Lollapalooza | 08.01 - 08.03 | Chicago

douche

how did you catch wilco and rage? they were at the same time

NIN looks so sick live. I'm seeing them on sunday when they headline V-fest in Baltimore. I can't wait. They have to be one of the best bands of our generation. I could definetly go for a Rage tour as well.

I also like the right butt cheek from the singer of the Brazilian Girls picture above. Very Sexy!

I was only there on Sunday, but I'v attended this thing every year since it's come to Chicago, and let me be the first to say that Lollapalooza is on the decline. TOOOOOOO many people is the first problem, and the second is how shitty the sound was. The only 2 acts I honestly enjoyed on sunday were John Butler Trio and Girl Talk. Chromeo wasn't too bad either, but that type of music isn't really my style. Other than that, Blues Traveler and GLove were a total snooze fest(as well as the begining of Gnarles Barkley), and NIN was TOTALLY drowned out by Kanye West. NIN seemed to play a good set/show, but sitting on my blanket about 100feet or so away from the stage, all I could hear was Kanye. Anyhow, there would have been NO problems during Rage had they only sold 3day passes, you can tell by the picks of the crowd on lolla.com that the people there for Rage were NOT the same crowd that showed up on Sunday. At the same time, though, Don't know how The organizers didn't predict something like that happening. To me, it seemed kind of obvious that all hell would break loose and lots of people would end up getting injured. Hopefully next year they tone down the lineup/ticket prices/and capacity.

Watched a few sets online Friday - yeasayer coninures to amaze me even streaming in a cube. I thought you three did a bang-up job on this review - really covered a ton! I'm pschyed for 2 night of Radiohead in NJ and ready to kick a heal up at Chromeo.

this looks like a very interesting festival. with most of the talk about kanye west, girl talk, and gnarles bakley.. i just dont see its place on JAMbase.- As in jam band music, but thats what popular music is today. it sucks

I went Sunday, and it was the worst festival ive been to this summer (Ive attended summer camp and Rothbury.) If this festival wasnt in the heart of Chicago, prob would be the worst festival in history. But what i love about this festival (ive gone the last two years) is that I do not spend a dime. Last year there was an opening in the fence and we walked in and this year we were let into the staff entrance (with a 30 rack of busch!) Last year was awesome with pearl jam and this year was VERY VERY VERY weak sauce..I missed most of john butler trios set, G-love may have been my fav band of the night which isnt saying much, Blues traveler was tight but the sound was terrible and you could hardley hear them considering the stages at this festival are way way too close (I mean you dont get that much room being in the heart of chicago, but come on this fest is too big for this park, they def need to downsize because you can't even hear the bands). Girl Talk was sweet but on too small a stage and there was way to many people there (He should have taken Kanyes Spot on the main stage). And lastly Kanye Does SUCK no wonder he got booed off the stage at Bonnaroo. His light show is overrated TOO, Have you ever seen Phish's Light show? Way cooler. In the end, I do love Chicago to death, I love live music, and it is worth my time since it is free basically...I advise people to go, but DO NOT PAY FOR A TICKET, it would not be worth it.

sounds no fun.

let me start by saying that most of you bashing this festival have A) never attended it or B) are drug crazy and need to be high for a show (that goes to you blunt bisco). Lollapalooza is fucking awesome. security is the best here than at any concert or festival i have ever attended. the line up is weak? really. holy fuck was amazing, knaan was fucking rad, the black keys brought it like they always do, cat power did a great show, bloc party was fun and then radiohead hate them all you want but there fucking awesome. For day 2 Foals is a sweet band, Dr dog was ok i guess, then seeing slash and perry i mean, my god how cool. as i continue to drink my ass off and others i run into Devotchka, these guys are a blast. Then explosion in the sky , then broken social scene, then Sharon jones then rage to close the night off call me crazy but thats a fun day. Ya i am having a shitty time at this fest. Day 3. day 3 was a fucking dance party. Brazilian Girls my favorite band now, and holy fuck does she have nice legs, after them right to chromeo who brought the funk, then iron and wine who were spectacular. then a little Irish jig with flogging molly, then a little rave party with girl talk which was really fun, then seeing the national who were good. But the biggest surprise was to have NIN close out this great three day weekend, this was a great choice. never seen NIN never thought i would, but dudes they are fucking awesome. expand your music yall quit being so individual and thinking that you know the best music. ya during this fest you hear some shitty bands but you run into some of the best shows you never thought would be. and if you didnt go and you bash this your fucking lame. cant wait for next year. my predictions TOOL, TALKING HEADS, DAVID BOWIE.

