago’s Grant Park over the August Long Weekend. Because of this I missed seeing Wilco, The Shins, Death Cab, Sonic Youth, The Flaming Lips and scads of my other favourite bands. Granted, DCFC did show up with Franz Ferdinand & The Cribs in my town and I did venture to the Minnesota State Fair to see the Lips and Sonic Youth. But it was the experience that I wanted. It was the atmosphere.
That, and my girlfriend went last year (we weren’t together then but I am pretty gosh darn jealous of her getting to go). So we are taking the trek to Chicago this year to see Eddie Vedder play a hometown show (the only show Pearl Jam plays in 2007) as well as to check out the likes of Regina Spektor, Muse and Spoon. This week we have actually been frantically attempting to get our passports ready (who knew they were so gosh darn expensive?) and realize we need to save a lot more cabbage (who knew hotels were so expensive that weekend in the downtown Chicago area?).
And then it happened. They announced the schedule this week. Yes – Lollapalooza has NINE stages. You have to choose between NINE different things. I say the word NINE in a very Ed Rooney fashion as it irritates me that I have to make the decision between seeing My Morning Jacket perform with a bloody ORCHESTRA and Modest Mouse performing with Johnny Marr (I think Isaac Brock wins out though). It’s bad enough that there are no reunions at this nostalgic 90’s festival. There’s no Smashing Pumpkins or Jesus and Mary Chain. They’re appearing at other festivals. But how am I to choose between The Roots and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah? I mean, it’s easy to choose bands I’ve never seen before. I’ve seen Snow Patrol twice (and their new live set is yawn-inducing) so I will be viewing Karen O and her Yeah Yeah Yeahs instead. And as cool as it is to have a band I went to high school with almost headlining the BMI stage (Inward Eye), I will most likely be checking out Sparklehorse or Against Me! as their set commences. The trickiest jump will be running from Iggy & The Stooges at the Bud Light stage to the Citi stage to catch my new favourite Sweedes, Peter Bjorn & John. It will be three long days of rock and/or roll, of this I’m certain.
That, and I kind of want to do all the things that Ferris Bueller did. See a Cubs game. Go to the museum. Jump through a back yard that has scantily clad sun tanning women.
Upon my return from Lolla, I will be sure to have TONS of pictures and reviews of every band I peep.
See you in the next reel …
Nicholas Friesen is a bass player by day, screen writer by night.
For more information check out these links:
www.lollapalooza.com
