For the past 25+ years, Gene Ween has been one of the “brothers” making up experimental eccentrics Ween. Now, for the first time, he’s dropping the pseudonym and going solo. Though his new album is being released under his given name, Aaron Freeman, the music’s not actually his. Instead, the 13-track Marvelous Clouds features Freeman paying tribute to the songs of poet/songwriter Rod McKuen.

McKuen was a part of the 1950’s beat poet scene in San Francisco. From there, he rose to become an accomplished singer, poet, and songwriter, crafting songs for likes of Frank Sinatra to Madonna. With Marvelous Clouds, Freeman hopes to “prompt a reappraisal of McKuen,” who has lived a highly private life in recent years.

To achieve his goal and help “articulate one of his most personal efforts to-date” through McKuen, Freeman enlisted the help of Ben Vaughn, producer of Ween’s 12 Golden Country Greats. Tapping Vaughn makes sense; the solo effort leans far more towards Golden Country then, say, anything else Ween has ever done. You can hear a sample of Marvelous Clouds with a 30-second clip of the track “Jean” below, followed by a clip of McKuen performing his original of the title track.

Aaron Freeman – “Jean” (sample)

Rod McKuen – “The Marvelous Clouds”

Marvelous Clouds is out on April 10th from Partisan Records. The complete tracklist is below

Marvelous Clouds Tracklist:
01. As I Love My Own
02. Jean
03. Marvelous Clouds
04. A Man Alone
05. The Beautiful Strangers
06. Doesn’t Anybody Know My Name
07. One By One
08. Pushing The Clouds
09. The Lovers
10. Mr. Kelly
11. Love’s Been Good To Me
12. Lonesome Cities
13. The World I Used To Know

It’s been a long year. Scratch that, it’s been a veeerrrry long year. From social revolutions to the end of our occupation of Iraq, from the death of celebrities and dictators to a man who sneezes bullets and the mystery of planking, the world experienced a slew of emotions and all sorts of cultural and political upheaval in 2011. And that’s not even counting the plethora of music news that had the blogosphere abuzz this year.

So, as the question begs, what comes next? Well, 2012. If you were to believe certain factions, it’ll be the end of days. A more likely scenario, though, is that it will be another busy year, with people to meet, triumphs to celebrate, disasters to mourn, and a whole other set of memories to file away as we march perpetually onward toward the Great Unknown. A dreary prospect for sure, one that almost makes the impending Apocalypse sound warm and fuzzy. However, there is temporary respite in the form of New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve is that magic night where one year is all but over. It’s the chance to stop worrying for a moment. It’s an opportunity to celebrate surviving the last 364. It’s the start of a whole new scheme or design for the upcoming 365. Rather than chugging cheap champagne and letting off fireworks, NYE should be commemorated with the one thing that makes any year bearable: music.

As we have for every other major celebratory occasion, CoS has your back with our handy-dandy New Year’s Eve 2011 Concert Guide. From the beaches of Miami to life in the City of Angels, and everywhere between, our guide has everything you’ll need to know to see your favorite bands live. Whether you’re planning to rock out with Patti Smith at New York’s Bowery Ballroom, get freaky with The Flaming Lips and Yoko Ono in Oklahoma City, or hit up BOTH of Kaskade’s NYE shows (in two different state mind you), our guide is the only New Year’s Eve accessory you need (save for maybe a noisemaker). Plus, if you’re not one to brave the weather and the sea of drunks, we’ll tell you what you should be watching on the old boob tube. The point is, if it’s happening on NYE, it’s in this guide. Your only concern will be how to get home and/or where to pass out at the end of the night.

If we’ve missed any gathering or shindig, please let us know in the comments below. Call this a cliché bit of writing, but we’d like to leave you with some parting words from the immortal Benjamin Franklin to guide you into what lies ahead: “Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.”

See ya in 2012.

-Chris Coplan
News Editor

New York City

– AarabMUZIK, Balam Acab: 285 Kent

– Assembly of Dust: Mercury Lounge

– Avicii: Pier 34

– The Bad Plus: The Village Vanguard

– Charles Bradley, The Budos Band: Music Hall of Williamsburg

– Chuck Berry: B.B. King Blues Club

– Dark Star Orchestra: Wellmont Theatre (Montclair, NJ)

– Deadmau5: Pier 36

– Deer Tick, J. Roddy Watson and the Business, Dead Confederate: Brooklyn Bowl

– Fitz and the Tantrums: The Gramercy Theatre

– Gogol Bordello: Terminal 5

– Gov’t Mule: Beacon Theatre

– Infected Mushroom: Best Buy Theater

– The Knocks: Gansevoort Park Avenue

– Laidback Luke: Pacha

– Lee Fields & The Expressions: The Bell House

– Los Lobos: City Winery

– Matt and Kim, Super Mash Bros., Body Language: Hammerstein Ballroom

– Neru: Webster Hall

– The New Deal: B.B. King Blues Club

– New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men: Roseland Ballroom

– Nick Catchdubs: Loreley

– Nosaj Thing: Glasslands

– O’Death: Spike Hill

– Patti Smith: Bowery Ballroom

– Phish: Madison Square Garden

– Steve Lawler: District 36

– Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Maxwells (Hoboken, NJ)

Chicago

– Alkaline Trio: Metro

– Big Gigantic: Riviera Theatre

– Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears: Double Door

– Cage the Elephant, Sleeper Agent: Aragon Ballroom

– Cave: The Hideout

– Disco Biscuits, Future Rock: Auditorium Theatre

– The Hood Internet: Lincoln Hall

– Keys N Krates: Chicago Urban Art Society

– Local H: Bottom Lounge

– Murder By Death: Subterranean

– Old 97s: Intercontinental Hotel Grand Ballroom

– Rusko, Sinden, Switch: Congress Theater

– The Spits: Cobra Lounge

Los Angeles

– The Aggrolites: Alex’s Bar

– Benny Benassi, Paul Van Dyk, Kaskade, Dada Life: Anaheim Convention Center (White Wonderland)

– DJ Quik: Key Club

– Duck Sauce, Diplo, Chromeo, Felix da Housecat, The Bloody Beetroots, LA Riots: Oak Canyon Park (Together As One)

– The Henry Clay People, Races: The Satellite

– Give Up the Ghost: Ukrainian Culture Center

– Jenny and Johnny, Cults: The Standard Hollywood

– John Digweed: The Avalon

– Junkie XL: Detroit Bar

– L.A. Guns: Whisky A Go Go

– Lupe Fiasco: Hollywood & Highland Center

– Musiq Soulchild: House of Blues

– Wanda Jackson, Best Coast, Dan Sartain: Club Nokia

San Francisco

– The Fresh & Onlys, Thee Oh Sees: Brick and Mortar Music Hall

– Furthur: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

– Kreayshawn: The Regency Ballroom

– The Limousines: Rickshaw Stop

– Maceo Parker: Yoshi’s

– Santigold, Amon Tobin Islam Live, Beats Antique, Claude Von Stroke,: Concourse Exhibition Center (Sea of Dreams)

– Primus: Great American Music Hall

– The Slip: Cafe du Nord

– Sonny & The Sunsets: Amnesia

– Talib Kweli: Sloane Squared

– Tedeschi Trucks Band, The New Mastersounds: The Warfield

– Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue: The Fillmore

– X: Slim’s

– Yeasayer (DJ Set): W Hotel

– DJ Z-Trip: Fort Mason Center

London

– The 2 Bears: XOYO

– Adam Beyer: Fabric

– Ferry Corsten: Brixton Academy

– Gabby Young and Other Animals: Royal Festival Hall

– Gary Numan: All Star Lanes

– Gross Magic: The Victoria

– Joker, Brekage, Roska, Plastician, Sigma: Electric Brixon

– Kasabian, Chase & Status, Zane Lowe: The O2

– Toddla T: The Nest

– The Wedding Present: Dingwalls

Elsewhere

Aspen

– Jane’s Addiction: Belly Up

Athens (Georgia)

– MartyParty, Dubconscious: New Earth Music Hall

– of Montreal: Go Bar

– Reptar: Georgia Theatre

Atlanta

– Against Me!, Fake Problems, Franz Nicolay: The Masquerade

– Cake: Fox Theatre

– JJ Grey & Mofro: Variety Playhouse

– Kylesa: The Earl

– Naughty By Nature, Ed Kowalczyk: Hyatt Regency

– Perpetual Groove: Center Stage

– STS9: The Tabernacle

– Zac Brown Band: Philips Arena

Atlantic City

– Brand New: House of Blues

Austin

– Big Freedia: The Mohawk

– The Black Angels, Wooden Shjips, Ume: Emo’s East

– Bob Schneider, Quiet Company: Paramount Theatre

– Designer Drugs: Austin Music Hall

– Gary Clark Jr.: Antone’s

– Groupo Fantasma: Beauty Bar

– Hayes Carll: La Zona Rosa

– Penguin Prison: American Legion Hall

– Russian Circles: Red 7

– White Denim, Royal Bangs: The Empire Space

– Willie Nelson: Moody Theater

Australia

– Arctic Monkeys, Crystal Castles, Dan Deacon, The Naked and Famous: The Falls Festival (Lorne)

– Fleet Foxes, Beirut, CSS, CANT, Unknown Mortal Orchestra: The Falls Festival (Marion Bay)

Baltimore

– Carbon Leaf: Hyatt Regency

– SOJA: Baltimore Soundstage

Boston

– David Wax Museum: Lizard Lounge (Cambridge, MA)

– Lucero: Paradise

– New York Dolls: New England Conservatory

Charlotte (North Carolina)

– Widespread Panic: Time Warner Cable Arena

Dallas

– Girl Talk, Ghostland Observatory, MSTRKRFT, Neon Indian, Pendulum (DJ Set): Lights All Night

– The Polyphonic Spree, Centro-matic: House of Blues

– Quinton and Miss Pussycat: Zubar

Denver

– Flux Pavilion, Doctor P: Colorado Convention Center

– Gauntlet Hair, Pictureplane: The Larmier Lounge

– Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad: Cervantes’ Other Side

– Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Orgone: Cervatnes Ballroom

– Ladytron (DJ Set): City Hall

– Pretty Lights: 1stBANK Center (Broomfield, CO)

– Railroad Earth: Ogden Theatre

– Truckasauras: The Summit

– Ween: The Fillmore

Detroit

– The Detroit Cobras: Magic Stick

– Greensky Bluegrass, The Macpodz: Majestic Theatre

– Maze featuring Frankie Beverly: Masonic Temple

Greenville (South Carolina)

– The Avett Brothers: Bi-Lo Center

Houston

– Blue October: House of Blues

– Christopher Lawrence: Stereo Live

– Young Jeezy: Reliant Arena

Lake Tahoe

– Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, Thievery Corporation, The Glitch Mob, Childish Cambino, A-Trak, Theophilus London, YACHT: Snowglobe Music Festival

Las Vegas

– Chris Brown: Pure Nightclub

– Guns N’ Roses, Sebastian Bach: The Joint

– John Legend: Pearl Concert Theater

– Kaskade: Marquee

– NOFX, Lagwagon: House of Blues

– Paul Oakenfold: Rain

– Steve Angello: XS Nightclub

– Stevie Wonder: Cosmopolitan

Louisville (Kentucky)

– The Pass: Butchertown Pub Studios

Miami

– The Heavy Pets: Tobacco Road

– Spam All-Stars: The Catalina Hotel

Minneapolis

– Dawes: Varsity Theater

– EOTO: Skyway Theater

Milwaukee

– Skrillex, Dillon Francis: The Rave

Nashville

– Bassnectar: Bridgestone Arena

– Moon Taxi, Apache Relay: Exit/In

New Orleans

– Big Sam’s Funky Nation: The Joy Theater

– Black Lips: One Eyed Jacks

– Dr. John: House of Blues

– Funky Meters: Tipitina’s French Quarter

– Galactic, Anders Osborne: Tipitina’s Uptown

— Rebirth Brass Band: Howlin’ Wolf

Northampton (Massachusetts)

– Josh Ritter: Calvin Theater

– Rubblebucket: Pearl Street Nightclub

Oklahoma City

– The Flaming Lips, Yoko Ono: Brickstown Events Center

Orlando

– Trivium, Sevendust, Black Tide: House of Blues

– Slightly Stoopid, The Expendables: Hard Rock Live

Ottawa

– Electric Six: Mavericks

Philadelphia

– Clutch: Trocadero

– Eternal Summers, Bleeding Rainbow: Level Room

– Good Old War, River City Extension: Theatre of Living Arts

– Lotus: Festival Pier

– Man Man (DJ Set), Dr. Dog (DJ Set), Sun Airway (DJ Set): Johnny Brenda’s

– Smoking Popes: North Star Bar

Phoenix

– Meat Puppets: Clubhouse Music Venue

Portland (Maine)

– moe.: State Theatre

Portland (Oregon)

– Leftover Salmon: Roseland Theater

– Nurses, Radiation City: Mississippi Studios

– Pierced Arrows: Ash Street Saloon

– Red Fang: Star Theater

– Reverend Horton Heat, Supersuckers: The Crystal Ballroom

– Talkdemonic: Misson Theater

San Diego

– Fedde Le Grand, Porter Robinson, Hardwell, Bart B More: Valley View Casino Center (OMFG! NYE)

– Kinky: 4th & B

Seattle

– Mustard Pimp: King Cat Theatre

– Starfucker, Champagne Champagne: The Crocodile

St. Louis (Missouri):

– Cowboy Mouth: Old Rock House

– Devon Allman’s Honeytribe: Blueberry Hill

– Excision: Koken Art Factory

– Umphrey’s McGee: The Pageant

Toronto

– Elliot Brood: Lee’s Palace

– Kyuss! Lives: Cherry Cola’s Rock N’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge

– The Sadies: Horseshoe Tavern

– Steve Aoki, Thomas Gold: Kool Haus

Vancouver

– Tiësto: Pacific Coliseum

Washington, DC

– Animal Collective (DJ Set), Le Tigre (DJ Set), ANR (DJ Set): 1800 L Street NW (BYT NYE)

– Drive-By Truckers, Booker T, Alabama Shakes: 9:30 Club

– Gucci Mane: Love Night Club

– Morgan Page: Fur Nightclub

– Painted Face: Rock and Roll Hotel

On TV

– Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (ABC): Lady Gaga, Florence and the Machine, Blink-182, Nicki Minaj

– New Year’s Eve with Carson Daily (NBC): Drake, The Roots, Cee-Lo Green

– NYE in NYC (MTV): J. Cole

– Coldplay New Year’s Eve: An Austin City Limits Special (PBS)

As Rocktober draws to a close, there’s little left to do but get all dressed up in Drive jackets and Kahl Drogo / Khaleesi from Game of Thrones and host a fun little party. The question arises: Do we get this party started or do we stick with the spookiness of Halloween? We decided to go with the latter and make a playlist (via Spotify) of some of our favorite, scary, messed up, shifty, and uncomfortable songs to guarantee to to anything but get the party started. Well, it depends on the kind of party you’re throwing.