All the hippies on Jambase love talking shit about Lollapalooza even though they haven't heard half of the music that's there. Broaden your fucking horizons.

^Amen. And props to Vann, Rubenstein and Roach for one of the best festival reports on JamBase this year. Critical when warranted but still the work of music lovers with open minds. Right on...

couldn't agree more eric... bluntsnbisco wow

Talking Heads in Chicago's Grant Park = Better than Sex

no offense (seeing as i actually like wilco) but how could you miss RATM for wilco? i mean they play chicago shows all the time...the rage set is something ill never forget, was worth the 3 day pass alone

I almost died during Rage, I suppose that's what happens when you have 50,000 people with G.A. at a show like that...

lol at girltalk taking Kanye's place on the mainstage. please burninpig write more, its pretty entertaining. comparing kanye's production to kuroda's lights, bwahhh!

overall highlights were broken social scene (although the last time they played lolla was better), booka shade - it surpassed my already high expectations - they definitely know how to peak. The VHS or Beta dj set was awesome, they were bringing the dance party with some disco funk. Oh and almost forgot - Rage kicked ass!

eric, couldnt agree LESS...dont know many of the bands there...come on, are you a music snob? I think so...I love me some RAGE but goddamn I would not wanted to be in that pit...I just dont associate pits and festis...Eric call me a hippe who needs to broaden my horizons...Blunts and bisco...I wish Radiohead would play their catalog in some field for days cause I'd be there over any other fest...although i did think i saw them in sherwood.

Good idea for next year......OFFICIAL WALK-WAYS!!!!! It was just one big clusterfuck of people all day long. also, more port-a-johns, only cause i'd rather have too many than not enough.

well I've heard of many of these bands that played, so I have "broadend my horizions", but the deal is, most of those bands suck dick. Waste of time...there were some great bands, but if people are saying G-love is the best show they saw, then the festival was a suck fest. I do have to say this...BLACK KEYS FUCKIN RULE, I would love to see them.

i do all the festivals.. and i agree lolla lineup is not the best... on Friday all the cell phones and texting went down and nobody could reach anybody.. for hours... disaster... esp for the teenage kids trying to get a ride home... it was pretty sad...

The Battles stole the show......

Tell me that Kanyes Lights are way overrated.....They def are and he's a bitch. Who goes on like 8 hours late at bonnaroo because of there lights? That states hes and entertainer not a musician. I would have paid triple the ticket price at bonnaroo to have Phil not have gotten off that stage and played straight through kanyes set, im sure the whole crowd would have preferred that. Phish's light show > Kanyes "production"

my buddy chose this over vibes, insanity

^ Your insane if you think vibes is better than Lolla.

quit trying to compare lolla to any festival because you cant.

I had a blast.

Mind you I got the $60 gold rush ticket, but I really enjoyed myself.

Saw so much music I've never heard before and the weather was great.

I enjoyed the side stages much more then the mainstage acts.

I don't understand why people bash this fest?

But then, I don't understand why people think music is about being "better" then other bands.

Wake up people, music is not a sport, there are no winners and losers.

It just is,...and you'll be surprised when you drop your ego and open yourself up to a new experience and sound.

Great review Jambase.

Looks like a lot of fun. SO RATM was pretty crazy there, I'm interested about them playing Minneapolis the same day as the Republican National Convention!

gamecat look at the name of this site JAMBASE, "JAM" a majority of the peeps on this site are f-ing hippies and that is why everyone is bashing this fest. Jam bands forever! F*CK Kanye too.

