10 Reasons Lollapalooza is THE U.S. Music Fest of the Summer
by Matt Priest

5. A CHANCE TO UNDO THE EVILS OF RAP/NÜ-METAL

Long before bands like Limp Bizkit, Insane Clown Posse, Orgy and Gravity Kills nearly ruined it for everyone, Rage Against the Machine and Nine Inch Nails were cranking out strikingly original, fiery, metallic twists on hip-hop and industrial dance music, respectively. But as is the case just about anytime someone comes up with a one-of-a-kind sound, a parade of followers proceeded to pilfer its most superficial elements and saturate the radio with their own watered down versions. But it would be unfair to let their sins tarnish the reputations and accomplishments of two bands that were instrumental in bringing out the harder, rebellious edges of the 90’s alternative revolution. Both have been a bit outside of the public consciousness lately; though the aims of his music haven’t changed a great deal, it does seem that Trent Reznor has inched closer to becoming one with his recording studio, placing less emphasis on releasing danceable singles, making arresting videos and touring, and more on the creation of recorded output… most recently, an album of dense, instrumental soundscapes. And Rage, until its reunion at last year’s Coachella (of course), was nonexistent for seven years, as 3/4 of its members pursued unmemorable hard rock with ex-Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell in Audioslave. Meanwhile, frontman Zack De La Rocha supposedly toiled over a solo full length, working on material with producers like DJ Shadow, DJ Muggs, ?uestlove and incidentally, Reznor, though few of those efforts ever saw the light of day.

But playing a large Midwestern festival like Lolla puts a band in front of tons of people, many of whom are meat and potatoes music fans who might appreciate their work, but perhaps haven’t followed their every move closely. So I’d expect both bands to revisit the high points of their careers, taking a moment to enjoy the fact that they’ve outlived most of the copycats that once threatened to soil their names. Although in light of the decidedly artistic approach Trent has been taking lately, he may end up surprising everyone and doing something unusual instead. Should be interesting. Like NIN, Rage was featured on an early Lollapalooza line-up. In fact, they were the very first band of the day at 1993’s festival and it was impressive to watch the then-unknowns flail about wildly, delivering a blistering set and incendiary political views to the unprepared crowds just wandering in. The sight of them returning to Chicago for the first time in over a decade, to an audience that’s actually familiar with their music and potentially as pissed at the current administration as they are, might just resemble a rock n’ roll riot.

4. A GOOD CAUSE AND FAIR TICKET PRICES WITHOUT SERVICE FEES

Attempting to deliver a "green" festival these days has become (thankfully) pretty par for the course. Lollapalooza is not alone in insisting on the use of environmentally sustainable options throughout its grounds: generators running on biodiesel fuel, reusable souvenir cups, compostable plates, recycled paper goods, biodegradable merchandise bags, etc. A number of festival websites this year also provide ticket buyers with the chance to spend a few extra bucks in order to "offset their carbon impact." But what does separate Lolla from many other festivals is that each year, a sizable percentage of its profits go to a great cause, Chicago’s Parkways Foundation. The money is used to support community gardening, youth programs and various park improvement projects and in 2007, the festival contributed over $1 million (up from $400,000 in 2005). Sure, that may have been one of the city’s requirements, when agreeing to the use of Grant Park. But regardless of whose idea it was, it’s a good one.

And even with that fundraising built-in, the tickets are still priced fairly. While $190-$205 for a 3-day pass is certainly nothing to scoff at, it’s a pretty reasonable price when one realizes it would most likely cost that much to see any three of the headliners, alone. The price also looks good when compared to the cost of attending other likeminded festivals, such as Coachella ($269), Bonnaroo ($244.50) or All Points West ($258). And unlike those, with a Lollapalooza ticket, what you see is what you get; there aren’t any additional service fees tacked on to your purchase.

3. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

While many of the nation’s most talked-about festivals take place near one coast or the other, Lollapalooza has wisely chosen to set up camp in the middle of a city, located in the middle of the country. Of all the festival cities, not only is Chicago probably the easiest to reach for most Americans, either by plane, train or automobile… but even within the city, the downtown festival spot is centrally-located and widely accessible from all of the surrounding areas by numerous methods, including cars, bikes and public transportation. And could you ask for a better backdrop than beautiful Grant Park? With the city’s majestic skyline running along one side of the festival, the seemingly infinite Lake Michigan on the other and the majestic Buckingham Fountain smack dab in the middle of it all, it’s nearly impossible to look in any direction without seeing something magnificent. All that, plus the fact that it’s simply a terrific city for sightseeing and just general hanging out before and after the fest, makes it hard to argue with Mr. Farrell’s choice of Chicago.

