Ida Maria flashes crowds while the Yeah Yeah Yeahs Tool around onstage during Day Two of Lollapalooza 2009
By Genevieve Diesing & Selena Fragassi
Published: August 9th, 2009 | 10:30am
One of Saturday’s first performances was preceded by a special Chicago tradition: an 11:45 a.m. reading on the Playstation Stage by Thax Douglas, a Chicago poet whose odd, pre-show prose has been a staple at independent music events for years. Douglas’ reading prior to Ezra Furman & the Harpoons’ set was especially welcome, since a rumor had recently been circulated that Douglas had died. For anyone who didn’t see him at Pitchfork, those waiting for Ezra Furman and company debunked the rumor of his death firsthand.
In case that wasn’t enough to lift concertgoers’ moods, Ezra Furman & the Harpoon’s punk-edged folk rock performance was. Furman’s vocals are heavily reminiscent of Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes, but with Furman’s own optimistic twist. The songs were perky with a punk-fueled, hyper-energetic backbeat, and Furman’s knack for storytelling enthralled the audience. He shared personal stories — some amusing, some bittersweet — such as a song about accidentally boarding a plane to Africa, instead of Japan, with his former fiancée, which eventually prompted them to break up.
Dressed in an oversized, yellow raincoat and yellow-edged sunglasses, Furman was irreverent, goofy, and completely captivating. “I think in metaphors, kind of,” he admitted, before singing a song that began: “I jumped into your heart like a pool / But there was no water in it, and I fell like a fool.”
Though delving into romantic and sentimental territory, the band kept the punk edge, and the audience wasn’t prepared to let the group leave. It applauded and hollered well after in an anticipation of an encore, but eventually left to see Delta Spirit at the Budweiser Stage.
The Southern California band began playing at around 12:30 p.m. to an enormous sea of people under a blazingly sunny sky. “We’re used to playing in front of, like, 200 people,” singer Matt Vasquez confessed. “This is fucking weird. So, hi!”
If Delta Spirit was nervous, it didn’t show, but that may have had to with the crowd’s unanimously positive feedback. The group’s slowly unfolding rock songs, powered by a double-duty rhythm section, convinced the crowd to clap and sing along. The three electric guitarists and bassist hunched over their instruments, angrily slashing at the strings. At one point, the two drummers were joined by a guitarist to form a dominant yet still incredibly precise percussion section.
Thundering keyboards and a booming backbeat framed lyrics that covered political and sentimental concepts, and the group wrapped up the set with “People, Turn Around,” a somber song pleading to end violence. “Hoping for love to find a new voice / ‘Cause the song that needs singing has already been sung before,” Vasquez crooned.
Vasquez mentioned that his brother was getting married that same day. “I said don’t book the eighth, and the motherfucker booked it on the eighth,” he joked. To compensate, he dialed his brother Travis’ phone and had the entire audience congratulate him.
Los Campesinos! arrived on the Budweiser Stage shortly after their scheduled 2:30 p.m. time. This youthful, seven-member band attracted a big crowd, despite the 95-plus degree heat. Their straightforward indie pop sound was made bigger-than-life with keyboards, electric guitars, and a violin.
Like a coed cheerleading squad with instruments, the band delivered their songs with the kind of youthful enthusiasm that only a troupe of youngsters is capable of. The songs burst with raw screams, pumping guitar riffs, and incredible exuberance, although their melodies weren’t particularly catchy.
The group paid homage to both Elliot Smith and the Smashing Pumpkins, although no trace of those groups’ brilliance was evident in Los Campesinos!’ sound. Their soaring melodies, while attention-getting, continued to fall into the same repetitive groove. — Genevieve Diesing
On Day Two, the sweltering afternoon heat called for a toast. Raising a Budweiser can, Living Things singer Lillian Berlin praised “the heartland, Obama, the troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the American Dream,” before draping a weathered American flag over his shoulders and ripping into single “Bom Bom Bom.” The neighboring St. Louis band, made up of three brothers named Berlin and guitarist Cory Becker, is not shy about their liberal political leanings, and make a point to include their subjectivism in both their lyrics and onstage rants.
Doing his best Joey Ramone, Lillian paired his intelligent vocal poetry with saucy, Michael Hutchence undertones as he slivered along the stage and jumped down to be face-to-face with the crowd. With powerful support from greaser-looking bandmates and three leatherette backup singers, the band synchronized in a high-octane set that showcased an original blend of glam punk. The best example was the guitar riffs on “Mercedes Marxist” (stuff that garage bands dream of), which were met with power pop anthems like “I want the good life!” Later, Lillian paired “HMO, PPO, CEO, USA” in one mouthful and begged the audience to bare their peace signs while declaring, “Everybody, let’s keep the peace!” Whether or not you agree with Living Things, one thing is for certain: with a passion like theirs, you have to respect them for meaning what they say.