1. Pan Sonic – “Voltos Bolt” – It sweeps almost every frequency your ear can hear, and is the closest you’ll probably get to finding out what it’s like to be electrocuted.

2. Death Grips – “Guillotine (It Goes Yah)” – The sound of a guillotine runs throughout the abrasive and powerful hip-hop track, and the production on the final 90 seconds may take you to and off the edge.

3.  Spoon – “The Ghost Of You Lingers” – A Spoon outlier from the dissonant piano intro to the multi-tracked vocals. Loitering is much scarier thing if it’s an apparition.

4. Ween – “Spinal Meningitis” – Creepy use of a little kid creepy voice and it doesn’t make it any easier to listen to with the out of tune bells. One of Ween’s most twisted and depraved songs, which is saying a lot for this band. Happy HalloWEEN.

5. Prurient – “Many Jewels Surround The Crown” – Injurious and noisy, opening with a scream from the depths.

6. Mayhem – “Funeral Fog” — The circumstances surrounding this song and album is morbid enough. Watch your back, or the kvlt will get you.

7. Misfits – “Theme For A Jackal”  – The Misfits have always been known for being weird and spooky, but “Jackal” takes things to a whole different level. Any song about girl’s livers hanging out will certainly give you chills.

8. Johnny Cash – “Long Black Veil” – Don’t let the upbeat finger picking or Johnny Cash’s nonchalant voice fool you: this is some creepy Shakespearian shit. It’s sort of like Corpse Bride meets The Wire.

9. Animal Collective – “Unsolved Mysteries” –  Avey Tare’s got one of the most brilliantly abrasive voices in indie music today, so he’s an obvious candidate for a song loosely based on Jack The Ripper. Best part? He’s sympathetic for the Ripper: “That blood in the dark/Will attract the sharks/Who are not violent/We all have hungry bellies.” You know what? He’s right. Why hide our inner serial murderers if that’s what we’re into?

10. TV On The Radio – “Wolf Like Me” – “Got a curse I cannot lift/shines when the sunset shifts/when the moon is round and full/gotta bust that box gotta gut that fish.” Yep, American Werewolves in Brooklyn.

11. Eminem – “Kim” – Revisiting this song after however long it’s been will probably be what makes you take another break from it. Histrionics like this run the gambit of emotions, but eventually horror wins out. Bleed…

12. Crystal Castles – “Suffocation” – Chances are you’ve never been smothered to death with a pillow by Nicole Kidman, for that is a fate too awesome for the average human being. The only thing that could make that experience better is if “Suffocation” by Crystal Castles were the soundtrack to it all.

13. Swans – “I Crawled” (live)  – This is a journey, with Jarboe giving a vocal performance of a lifetime. It’s inspirational and utterly destructive with Gira coming in at the end. [note: Spotify has this track listed as "Yum Yab", but it's "I Crawled".]

14. Immortal Technique – “Dance With The Devil” –  Tune in to the thousands of words Tech spits on this track and see into his psychotic, agit-prop socially demented mind. It’s also of one of the most powerful and hard to digest songs from the hip-hop canon.

15. Gorillaz – “Last Living Souls” – Over the years, the apocalypse has become the tired subject of many films. But whether you break down completely like Barbara in Night of the Living Dead or you vanquish and study the plague with the intellect to match your bulging biceps like Will Smith in I Am Legend, an apocalypse is emotionally taxing. Damon Albarn does a pretty good job of capturing the sentiment here.

Check Out: The Ninth Circle Halloween Mixtape

Four isn’t five, but it’s also not three. One is the loneliest number, yet two is for hipsters. Seven is considered lucky, while six is the result of dividing 666 by 111. We’re okay with four — at least for now. This week — check it, September 15th, 2011 — marked the fourth anniversary of Consequence of Sound. Back in 2007, on one lazy Saturday afternoon in New York, Alex Young decided to start a blog. What you see here today is the ongoing result.

But it’s not the result that’s mind-boggling. It’s the journey. Covering four years of every major music festival — from the barbecue-laced heartburn in SXSW to the muddy confines of Bonnaroo to the concrete jungle that is Lollapalooza — or chopping out block after block of news stories or checking off each season’s album release schedule or… you get the picture. The steps count. The turns matter. The articles entertain.

Since its inception in 2007, Consequence of Sound has published nearly 17,000 articles. We’ve worked with over 100 different writers, editors, and photographers. We’ve been to almost every state in America, and elsewhere. Like we said, it’s the journey that’s mind-boggling.

And that’s why we’re okay with four — simply because we’ll be at five, six, and seven in no time. For now, though, let’s have some fun with the number, starting with four thoughts from our CEO/Publisher Alex Young and President/Editor-in-Chief Michael Roffman…

Four Thoughts From Alex Young…

4. My dream of a collaborative album between Jay-Z and Kanye West came to fruition this year.

3. My dream of a collaborative album between Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Jack White remains just that — a dream.

2. We Listen For You’s Soundcast is the best thing to hit the Internet in 2011.

1. Sorry, Chuck, but The Wire is the greatest television show ever.

Four Thoughts From Michael Roffman…

4. I’ve fallen in love with four women over the past four years: Bethany Cosentino (Best Coast), Annie Clark (St. Vincent), Lykke Li, and Heather Kaplan (CoS photographer). No particular order there. Just kidding.

3. I still subscribe to Rolling Stone. Though, when it comes to print, the best writing is in Vanity Fair or Playboy. No lie.

2. My ideal article remains to be written: Paul Westerberg announces fall tour.

1. Regardless of all the music I’ve discovered over the past four years, I still haven’t found a better song to sing along to in the shower than Toto’s “Africa”. I am open to suggestions.

Four Most Influential 4th Movements

By: Jake Cohen

4. “Mahler, Symphony No. 5, fourth movement, Adagietto”

Mahler’s output is full of stunning and painfully delicate strains. But the slow movement of his fifth symphony, purportedly written as a love letter to his new wife, may be his most sublime melody. He approaches a very classical melody with modern sound colors: A low harp accompanies low strings, which carry the tune. Mahler’s ability to express the entire emotional spectrum in his music appears in this short movement, as he traffics with joy, heartbreak, hope, pathos, and love.

3. Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique, fourth movement, “March to the Scaffold”

How could anyone write a symphony after what Beethoven did in his ninth? Well, for starters, you could give your symphony a story: A love-struck artist is ultimately rebuked by the woman he loves, takes a massive amount of opium to kill himself, but instead, he just trips his face off and watches his own execution by guillotine. Berlioz was writing a perfectly nice symphony until he fell down the rabbit hole in the fourth movement, with martial drums, bone-rattling violins, celebratory crowds, and one last isolated thought of his beloved before the guillotine offs with his head. Romanticism, indeed.

2. Schoenberg, String Quartet No. 2, fourth movement

Arguably, this is the moment when classical music lost its grasp on tonality, the harmonic system that had endured for more than two centuries and on which our modern pop music is still based. Schoenberg took Wagner’s progressive harmonic language and went even further, shattering the system of keys. A soprano voice, itself an anomaly for a string quartet, sings the German words “I feel the air of another planet.” It was, quite literally, the opening to a new world of musical opportunities.

1. Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 “Choral”, fourth movement

Beethoven mind-fucked the entire 19th century when he inserted a chorus singing Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” in the final movement of his final symphony. All hyperbole aside, it’s the moment when everything changed for every composer who came later. Turning his simple tune into a fugue, a Turkish march, and a solemn chorale, Beethoven proclaimed the brotherhood of all humanity in one sweeping 25-minute masterpiece.

Four Best Songs Suited for the Fantastic Four

By: Ben Kaye

4. Genesis - “Invisible Touch” (Invisible Woman)

Sue Storm has always deceived casual FF fans who just see a sexy blonde chick in skintight spandex. The truth is that she’s probably the most powerful member on the team. While Collins was speaking figuratively, Invisible Woman literally could “[reach] in and [grab] right hold of your heart.” And squeeze it ’til it popped. Her invisible force fields have almost limitless applications, and even the space gods known as Celestials have “fallen, fallen for her.” Sue used to be called “Invisible Girl”, but she adopted the “Woman” right around the time this song came out. Her massive power could really “mess up your life” and more than warrants the change.

3. Queen – “We Will Rock You” (The Thing)

A classic fight song for a classic brawler. Queen unwittingly wrote a mini-biography for Ben Grimm with this track. Growing up a poor Jewish kid in New York’s Lower East Side, Grimm was made a “hard man” at an early age by the gang murder of his older brother. After gaining his rocky visage, he turned the anger over his monstrous form into the fuel to “take on the world” as the FF’s heavy hitter. Yet still, even after decades of adventuring and super-heroing, even after time as an Avenger, deep down, The Thing just wants a bit of “peace some day” and to be regular Ben Grimm again. Until then, though, it’s clobberin’ time.

2. Boysetsfire - “Rocket Man” (Elton John cover) (Mr. Fantastic)

As it was his own theories, stubbornness, and rocket that got the team cosmically irradiated on that “timeless flight,” Reed Richards has always carried a self-alienating, lonely weight of guilt. Occasional attempts to “cure” his teammates and a preoccupation with bettering the world through science frequently ostracize his wife, Sue, and put his children, Franklin and Valeria, at great risk. Add on the family’s adventuring lifestyle, and there’s practically been “no one there to raise” the kids. In the end, Richards’ greatest flaw is his need to “[burn] out his fuse up here alone,” despite being surrounded by a loving, capable family. So why the cover version? It drives far harder than the original, and he’s still a superhero who can pack a (very enlarged) punch, after all.

James Taylor – “Fire and Rain” (Human Torch)

In memoriam: Johnny Storm, November 1965 – January 2011. The Human Torch met his death recently in Fantastic Four #587 at the hands of Annihilus and his hordes of Negative Zone aliens, marking the end of an era and the end of the team. At his own request, Torch was replaced by Spider-Man on what is now the Future Foundation. Though odds are he’ll rise from the ashes (see what happened there?) in typical comic book fashion before too long, may he rest in peace for now. This one’s for you, Johnny. Just change “Suzanne” and picture it sung in The Thing’s craggily voice.

Four Best Quartets of the Last Four Years

By: Dan Caffrey

4. Wild Flag

This may be a tad unfair in that Wild Flag is more or less a super-group consisting of Riot Grrrl matriarchs, but the all-female quartet is bar-none one of the most exciting quartets of late. With one LP, Carrie Brownstein, Janet Weiss, Mary Timony, and Rebecca Cole culled the best parts of their time from the alt-90′s and blended them into the catchiest rock record of 2011. Wild Flag never sound lazy or indulgent as many supergroups do. Their 2011 debut showed a band working together and highlighting the best in each other’s work to form a professionally balanced album with succulent rock bombs.

3. Surfer Blood

Randy Newman’s ode to Los Angeles “I Love L.A.” works so well because it embraces the City of Angels as much as it satirizes it. Surfer Blood must view Florida in the same way. With a beach bag full of catchy guitar riffage and alienated lyrics, the West Palm Beach natives clearly don’t fit in with the inherent hip-hop and death metal in the southern region of the Sunshine State, but they also can’t deny the appeal of bright harmonies and nautical imagery, which swirl all over their stellar debut, Astro Coast. In a way, perhaps they’re the most Floridian band of all, celebrating the state’s environment while sonically breaking through the cliches of its music scene.

2. Bon Iver

The locked-in-a-cabin mythology of Justin Vernon’s debut, For Emma, Forever Ago, has since been decried by its creator, who insists his recording environment wasn’t as secluded and destitute as people believe. He did, after all, have the entire series of Northern Exposure with him on DVD, which led to the Bon Iver moniker. With his second full-length, Vernon seemed determined to debunk any misconceptions, expanding his lineup to a proper four-piece and drenching the record in a lovelorn wall of sound teeming with complex traditional orchestration and even maudlin synthesizers on the closing track, which has no right to work but somehow does. The subject matter may be the same, but make no mistake: These guys are a band.

1. Vampire Weekend

With afro-percussion, a singer with a fake Spanish accent, and lyrics about the joys of Ivy League, Vampire Weekend looked destined to fail when they arrived on the scene in 2008. But they haven’t. After a whimsical yet surprisingly deep debut, the quartet of Columbia alumni avoided the sophomore slump by a landslide with their second album, Contra, shrugging off the bad vibes of their detractors by continuing to crank out thoughtful pop with sincerity, whimsy, and a lack of pretension, regardless of their backgrounds. Bonus points for rhyming horchata with balaclava.

