Lollapalooza Day 2: Going back in time
It’s unofficially ‘80s day at Lollapalooza Saturday, as if every band or artist is under strict orders to play an influential track from their childhood or from some half-remembered MTV special.
Soul revivalists Fitz and the Tantrums covered the Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” Dom reached back for the Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry,” Local Natives did up Talking Heads, and Cee-Lo Green paid homage to the Violent Femmes and Billy Idol.
As the egregious “Flesh for Fantasy” wafted over sun-drenchedGrant Park, the time machine hit rock bottom and we rushed back to join the 21st Century with Lykke Li. The Swedish singer and her band, dressed all in black like cast members in an Ingmar Bergman film, delivered plaintive ballads and big-beat heartbreak songs. She was one of the day’s genuine stars, a case of a performer who made the most of playing in front of a larger-than-usual audience.
The ‘80s theme was punctuated by the genuine article, Big Audio Dynamite. The group’s pioneering blend of funk, rock and electronic sampling still sounded fresh in the big outdoor setting, with former Clash guitarist Mick Jones still in fighting trim as he played some slashing guitar lines. And his partner Don Letts remained the guru of cool, his dreadlocks still untrimmed from decades ago.
On Sunday, the nostalgia trip back to the new-wave era will continue with the Cars, but they’ll have to amp up the energy considerably from their Riviera appearance a few months ago to match B.A.D.’s set.
Up next: Eminem. If he stays with the ‘80s theme, how about doing up the Beastie Boys’ “Eggman”?
Disappears, Typhoon bring the rain
Disappears gets Saturday off to a rousing start with thundering bass lines and trancy beats from “fill-in” drummer Steve Shelley, who is taking a break from Sonic Youth to help out the Chicago quartet. With its reverbing vocals and guitars, and rhythms riding down the Autobahn first paved by German art-rockers Neu, Disappears plays under a thick blanket of gray.
“Check it out, we brought the clouds,” the band says, and then makes a sound big enough to sound like the voice of doom descending. The rain that follows seems inevitable, but it doesn’t linger for long.
The humidity is thick, but Typhoon – a 12-piece mini-orchestra from Portland – cuts through it with songs colored by horns and strings. The pensive melodies blossom with the aid of reggae and South American grooves and syncopated hand-claps. The tree-lined BMI stage where Typhoon plays, along with the similarly scaled Google stage are especially conducive to more intimate listening experiences.
They stand in contrast to Perry’s, the dance tent that has become party central in downtown Chicago this weekend. The crowds were so thick Friday that promoters removed a few panels from the roof this morning to improve the air circulation.
Meanwhile, the early crowd is already gathering at the foot of the main stageat the south end of Hutchinson Field in anticipation of this evening’s headlining performance by Eminem.
greg@gregkot.com
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