On the way over to check out Miike Snow at the Vitamin Water Stage, a very friendly patron doused weary travelers with a spritzer gun and offered treats from the leather tool belt attached to his waist. As his shirt declared, he was the bearer of “Liquid Lollapops Love” and people were literally falling head over heels for his courtship gifts under the high-noon sun.
Miike Snow was a bit, well, scary in its Lollapalooza debut, shocking a curious audience with Phantom Of the Opera masks and matching black bomber jackets before lightening the mood with a barrage of bubbles. Perhaps it was another stunt in the members’ obsession with anonymity, having spent the better part of their career as DJs behind the scenes, writing and producing tracks for the likes of Madonna and Britney Spears. One thing’s for certain: it couldn’t have been an identity crisis, since the American-Swedish outfit has a very clear idea of who they are musically, and played song after song of dark electro-pop with a jumping, house twist. Although singer Andrew Wyatt can sound a little Gabriel Byrne-ish, once he removed the mask, the image was quickly dashed by a dark, brooding, bearded man who was a fitting spokesperson for the sound.
Venus Zine staple Ida Maria was next on the Citi Stage. The Norwegian newcomer entered the stage to a round of applause — but whether it was for her unabashed reputation as a stage destroyer, or for her pink peek-a-boo bra was the lingering question. Maria’s bold rasp was the highlight of the set, as the pop punk singer wore out her voice as she screamed, hollered, and growled her way through most of the songs off her debut, Fortress Round My Heart.
The set started off somewhat slow with more subdued flavors of songs like “Morning Light,” “Keep Me Warm,” and “Forgive Me,” but picked up quickly thereafter with bold songs that earmarked Maria’s love of sex, drinks, and rocknroll. More than one song was dedicated to whiskey, including “Queen Of the World” which she said was about, “dancing on tables and being drunk, but still feeling like you’re queen of the world.” With the heat hitting an afternoon high, Maria tried to convince sweaty patrons to strip down, and even offered a quick glimpse under her gold dress before ripping into “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked” and following it with the newly-branded summer single, “Oh My God.” Although she saved the two best songs for last, it was well worth the wait.
Quickly following Ida Maria was art pop trio Chairlift, who burst onto the scene last year after their song, “Bruises,” was featured in an iPod commercial. The saccharine innocence of their most popular song-to-date is misleading of the band’s dreamier soundscape, which they brought to the Citi Stage on songs like “Planet Health” from last year’s debut, Does You Inspire You (Kanine). The song, with its ‘80s-inspired loops and synth, was dedicated by singer Caroline Polachek to the memory of John Hughes.
Although Chairlift was more engaging in this setting than in smaller club venues, at times the trio got lost in its own dreamy melodies, and could have fared better by waking up the crowd from the sleepy set, which often fell prey to feedback issues. Props are due for pulling off an ethereal version of Sunday headliner Snoop Dogg’s “Sensual Seduction.”
The Citi Stage favored the female of the species on Saturday, and came to full climax with the last act, Lykke Li. Another in a line of brilliant Swedish imports, Li stood head and shoulders over many performances of the day with her witchy and haunting songs of love and longing — and utter jubilation.
The mood was set with an opening train of meditative hymns until Li appeared on stage, dressed in her usual Stevie Nicks meets the Olsen twins—inspired garb of flowing black sweaters and scarves. As soon as Li opened with “Dance, Dance, Dance,” from her album, Youth Novels (LL Recordings), the winds picked up for the first time of the day, telling of a Nordic sorceress who held spellbinding powers over the atmosphere and crowd. By the time she brought out “I’m Good, I’m Gone” for the third song, the knee-deep fleet of people could as well have suffered from motion sickness from all the dancing in the concrete aisles.
Li herself proved to be an admirable showstopper, at times beating her partner’s drums, at others blowing through a kazoo or singing sweetly through her megaphone on tracks “Breaking It Up” and “Complaint Department.” Although her new song was a sleeper, Li made it up to the crowd by bringing out Miike Snow’s Andrew Wyatt for a soaring cover of Kings Of Leon’s “Knocked Up,” proving that these two need to collaborate more together. — Selena Fragassi
Santigold — formerly Santogold — drew an unprecedented crowd at the PlayStation Stage at 5:30 p.m. The mass of people extended well beyond the perimeter of the stage area and even spilled kittycorner into the Budweiser Stage grounds. Instead of dancing to Santigold’s first song, “L.E.S. Artistes,” most of the crowd was locked in congestion and trying to find some breathing room.
