Show Review: Lollapalooza - Friday

Holy Fuck - AT&T Stage - 12:15

We made sure we got out to Grant Park early on Friday to catch the early set by Holy Fuck. HF were a late replacement for Noah And The Whale and after their fantastic show at The Record Bar earlier this year, I didn't mind one bit. It was a hot and sweaty way to start out the day, but it's impossible not to dance and have a good time when they're on stage.

Yeasayer - AT&T Stage - 2:15

The festival atmosphere might not be the best stage to see Brooklyn's Yeasayer. They are a fantastic live band but they are more suited for a small club then the main stage at Lollapalooza. Regardless they played a solid set and proved why they've been getting so much exposure the past year. I got to catch them again at an aftershow on Saturday when they opened for Broken Social Scene and they were definitely more in their element there.

Mates Of State - Myspace Stage - 5:15

We only stayed for about half of Mates Of State's performance but what we saw was pretty good. I haven't heard the new album yet but the songs off it sound great live. It was also nice hearing familiar tunes like 'Fraud in the 80's' and 'Like You Crazy'.

Grizzly Bear - Citi Stage - 5:45

One of the unexpected surprises for me was Grizzly Bear. I'm a casual fan of their last album, Yellow House, but getting to hear 'Little Brother' and 'The Knife' live made me come back to it and I realized how brilliant these guys are. Once again, they are just a fantastic live band who's best setting would be a dark club and if I hadn't wanted to get a good spot for Radiohead, I would have stayed for the whole set.

Bloc Party - AT&T Stage - 6:15

I was a bit apprehensive about seeing Bloc Party live. I love 2005's Silent Alarm but last year's A Weekend in the City bored the crap out of me. However, they're live set was energetic, engaging and just all around great. The songs that bored me on record I found myself nodding my head to in concert. Even though I may not seek them out on their own, I'm really glad I got to see them live.

Radiohead - AT&T Stage - 8:00

Of course, the highlight of the day/weekend/month/year (most likely) was when I finally got to see Radiohead live. Like many others, I think Radiohead are the greatest living band today and now I can say with certainty that they are the best live act around too. Radiohead played unopposed at the South end of Grant Park as close to 75,000 packed in to see them. I'm embarrassed that it took me so long to see them play, but it won't take me that long to see them again. They played songs off every album except Pablo Honey and played almost all of our favorite album of 2007 In Rainbows. The highlights for me were 'Airbag', 'Reckoner' and 'Idioteque' which closed out the show. Without a doubt Radiohead are better than your favorite band.

Also, I know it was a coincidence and the fireworks were being shot off at Soldier Field, but how cool is this video below? I obviously didn't take the video, I took the photo above....where we were there weren't any douche bags talking during the end of 'Fake Plastic Trees'. It was eerily quiet up front, even between songs. It wasn't quiet because of boredom or disinterest but more of a excited-anticipation sort of quiet.



Other bands I caught but didn't get pictures of: Gogol Bordello, Rogue Wave, and Bang Camero

-Matt