Lolla was a blast this year. all these haters only appreciate crusty jambands and this fest had a great, extremely diverse, line up. i dig radiohead and electronic music...so this fest was a fuckin blast. and the writer of Take One (the first review of each day) did a wonderful job. very well written!

Maybe Bluntsnbisco420 should start his/her own festival on the East Coast with all the other dirty Bisco Wooks and stupid electronica dome pulsing music that demands mass amounts of pressies to enjoy the music! Wait a second, oh yeah, they already have a festival like that it is called Camp Bisco!

The music at lolla was great this year... but this was the worst fuckin fest i have ever been to. the crowd was way too big, everyone was acting like an asshole, and there was garbage everywhere. Is it really that hard to hold on to your empty cup until you find a garbage can?

Bluntsnbico might be the stupidest person on the planet next to George W.

If you like jam - Great, if you like electronic - excellent, at the end of the day the back and forth is always entertaining and its nice to see that the passion for live music spills over onto the iNet chat.

As far as Jambase being a jam only site - well common folks embrace a bit of change. It's what carries music fwd.

This pad(jambase) is like a good hippie crash - open, full of freaks, ready to let in a kind stranger or that sketchy dude with the killer green. When its all said and done its great to see that people will argue or fight for what they believe in - music.

This review is too good to let slip by without a second thought about some of these other bands you may or may not be so familiar w/.

I'm sure deep down inside all of us we'll bob our heads to a few notes from the Biscuits just the same as we'd sway side to side for Wilco or toss horns and shake to RATM.

Don't turn a blind eye to bands like Dr. Dog, Chromeo, Broken Social scene Yeasayer - Many of these bands are throwing down on stage with as much passion and fervor as Widespread Panic at Oak Mtn, Phish in Limestone maine, UM in Chicago,

The way Leftover Salmon would play in CO or Blues Traveler would rock the Horde.

No worries either way - just try a few suggestions from the authors picks - if they work for you cool - if not is seeing live music all that bad?

Looks like a fun time... Too bad I was in Chicago a week before Lolla. Sabina Sciubba is sooooooo hot. One day I will see the Brazilian Girls and attempt to work my magic. Can't say it's been working that well the past month haha

And George W. looks like a fun person to hang out with. But while he is funny and would be a blast to drink a few or smoke one with, he is not someone I'd want running the country. Also, I'm not sure why Flogging Molly doesn't get more credit on the jam scene. Just a little bluegrass infused with punk and some metal. Amazing music.

AWESOME FESTIVAL. I will make it there one day. chicago is THE SHIT ! looks like a beautiful setting for a festival. awesome lineup as well. and more AWESOME shot of sabina from brazillian girls !!! rock on.

How's this for expanding your horizons. Don't forget the music that started the festival scene IE..... JAZZ , FOLK , COUNTRY ROCK , BLUEGRASS , AND OF COURSE GOOD OL FASHION ROCK N ROLL. I think toestothenose makes a very valid point. We all shake that thing to a little bit of everything, but THE MUSIC GENRES ABOVE ALL CAME BEFORE ELECTRONICA, HEAVY METAL, AND HIP-HOP. LIFE IS TO SHORT TO BITCH, ENJOY IT!

bluntsnbisco, you sir, have reached a new low. for the love of music man, don't ever comment on anything ever again. thank you, from all of us.

nice work covering the fest this time around, it's good to finally see multiple writers making contributions. sounds like the crowd and the noise bleed issues made things a bit tough, which is a shame because there were plenty of quality acts to see. i really don't think you can argue that because if there was something you didn't like on one stage you could easily find something worthwhile at another stage.

Great pics and good review, nice to have a knowledgable writer for a big fest like this. Looks like sweaty fun in windy city. Its too bad so many "jamband" fans have limited taste and think going outside their 'genre' is watching a bluegrass show or something of the like. RATM and NIN totally kick ass live. Talk about rockin' out!!!

Glad Perry Ferrell is still expanding people's musical horizons, 17 years after the first lolla. Kudos to that little rock star!

amaaaazing show. does anybody know why leemajor7th canceled?