2. CHICAGO’S MUSIC

From blues legend Buddy Guy, soul crooner Sam Cooke and house maverick Derrick Carter, to guitar heroes Cheap Trick, industrial flag bearers Ministry and alt. rock gods Smashing Pumpkins, Chicago’s rich, musical history pretty much speaks for itself. But for some reason, even though Chi-town’s mark on today’s music world is still as strong as ever, it feels like its current crop of artists hasn’t been so clearly associated with the city itself. From jazz wunderkind Dave Douglas, emo-punk popsters Fall Out Boy and post-rock innovators Tortoise, to funky jam banders Umphrey’s McGee, atmospheric metalheads Pelican and king of the slow jam, R. Kelly, Chicago’s presence can be felt in nearly every corner of the medium. But the city still seems to have to work harder than some to get the credit it deserves for being a first class music town.

But two names that are bringing quite a bit of attention to this fare city are Kanye West and Wilco, Lollapalooza artists that one could argue exist at the very top of the heap within their respective genres. Kanye’s intelligent, dancefloor-packing hip-hop manages to out-pop most of today’s best pop music and should get everyone within earshot up on their feet and participating in the biggest dance party Grant Park has ever seen. And Wilco, who deftly balance thoughtful lyrics and fiercely melodic songwriting with sonic experimentation and red hot riffs, are often referred to as the greatest American rock band playing today… and rightfully so. Their set should pack a hefty musical wallop as it rolls over their notoriously loyal fans and out onto Lake Michigan. There are few more satisfying festival moments than seeing hugely successful artists such as those return from the outside world to play a hometown show for the people and fans that gave them their start way back when. So I expect these Lollapalooza performances to fit squarely amongst their best. And if you’re looking for other promising Chicago talent on the Lolla roster, you really can’t go wrong with Lupe Fiasco, a sharp-tongued Kanye protégé, old school throwback rappers Kid Sister and The Cool Kids and the insanely catchy glam-pop outfit OFFICE.

1. RADIOHEAD

Probably the greatest live show I’ve ever seen was Radiohead’s 2001 performance in a wide-open field, nestled in the heart of downtown Chicago. Fresh off the release of the release of Amnesiac, every moment of the set felt perfect, from the ferocious opening of "National Anthem" to the closing echoes of "Street Spirit (Fade Out)." There was a pervasive feeling in the air that they were just beginning to settle into their newfound status as an anomaly within modern music: an ambitious, progressive art-rock band capable of drawing both tens of thousands of fans and heaps of praise from the critics simultaneously. With the skyline behind them a sea of hushed, intent listeners in front of them, it’s one of those shows I’m constantly lamenting not forcing everyone I knew to attend.

Since then, Radiohead’s iconic status as a living, breathing concept has grown to otherworldly proportions. Much has been made of last year’s surprise, "pay what you want" digital release of their In Rainbows record. And whether or not it proves to be the supposed "death blow" to music retail as we know it remains to be seen. But it’s a terrific record and it’s the playing on it that I hope will be remembered down the road. As much as I’ve enjoyed the fearless Radiohead that has immersed itself in the endless possibilities of the recording studio for it’s previous three albums (Kid A, Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief), this is the first record of theirs in some time that sounds like a collection of songs being played a band, rather than a collection of ideas being recorded by a group of artists. With their contentious Capitol contract finally behind them, the ultra-serious Radiohead of yesterday seems to have been replaced by a happier one… one that’s having fun playing music together, as evidenced in part, by the goofy, impromptu performances they’ve been streaming on their website this year. I can’t imagine this will do anything but elevate their playing and provide us with another, completely different take on this intriguing beast of a band. This year’s Lollapalooza has tons to offer - and does so for a fair price, in a great spot that should be tempting to most any music fan. But all of that aside, it’s Radiohead’s headlining appearance on the opening night of the festival that looks to be *the* can’t-miss performance of the summer. I can’t wait...