Four Best Four-Track Recordings

By: Michael Roffman

4. Daniel Johnston – “Worried Shoes”

You can’t talk about four-track recordings without mentioning Daniel Johnston. He’s the heir to the process. To date, the bipolar songwriter has written 18 full-length albums, in addition to hundreds of songs he’s recorded solely on the four-track recorder. It’s quite a chore to listen to each one, but one particular album comes to mind: 1983′s Yip/Jump Music, namely because it’s drawn so much attention. But with good reason. It contains one of Johnston’s most iconic songs in his exhaustive back catalogue: “Worried Shoes”. It’s rough. Really rough. Some might consider it grating, but they’d be missing the point. What separates Johnston from most artists is his inherent need to do this. And with “Worried Shoes”, the melody and the lurching chord organ feel as if Johnston’s wringing out his soul. You’ve probably cried to it, but most likely when Karen O sang it for the Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack. Still…

3. The Beatles – “Strawberry Fields Forever”

Chills. Just sugar-laced chills. Believe it or not, but the Fab Four actually recorded on a four-track, and for one of their most landmark releases: 1967′s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Okay, so technically they taped over a few four-track recorders, but nonetheless, they were four-tracks. Now, some might argue that “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” would be a more fitting selection, especially since it contains a 4/4 beat. However, the encapsulating (and always stuffy) “Strawberry Fields Forever” shines more — at least in this particular format. The layers, the amount of scruffy detail, and its lo-fi psychedelia just coat the ceiling, man. When the cello hits during the chorus, it sounds like it was recorded in the bow of a sinking ship. And Paul McCartney’s introduction on the Mellotron! It still feels like it was carved out on some bedroom floor one soggy, foggy morning — November 24, 1966, to be exact.

2. Bruce Springsteen – “Atlantic City”

As Bruce Springsteen wrote on the liner notes of his Greatest Hits release, “Atlantic City” ran The Boss’s bill up to “…..$1050 (the cost of the 4 track Tascam recorder), mixed through an old Gibson guitar unit to a beat box.” To this day, it still feels like that. (And what do you know, it’s also four minutes long, too! Double-hitter.) Though the song tells the tale of a man’s inevitable death through organized crime, the images this track conjure up hardly bring that story to mind. Blame it on its album’s iconic production. In 1982, the great Jersey bard locked himself away in his home, where he carved out the eight tracks that would make up 1982′s Nebraska. Shortly after, he tried re-recording the album with the E Street band in a studio, but even the producers understood its raw, intimate power. Take one listen to “Atlantic City”, and you will, too. If you get a chance, though, pick it up on vinyl. There’s nothing like it. If anything, you’ll be forever haunted by the eerie black-and-white photo of Springsteen standing alone in his hallway.

1. Elliott Smith – “No Name #3″

Elliott Smith’s 1994 debut, Roman Candle, was recorded on a four-track in his basement. With the exception of a couple of tracks, it’s really just Smith alone to himself, and that’s what the end result sounded like. It’s hard to listen to Smith nowadays, not only because his tragic suicide lingers around every chord progression and Lennon-like melody, but because his music just hurts. It’s filled with aching pain, it feels isolated. So many artists attempt to commit their hearts to tape day after day, but Smith figured it out on his first attempt. “No Name #3″ acts as the dark, lonely tunnel. The tender songwriter croons so lightly that at times it’s easier to just listen to the grainy chords. It stings. It taps at the eyes. It sours the tear ducts. And if it weren’t for its lo-fi nature, it just wouldn’t work. Smith just wouldn’t be the same. In some ways, his recordings felt more human than the man himself. Very tragic.

Four Best Songs Containing the Word “Four”

By: Chris Coplan

4. Led Zeppelin – “Four Sticks”

For whatever reason, becoming a fan of Led Zeppelin is some kind of unspoken rite of passage into manhood for boys the world over. Perhaps some of us missed out on that train to chest hair and adult-sized worries. Even those people, brave souls with equally valid music tastes that they are, can still enjoy a track like “Four Sticks”. It’s the very sound even the most proud non-fan conjures up when thinking of the Zep (that’s a nickname, right?): a grand, rollicking fury that is as sonically diverse as it is prog-ish and nerdy. Thank you, rock gods, for this offering, though we never have worshipped you.

3. CAKE – “Friend Is a Four Letter Word”

CAKE have made a career out of being weird. But they drop all the goofy, borderline comical pretenses entirely on “Friend Is a Four Letter Word”. Mysterious and aloof, the track is missing on some crucial details (like, all of them) of the friendship being portrayed. Even still, it’s as powerful and stirring as any other demonstration of betrayal ever outlined in pop music format. They’ve got a great talent for illustrating painful emotional concepts, but this one takes the band’s name for most effective and haunting. Plus, who didn’t try to figure which specific four-letter word the band was referring to? My money is on, and will always be on, “shit.”

2. Feist – “1234″

Canadian singer-songwriter Leslie Feist knows the power of simplicity. Shortening her stage name to simply Feist, she made a hugely popular song simply by counting. And she didn’t even need to go into double digits! “1234″ is elegant in its minimalism, simple enough to be on Sesame Street. Call it Feist’s voice, the strummy nature of the whole effort, the grandiose chorus, or some magic combination of each, but the track is mesmerizing despite how very little was heaped together to make it. That may speak to some greater truth about songs with numbers in them: They’re basic because, at least sometimes, that core essence and bare-bones approach is all you need in a truly great song.

1. The Beatles – “When I’m Sixty-Four”

Love is a truly beautiful and wonderful thing. It’s also scary, confusing, and, at times, violent. We all want to know if we have it or not and whether or not it’ll be here to stay with us for good. In aiding folks in that eternal struggle, the Beatles laid out the perfect thought experiment for lovers everywhere to pose to one another: Will you still be with me when I’m an old fart, needing 24-hour care and support? It’s the ultimate litmus test of romance and devotion, arguably expressed in the most bubbly, fun-loving pop song the Fab Four ever crafted. As far as Beatles songs go, it’s one of the more popular of all the popular ones (and there are a lot of ‘em), but it deserves its distinction not only for its catchy-ness but for how truly succinct it is. Vera, Chuck, and Dave would be proud for sure.

Four Best LPs With Four Tracks

By: Paul de Revere

4. Lou Reed – Metal Machine Music

“Anyone who gets to side four is dumber than I am,” Lou Reed famously snarked about this 1975 release. Which means it’s a prank and a cathartic “fuck you” to his label at the time RCA… right? If so, it’s the most accidentally significant prank in experimental music history. The careers of gritty New York experimental mavens Suicide and Glenn Branca, Steve Albini’s Big Black, and every young-and-restless noise band ever owes pretty much everything to Metal Machine Music. Personally, I side with dean of American rock critics Robert Christgau on this one. “For white noise,” Christgau said. “I’ll still take ‘Sister Ray’.”

3. Can – Future Days

Krautrock milestone makers Can don’t get enough credit for being, essentially, a funk band. Sure, Future Days and Can’s four peak-era releases with vocalist Damo Suzuki are better known as antecedents to Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Flaming Lips, and any number of indie, electronica, post-rock, shoegaze, and post-punk bands preceding them. But “Moonshake” stands up to all of the well-produced ‘70s funk from American bands. It’s just a lot more subtle. But a jittery, improvisational German “funk” band with a Japanese vocalist whispering and muttering barely comprehensible lyrics doesn’t really sell in the States. But Future Days is funk — weird, lo-fi funk. It was Suzuki’s fourth and final record with the band, which came to a more minimalist sound than ever before. After leaving the band soon after the recording of Future Days, Suzuki took a wife, a German Jehovah’s Witness, and married into her faith. Though, I’m not sure that’s any weirder than the whispered, barely comprehensible lyrics “You hide behind a borrowed chase/For the sake of future days” off the album’s title track. Play weird, live weird, I guess.

2. Tangerine Dream – Phaedra

On 1974’s Phaedra, Tangerine Dream pioneered virtually every cool electronica sound effect with Moogs and Mellotrons we take for granted today, perhaps most notably of all: some of electronica’s first arpeggiation melodies over washes of synth, which almost every electronica act since 1980 has done. And Tangerine did this in the early ‘70s! But the band is German (Berliners, no less), so, you know, it’s not that unusual. The band started in 1970, but Phaedra, Tangerine’s fifth album, defined its sound, defying the standard Krautrock motorik of its day, leaving ambient space in its Terry Reilly-esque staid melodies. Truly, when this came out, everyone from Brian Eno (who released two classics, Here Come the Warm Jets and Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy), in the same year Phaedra was released) to Robert Fripp to Giorgio Moroder perked their ears up and listened carefully.

1. Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven

I’m 26 years old, and I’ve written about Lift Yr Skinny Fists.. at least a dozen different ways and listened to it dozens more. It’s been a soundtrack to key points in my life over the last decade. It’s somehow both personal to me and bigger than myself and my own personal interpretation. I’ve proselytized to friends (okay, and strangers) about how amazing it is if you just “give it a chance, man.” I’ve used the words “bruising,” “cathartic,” “maudlin,” “washes of sound”, and so on to describe its dystopic, aural beauty. But it must be listened to, nay experienced (ideally with eyes closed, good headphones, a comfortable resting place, and an uninterrupted 1:27:22), to be understood. The martial first movement of the first disc’s first track, “Storm”, is a triumphant, hopeful, and gorgeous open salvo to a black-and-white feature film never made: somewhere in the creative ether between Gillo Pontecorvo’s Battle of Algiers (and its rickety-clack score by Ennio Morricone) and Jean-Pierre Melville’s Army of Shadows. In a word: bleak. Godspeed You! Black Emperor may never cut another record again, but Lift Yr Skinny Fists will influence decades of not just post-rock but all epic music to come. Count on it.

Four Fourth Tracks From Each of the Top Four Selling Albums of All Time (In Order of Sales, from Lowest to Highest)

By: Joe Marvilli

4. Whitney Houston – “Run To You” from The Bodyguard (44 million)

Surprised yet? That’s right, Whitney Houston’s soundtrack for 1992’s The Bodyguard is the fourth best-selling album of all time. A good portion of those sales were carried on the mega-success of “I Will Always Love You”. But there’s more to this soundtrack than one smash hit. The fourth song of this album, “Run To You”, fits Houston’s style wonderfully. Originally written as a breakup song, it was transformed by the movie’s production into a love ballad instead. True, those swelling strings may seem somewhat cheesy by today’s standards, but Houston’s passionate performance is a saving grace.

3. Pink Floyd – “Time” from The Dark Side of the Moon (45 million)

While many songs can be considered Pink Floyd’s magnum opus, “Time” has a lot going in its favor. It’s the centerpiece of The Dark Side of the Moon, it’s the only song on the album credited to all four band members, and it features vocals from David Gilmour, Richard Wright, and Roger Waters. That’s before we even dive into the music. It starts with an introductory passage of chiming clocks, recorded by engineer Alan Parsons, and a two-minute drum solo by Nick Mason. Gilmour’s defiant vocals follow, channeling Waters’ refusal to succumb to time or be led by destiny. Oh, and then there’s the astoundingly powerful guitar solo that seems made to rip through time itself. While the band would run into plenty of issues down the line, this effort is the work of Pink Floyd as a whole.

2. AC/DC – “Given the Dog a Bone” from Back in Black (49 million)

Back in Black is a musical miracle when you think about it. How many bands have been forced to replace their frontman and keep their previous level of success? AC/DC not only met their past heights but greatly surpassed them with this album. There are so many classic hard rock hits here that the other tracks get overlooked. Some may think of “Given the Dog a Bone” as one of those songs after “Shoot to Thrill” and before “Back in Black”. But it’s pretty damn enjoyable when you stop and listen to it. Angus Young’s dirty guitar riff is worthy of head-banging and Brian Johnson’s vocals alternate between an elated shout and a nasty growl. How can you go wrong with a song like that?

1. Michael Jackson – “Thriller” from Thriller (110 million)

While some albums on this list may come as a surprise, Thriller definitely isn’t one of them. The sixth studio album from Michael Jackson is one of the most legendary releases in modern history. Everyone knows about it and everyone has heard at least one song from it. The record has permeated our culture in a way that few other pieces of art ever do. So what better song to look at than the title track? “Thriller” is the song that sets off the string of hits on Jackson’s masterpiece, as it’s followed by “Beat It” and “Billie Jean”. There’s not a stronger trilogy in pop music. The track itself combines a slippery bass with explosive horns and Jackson’s playful, almost dangerous vocals. Then there’s the 14-minute short film that passes as the song’s music video, proving that these promotional tools could be an art form as well. The peak of success? Yeah, it deserves this title.

Four Best Studio Guitar Solos Over Four Minutes Long

By: David Buchanan

4. The Smashing Pumpkins – “Starla”

Rarely do the Smashing Pumpkins get much credit in the lengthy solo department, especially given the lack of popularity such a technique really had during the early ’90s alternative era. This squelching Pisces Iscariot B-side leads on the first six minutes in standard melancholy before clawing steel nails on chalkboard come the last five–a certifiable audio nutshell of the band’s best phase, according to some.

3. Stevie Ray Vaughan – “Little Wing” (Jimi Hendrix cover)

When Jimi Hendrix covers a song, he expertly makes it his own to soaring applause; when a Hendrix song is covered by a late Texas bluesman, the lyrics disappear and we receive something akin to stringed instrument serenity. Heavenly harps never sounded this pleasant.

2. Santana – “Samba Pa Ti”

Carlos Santana, believe it or not, was once a highly respected and revered Latin-American guitarist. Before the shameful plugging and collaboration-weighted Supernatural, Santana made a mark via the soulful dance of “Samba Pa Ti”, and people could practically find God behind these chords (or a little black magic).

1. Lynyrd Skynyrd – “Free Bird”

An in-joke at other artists’ expense is to mockingly shout out a request for “Free Bird” at any given concert performance. Despite having lost its humorous luster in recent years, this almost irritatingly popular cut from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s debut LP gets name-dropped on many lists for many reasons – soloing is one.

Four Best Albums Named Primarily “Four”

By: Jeremy D. Larson

4. Blues Traveler - four

If you only know the Blues Traveler singles, you may think the only thing that separated Blues Traveler from those other 90’s bands who all may or may not have written the theme song for Friends, is John Popper and his harmonica. Lead single “Run Around” does actually sound like “Roll To Me” does actually sound like “Two Princes” does actually sound like a plasticine fart. But four [stylized as such] is more than the honkey pop that Spin Doctor Hazel Del Amitri trafficked in. Part blues stomp, part post-hippie jam band, and part radio-pop, Blues Traveler turn in a solid fourth (yup) album of their career with a fun album to drink beer in a barn to. “Hook” remains a staple of advance karaoke artists to this day.

