Lollapalooza 2006 - Day 3 (8/6/06)

Day 3:

Sparta
Benevento/Russo Duo
30 Seconds to Mars
The Shins
Of Montreal
Queens of the Stone Age
Broken Social Scene
Red Hot Chili Peppers

Was there really a third day to this monstrous festival??? Waking up and getting ready on Sunday was difficult. I mean writing about Lollapalooza is exhausting, so you can imagine what it must have been like to go all three days. And the third day took the most effort. But Dave and I managed to get to the AT&T stage by 12:30 pm for Sparta’s set. So what can I say about Sparta? After their guitarist (Paul Hinojos) jumped ship last year to join the Mars Volta, I thought it might be the end of the line for them. Their debut album Wiretap Scars was among my favorite albums from my college years, and represented the thunderous drive and tight songwriting from At The Drive-In (whereas The Mars Volta represented the experimentation and progression). But, they got a new dude to man the guitar, so this might not be a closed case. Their music thus far has a tone of worldly importance, carrying the weight of all the chaos since the turn of this century. It was comforting to hear their older material (like “Cut Your Ribbon” and “Glasshouse Tarot”) played with the same edginess and determination as always. In fact, some older songs even sounded better, as if Hinojos had been a loose thread in the patchwork. Unfamiliar songs weren’t immediately catchy though. But the point is that this group hasn’t lost my faith quite yet (despite their almost too smooth sophomore effort Porcelain). So rock on, you Texans, and you will likely find me in your audience wherever you play. Unless Threes is completely terrible. In that case, nevermind.

I had heard of Benevento/Russo Duo among jam band crowds in the last couple years. I think I missed their set at All Good Festival 2005 in West Virginia. But my brother saw them at last year’s Wicker Park Summer Festival in Chicago. So going in, I expected a somewhat eclectic mix of keyboard/synth/drums with a tendancy for improvisation. And that is more or less what I heard at their 2:15 pm set on the AMD stage. The first thought that came to mind while watching them is that they make good driving music. I would pop their CD in while driving down the Pacific coast (on the trip I’ve been planning in my mind for over a year now). They throw in pieces of Phil Collins and Hall and Oates during fits of autumnal grandeur on songs like “Something for Rockets,” “Best Reason to Buy the Sun,” and “Soba.” They may suffer a little from not having a vocalist, but most of the time they make enough noise to get by. And Benevento/Russo Duo could appeal to indie electronic fans despite their experimental abilities and jam band history. In fact, they kind of remind me of Caribou (especially the Up In Flames album) in a good way. If all this messiness sounds cool, be sure to check them out.

At my brother’s request, we checked out 30 Seconds to Mars on the Q101 Stage at 3:30 pm. They play radio friendly alternative rock, but it’s sometimes entertaining and never annoying. The highlight of their show (and the real reason I’m mentioning them) is because of a stunt frontman Jared Leto pulled mid-set, when he spontaneously climbed the stage and sang a song from about 50 feet off the ground. That took balls. Big balls. Watching this I couldn’t help but think of him getting his face beat to a pulp in “Fight Club”, or losing his arm after a heroin related infection in “Requiem For A Dream.” I wondered if he would slip and fall, only to splatter his brains on the stage. It’s not that I wanted him to fall, but it definitely added some suspense to the show. The dude looked like Luke Skywalker for crissake! But those 15 year old girls in the front row were probably ready to catch him, or at least break his fall. Okay, enough of that.

The Shins played all the way at the north end Bud Light stage at 4:30 pm. Keep in mind, this is the same place The Flaming Lips had detonated the previous evening. I had high expectations for this group, given my emotional connection with the music they’ve released to date. What happened in that hour, though, was the biggest let down of the weekend. I now realize that their music is better fitted for poolside lounging, or even skiing snowy mountains – NOT for playing to thousands of fans at a jumbo music festival. Given that I have little positive to say about their show, I’ll stop here. I will say that I hope to someday see them at a smaller, indoor venue.

I returned to the AMD Stage at 5:00 pm to see Of Montreal. Finally! They are a group to which I can give full-out, unmitigated praise. But I knew what I was in for, having seen them at Metro on March 10. They showed up complete in funky costumes ready to entertain not only dedicated fans, but also random passers-by and food court frequenters. Of Montreal take their love of psychedelic pop and turn into a twisted dance party. Not to mention Kevin Barnes random babbling is hilarious, and succeeds at drawing everyone into his colorful alternate universe of sound. I’ve already spoken many kind words about this group, so I’ll try and contain myself. I did hear that their song is featured in an Outback Steakhouse commercial, and I’ll let the absurdity of that slide for now. This show showed me the true potential of this band, given the right exposure. I’ll have to hold on tight while I can, because a major label could grab them at any time!

I’d just like to issue a public “screw you” to Queens of the Stone Age. I hate them. They’re terrible and should not have been given a main stage slot on any day. But staying true to my promise for Lollapalooza coverage, I will not dwell on that. What can I say? There was a lot of great music on Sunday, but also a lot of abhorrent crap.

The climax of the entire festival occurred during Broken Social Scene’s WAY TOO SHORT 45 minute set at 7:30 pm on the Q101 Stage. I knew to expect good things from his group, but WOW! Like David said, “I’ve never seen anything like that before.” The stage was occupied with six to sixteen players at different points in the show, which included every single member of the collective. Thank goodness that Feist showed up, or I would have cried. The truth is that their set had me almost in tears anyways. As they played, the setting sun cast an orange tone on their faces and the summer breeze blew through their hair. All the men had beards (the primary reason that I’m now growing one) and were adorned with bandanas on their necks. All the women (including Amy Millan of Stars) had on summer dresses. At times 4 people took on horns, or 3 people just played tambourine. They made no sacrifices, and put everything they could into that short stretch of time. I was overwhelmed by how well the miniature orchestra operated. They played well known songs like “7/4 Shoreline” and “Fire Eyed Boy,” but then some amazing songs that I can’t find record of anywhere (which hopefully means a new album is in the making). Writing about them ends up as messy as their 2005 self-titled album, but from their messiness something incredible is born. BSS blew every other act into Lake Michigan and completely captivated everyone watching, resulting in a 15 minute ovation of yelling and screaming “WE WANT MORE.” Unfortunately, Mr. Ferrel showed his asshole side because he needed to introduce Red Hot Chili Peppers. Ask anyone who was there, and they will probably tell you that this group touched their soul. Broken Social Scene has now become a band that hundreds of other bands will try to be like, but never will.

Red Hot Chili Peppers brought their unsurprising (and uninspiring) California rock to the AT&T Stage at 8:30 pm. I didn’t really watch, but instead sat in the lawn coming down from the natural high I received from BSS. Now how do I conclude my coverage of Lollapalooza 2006? It was a near perfect three day musical experience. The convenience of public transportation made it much easier than a camping festival, but the city environment takes away from some of the freedom. I did at least make some peace with Chicago, a place I’ve basically hated since moving here last October. As for the festival, there were some amazing shows, and a lot of good shows. The enormous festival ground and diversity of bands probably had some people craving a more specialized festival (like the many that feature only jam bands, electronica, etc). I get the impression that this has become one of the biggest festivals in the world, which is nice, because I’ll never be too far away in Michigan. Some day I’ll make it to Coachella and SXSW. But for now, thanks goes to Mr. Ferrel for not losing his dream after the touring Lolla dwindled away. The city of Chicago truly is a better place for having such an event, and I hope it remains here for years to come.