Michael Boyd, Erica Gannett
Day One of Lollapalooza 2009: Girls rule the park, and Crystal Castles... showed up
By Genevieve Diesing & Selena Fragassi
Published: August 10th, 2009 | 11:00am
Day One of Lollapalooza started rainy, but 11:15 a.m. opener April Smith (and her male backing band, the Great Picture Show) didn’t let the weather ruin her parade of alluring cabaret pop. “We hope you don’t get rained on too much,” she said to the slow-growing crowd camped out under trees looking for shelter. “We’ve been doing our rain dance, but I don’t think it’s working.” But as soon as she hit the bluesy chorus of “Drop Dead Gorgeous,” there was no hiding from her contagious melodies and honey-dusted vocals. The name of the song could just as well have described her bewitching voice, but instead the lyrics captured her taking-no-shit attitude from her brethren in the female pop pack: “Is there anything going on in that pretty little head / If you’re just drop dead gorgeous / Just drop dead!” And later, on “Dixie Boy,” she warned, “Keep your darn hands off my Dixie boy … When it comes to my boy, I’ll fight like a man.”
But don’t be fooled — though this Brooklyn songstress talks smack, she’s in touch with her feminine side, too. Dressed in an outfit that was half-ballerina, half-sailor, Smith was endearing in the sweet-lipped “Colors” and vulnerable in “Stop Wondering,” which she claims was written after making out with the Jonas Brothers and waiting for them to call back.
April Smith Lollapalooza video interview
While waiting for the Stillwater, Oklahoma, outfit Other Lives to start on the Citi Stage, a distant guitar riff of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” could be heard milling about the park, except this time it was coming from the kids’ stage, with a high-pitched wail of a girl (or boy) that couldn’t be more than 12 years old. It was probably the most entertaining part of the hour as Other Lives’ morose, dreamy folk set just reminded the crowd of how depressing the weather was around them. The saving grace was cellist Jenny Hsu, who used her bow and strings to direct the otherwise lost jam sessions. — Selena Fragassi
This is the third year Atlanta-based indie rock quintet Manchester Orchestra has treated Lollapalooza to its angstful rock melodies, and judging by the large crowds braving the rain to see them this year, it won’t be the last. Fans huddled under umbrellas just after noon at the Budweiser Stage, braving the rain to bop their heads along with the methodical rhythms and lead singer Andy Hull’s sonorous cries. With the Chicago skyline spread behind them, Manchester Orchestra screamed and raved — the keyboardist even headbanged — as pot scent wafted through the early afternoon crowd.
“Our band has never had this many people like us at the same time, at the same place,” Hull gushed before launching into — believe it or not — “I’ve Got Friends,” one of the liveliest tracks off Manchester Orchestra’s new record, Mean Everything To Nothing (Favorite Gentleman).
A little less angst, and a little more love, was on tap for Zap Mama, lead by Belgium-raised performer Marie Daulne. That is, the angst disappeared once Zap Mama’s set began. Scheduled to go on at 1 p.m. on the Playstation Stage, the band kept fans waiting for 30 minutes, presumably because of technical difficulties. After about 20 minutes, the crowd began to thin, but when Daulne finally took the stage — preceded by backup singers in brightly colored, wide-brimmed hats — she was worth the wait. Decked out in a neon green halter dress, her signature record “hat” fixed at an angle on the side of her head, and with neon green–laced tennis shoes strung decoratively over her right shoulder, Daulne jumped into song.
Performing cartwheels, swishing her dress to reveal scarlet petticoats, and leaping into the air, Daulne’s performance was just as much about theatrics as it was music. Which, by the way, was impossible not to dance to. With booming bass and Daulne’s powerful voice reaching high and low, the melodies were just as infectious as the rhythms. For a group that started as an all-female a capella group a decade ago, it has certainly evolved. Today’s performance featured big-band overtones paired with Brazilian stylings, which are present on the group’s newest record, ReCreation (Heads Up) Daulne’s smiling, powerful presence was infectiously positive. She preached about the limitations of modern society after kicking off her silver heels to change into those green-laced sneakers. If the crowd had any resentment about being kept waiting, it was surely overpowered by one of the most energy-fueled performances of the afternoon.
Zap Mama Lollapalooza video interview
Bon Iver took the Playstation Stage at 3 p.m., drawing enough umbrella-toting fans to become one of the biggest draws of the day. Fans crowded centimeters apart to catch a glimpse of the quiet singer, whose intimate sound was not suited to the crowded setting. Singer Justin Vernon was an ant on the stage, and his soft folk songs didn’t carry much better.