3. Foreigner – 4

Speaking of karaoke, Foreigner’s 4 locks in at least three singles for the memories, but its Mick Jones (not of The Clash fame) whose compositional chops are on display. The frayed, acid-washed rock and roll on 4 that blasted out of Dodge Chargers everywhere in 1981 is a timepiece for one of the better AOR albums, and that’s not just indulgent riffs couched inside of greeting-card choruses. OK, there’s some of that here, but those moments are especially justified on the way-better-than-any-Bon-Jovi-rock-and-roll-dream-song “Juke Box Hero” and a precursor to new wave rock with the groovy “Urgent” which features Junior Walker sax and none other than Thomas Dolby on synths!

2. Scott Walker – Scott 4

Scott Walker still sits proudly high atop the Brit-pop family tree. Walker’s hyper-literate baroque and chamber pop still plumes through the speakers like fine London tobacco. The Smiths, Pulp, Belle & Sebastian, The Divine Comedy, and so many others are all cut from this velvet. His fourth album from 1969, Scott 4 , is Walker at his most dark, personal, and forthcoming — and still includes a song about Ingmar Bergman’s “The Seventh Seal” backed by spaghetti western strings. After all these years, his burgundy baritone on “Duchess” as he sings at the very end “I’m lying, she’s crying” is a good litmus test to see if your heart works properly. (Neko Case does a fantastic cover it as well.)

1. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV

In spades. I’m not entirely sure Zeppelin IV is even an album anymore — it’s an epoch unto itself. It’s a symbol of something personal for me and historical for music. Its legendary status as the best rock album of all time has grown so absurdly out of proportion that the album itself has become immune to any sort of glib take-down essays or contrarian think-pieces. It’s a fortress of rock & roll that after years of sieges still stands as powerful as the day it was built. Plus it’s even got “Four Sticks” on it just to really nail it home.

Four Historic Fourth Albums

By: Mike Madden

4. Bob Dylan – Another Side of Bob Dylan

“There aren’t any finger-pointing songs here,” Bob Dylan once said of Another Side. Yup: There’s a surreal, romantic quality to nearly every track here, contrasting the accusative nature of some of Dylan’s first three albums. A lot of people complained about that, but they shouldn’t have – this is one of Dylan’s best and most underappreciated efforts. Though certainly not by artists. Following its release, Johnny Cash, The Turtles, and The Byrds all took stabs at the album’s songs, proving that there really is no side to Dylan that anyone’s opposed to – which only makes him that much more sacred.

3. Bruce Springsteen – Darkness on the Edge of Town

Follow ups can be difficult. Carving out something after an album like  Born to Run is an exercise of the mind, body, and soul – a thousand times over. Due to some legal mumbo jumbo between The Boss and his sometime manager and producer Mike Appel, Darkness on the Edge of Town arrived a long three years after its ambitious, head-turning predecessor. In that time, the band took on a different approach to writing and recording. Many of the songs were captured with the full band together, and at times immediately after Springsteen had finished writing them. Blame it on the surrounding support, but the New Jersey legend didn’t just follow up Born to Run, he delivered an LP that gave its predecessor’s title a new meaning. To this day, fans continue debating on which album is better. Springsteen certainly made it difficult for them, what with “Badlands”, “Racing in the Street”, and “Candy’s Room” to chew on. And to think, that’s hardly scratching the album’s surface, too.

2. Outkast – Stankonia

Sonically falling somewhere between raw Dixie rap and the playfulness of, say, The Pharcyde, Stankonia was Outkast’s grandest breakthrough. It also remains their most focused and ambitious effort to date. Singles “Ms. Jackson”, “B.O.B.”, and “So Fresh, So Clean” were three of the most ubiquitous radio hits of the early aughts. In addition to the cosmic, genre-bending production, this 73-minute album found Big Boi and André 3000 rhyming with unheard of charisma, versatility, and technical deftness if not from the genre, then definitely in their career. It’s arguable that this sort of breakthrough creativity cracked them – given that they’ve never truly delivered a proper, concrete follow up that didn’t feel like a solo-album-titled-something-else – yet nevertheless their influence here is paramount. History schmistory, Stankonia is the sound of rap realizing its creative potential. Break!

1. The Replacements – Tim

Tim was The Mats’ major-label debut, and also their most frenetic, at least structurally-speaking. It would be the last album fans would hear from the original line up, as lead guitarist Bob Stinson would be kicked out the following year. And while that happened following the album’s release, those sort of “bad vibes”, if you will, carried onto the album. But it didn’t stunt it. In fact, it made for a better LP, especially one to follow up the group’s diamond LP, 1984′s Let It Be. There are two angst-ridden anthems (“Left of the Dial”, “Bastards of Young”), two drunken shakedowns (“I’ll Buy”, “Dose of Thunder”), two cynical portraits of one’s heart on a sleeve (“Hold My Life”, “Kiss Me on the Bus”), two lonely melodies (“Swingin’ Party”, “Little Mascara”), one mandatory road-rock crooner (“Lay It Down Clown”), one “You bastard!” inclusion (“Waitress in the Sky”), and one final goodbye (“Here Comes a Regular”). Similar to how early Hold Steady records sound to our generation today, Tim acts a framed portait of the band at play. It just probably could have benefited from some less-than-tidier production, and yeah, this album’s version of “Can’t Hardly Wait” is still the best.

Four Strings: Four Unbelievable Bass Solos

By: Winston Robbins

4. Rush – “YYZ”

When you write a song without any lyrics and still get stadiums full of people to sing along with you, that’s usually a pretty good indicator that you’ve written quite a piece of music. Geddy Lee’s bass extravaganza on “YYZ” is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The man shreds with such speed it’s nearly impossible for your ears to keep up. Unless you know Morse code, that is.

3. Led Zeppelin – “The Lemon Song”

Here’s how good John Paul Jones is at plucking the bass: We literally could have chosen any one of three dozen songs and made a well-founded argument as to why it’s his best. But we went with “The Lemon Song”, because, well, have you heard it? It’s a song completely surrounded by Jones’ mind-numbing bass. Heaps of adoration are given to Bonham, Plant, and Page, deservedly so, but Jones was the unsung hero of Led Zeppelin. See: the last minute of this song where he goes out of his mind shredding up and down that fretboard.

2. Metallica – “Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)”

Cliff Burton was an active member of Metallica for only four years due to his tragic and untimely death, but his legacy is long from forgotten because of early pieces such as this. Burton was as talented a bassist as rock and roll has ever seen, and “(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth”, was written for the express purpose of showcasing that fact.

1. The Beatles – “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”

Paul McCartney is all too often overlooked when it comes to fundamentally great bassists. “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” is a reminder of why that shouldn’t ever happen. In essence, the song is just eight minutes of Macca doing whatever the hell he wants on his bass while the song goes on behind him, and never does it once fall anything short of superb.

Four Best Performances at the Big Four Festivals

By: Harley Brown

Coachella

Daft Punk (2006) – It’s Daft Punk, come on. This appearance marked their first performance on American soil in almost 10 years, and the French duo proved that they’re more than Human After All (I couldn’t help myself, I’m still dehydrated from dancing to “Around the World”). But seriously, no encore?

Rage Against the Machine (2007) – The year before Bush was ousted in a legendary election, Rage Against the Machine reunited at Coachella for the first time since the festival’s beginning in 1999. Frontman Zach de la Rocha proclaimed that the current political environment needed them, and boy, were they right.

Roger Waters (2008) – Pink Floyd’s founding member played Dark Side Of the Moon in its entirety. ‘Nuff said. (Well, it should probably also be said that he performed other Floyd hits like “Mother”, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”, and “Wish You Were Here” with the aid of a giant, Democratic inflatable pig and a dazzling pyrotechnic display.)

Paul McCartney (2009) – Participants in 2009’s Coachella were encouraged to “take comfort in knowing… there’s a Beatle here.” And when you can’t have the whole band, Paul McCartney proved himself a more than acceptable, sporting substitute, playing a handful of Beatles songs and more than a few encores.

Bonnaroo

Photo by Max Blau

Neil Young (2003) – Almost 70 years old, Neil Young proved he’s still more than willing and able to rock the free worlds of 80,000 people in the middle of a hot-as-expletive Tennessee summer under a full moon, playing half-hour versions of hits like “Cinnamon Girl” and “Cortez the Killer” for three hours.

Radiohead (2006) –  Radiohead probably could have stopped after the opening drum rolls of “There There (The Boney King Of Nowhere)” and still have put on one of the best, if not the best, shows I’ve ever seen. You just had to be there (there).

My Morning Jacket (2008) – “It feels awesome to be bathed in beautiful golden rain.” Well-said, Jim James. Bonnaroo stalwarts My Morning Jacket played for four hours in intermittent rain in the wee hours of the morning, making up for the wet, late set with an Erykah Badu cover and a guest appearance by Zach Galifianakis.

Phish (2009) – This one’s a toss-up between their official set with Bruce Springsteen and their late-night jam session. Never-ending experiential music arguments aside, Phish’s reunion, after years of solo appearances at Bonnaroo by Trey Anastasio and other members, warranted both outstanding sets.

Lollapalooza

Photo by Ashley Garmon

Pearl Jam (1992) – It’s almost cliché how Pearl Jam is the quintessential band to see live: helping avoid Lolla’s sophomore slump, Pearl Jam’s band members smashed guitars Pete-Townsend style, jumped off monitors, and stage dived. The audience got in on the action, too, jumping onstage and throwing mud.

Billy Idol (2005) – What better way to ring in Lolla’s first year in Grant Park but with Billy Idol? Even though it rained again (that’s the thing about summer thunderstorms) during Idol’s set, “Rebel Yell” managed to get everyone riled up. It’s Billy fucking Idol, baby!

Arcade Fire (2010) – Riding high after The Suburbs’ release earlier in the week, Arcade Fire was “Ready To Start” (again, it was just too easy). Their spectacular show finished with thousands of concertgoers—hell, maybe even some pedestrians – singing “Wake Up” at the top of their lungs in the streets of Chicago.

Foo Fighters (2011) – A universal CoS fave, Foo Fighters played for three hours on Saturday night at the Metro in addition to their official set the next day. Like Phish at Bonnaroo, it’s hard to pick just one as the better performance. Dave “I don’t give a fuck if it’s raining tonight!” Grohl gives it his all each and every time.

Austin City Limits

Ween (2002) - Gene and Dean Ween cemented their status as Austin City Limits perennials at the festival’s inauguration in 2002, with their always dependably weird, spectacular performance helping to keep jam bands represented at future ACL’s.

R.E.M. (2003) – With Michael Stipe’s famous words, “We’re R.E.M., and this is what we do,” the threesome proceeded to rip through two hours of hits and obscurities dedicated to Ben Harper and Johnny and June Carter Cash. With an inexplicable blue stripe painted across Stipe’s face.

Elvis Costello (2009) – Even though he had just released Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane, Elvis Costello pleasantly surprised listeners with more than a few songs from his debut My Aim Is True. And on a few songs from his newest album, Costello sang duets with country maven Patty Griffin, bowling over an audience already impressed with his warm persona and talented musicianship.

Muse (2010) – I would say Muse were brown-nosing when they declared Texas their favorite state, but after seamlessly moving from the national anthem to “Hysteria” to The Doors’ “House of the Rising Sun” as an opener, they pretty much schooled those other American bands in the ways of British arena rock.

Whether or not that was the methodology behind Perry Farrell’s Lollapalooza in Chicago, IL, remains to be confirmed. However, that’s what he’s done. Stepping into the gates at Congress and Michigan, one can’t help but feel they’re about to enter another plane of existence. Yeah, yeah, what a cliché, simplistic statement, but let me ask you this…

Over the weekend, did you see:

• Hall & Oates look-alikes, complete with the leisure suits, dancing in 85-degree heat
• A “lobster corn dog”
• Chic Euro-looking women–or, those who look “primed for the runway”–rocking out next to a slew of Jim Belushi look-alikes
• Sweaty, exhausted teenagers, crying their eyes out at a colossal rave; it’s also only noon
• Thousands of people singing about the Cubs winning
• Fireworks behind an award-winning rock act
• Drunken fortysomethings asleep atop Connie’s Pizza slices
• ?uestlove chatting food with Graham Elliot
• Skateboarding youths, rolling away to their next favorite band
• Lasers washed over the Chicago skyline
• Mud-covered fans, diving in for more… mud
• Ironic shirts next to sports shirts next to a pair of male nipples
• War-torn Converses and sod-stained high heels tapping to the beats
• People stumbling out of Port-o-Potties shoeless
• A fairly short line to eat a burger from Kuma’s
• Shoes tossed at fans by a frantic lead singer
• Perry Farrell

Odds are if you weren’t in Grant Park this past weekend, you didn’t catch any of this… let’s call it… chaos? Hmm, that’s not fair. Chaos is such a frowned-upon term; it’s usually linked to things like “riots” or “fires” or “talking to yourself alone in the car.” With Lolla, this sort of orchestrated chaos tastes nothing short of delicious. It’s the sort of madness that builds character… or just crosses things off on those proverbial bucket lists. C’mon, lobster corn dog.

This year, the festival celebrated its 20th birthday–you could say, in style. Perry’s Stage received a face-lift (or, a temporary warehouse). Festivalgoers had the choice of four headliners per night. After-parties continued to thrive. One can’t dismiss Farrell’s electronic extravaganza, either. Over three long days, the new installment never witnessed a dull moment. As a result, it bred countless “believe it or not” tales of folklore, contributing a great chunk to the laundry list above.

While not the best Lollapalooza, it did produce some of the greatest memories in the festival’s history. That’s what matters, right? Also, think of it this way: Who ever remembers their 20th birthday, anyhow? It’s the following year that glues to the mind.