I was on the rock & recycle crew, and I was appalled by how many cups got left on the ground after crowds dispersed to the next stage. There were sooo many people there - a lot more than 2006 and 2007. I am really glad that I did not pay for this ticket and got to volunteer. But seeing RAGE and Battles and John Butler Trio and Flogging Molly and DeVotchKa and Iron and Wine and Explosions in the Sky and The Black Keys was certainly worth the 12 hours of work I did. Fuck Kanye! I boycotted his show cause of that stunt he pulled at Roo... who does he think he is?

But the best part of the festival for me was the unexpected appearance of the Christmas on Mars movie, by the Flaming Lips! It wasn't scheduled to be shown at lolla, and I figured I would be stuck waiting for the DVD release, but I got to see it!!! and I got my mind warped. the 'cid from the guy who went to rothbury as well really helped! if you're reading this, thanks a lot!

You don't get any of the festival feeling at a concert like that. All you get is bullshit, you have to spend a lot more money, and with single day passes being sold you get shit like what happened for Rage! NOT A GOOD FEST. WORST THAN ROO

By the way! Don't forget that Bisco played Lollapalooza in 2006 along with Bumphrey's Mcgee, and STS9 played last year. I was disappointed this year that there weren't any bona fide "jambands" on the lineup this year.

All that said, Summer Camp and Rothbury were wayy better!

Oh and not that I don't think Biscoblunt isn't a moron, freedom of speech is for everyone! At least we know what he likes, hippie festivals, with JAMBANDS, this is jambase.com for christ sakes!!

Great bands...Shit ton of people. People suck! Music good!

What is with Hipster's? They really suck and there were way too many at the fest.

I love a lot of these bands, but that's just too damn many people. Give me a half dozen great bands, a handfull of good ones, a tent, a field, and 8,500 of my closest friends anyday. That's just me. Thumbs down me now.

I think I'm officially in love with the author of this. She seems like a badass and I thought this was very well written. Looks like very good times. The only thing missing was moe..

Great review - good photos.

Great Fest - too humid and too crowded for Radiohead - but I mean c'mon - it's radiohead!!!! Highlights: Broken Social Scene, Racontours, Sharon Jones, NIN, Rage, Radiohead, Spank Rock, CSS, Okkervil, Iron and Wine, Gnarls, National, MGMT, BLACK KEYS!!!! oh, too many to list. I thought this line-up was going to be weaker than last years (at least as far as mid-level bands) but a lot of great groups stepped up and put on stellar performances. You can't compare this to 10K or Vibes - different crowd, different mentality, love them both, they're just not the same.

they didn't review booka shade. jambase, i have lost all faith in you

I don't care what anybody else says or thinks, but this festival was absolutely amazing. The band lineup was too good to be true. I'm a huge dead-head and the fact that I could go to a big festival like this without any hippy/jambands and come out as stunned as I was, speaks volumes. Radiohead was insane, but I was more blown away by NIN...and i'm not even a fan. I thought everything about it was great except for the damn tipping for beer! The vibes were high and even though there were those drunken-idiots(which is at any concert/festival) it was the greatest festival in my mind for many years to come. And for all you complainers out there for how hot, humid, and too crowded it was - have you ever heard of Woodstock. 75,000 people a day is not that bad, so quit your bitchin'. The more, the merrier, i'm mean it is a FESTIVAL! I can't wait for Outside Lands and Voodoo Fest baby! It's a great year for MUSIC!

BADASS festival. Not a jam festival, get that in your heads already. Radiohead, NIN, and Ratm were great. My only complaint is the lack of nugs bein sold, but like I said its not a jam fest. You gotta bring shit with you and watch out for pokies. Security is laid back, they dont go thru your shit. There were plenty of minds bein blown. Radiohead was the only night that wasn't extremely intense. NIn and Rage smashed and suffocated me to the point of death and it was fuckin great.

WE LOVE YOU, ROBYN RUBENSTEIN!!!

i miss you already.

Gosh Rubi did such a good job writing this!

I totally understood how she felt during the radiohead set - she described it perfectly.

she will be missed!