With so many clustered in the rain to see the singer, fans began to get frustrated. It couldn’t have been a better time for Vernon to sing, “I told you to be patient / And I told you to be kind,” the all-too-forgettable words from one of his most popular songs, “Skinny Love,” off of 2008's For Emma, Forever Ago. The high-pitched melodies were, for those who could hear them, soothing and appropriate for the cloudy-skied setting. — Genevieve Diesing
Although originally hailing from Alaska, Portland’s the Builders and the Butchers were one of the first bands on Friday to warm up the grumpy and miserably wet day that plagued Chicago. The five-piece (mostly bearded) band was gruff yet simplistic in its approach to reinvented honky-tonk folk on songs like “Vampire Lake,” from their new album, Salvation Is a Deep Dark Well (GTC). They relied on a working man’s modesty to build their full-on sound, at times using a split-line audience to create “ooh” and “ahh” effects; at others, doubling up the drummer seat for an overflowing dose of beats that drove the lines of vocalist-guitarist Ryan Sollee and banjoist Harvey Tumbleson. Although their name might imply otherwise, nothing about the band or their set could come even close to butchered. Instead, the folk re-mixers were masters at building energy and keeping it right at the peak of audible pleasure.
By the time Heartless Bastards hit the Vitamin Water stage — which tried hard as it could to create a meditative destination with its obvious Taj Mahal and Buddha banners — the rain had hit its stride, turning former softball fields into muddy slip ‘n’ slides that claimed more than a few victims. Singer Erika Wennerstrom was the calm in the storm, a convincing siren whose deep register moved people to peaceful afternoon reflection on bluesy rock numbers like “Out At Sea,” “Hold Your Head High,” and the title track from this year’s The Mountain (Fat Possum). Wennerstrom’s effortless vocal delivery was met with nearly perfect guitar chops that floated into the cloudy sky above. One improvement felt in the Heartless Bastards’ set was Lollapalooza’s advanced sound system and scheduling arrangements, which allowed each band to play one at a time instead of simultaneously on nearby stages, eliminating the sonic bleeding of years past.
Heartless Bastards Lollapalooza video interview
Audible perfection was not kind to Crystal Castles, however, the next band to take on the Vitamin Water stage. The intensive loops and chaotic drumming completely overpowered singer Alice Glass and sounded, at times, like a dying robot. Add to that a dead Jumbotron, which left people behind umbrellas peeking through small clearings to see a fraction of the action that was causing the uproar. With Glass’ unpredictable pogoing and a thick fog of smoke, it was nearly hopeless; at the same time, given the duo’s catchy beats and electro magnetism, it didn’t matter — there was at least something to dance to. — Selena Fragassi
One of the most celebrated albums to debut last year was the self-titled album from Fleet Foxes, a Seattle band with a penchant for harmony. The group shared its distinctive, atmospheric sound at the Playstation Stage at 5 p.m., treating a wide-spanning audience to its soft, mysterious melodies. Fans closer to the stage seemed to deeply appreciate the music by singing along — one even bopped a rubber chicken to the beat — but toward the outskirts of the crowd, it was just a stop in Lollapalooza’s ongoing party of drinking, chatting, and smoking.
To Fleet Foxes’ credit, their sound was distinctive enough to carry, where other bands of that ilk were not so lucky earlier in the day. Jangling tambourines, the gentle strum of acoustic guitars, and the clear cooing vocals on favorites like “White Winter Hymnal” rounded out a solid set. Though the vibe was soft, slow, and meditative, Fleet Foxes’ wall of harmonies comprised enough vocal power to keep people’s attention.
Directly following, and just a giant mud puddle away, were the Decemberists on the Budweiser Stage. Hailing from Portland, this band was made for the large venue and festival atmosphere. Like a troupe of actors, they switched musical roles with changing songs, and their costumes seemed cinematic as well, much like the group's recent concept album, The Hazards Of Love. Member Jenny Conlee was decked out in a wedding dress and veil, and the other band members were outfitted in dark suits and a dress.
Lead vocalist Colin Meloy regaled the enormous crowd with folktale lyrics while accordion, guitar, and even a cello backed him up. The Decemberists have a knack for drama, and it came through in their sound as well as their outfits — whether in the form of a quivering soprano against a heavy metal guitar riff, or the amped-up energy levels of the band members as they traded places, pounding on drums or manning the mic.
But the commotion ended where it began. Subtlety returned again at the Playstation Stage, this time in the form of singer, violinist, and renowned whistler Andrew Bird. This was Bird’s last stop before commencing on a three-week long European tour, although he mentioned that he already missed the Midwest.
Bird’s optimistic melodies sound like simple little ditties to the untrained ear, but they are the result of a great deal of multi-tasking. Bird acted as a one-man band (although he was not alone onstage) by recording his trilling whistle and then playing violin and alternately singing over the loops. His “Fits and the Dizzy Spills,” from his newest album, Noble Beast (Fat Possum), includes such a catchy whistle of a chorus that it’s instantly recognizable. During this particular show, however, his throngs of fans weren’t up to whistling along.