Until then…

-Michael Roffman
President/Editor-in-Chief

Friday, August 5th

Wye Oak – Sony – 12:00 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Baltimore indie duo Wye Oak took the stage in the sweltering midday heat, launching into the gnarled dreamscape of “The Altar”, followed by the Sonic Youth-isms of “Holy Holy”. Despite the addicting, sped-up shreds and mournful howl of vocalist/guitarist Jenn Wasner, bolstered by Andy Stack’s ethereal keyboards and simultaneous drumming, the band kept stopping to adjust their equipment, ceasing to play entirely midway through “Plains”. They switched out amps and had the same wonderfully rough quality for the rest of the set, but Wasner continuously (and needlessly) apologized in a fashion similar to her back pain complaints during a Decemberists show at The Riviera earlier this year, another killer set plagued by momentum-halting repents. While altogether a solid show, Wasner needs to stop making excuses for a band that needs no excuses at all. -Dan Caffrey

Tennis – Google + – 1:00 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Out of the ashes of the 1980′s and Roxy Music album covers rose Tennis, who played every hot moment of their 45-minute set, with an abundance of “whoa-oh-ohs.” Lead singer/keyboardist Alaina Moore let the crew know she was having some problems with her keyboard for the first couple of songs, but she didn’t let any technical issues dampen the afternoon. Moore (jokingly?) suspected airport security sabotaged her keyboard before leaving from Moscow, but it’s hard to imagine anyone damaging anything of Moore’s; she’s too likeable. Breezy surf-pop followed, including the jaunty “Seafarer” and “Robin”, the latter of which borrowed lovingly from “Love” off the Robin Hood soundtrack. -Justin Gerber

Reptar – Google + – 2:15 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

The Google + Stage got a little bigger this year, which upped the ante for many of the young, fresh-out-the-club bands. Reptar were one of the younger, erm, Rugrats on that stage, and they showed up with heaping portions of excitement and eccentricity to carry their set. They have a kind of Portugal. The Man by way of a Cuisinart blender sound to them, with Graham Ulicney’s vocal performance warranting the most notes. “I’ll get you next time, Gadget,” I wrote about his voice, and for a band whose namesake is a made-up cartoon inside of another kids cartoon show, it felt justified. But add to the odd pot the synth player dancing about in a jet blue unitard, and it all sort of came together in a garagey synth fun house kind of dance party. -Jeremy D. Larson

Foster the People – Sony – 3:00 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

“This is the most amount of people we’ve ever played in front of before,” said Mark Foster, lead singer/multi-instrumentalist of Foster the People. From the crowd reaction, you’d have thought they were Lolla pros, as the band played instruments ranging from standard guitars to maracas, then had three members playing keyboards/effects simultaneously. No one had a bigger smile on his or her face during day one than Foster, whose onstage dancing was simply infectious, leading to crowd surfing, sing-alongs, and clapping to every beat. Standout songs included the big beats of “Miss You”, a cover of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold”, and set closer “Helena Beat”, which sent the crowd dancing out the exit. -Justin Gerber

Le Butcherettes – Google+ – 3:30 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

“I want to lick your tongues with my loving.” Yep, that’s Teri Gender Bender for ya. Fearless and wild-eyed, the Le Butcherettes singer annihilated both the stage and her body, tossing and turning with antics as erratic and visceral as her cannibalistic punk rock. In a word, it was filthy. But, in two words, we’ll go with filthy sexy. Dangerous yet sludgy cuts of “Dress Off”, “Henry Don’t Got Love”, and new tune “No Owe” left quite a mess on the Google + floorboards, especially as drummer Gabe Serbian threw up water after every other song and bassist Jonathan Hiscke treated the cozy stage as a sauna. They rained sweat. But that’s because they never stopped moving. And although Teri remained barefoot throughout most of the performance–she threw her shoes at her fans, who scooped ‘em up as a prize–she made several advances into the engaging crowd, including some post-show crowd surfing. Punk rock? Perhaps. We’ll just call it violently entertaining… and demand more. -Michael Roffman

Exclusive: Cluster 1 HANGOUT – CoS/C1 correspondents Nick Freed and Michael Roffman hang out with Teri Gender Bender and Jonathan Hiscke at Lollapalooza, pulling crazy hi jinks all around the park. Things get “wild.”

Feed Me – Perry’s – 3:45 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

Currently representing deadmau5′s Mau5trap record label, UK’S Jon Gooch broke in the newly renovated Perry’s Stage early Friday under his electro-house/dubstep moniker Feed Me. Gooch kick-started his set by sending effervescent bubbles of electronica, kept aloft with a heavy bass line, across the audience. As the set progressed, Gooch often seemed rushed by the time limitations associated with a festival performance, shuffling between electro-grime, melodic dubstep, and glistening synth runs. As soon as the growing audience could get into a rhythm, Gooch was already pushing a new genre and tempo. Still, there’s little wrong with leaving an audience anxious for a club-setting return. -Derek Staples

Kids These Days – BMI – 4:15 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Chicago’s own Kids These Days (KTD) made a well-earned splash with this year’s Hard Times EP, a funky simmer of a debut that seamlessly blended blue-eyed soul, R&B, jazz, and hip-hop. At a breezy 23 minutes, the entirety of the record is usually played at their shows, leaving the rest of the set to be filled in with live mash-ups and newer material, as was the case with their Lolla performance. But while KTD’s musicianship and stage presence is consistently uncanny, the more recent tunes feel somewhat insincere and far-reaching, skirting the band’s genre-melding to lean heavier on rapper Vic Mensa. His latest rhymes go for a harder edge than exhibited on the band’s nostalgic single “My Days”, with an entire song devoted to how much he likes to smoke weed. While he’s surely tried the stuff (hell, maybe he does it a lot) and while there are plenty of classic hip-hop songs about that very topic, it appears he wrote it because he thinks that’s what rappers are supposed to do, as opposed to the words coming out of genuine love for the herb. -Dan Caffrey

Cults – Google + – 4:45 p.m.

Photo by Michael Roffman (via Colorizer)

The sun was angled directly at the crowd, but it was also in the 50′s during Cults. Twee throwback does a body good in the middle of the afternoon, and the original Cults duo of Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion punch up their sound a bit live by adding three equally long-haired bandmates. However, it was a tentative performance, with Follin’s voice being swallowed up by the festival setting, and it almost seemed like she was afraid to commit to the politeness of the record. When she went for it on “You Know What I Mean”, it was fantastic, and sound and vocal discrepancies notwithstanding, I left their show feeling just the tops, because while they may not have carved out their live sound yet, they can still rest on the laurels of their outstanding songs. -Jeremy D. Larson

The Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 77 – Perry’s – 5:00 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

Although relegated to the Lollapalooza dance tent, The Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 77 are led by one of the most skilled and enigmatic musicians today, Bob Rifo. During their epic live performance, the classically trained Rifo manned two stacks of synths, the guitar, bass, and was also the sole vocalist, although that mainly consisted of yelling. With Tommy Tea DJing and Edward Grinch on drums, the trio pumped out an hour of sweat-drenched, punk-inspired, raucous electro-house. As soon as the first few notes of “Warp 1.9″ filled Perry’s, the entire crowd broke into hysteria, forcing those not familiar with a Death Crew experience to scurry toward the back. To keep revelers from overheating, Rifo controlled the set’s tempo with periods of atmospheric house and beautiful synth solos. -Derek Staples

The Mountain Goats – Playstation – 5:30 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

John Darnielle and The Mountain Goats have been plugging away for years and are finally getting their just due. They snagged a prime, late-afternoon spot this year, and I’m sure made some new fans. The band came onstage to loud metal music—something I’m sure metal fan Darnielle handpicked—and an enthusiastic crowd that grew larger and larger as their set went on. Starting slow with Get Lonely’s “Wild Sage”, they blasted through the opening half of their set, which included “Going to Georgia”, “Charles Bronson”, and “Birth of Serpents”, before Darnielle went solo for crowd favorite “You Were Cool”. He then said, “We haven’t been playing many solo songs on this tour, but I couldn’t do just one solo song, so these others have only been so I could play this for you, Chicago.” He then launched into “Cubs in Five”, a song that most Cubs fans miss the meaning of, I think. Darnielle closed out their energetic set with fan gems “No Children” and “This Year”, which included Jen Wasner from Wye Oak, and a fantastic cover of “Babe” by “a favorite Chicago band of [The Mountain Goats],” Styx. -Nick Freed

A Perfect Circle – Music Unlimited – 6:00 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

Excerpts from The Sound of Music played just before A Perfect Circle entered the stage. It makes sense in some universe, but the band switched moods quickly enough as the short “Annihilation” led into an even more melancholy version of John Lennon’s “Imagine”, with James Iha on keyboards. As the band’s logo took up most of the backdrop, lead singer Maynard James Keenan made his presence known throughout the show by stomping along to either the thudding percussion during “Weak and Powerless” or the crunching guitar of “Pet”. “I’ve done this five times,” Keenan said, referring to previous Lolla gigs. “You’ll probably have to speak up. I’m a little old.” His vocal delivery during the one-two punch of “The Package” and “The Noose” sounded like the same man who graced the Lolla stage nearly two decades earlier. -Justin Gerber

Skrillex – Perry’s – 6:15 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

Skrillex, aka Sonny Moore, has spent most of 2011 on the festival scene, but that still doesn’t ensure a smooth set, and the onset of Moore’s Friday performance was very, very rough. After some volume issues, Moore was set to drop the bass on a La Roux “In for the Kill” remix, and with just a single, accidental space bar touch, the track lost all definition and momentum. Moore quickly regained composure and spent the next few minutes blasting ear drums with his signature bass aesthetic. Following fan favorite “Kill Everybody”, Moore brought forward a series of remixes, including House of Pain’s “Everybody Jump” mashed up with DJ Kool’s “Let Me Clear My Throat” and the Jackson 5′s “One More Chance”. Moore will probably remain best known for his bass music, but when he lets the oscillator rest, turns down the volume a few notches, and expands on his melodic undertones, he will get any club rocking, be it filled with househeads, candy-kids, or nu-disco fans. -Derek Staples

Bright Eyes – Bud Light – 6:30 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Fans who may be weary of seeing Bright Eyes play a huge festival like this because they don’t want to watch Conor Oberst mope around the stage should eat their words and fears, because Bright Eyes easily nailed one of the best sets all day. They were dynamic, fun, loud, and most of all damn entertaining. The crowd grew louder and more enthusiastic as hit after hit was delivered with a precision and an energy no one was expecting. The set list spanned nearly their entire catalog from The People’s Key’s “Jejune Stars” and “Shell Games” (which Oberst said was for “all the phonies in the audience”) back to Fevers and Mirrors favorite “The Calendar that Hung Itself”. The band expertly adapted normally electronic songs like “Take It Easy” and “Arc of Time” into catchy, beautiful rock songs. Bright Eyes filled the huge space and huge crowd like nothing I was expecting or had seen from such an introverted band. Even the slower songs like “Old Soul Song” and “Land Locked Blues” had an urgency that was captivating. Oberst himself spun like a tornado and ran all over the stage during faster tracks like the fantastic “Road to Joy”. By the set’s conclusion, everyone was left thinking the same thing: “Since when did Bright Eyes become such an amazing stadium rock band?” -Nick Freed

Crystal Castles – Sony – 7:15 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

With the sun still occupying the picturesque Chicago skyline, Ethan Kath and Alice Glass of Crystal Castles could not hide behind their trademark panels of white light. The daylight didn’t seem to affect Kath, who is rarely actually seen producing live, but the fully healed Glass never seemed totally committed to the performance. Maybe that’s because it was just too hard to jump in and out of the crowd due to the elevation and distance from the audience of the Sony stage. Glass did come to life during “Crimewave”, stepping atop the drum kit platform and banging away on live drummer Christopher Chartrand’s cymbals. To the crowd’s enjoyment–and the stage crew’s worry–Glass did make it into the audience for the majority of “Baptism”. But just as the sun dipped and Glass seemed to find a spark, the band stepped offstage at least 20 minutes prior to the set’s scheduled conclusion. A smattering of hardcore fans stayed for several minutes chanting for one more song, but the vast majority had already had enough and were more than ready for Friday night’s headliners. -Derek Staples

Ok Go – Google + – 7:15 p.m.

Photo by Jack Edinger

OK Go‘s crunchy power pop has always been a party, but it didn’t really start kicking until they accompanied it with colorful theatrics such as elaborate music videos and jovial live spectacles. Their dusk performance at Lolla was no different. After taking the stage in their trademark solid, pastel suits amidst a sea of rubber balls and bubbles in the audience, the band chugged through the finest from their catalog, adding whimsical but never overwhelming touches such as crowd sing-alongs with set closer “This Too Shall Pass”. The highlight of the evening was an unexpectedly moving rendition of “Return” performed entirely on hand-bells by all four band members. -Dan Caffrey

Coldplay – Bud Light – 8:30 p.m.

“We’re gonna try to rock your fucking socks off this evening!”, lead singer/guitarist Chris Martin promised near the beginning of Coldplay’s set, their first ever at Lollapalooza. It was an evening of colors; for “Yellow”, yellow lights shined across the sea of thousands. Likewise, a purplish light was served out during “Violet Hill”. Rumors of a Jay-Z cameo, heightened even more thanks to a “99 Problems” intro before the band took the stage, were for naught, though “Lost” was performed to a still-receptive audience without Chris Martin’s besty. Cameos weren’t necessary, though. All the crowd needed to whip itself into a frenzy was a beefed-up “God Put a Smile Upon Your Face”, during which Martin and Co. lined up in front of drummer Will Champion for its pounding buildup.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

But the story of the night was the new songs, which is a risk, especially if you’re headlining. In the same time slot last year, The Strokes stuck to their past glories instead of creating new ones. Coldplay opted to go for it, opening with a laser light show with fireworks for the uplifting “Hurts Like Heaven”, indicating an album full of “Lover in Japan”-esque tunes (compliment). Martin claimed the acoustic “Us Against the World” was inspired by a love affair between Bill O’Reilly and Sarah Palin (he was kidding), and they actually finished their encore with “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall”. The new songs sound infinitely better live than they do on computer speakers, so that’s certainly encouraging. Fireworks and new songs wound up bookending the evening, as Coldplay continued to defy the critics and entertain their throngs of fans. -Justin Gerber

Muse – Music Unlimited – 8:15 p.m.

