Finally, that brings me back to the last day of Lolla 09. Sunday was even hotter than the day before, with a heat index pushing close to 110, but there was also a full plate of excellent acts lined up. It would be a long, but amazing day.
Like before we got into the park about 1:00 and claimed an excellent stage side spot for Bat For Lashes. I’ve been listening to this band for a couple month and really digging her Kate Bush-esque combination of intimate, almost spooky vocals against driving rhythm and lush arrangements. Just as the set was getting underway, I noticed that our prime spot right on the rail was directly across from a massive stack of bass amps. Thankfully we had ear plugs, because the bass was so strong, I felt my insides liquefying. I guess everything worked together just right – the crushing bass, her ethereal voice, the blazing sun, and our unobstructed view – because it was awesome.
After Bat for Lashes, we walked to the next stage over to catch the second half of the Cage the Elephant show. This was a case where my expectations weren’t high at all, but I wanted to swing by and see their single “Ain’t No Rest For the Wicked”. Turns out, these boys from Kentucky put on quite a show. I think I saw about four songs and the band was completely in the moment. Their lead singer went completely berserk by the end, and not only jumped the rail to crowd surf, and continue singing, with his corded mic – no, he went so far to stand up on the crowd and deliver a few lines. Epic performance, sir!
Next up was an act I had a curious interest to see, Dan Deacon. I’ve listened to some of his tracks and he does cool experimental stuff, but as a recording it’s a bit challenging. Many of his pieces percolate into huge walls of sounds and it can be fatiguing on the ears. But live, he was AWESOME. He started the set with about a dozen people on stage – primarily drummers, synths, and mallet percussion. Something about his wall of sound worked perfectly with Lolla. All those sonic textures blowing around in the big, open park. His audience grew larger and larger. And so did his band as he brought out a group of marching brass and more drummers.
Dan’s also a master of audience participation. He turned thousands of watchers into performers. At one point he orchestrated a human tunnel which grew and twisted through the throngs in the field. When the tunnel came close, I jumped in as well, first as part of an enormous conga line running through the tunnel of arms, then hands raised forming more tunnel when we reaching the end. And then back though. In the pure chaos and congestion of bodies that is Lolla, this random, but cooperative feat was just really unexpected. I started his set with with curiosity, and by the end I was blown away.
I had every intention of catching Passion Pit next, but the heat was intense and D and I were ready for a break before the evenings big shows. We spent about 45 minutes lying in the grass listening to Vampire Weekend on the next stage over. Later, as the Vampire fans cleared out from the big stage, I grabbed a sweet spot just behind a person on the rail for the next act. There are acts you never expect to see, and this was certainly one of them, Snoop Dogg.
From the moment Mr. Dogg hit the stage with “Next Episode” the party was on. The crowd that amassed was huge, absolutely going crazy, and by the low lying clouds, I’d say they made Snoop feel right at home. Classic hit after hit brought us back to the hip-hop of the 90’s. There was a full live band and DPG was on stage, backing him up like they did on The Chronic in `92. Snoop did a tribute to Tupac (actually one of my favorite rap songs), led a east side / west side (of the crowd) battle, and he even broke out a cover of House of Pain’s “Jump Around”.
And finally, the last headliner, The Killers, closed out the festival. Jane Addiction was playing at the other end of the park, but we had just seen them on the NIN|JA tour, plus we regrettably missed The Killers at Lolla 05. Their show was as grand and fun as their home city, Las Vegas. Frontman Brandon Flowers had great energy and they sounded great. D and I had a blast singing along.
Every Lollapalooza we’ve been to (4 of em now) has been a great time, but this was right up with the first one back in 1991. I think Sunday alone was worth the ticket price, not to mention we saw Depeche just 2 nights earlier. Festivals like this are truly exhausting – long days in the sun, on your feet, fighting for good vantage points, and paying too much for food. Can’t wait to do it again 😉
Tags: concerts
Did you flash your WO gang symbol in front of Snoop!?!?
Fo shizzle! And he flashed his right back 🙂