Amid the chaos, many were incredulous that Santigold was drawing such an enormous crowd. But once the area calmed, it was obvious the fans were all there for her. Practically every track from her 2008 self-titled debut album is laced with catchy hooks, and the live version brought to life its irresistible dance-rock-ska vibe that is so expertly woven together in each song.
Brooklyn-based singer Santi White — the voice, face, and partial name of the group — has a smooth, cohesively danceable style. And dance the crowd did; a cluster of fans even climbed atop a tall crew’s platform area to in order to get down. White, who was getting down herself, appeared genuinely touched by such a warm reception. “This really means so much to me,” she said. White admitted she was also relieved to make Saturday her final stop after two years of touring.
Next up on the festival’s north side was TV On the Radio at the Budweiser Stage. This electro-soul indie rock group (who is also from Brooklyn) is known for powerful live performances and Saturday was no exception. The group sampled heavily from their critically acclaimed 2009 album, Dear Science (4AD), such as the high-pitched and politically charged “Crying.” Lead singer Tunde Adebimpe, dressed sharply in a white suit, spun across the stage and waved his arm vigorously, overflowing with kinetic energy.
The audience was hopping with him for “Wolf Like Me,” the standout hit from 2006’s Return To Cookie Mountain (4AD). Featuring horns, guitars, and cooing harmonies, this quintet’s sound is so much richer than plain old indie rock, and when live, is at its most compelling.
Crowds flocked to the Vitamin Water stage at 7:30 p.m. to see Animal Collective, the electronic-rock group from Baltimore whose sound is ever-evolving. Known for capitalizing on unusual sounds and turning them into songs with the aid of layered rhythms, echoes, and synthesizers, the group took a different route for their second event on Saturday (the first an afternoon DJ set at the Perry’s Stage). Eschewing words in favor of floating, indistinguishable chants across a repetitive background of synthesizers, the songs bled into an ongoing, reverberating lull.
After about 30 minutes of trance-like tones, the crowd began to lessen. But the hardcore Animal Collective fans who remained embraced it by nodding along, many with their eyes closed. Those far away from the stage didn’t have an opportunity to glimpse the band, as the screen featured abstract video footage in place of live, but they weren’t missing much of the show. The group’s members stayed securely behind their synths.
Headlining the festival Saturday night were the Yeah Yeah Yeahs as last-minute replacements for the original headliner, the Beastie Boys. Lead singer Karen O didn’t disappoint. Starting off the set with songs from this year’s It’s Blitz!, Karen O leapt around stage and sang wildly to the music. She used her voice like an instrument, squealing and shouting as she pointed to the sky and luxuriated in the spotlight.
The group played several dance songs from It’s Blitz!, showing a more commercial sound than the rock for which it is known for. But Karen O didn’t tone down the attitude along with the music. She swigged water and sprayed it out with her head back like a fountain and held the mic head between her teeth at the climax of song.
“We weren’t even supposed to be here,” she mentioned about an hour into the set, “but we’re very happy we are.” Karen O proceeded to dedicate a YYYs’ love song to several people, including TV On the Radio and, of course, adoring fans. That love song ended up being a slow and meandering take on “Maps,” the song that actually put them on the map. Judging by the sea of hoots and applause, the YYYs succeeded in their quest to induce excitement and adoration. — Genevieve Diesing
Saturday, like every other day of Lollapalooza, offered two headliner options — Tool on the Chicago 2016 Stage and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs across the park at the Budweiser Stage. Unlike Depeche Mode’s slimmed-down audience the previous night, the crowd for Tool had been growing since midday, and was paralyzed by the time the ‘90s mainstays hit the stage. The band, who surprised many by hitting the festival circuit this year after a long drought of performances, started their set several minutes early —just enough to irritate Animal Collective fans at the adjacent stage, as the experimental pop band was practically drowning in the thick syrup of Tool’s near industrial-strength rock compositions.
Tool packed its set with an arsenal of fan favorites, from “Stinkfist” to “Forty-Six & Two” and “Schism,” and the approving applause was nearly as loud as the songs themselves. On the stage, the band was decked in white ensembles with dark backdrops and menacing video footage that made the perfect contrast. Vocalist Maynard James Keenan was at perfect pitch, and successfully used his rich voice to balance aggressive riffs and Danny Carey’s ruthless beats. “We’ve just gotten clearance — it’s OK for you to take off your clothes now,” Keenan said to the sweaty crowd, and no doubt some people followed suit, both to cool down and to celebrate the long-awaited return of the alterna-metal leaders, who closed out Day Two with the bang heard round the park. — Selena Fragassi
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For more photos from Lollapalooza Day 2, visit Venus Zine’s Flickr page
Day One of Lollapalooza 2009: Girls rule the park, and Crystal Castles... showed up
Day Three of Lollapalooza 2009: Skin, strings, and stories coalesce
Issue #35
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