Lollapalooza Saturday: Choose or Die

Posted: August 6th, 2009 | Author: Brian | Filed under: Chicago, Uncategorized, festival, indie rock, pop | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

As usual, Lolla chunks up bands in weird ways, forcing us to make excruciating decisions for one hour and then have a futile choice, like anything involving Coheed and Cambria.  Saturday’s a LOT tougher than Friday’s choices…


Ezra Furman & The Harpoons OR The Low Anthem

  • Araceli: I suppose I’d tag along with Brian on this one, just to see what I’m missing out in Chicago
  • Brian: I have to go local on this one.  To Ezra Furman and his unfortunate name!
  • Lille: At this point it doesn’t matter what I say, cause Ezra Furman already won. Damn majority!

Consensus: Ezra Furman & The Harpoons


Delta Spirit OR Moneypenny OR Dirty Sweet/Constantines

  • Araceli: Jesus. Lead singer of Delta has one huge ego, but they are pretty alright. Perfect background music, like say during a picnic (or bedtime like at Bonnaroo).
  • Brian: I’ll stay local.  Moneypenny (DJ’s Mother Hubbard and A-Cup) is a sweet DJ duo who also happen to be devastatingly attractive.  Then catch the end of Vancouver’s Constantines.
  • Lille: Without Moneypenny, this time slot would just be the battle of generic white boy music. Chicks rule!

Consensus: Moneypenny


Los Campesinos! OR Animal Collective DJ Set OR Atmosphere

  • Araceli: I’d opt for the AC DJ set just to see if the “spins” would be as bad as the band.
  • Brian: Los Campesinos! Any earlier than 2:30 and I wouldn’t be able to take all this Welsh Twee Sarcasm, lucky me.
  • Lille: Who wants to watch a DJ set when you can watch the whole band perform live six hours later? Los Campesinos! plays fun, happy music that makes you glad to be alive. Besides, if they weren’t fun live, they’d have a question mark punctuating their name instead.

Consensus: Los Campesinos!


Band of Horses @ Kidapalooza OR Chairlift OR Gomez

  • Araceli: Gomez is so hippie folk, and Band of Horses are crazy hot, but Chairlift is even greater.
  • Brian: Tempting as it is to see Band of Horses do kids songs, Chairlift is the show to see.  Gomez remains a footnote.
  • Lille: Chairlift! If I wanted to watch middle-aged hipsters playing songs for 5-year-olds I’d put on They Might Be Giants on Youtube, not see Band of Horses in a festival.

Consensus: Chairlift (Lille personally thinks they need their own exclamation mark, they’re that good.)

Arctic Monkeys OR Coheed and Cambria

  • Araceli: Arctic Monkeys all the way.
  • Brian: I’ll gladly take death.
  • Lille: Post-15 minutes of fame, Arctic Monkeys is a snooze-fest. So maybe I’ll scare the comic book geeks by being the only source of estrogen at a Coheed and Cambria set.

Consensus: Arctic Monkeys vs. Coheed and Cambria vs. Death (viewer’s choice)

Hercules and Love Affair DJ Set OR No Age

  • Araceli: Gag me with a spoon
  • Brian: H&LA did a DJ set last summer at the Hideout Block Party and it was AWESOME.  I recommend it, but since I saw it already I’ll be at No Age.
  • Lille: Err…

Consensus: No Age wins by ONE vote (Brian’s).


Santigold OR Glasvegas

  • Araceli: Just cause I missed a so-called good Glasvegas gig in Williamsburg, I’ll do myself a favor and check them out.
  • Brian: Meh. Santigold?  I don’t care.  But with Diplo playing later in the day there’s a good chance he’ll be the DJ for her show.  If not, I’ll just take death again here. I’ve had a change of heart.  Diplo will be with Major Lazer on Sunday.  I’ll check out Glasvegas NME has a huge boner for them.
  • Lille: Santigold, because of my inherent distrust of rock music played first in Williamsburg.

Consensus: Santigold Glasvegas


TV on the Radio OR Lykke Li OR Rise Against

  • Araceli: A lot of my (last) summer (amazing) memories are because of Lykke Li, so I shall go and say thanks.
  • Brian: TVotR.  Never seen ‘em live.  I like Lykee Li alot (*alliteration!*), but her live performance looks to be a little awkward judging by videos I’ve seen.  That said — the adorable Scandinavian-pop lovers will be at that stage.
  • Lille: I’ve seen both post-rock soundscapers TV on the Radio (awesome) and hardcore Florida natives Rise Against (equally awesome) live, but I’ve only seen Lykke Li deejay. Definitely Lykke Li.

Consensus: Lykke Li, misgivings and all


Ben Harper and Relentless7 OR Diplo OR Animal Collective

  • Araceli: I really want to say Ben Harper, just cause he’s the only legit musical craftsman but he bores me, AT TIMES, so I choose muerte.
  • Brian: I will probably catch some Diplo by leaving TV on the Radio early.  Then, Animal Collective can’t be missed.
  • Lille: I’d LOVE to see psy-rockers Animal Collective live. My friend said they were mindblowing, but he was probably on acid, so who knows, really?

Consensus: Animal Collective

Yeah Yeah Yeahs OR Tool

  • Araceli: YYY’s again?! Yeah, again.
  • Brian: I’ll do the Beastie Boys. Tool.  Yes, it will be filled with Tools, but YYY’s can’t compete with prog-doom rock… no matter how many microphones Karen O. fellates.
  • Lille: I’ve seen the YYYs more than eight times. Seven out of those eight times, I was in the mosh pit. Because I’ve never broken a bone in a (mostly female) moshpit,  I’ll watch Karen O. fellate a mic anytime.

Consensus: Yeah, yeah, YEAHS!