It’s only been four years since Muse last headlined Lollapalooza, and god, how so much has changed. Back then, the English trio were a year out in supporting 2006′s Black Holes and Revelations, and they were coming off an oddball supporting slot for, ahem, My Chemical Romance. Now, they return as arena rock saviors. Why? Blame it on Guitar Hero (“Knights of Cydonia”, anyone?), opening slots for U2, Twilight, the Grammys, or that mediocre 2009 effort, The Resistance. Whatever the case, and suffice it to say, America arrived late.

“Thanks for coming out and seeing us,” Matt Bellamy exclaimed. “We know you had options. You chose the right one.” Did they? Sure, highlights ricocheted in a three-hit punch of “Supermassive Black Hole”, “Hysteria”, and “Map of the Problematique”, with the latter syncing up beautifully to a nearby fireworks display, but lukewarm additions of “Guiding Light” and “United States of Urasia” teleported much of the crowd’s energy–and plenty of fans, who likely trekked north to salvage what was left of Coldplay’s set. The mood just fell flat midway through, and it didn’t pick up until they flirted with the trademark riff of “House of the Rising Sun”, which segued naturally into “Time Is Running Out”. As you could have guessed, they closed with crowd favorite “Knights of Cydonia” but not before dusting off “Plug in Baby”. Ah, there’s another Origin of Symmetry track–they punched out “Citizen Erased” earlier–but where were the rest? We won’t ask about Showbiz, either. Yes, things have changed. -Michael Roffman

Photo by Brad Bretz.

Ratatat – Google + – 8:45 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

While Coldplay took the Bud Light stage and wowed fans with an epic spectacle of fireworks and state-of-the-art lights, Ratatat put on a smaller, but equally dazzling show. The only words uttered by the soft-spoken duo were polite thank yous between songs, allowing the band’s bizarre instrumentals and digital imagery to do the talking for them. As random as the footage from Predator may have seemed, the majority of the audio-visuals conjured an aesthetic of perverse classicism, melding the video game guitar and farting robot keyboards of fan favorites such as “Seventeen Years” with projections of fluorescent busts of Venus placed next to a large black woman dancing in a Hawaiian skirt. Elsewhere, synthesized harpsichord bubbled over the band’s twin electronic drum solos and films of blindfolded chamber musicians. “Wildcat” was the crowd favorite of the night, a sparkling gem of lucid performance art where a film of a rhythmically bouncing necklace transformed into the face of a golden cougar with every canned feline growl in the song. -Dan Caffrey

Girl Talk – Perry’s – 8:45 p.m.

Perry’s Stage came off as either a wicked fun dance party or a shitshow, depending on your personal preferences/level of intoxication. I walked over there, and there were six ambulances, two of which had actual patients in them. I don’t recall anyone passing out during The Mountain Goats, nor did anyone appear to be “rolling hard” at Bright Eyes, but the mood shift was jarring. I arrived just at the end of Afrojack’s set, which–come on, dude. It was like being bludgeoned with an inflatable hammer; it was irritating, immature, and totally predictable. He was self-aggrandizing and flippant onstage, periodically just turning his back to talk to his friends backstage while everyone waited for “that drop.” It was condescending to say the least.

Photo by Will Rice

Then Gregg Gillis bounded onstage, hopped up onto his DJ table, yelled, “Chicago come with me!”, and opened with an unaltered “Oh No” from All Day. Perry’s is where you want to be if you favor sensory stroking due to a state-of-the-art sound and light system that rivals any I’ve seen and a barrage of electronic acts that are down to get your hands up. And to be honest, I was in the the right mood to just turn my mind off and play name that tune with Mr. Gillis. Little did I know that I would only really dig it for a scientifically precise 15 minutes. With the displacement of people moving in and out of the very crowded canopied area, it was hard to really be in the fray without having to stop and let someone out (or worse, someone in). But that’s a part of every fest. What bothered me most about Girl Talk‘s show was that it was just too easy, and it felt like a goddamn wedding reception with people around my half shouting lyrics to MOP’s “Ante Up” or Drama’s “Left, Right, Left”.

Photo by Will Rice

When I go to a wedding, I expect to just get drunk and begrudgingly sing along to songs I really don’t care for. I don’t want to do that at a festival. I think I reached my breaking point when Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” was met with Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. People went ape; I moved to the back. The thing I like about Girl Talk are the moments of surprise, and there were precious few at the show. (The Waka’s “Hard in the Paint” with Heart’s “Baracuda” mashup got my attention.) Gillis had to cut his set short due to some sort of security issue, adding that security were “straight being dicks” and disparaging Perry’s Stage; he said that he wished he could play on a regular stage “like a normal band could play.” I kind of felt for him, and perhaps if he were given more time to dig deeper into some different mashups, it would have felt less like I was surrounded by my drunk relatives. He (almost) closed with “Shout”. Do you need more proof that this was like your cousin’s wedding reception? Fun but lacking practically anything to remember it by. -Jeremy D. Larson

Saturday, August 6th

Typhoon – BMI – 1:15 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

Shortly after Typhoon began their set, the rain started to come down. Coincidence? Well, yes, but the band managed to fight through the conditions and play through their allotted time slot. The music attempted to reach the production swells of In the Aeroplane over the Sea but fell a bit short. The issue with Typhoon wasn’t necessarily the talent; it was having too much talent on the stage. Thirteen members crammed together on one of the smallest stages of the venue made for a claustrophobic experience. The horn- and string-filled sections weren’t allowed to breathe within a lineup that could be condensed by half. -Justin Gerber

Friendly Fires – Bud Light – 2:15 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

The main thing that drew me into Friendly Fires was Ed Macfarlane’s carefree dance moves. He dances like me, and it’s proven (somewhere) that we like things that we can associate with. In addition to the Gumby white-boy dance, Friendly Fires played essential festival music: feel-good, sun-kissed dance tunes with nothing but positive vibes. The fact that their whole show made me forget about how anti-kinetic their album is on speakers was a formidable feat. There may even have been some shivers up and down my arms during “Hawaiian Air”. It’s hard to reject something that uplifting, even if at times they border on 30 Seconds To Mars-esque mugging and cringe-worthy lyrics. (“A thousand butterflies from your lips to mine” makes me angry.) 2:30 p.m. big, happy dance party achieved. -Jeremy D. Larson

Dom – Google+ – 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.

Photo by Jeremy D. Larson

I’m still not sure who’s gonna win the Lolla cover battle, but a strong contender might be Dom‘s take on The Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry”. I get it, though. I know smaller bands throw in covers so people are like, “What’s that one band that did The Cure?” “Dom, I think.” “Oh yeah, those guys are pretty good, too.” And they are, with their could-give-a-fuck amalgam of sounds from lo-fi garage to chillwave beach tunes, which prevents me from comparing them to any other band. Highlight “Burn Bridges” has this arena chorus that belies the rest of their DIY aesthetic, which makes me think they’ll be on to bigger and later set times throughout their career. -Jeremy D. Larson

TBD Special Guest – Kidzapalooza – 3:45 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Let’s look at the timeline, shall we? 2005: Peter DiStefano & Perry Farrell/Saul Williams & Ladybug, 2006: Patti Smith, 2007: Jim James, Patti Smith, Ben Harper, 2008: Jeff Tweedy, Rogue Wave, Perry Farrell & Slash (complete with cigarette, if memory serves correct), and G Love, 2009: Yuto Miyazawa, 2010: The Verve Pipe, and for 2011? Little Hurricane. Not that anyone’s going to hang out at the Kidzapalooza stage for hours on end, but the surprise guest has always been a fun little break at the festival. This year, it was a letdown, especially given the celebrity presence in Grant Park. Sadly, many left an otherwise tight little set from the San Diego duo. Hard to blame them. Again, it’s just Kidzapalooza, but something special was slightly lost. -Michael Roffman

The Chain Gang of 1974 – BMI – 3:45 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

Frontman Kamtin Mohager, smoking a cigarette and dressed semi-Goth, may have given off the perception that this was going to be a dour 45 minutes. Quite the contrary. “It’s a fucking honor to be here,” Mohager declared, and you’d believe him as he launched into “Heartbreakin’ Scream”. The Chain Gang of 1974 launched into a set that had the crowd hopping up and down from the get-go. The reaction to the New Wave-tinged dance music was only enhanced when Mohager brought his mic stand with him into the crowd for “Devil Is a Lady”. There was a dance party at four o’clock in the afternoon inside a forested area. Must be Lollapalooza. -Justin Gerber

PerryEtty vs. Chris Cox – Perry’s – 3:45 p.m.

Photo by Steve Wruble

As if Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell would expand his titular tent to roughly the size of a football field and not take at least one stab at ultra-stimulating the constantly packed crowd. Farrell has long been comfortable with a DJ set–just watch footage of early DJ Peretz–but people still flocked to the tent with hopes of catching the legendary frontman in front of the decks, and he definitely did not disappoint. With Chris Cox spinning the tracks seemingly solo, Farrell was busy fist pumping, supplying vocals, and performing with his wife and third member of the collective, Etty Lau Farrell. The electro set was decent, and with the exception of Farrell at the helm, it did not stand out among the rest of Perry’s international talent. Most likely, PerryEtty vs. Chris Cox will make a return at Lolla 2012, hopefully with a companion Porno for Pyros or Satellite Party set to keep Farrell occupied throughout the weekend. -Derek Staples

Death From Above 1979 – Bud Light – 4:00 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

Canadian duo Death From Above 1979 have released exactly one studio album, 2004′s universally acclaimed, dance metal thrasher You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine. The group disbanded citing creative differences, and their recent reunion has been one of the most hyped acts at Lolla. However, their set, while energetic, displayed little chemistry between the members. It’s always a marvel to see how many twisted sounds Jesse F. Keeler can pull from his bass, and drummer/vocalist Sebastian Grainger blazed through spastic yet scary cuts such as the album’s title track and “Romantic Lights” with precision and snarl, but their apathetic communication made you wonder how much fun they were really having. -Dan Caffrey

Big Audio Dynamite – Music Unlimited – 4:30 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

There were several elder statesmen represented at Lollapalooza this year, and though Big Audio Dynamite definitely fit the bill as “elders,” their youthful energy was impossible to dismiss. They began with a revved-up version of “Medicine Show”, which saw frontman Mick Jones slinking back and forth across the stage as he’s been doing for over 30 years. “This is the first B.A.D. song we ever wrote,” Jones informed the crowd before beginning “The Bottom Line”. The reception to that song was only surpassed by that for set closer “Rush”. The mud that stuck on people’s shoes, sandals, and feet was being kicked up into the air by the time that classic was ringing out of the Music Unlimited Stage. -Justin Gerber

The Drums – Google + – 4:45 p.m.

Photo by Jeremy D. Larson

Many people think The Drums are from the UK, and rightly so as their records could fall right in line with New Order or The Cure. But live they add a drummer, and their sound takes a direct flight to their actual home of NYC with Television bass lines and J. Casablancas swagger. The sort of lackadaisical ennui that singer Jonathan Pierce exudes is dampened by a sneaking suspicion that you could probably kick his ass if you wanted to, which makes his stumbling around the stage and limp posture actually kind of endearing. New song “Money” created the most tenacious earworm of the day and also sees the band taking steps toward carving out their own sound that comes out ahead of post-punk and New Wave revival acts. -Jeremy D. Larson

Exclusive: The Drums Interview – Frontman Jonathan Pierce and Jacob Graham discuss the new LP, changes in sound, and shifts in lineup.

Local Natives – Sony – 5:30 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Taylor Rice is related to John Oates, right? Winner of this year’s Best ‘Stache goes to the Local Natives frontman, who led the lineup through their Vampire Weekend-meets-Fleet Foxes musical stylings. “Camera Talk” started things off on the right foot, and you can’t deny the afro-pop sensibilities. “This is insane!” Rice exclaimed. “This is the biggest crowd we’ve played by far.” He echoed the sentiments of Foster the People’s Mark Foster from the day before. Humbled and gracious is the best way to describe the young acts that played Lollapalooza. And mustached. -Justin Gerber

Chuckie – Perry’s – 5:45 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

So, when exactly did moshing and crowd surfing become part of the dance music community? Because I definitely missed the memo. Sure, the bass monsters, like Friday performer Skrillex, can get revelers heated, but one would expect the hip-hop/house arrangements courtesy of Surinese-Dutch DJ Chuckie to result in a more subtle dance party. Chuckie’s deep-house set began with a remix of David Guetta’s “One Love”, then flowed into a mashup of his own “I Like the Way You Move to the Drum” with Justice vs. Simian’s “We Are Your Friends”. Other remixes included Daft Punk’s “Around the World”, the crowd-pleaser “Where’s Your Head At”, originally done by The Bassment Jaxx, Dead Prez’s “Bigger Than Hip Hop”, and “Warp 1.9″, which many in attendance recalled from the Bloody Beetroots’ Friday performance. Chuckie cultivated an amazing flow, but next time, a tiny bit more dancing room would be much appreciated. -Derek Staples

Ellie Goulding – Google + – 6:00 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

It happens every year at Lollapalooza: A big fish swims in a small pond. For 2011, the tradition continues with the UK’s latest addictive export, Ellie Goulding. Through power pop numbers “Lights”, “Salt Skin”, and “Starry Eyed”, the 24-year-old multi-instrumentalist — yep, she sings, plays guitar, and hits a drum (sometimes) –bottled up the hearts of every male and female that walked by the Google + Stage. Was it really that hard, though? Try watching one of Goulding’s videos; within two minutes you’re in love. Now, imagine what it’s like onstage. If her cute-as-hell wardrobe didn’t win you over (Those leopard print platform shoes? Puh-lease!), then her little sound bites worked their magic. When she exclaimed, “You’ve been fucking brilliant,” a thousand Americans let her know she’s more than welcome in the States. Some might have offered her a place to stay, too, but yeah, let’s not go there. -Michael Roffman

Lykke Li – Google + – 7:15 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

The Google + Stage was blessed with the presence of two great back-to-back pop acts. After Ellie Goulding pawed at the crowd, Swedish femme Lykke Li made us work a little harder. Her gothic undertones and tom-centric grooves are easily digestable pop fare but far less “Baby you’re a firework!” than her contemporaries. The allure of Lykke Li is that gothic danger lurking beneath those hooks, made evident by her slithering about the stage in her flowing outfit–sultry and sad. When Li strummed the zither on “I Know Places”, the crowd was rapt in the newborn power being infused in the song. Not long after, though, we’re back to Li attacking her tom and getting everyone moving and shaking to “Youth Knows No Pain” mixed with Kanye’s “Power”. It was a great, brooding set that was as uplifting as it was noir. (n.b. Her cover of The Drifters’ “Please Stay” was inspired, fine, but a far cry from some of the other covers heard at the fest.) -Jeremy D. Larson

My Morning Jacket – Bud Light – 8:00 p.m.