Kings Of Leon, dueling with Depeche Mode as the headlining attraction, opened their set on the Budweiser Stage a little past 8 p.m with “Be Somebody,” off their latest album, Only By the Night (RCA) — a song about yearning for success. The irony must have been intentional. Now, after years of minimal recognition, Kings Of Leon have risen meteorically to fame.
Singer Anthony “Caleb” Folowill’s layered and rich voice has taken to a more smooth, commercial tone lately, in place of its previous, more rock-friendly raspyness. Sampling slow songs from older albums, Kings Of Leon seemed to be trying to give a plug to their past before busting out the single that everyone wanted to hear: “Sex On Fire.” With the stage drenched in flashing red lights, the audience sang along unanimously to the chorus, capping off a long day of rain and crowds on an uplifting note. — Genevieve Diesing
There was no shortage of surprises in Of Montreal’s late-evening set. For one, the rain stopped — and just in time to welcome a barrage of sunny characters onto the Vitamin Water Stage, including an unidentified man in an animal mask, two female players wearing Medieval wench costumes, and singer Kevin Barnes, dressed in his own royal getup and carried on the shoulders of two escorts. Next were the constant string of stage props and audience distractions like the billowing streamers, a mini–Christmas tree, a flock of ninjas, and a barrage of colorful balloons brought out by surprise guest Janelle Monáe, who nearly stole the show with her stunning vocal style. Dressed in her trademark suit and pompadour hair, Monáe belted out high notes and low on Of Montreal originals and (surprise!) a David Bowie cover. In true form, Of Montreal was as colorful as the warped cartoons playing on the side screens, and thankfully weren’t detoured by their Sergeant Pepper costumes, to give a solid set with noteworthy tracks like “Bunny Ain’t No Kind Of Rider” and “The Party’s Crashing Us.”
Of Montreal Lollapalooza video interview
For the final act of the night, Depeche Mode took over the Chicago 2016 stage, proving why they have long been and still are one of America’s biggest festival bands. Although some feared Dave Gahan might bail on the set due to a reported cancer battle like the Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch was forced to do, the 47-year-old was in top form during a stunning two-hour set that spanned the band’s impressive catalogue. Although it started slow with new numbers like “Wrong,” Depeche Mode finally got to what the sea of fans had been waiting for — old gems like “Walking In My Shoes,” “It’s No Good,” “A Question Of Time,” and “Fly On the Windscreen.” Bare-chested in his black vest and matching pants, Gahan fueled the set with his long-perfected sensuality and stage antics that at times seemed more choreographed than natural. Next to him was longtime bandmate Martin Gore, who played the guitar with the same flashy attitude as the sequined two-piece that he wore.
Tracks like “Precious,” “Policy of Truth,” and “I Feel You” were richly satisfying, with lush synth work and heavier-than-normal guitar riffs. Although some of the tracks tickled around with new arrangements, most of the songs were the same old, same old — which is exactly what the night called for. Even Gore, who sang on his penned song, “Home,” proved that his voice has wavered after years of consistent touring. Throughout the set, there was also endless video feed which, at times, gave a black-and-white perspective to the live action onstage, and at others, showed pre-recorded graphics that accessorized the performance.
After ending the first set with an audience sing-a-long of “Enjoy the Silence” and “Never Let Me Down Again,” Depeche Mode returned for their final numbers, including “Stripped” and “Personal Jesus,” whose contagious melody caused outbursts of dancing and cartwheels in the street. After a long day of persistent rain and gloomy skies, there was nothing like the harrowing gothic flavor of Depeche Mode to put a seal of approval on Lollapalooza Day One. — Selena Fragassi
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For more photos from Lollapalooza Day 1, visit Venus Zine’s Flickr page
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Ke$ha Lollapalooza video interview
Day Two of Lollapalooza 2009: Ida Maria, Lykke Li, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs heat up Saturday.
Day Three of Lollapalooza 2009: Skin, strings, and stories coalesce
Issue #35
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husk35 (about 1 year)
"It was probably the most entertaining part of the hour as Other Lives’ morose, dreamy folk set just reminded the crowd of how depressing the weather was around them. The saving grace was cellist Jenny Hsu, who used her bow and strings to direct the otherwise lost jam sessions. — Selena Fragassi" This made me laugh a whole lot. What the heck were you listening to? Lost jam sessions? I really hope that people don't write Other Lives off due to this article, because I feel that your description completely misses the beauty of their music. They put on a beautiful performance that honestly wasn't rivaled by anything I heard all day. Funny that a female-centered website would point out that the only female in the band was the only thing worth listening to. Laughable.