My Morning Jacket is no stranger to the festival circuit, and they were a highly anticipated headliner for day two. The crowd at the Bud Light Stage consisted of fans that had been camped out most of the day waiting for the high-energy jammers to blow them away. When the time came, Jim James and company blasted onto the stage with the opening track to Circuital, “Victory Dance”, and barely took time to breathe as they barreled through song after song. James gave the band a five-minute break to tell the story about how his first concert experience was at Lollapalooza in 1994 and how it was “fucking amazing” to be playing here now in 2011. That was the only break they took.

Photo by Debi Del Grande

The set included tunes from their last four albums all played at a fevered and energetic pitch–everything from new tracks like “Circuital” and crowd favorite “Holdin on to Black Metal” to older tracks “Gideon” and “One Big Holiday”, the latter of which was used as an epic closing jam session. Jim James maintained a breakneck energy level throughout, jumping around the stage, shaking violently like a joyous born-again, and even adding a rock star knee slide across the stage that was met with crowd uproar and a stagehand placing a James Brown-esque cape over his shoulders. In the end, the crowd seemed completely content with the amazing set, while the band was soaked head to toe in sweat: a true sign of a job well done. -Nick Freed

Pretty Lights – Perry’s – 8:30 p.m.

More than ever, the Pretty Lights moniker is fitting for Derek Vincent Smith’s unique fusion of funk, soul, and electro. Perched atop a wall of ever-changing visuals, Smith bangs away at his controllers and dual laptops, as multiple towers of light dazzle grind-happy, well-baked fans. Due to the complexity of the new rig–a look of concern was recognizable on the face of at least one of the stage crew–Smith took the stage 10 minutes late but was still received with a boisterous reaction.

Photo by Derek Staples

With only an hour to perform, Smith shelved his growing list of popular music remixes, choosing instead to start the set with “High School Art Class”, and then he continued to fill the city’s skies with tracks from across his already expansive catalog, including “How We Do” and the Chicago-inspired “More Important Than Michael Jordan” off of Filling Up the City Skies, Passing By Behind Your Eyes‘ ”Sunday School”, and the hip-hop-heavy ”Hot Like Dimes” from Spilling Over Every Side. The vibrant set selection kept the earlier moshers at bay, offering those up front with a sense of relief and a little more safety in cozying up with friends old and new. -Derek Staples

Eminem – Music Unlimited – 8:30 p.m.

Photo by Ashley Garmon

A vast majority of those Lollapaloo’ers squeezed into Grant Park’s South Side on Saturday night were raised on Eminem. Hell, my first CD purchase was his 1999 breakout, The Slim Shady LP. But the days of Eminem as Slim Shady/Stan/a captivating yet terrifying rapper who blew minds and caused a generation to bleach their hair (me included) left us long ago. Unfortunately, the Detroit-bred rapper has struggled to find a new identity–sobriety and maturity are double-edged swords–and his headlining performance at Lollapalooza was both unfocused and uninspiring.

The 90-minute set was in part a real-time commercial for Relapse; Eminem’s hype man, D12′s Mr. Porter (aka Kon Artis), has no qualms of squeezing a CD sales pitch into the middle of every song. Another 15 minutes were dedicated to hearing how loud the crowd could scream. Right after Eminem reached back to two of his most exposing narratives, “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” and “The Way I Am”, pop super star Bruno Mars showed up for a good 180 seconds, dishing out a glitzy chorus for Bad Meets Evil’s “Lighters”. There was a tribute to Nate Dogg, then a brief performance of Dr. Dre’s “I Need a Doctor” (sans Dr. Dre). And then, for the most uncomfortable part of the performance, Eminem “tried” to “relapse.”

“I love Chicago so much because Chicago and Detroit are so close to one another, there are so many similarities,” Eminem explained. Apparently, this provided a good enough reason to relive the glory days by “relapsing,” with Eminem then asking the crowd, “Can I relapse with you tonight?” It gets better: After swigging a giant bottle of voda, he proceeded to “leak” through his hoodie. “Give my man a hand for staying sober this long,” followed Kon Artis. Not even his 8 Mile acting chops could save this one.

Eminem relapsed anyway, capping off his set with “My Name Is”, “The Real Slim Shady”, and “Without Me”. For the encore, the rapper dished out his underdog anthem “Lose Yourself”; the song ends with the line “You can do anything you set your mind to.” If Eminem’s goal was to awkwardly bridge two eras that couldn’t be more different, then mission accomplished. -Alex Young

Photo by Dave Mead

Beirut – Google + – 8:45 p.m.

Photo by Debi Del Grande

I have never seen a crowd go nuts for trumpets. Trumpets! Every time Beirut‘s Zach Condon and his horn section would put those things to their lips, people just screamed as if doleful gypsy/mariachi music was the only answer for anything ever. When Condon and his fellow horn section about-faced, stood bolt-upright, and sounded off on “The Shrew”, it was like the crowd was welcoming a guest artist onstage. But, you know, classically trained musicians and composers getting a chance to show off in a headlining spot at Lollapalooza certainly is an occasion worth honoring at every opportunity.

Beirut’s show was a virtuosic display of musicianship, songwriting, and showmanship all while not shoving theatrics and hype down the crowd’s throat (and considering who they were up against, there was a very big turnout for these guys). Condon’s wealth of talent reared its head at every turn, from the drunken waltzes of their earlier material to the chamber-pop celebrations from their latest LP, Rip Tide. The die-hards swooned and sang along to the classics like “Elephant Gun” and the heart-squeezer “Postcards From Italy”, the latter of which purportedly underscored a marriage proposal in the audience. It was a perfect setting for Beirut, not too big to get swallowed but big enough for their strident brass to echo through the crowd.

Photo by Debi Del Grande

I think “East Harlem” might be the best song they’ve recorded, and hopefully it’ll flex a bit more live in the future, as it leaves plenty of room for some improvisation. My only qualm with Beirut’s show is that it seemed scripted and stiff at times. For as talented as everyone is, I’m surprised they didn’t take the opportunity to unpackage their songs a bit more and let sections of songs breathe into the night. Having a tight show has its perks, though, like keeping the Lolla audience rapt for an entire show plus encore. Must be the trumpets. -Jeremy D. Larson

Titus Andronicus – Reggie’s – 11:00 p.m.

Photo by Jeremy D. Larson

I’ve seen Titus Andronicus five or six times now and was kind of just going to see them raze a small club, but it turns out that it was a pretty special show, as the NJ arena punkers trotted out two new songs. Both were (comparatively) shorter, furious, east coast drunken punk burners, so get excited for that. Of note, too, was the new bass player, who blended well with the group, the commitment Patrick Stickles still has to these golden songs he’s been playing for well over a year on the road, and the cover of Nirvana’s “Breed”, which, if they forgo at Lolla, will be the worst decision they’ve ever made. Another great Titus show in the books. -Jeremy D. Larson

Foo Fighters – Metro – 11:00 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

“I gotta be honest,” a sweaty, breathless Dave Grohl digressed. “I was kind of looking forward to this, instead.” He wasn’t alone in his sentiments. As the lucky hundreds attested, Foo Fighters‘ Saturday pre-show at the Metro–announced less than 72 hours prior–may have set an unapproachable benchmark for the weekend. With a full performance of the band’s latest acclaimed LP, Wasting Light, a rotary’s worth of hits, and one dazzling opening set by The Joy Formidable to boot, well, you sort of forget about the dried mud on your shoes and ankles.

Amicable as ever, Grohl ingested the surrounding die-hard fanaticism feverishly. It was rare to see him without that hyena-like smile of his or without a chummy quote that always incited laughter. He couldn’t help but note the difference in setting, especially since his arena rocking troupe would be performing to thousands a mere 21 hours later. “You see, tomorrow night we only got two hours, but tonight we can play for as long as we fucking want.” Enthusiastic roars were near-deafening. It was a mini arena rock show.

After being tied down to the stage for Wasting Light and dishing out seven solid hits (“All My Life”, “Learn to Fly”, and “The Pretender”, to name a few), the straggly hair guru abandoned his post during the jammy midsection of “Stacked Actors”, appearing on the balcony above to duel on his guitar with Chris Shiflett, who remained onstage below. Think Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen connects with his fans? Try this on for size: To get back to the stage, Grohl handed his Gibson to adoring fans below, where he trusted them to deliver it to him onstage as he made his way back. It was returned sans a knob, but hey, it was the thought that counted.

The midnight oil could only burn for so long. Two-and-a-half hours in, even Grohl seemed wrecked, adding, “How many songs are we doing? Shiiit.” Still, Taylor Hawkins, more or less a mustachioed drum machine at this point, managed to ignite an electrified closer in “Everlong”. There was no following that. Before he walked off, Grohl waved and said, “Thank you for letting us practice with you.” No problemo; just keep us in the loop for next rehearsal. -Michael Roffman

Gallery by Heather Kaplan

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Sunday, August 7th

The Joy Formidable – Bud Light – 1:00 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

The sun was bright for the Welsh trio’s set, and they met the heat with a towering wall of poppy guitar-gaze and pysch.Ritzy Bryan’s vocals are sharp and powerful, dwarfed only by the sheer volume she pulls from her guitar. It sounded like 100 Fender Strats coming out of the speaker, especially during the second half of “Austere” where the guitar tones were so thick you could have stood on them. Her happiness and elation to be playing Lollapalooza was endearing, and she played for keeps during the finale and smashed that magic guitar against a gong upstage as three black cat heads inflated around the band. A perfect primer to a a very rock-centric day. -Jeremy D. Larson

Rival Schools – Playstation – 1:45 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

And I didn’t really want Joy Formidable to end, so I kind of approached Rival Schools with a bit of a “you don’t love me like my real dad does” vibe. They are in many ways like a step-parent, trying their best to fit in and do a good job appealing to everyone, but it just isn’t the same as, well, real music. It wasn’t as bad as all that, but it was a rather toothless outing that could desperately have used at least some hardcore touches that the band members tout in their artist bio. I think those corners could be sharpened a bit to just get out of the murky waters of indie pop-punk. -Jeremy D. Larson

Exclusive: Rival Schools Interview – Frontman Walter Schreifels discusses what’s next for Rival Schools, festivals and touring, and the alleged third studio LP from Quicksand.

Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses – Music Unlimited – 2:15 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Ryan Bingham and his bandmates came dressed for a show at a local pub, with Bingham’s cowboy boots as their most telling accessory. They wound up playing one of the main stages at Lollapalooza and kept the audience involved with their alt-country brand. The extended jam during the mid-tempo “Bluebird” saw their lead guitarist attempt to jump upon a speaker, only to slip off in spectacular fashion. He leapt back up and kept playing through the rest of the song, the crowd roaring with approval. The weather was at its hottest during this set, the sun at its brightest, but it wouldn’t last much longer. -Justin Gerber

Lia Ices – BMI – 2:30 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

First, Lia Ices is wearing an evening gown, which effectively makes everyone in the crowd look like her hand servants. Second, the lovely Ms. Ices should really be surrounded by melty wax candles and flowing, slow-motion fabric. As an unapologetic balladeer, Ices cooed and crooned into the shade of the small BMI Stage, evoking a Tori Amos timbre often but adding her own unique vocal quirks–like a quick leap into her upper register at the end of a phrase. If you wanted an escape from the clamor of eager-beaver rock and roll, Ices’ melancholic dirges were your best bet. Her version of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” felt right at home, which is not often said when that song is touched on at a festival. -Jeremy D. Larson

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Sony – 3:00 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Shortly after three in the afternoon, the sugary synths of “Heart in Your Heartbreak” coated the fetid southern fields, where New York’s The Pains of Being Pure at Heart reconstructed its latest LP, Belong, onstage. With a crowd as apathetic as the band’s music, frontman Kip Berman kept things relatively “chill”, leaving most of the talking to keyboardist Peggy Wang. It wasn’t like he had a chance to speak, either. Thick slices of distortion concealed much of Berman’s vocals, especially on 90′s burners like “Heaven’s Gonna Happen Now”, “My Terrible Friend”, and “Come Saturday”. It was odd seeing an act that capitalizes on moody noise pop both outdoors and under a lethal, unforgiving sun–though, in hindsight, somewhat humorous, given the sludgy downpours that would follow hours later. However, the quintet’s ample followers enjoyed the set, even clapping at a few beats, which is more than anyone should expect from a shoegazing crowd. Wang appreciated this, exclaiming, “This is the best crowd we’ve ever had.” Well, they have that…which is nice. -Michael Roffman

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Jr. – Google + – 3:15 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

Shtick aside (and that may take a while ), Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. have the most chutzpa out of any young band I saw at Lollapalooza. Their carpe diem attitude was so sincere I almost pitied them, and I would have if it weren’t for their fully fleshed-out live show complete with perhaps the most fun cover of the weekend, Steve Winwood’s “Higher Love”. Thousands of bubbles blew out from the front of their stage while they delivered happy-go-lucky indie synth-pop that drew more and more people in by the minute. Though they will probably be remembered as the band with the “Your Ad Here” t-shirts, the skeleton-masked helpers, and their band name alone, their closer “Nothing But Our Love” was a damn near perfect song. -Jeremy D. Larson

The Cars – Music Unlimited – 4:00 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

It’s easy to rag on a group of four old guys. It’s easier when the four old guys act, well, old. For all the hoopla surrounding their reunion, one would like to think Ric Ocasek returned to The Cars for a reason. If one were to find that reason at Lollapalooza, they’d be hard-pressed. With perfect weather and a hungry audience, the legendary Boston quartet had the perfect opportunity to repeat what Devo accomplished in 2010: reclaim their fame. Unfortunately, given the snail-like renditions of “Good Times Roll” and “My Best Friend’s Girl” early on, it quickly became apparent that wasn’t going to be the case. To be fair, keyboardist Greg Hawkes at least made some attempts to kick things up a notch, but it was the stoic nature of Ocasek that soured things. The prolific songwriter lurched forward through each hit as if he were a depressed animatronic on display, hardly acknowledging his dedicated fans or his music. By the time “Just What I Needed” or “Moving in Stereo” whizzed by, so did the crowds. -Michael Roffman

12th Planet – Perry’s – 4:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Touted as America’s first king of dubstep, 12th Planet (born John Dadzie) didn’t work into his set, he simply took to the controls and performed a brand-new dubstep production. With the track blasting, Dadzie stepped atop his setup and hyped the crowd of bass fiends. In between his own bass-heavy electro production, Dadzie once again delivered a slowed-down, chopped-up remix of The Bloody Beetroots’ “Warp 1.9″ to the Perry’s faithful and closed out his set with “All of the Lights” by Kanye West, Rihanna, and the evening’s stage closer, KiD CuDi. Throughout the performance, Dadzie was continually working the crowd, getting the audience to jump, calling out beat drops, and spending a considerable amount of time at the front of the stage communicating with fans. -Derek Staples

Cage the Elephant – Playstation – 5:15 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

As Sunday afternoon strolled by, the northern section of Grant Park hosted some of its largest crowds–just as a conglomerate of deadly clouds circulated nearby. Perhaps it was a combination of Flogging Molly fans leaving that band’s set at the Bud Light Stage and the influx of fans turning out for the Cage the Elephant‘s program, but whatever the reason, it was an ocean of sticky flesh for as far as the eye could see. Opening song “In One Ear” grabbed everyone’s attention, though the line “We ain’t got the tunes that’s goin’ to put us on the map” was apparently inaccurate. Halfway through the set, those trusty clouds delivered, and the rain came pouring down. However, like every other act, the band played on. The difference? You can’t beat that hungry, dedicated crowd; no wonder Matthew Shultz jumps into them religiously.  -Justin Gerber

Best Coast – Google + – 5:45 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

Best Coast may have had one of the poppiest sounds at Lollapalooza, but the band was greeted with a torrential downpour that lasted for the entirety of their set. “You can tell your grandkids that you saw a band known for singing about the sun play in the rain at Lollapalooza in 2011,” joked frontwoman Bethany Cosentino. Older audience members (CoS staff included) huddled under umbrellas while gangs of teenagers jubilantly skanked and played in the mud, all while the band blazed through California pop punk gems such as “Bratty B” and the apt-titled “When the Sun Don’t Shine”. The music itself was moodier than on record, with Cosentino’s vocals and Bob Bruno’s guitar both taking on a more ghostly tone. The spacious sound made for compelling juxtaposition; melancholy renditions of sunny songs played in the rain while a celebration happened in the mud. Rays of sun burst through the trees as soon as closer “When I’m With You” began, capping off one of the most memorable and uplifting sets of the festival. -Dan Caffrey

Busy P – Perry’s – 6:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Pedro Winter, better known in clubs worldwide as Busy P, is the manager/owner of France’s Ed Banger Records and is currently on a mission to bring real dance music back to the United States. Winter’s electro-house tracks kept the bass on medium, with more emphasis on the middle and high end, resulting in bright bangers more fit for booty shaking than crowd surfing. The pinnacle of the performance came near the end when the first few bars of Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” crept over the loud speakers, and the entire crowd screamed the first few verses in their entirety. Let’s all hope that some more French-electro makes its way to Lolla 2012. Well, one big name would do. -Derek Staples

Arctic Monkeys – Music Unlimited – 6:00 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

The rain from early in the morning returned late afternoon and soaked all concertgoers straight through what limited clothing they had and turned the field in front of the Music Unlimited Stage into a stinking mud pit. Unfortunately, it also delayed the Arctic Monkey’s set for nearly 20 minutes. The boys from “Highfield, Sheffield, Australia” (as lead singer Alex Turner put it) didn’t let the delay ruin their moment. After blasting through new song “Library Pictures”, Turner returned to the mic to say, “Thank you all so much. We have a short amount of time, so we’re just going to get to it.” The band sounded tight, and Turner was playful and upbeat. The set included highlights “She’s Thunderstorms” (Turner dedicated it to Mother Nature with a fantastic, sardonic laugh), “Crying Lightning”, and set closer “When the Sun Goes Down”. They were the perfect band to get the crowd to shake off the water and mud in order to get back to the business of rocking. -Nick Freed

Modeselektor – Perry’s – 6:00 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Lollapalooza

One of the bonuses of a DJ set is the lack of set change-over time. Not even two minutes after Busy P left the table, Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary of Modeselektor were already declaring the benefits of “German engineering.” The duo’s set was unlike any performance beneath the massive tent over the three-day festival, based predominantly in mid-tempo IDM. The 75-minute set was mixed atop earth-rattling bass, and neither Bronsert nor Szary were thinking about letting up, even as a torrential downpour soaked everyone in attendance. Modeselektor demonstrated just how much they love their audience as they flipped everyone the bird during “Black Block”; we all chose to take it as a compliment. As the crowd dispersed to seek shelter from the rain, or catch the day’s headliners, the duo had one powerful request: “We need the bass drum! We need the hardcore!”  The rare American performance featured custom visualizations, including the ape face, dripping blood over a static whiteout, and a dark forest scene near the set’s conclusion. -Derek Staples

Explosions in the Sky – Sony – 7:00 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Unlike Best Coast, whose sunny sound was fascinatingly offset by the rain, Explosions in the Sky is characterized by dramatic instrumental sweep that felt right at home in the storm. As the band energetically thrashed through opuses of cinematic ether, the clouds swirled, and the mud thickened. When they closed with “The Only Moment We Were Alone”, one couldn’t help but picture the Dillon Panthers trudging through the state playoffs and heartbreak with the band’s fans on the field. -Dan Caffrey

Foo Fighters – Music Unlimited – 8:00 p.m.

Photo by Heather Kaplan

After a merciful reprieve, the rain returned a few songs into Foo Fighters’ headlining performance. Dave Grohl wasn’t phased. “I don’t give a fuck if it’s raining tonight,” he howled to the thousands of adoring fans getting drenched. The feeling was mutual, as plenty leapt up and down throughout the band’s set – especially on a rousing, iconic cut of “My Hero”, just as the torrential downpour hit the hardest. A jam session during “Stacked Actors” put My Morning Jacket to shame, and the chaotic lights during “White Limo” rivaled that of Coldplay’s performance two nights earlier (well, maybe not that so much).

Photo by Heather Kaplan

After playing nearly three hours the night before, the ageless group didn’t seem to be dealing with any exhaustion. Grohl still delivered his screams and shouts during every song but dialed back when the moment called for it, notably for the solo-electric intro to “Times Like These”, before the band returned to blast the song into the rain-soaked fans. As for the new songs, “Bridges Burning” proved to be a worthy intro, and “Walk” seems destined to become a staple for future live shows. Foo Fighters stole the weekend with their passionate shows at the Metro late Saturday night and the Music Unlimited Stage on Sunday. Hell, they might have stolen the whole year. -Justin Gerber

deadmau5 – Bud Light – 8:30 p.m.

Photo by Brad Bretz

It has been rare for an electronic artist to headline at Lollapalooza, so deadmau5 seemingly had something to prove Sunday evening. Wearing his customary LED-laden mau5head, deadmau5 (aka Joel Zimmerman) was surrounded by visualizers. Like the tension and acceleration of a deadmau5 performance, the visualizers were only meant to highlight the tracks, not as a crutch to make the set palpable. Zimmerman chose not to bring along a live drummer for the set, a feature that has prevailed during his sets at other electronic festivals, but he did bring along vocalist SOFI. Roughly midway through the performance, the lovely SOFI came onstage to sing “SOFI Needs a Ladder” followed by  ”One Trick Pony”, each off deadmau5′s latest album, 4×4=12.

Photo by Brad Bretz

After SOFI left the stage, Zimmerman paid tribute to another legendary electronic Lollapalooza headliner by remixing “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” by Daft Punk. Next, Zimmerman traded the mau5head for a white bed sheet for “Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff”, which also featured giant Pac-Man-esque blobs floating their way around the stage. But a deadmau5 set is more than progressive-house thumpers. Zimmerman mixed in electrifying piano/synth runs, techno tracks, and the surprisingly refreshing “Raise Your Weapon”. And the mau5 did it all while sporting an ironic kitty tee. -Derek Staples

The Culture of Lollapalooza – Part 1

Gallery by Brad Bretz

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The Culture of Lollapalooza – Part 2

Gallery by Heather Kaplan

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Lollapalooza by Windows Phone

Images created using Apict & Colorizer

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Other confirmed notables include Ben Harper, Ween, Thievery Corporation, Arctic Monkeys, G. Love & Special Sauce, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Wolfgang Gartner, The Glitch Mob, and Ghostland Observatory.

Also playing are Das Racist, Etienne De Crecy (Live Show ), Portugal. The Man, Friendly Fires, Childish Gambino, Super Mash Bros., Conspirator, SAVOY, Mates of State, Smith Westerns, The Whigs, Yuck, Metropolis (Live), Keys N Krates, Two Fresh, RAC DJs, Lance Herbstrong, HOTTUB, Bobby Lee Rodgers, and The Kingston Springs

Advanced two-day passes are now on-sale for $150.00. Once that allotment runs out, the price will jump to $180.00. Visit the festival’s website for more information.

Other new additions include OK Go, John Digweed, The Joy Formidable, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Cage the Elephant, Beats Antique, and Kerli. In all, some 24 acts will perform during the two-day festival, which is set to run August 5-6 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansasas.

Single day tickets will be available for $89.50 beginning Wednesday, May 25th at 10:00 a.m. CDT. The price will then increase to $99.00 on June 4th and $109.00 on June 9th before settling on its final price, $120.00, which will be the cost during the festival itself. Three-day and VIP passes, priced at $179 and $359, respectively, remain on sale. Visit the festival’s website for all the specifics.

Other heavyweights include A Perfect Circle, Bright Eyes, The Cars, Big Audio Dynamite, Ween, Arctic Monkeys, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Nas, Explosions in the Sky, Death From Above 1979, Deftones, Cee-Lo Green, Beirut, Flogging Molly, OK Go, The Kills, and Cold War Kids.

A number of indie favorites are confirmed, including The Mountain Goats, Atmosphere, Titus Andronicus, Ratatat, Best Coast, Crystal Castles, White Lies, Lykke Li, Local Natives, Black Lips, Delta Spirit, Sleigh Bells, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Wye Oak, The Drums, Smith Westerns, The Naked and Famous, Phantogram, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., The Joy Formidable, Young the Giant, and Cults.

If that weren’t enough, Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump, Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Cage the Elephant, Rival Schools, The Chain Gang of 1974, Friendly Fires, Portugal. The Man, Manchester Orchestra, Two Door Cinema Club, Noah & The Whale, Lissie, Foster the People, Mayer Hawthorne & the County, Fences, City and Colour, and Gold Motel are also confirmed.

This year’s edition will also feature an expansion of Perry’s Place, the festival’s electronic-oriented stage. Designed to accommodate a crowd of 15,000, the area will host the likes of Girl Talk, Kid Cudi, Pretty Lights, Skrillex, The Glitch Mob, Jay Electronica, Modeselektor, Daedulus, Feed Me, Busy P, and Joachim Garraud.

Find a complete list of confirmed acts at our Festival Outlook.

Three day and VIP passes are priced at $215.00 and $850.00, respectively, and are now available via the festival’s website.

Off the bat, it’s not the ideal venue to host the band. It’s a lovely, gilded Theatre, one with fantastic sound. However, the seating arrangement means that it’s hard to mingle with other concertgoers, and even harder to get your dance pants on, which is what you want to do when you’re watching something so infectiously fun as Ween. The crowd itself – a strange mix of rowdy hippies, confused youngsters, drunk stoners, and everyone else caught in between - didn’t seem to be all that hampered by it, though. One thing united them: They were all there because of their love of Ween and the desire to make it a fun night.

The band also seemed to share the same philosophy of fun–or at least they started off that way. Whether they were singing “Tender Situation”, “Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down)”, or “Piss Up a Rope”, it appeared that Gene and Dean were having a great time. Gene, especially. Yes, he seemed a little wobbly, his voice was a bit off on numerous occasions, and his hair was all mad scientist-y, but I attributed that to being part of the experience. It was my first time seeing Ween live, and it didn’t seem all that out of place. Even when Gene laid down on his back during “Mutilated Lips”, smoking a cigarette, I thought it was a rockstar move. This dude doesn’t even have to stand up to entertain us.

A rambunctious, borderline absurd cover of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” was a definite highlight, as was another cover, Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades”, which the band blitzed through with bassist Dave Dreiwitz on vocals. “Reggaejunkiejew” also took on a life of its own, evolving into a bizarre, 20-minute long jam session, with Gene going off stage for most of it. His absence was quickly covered by an overeager fan who jumped on stage and proceeded to dance all hippy-dippy style between Dean and Dreiwitz.

Deaner performed brilliantly, and his chops on the guitar never failed him. Even with a cigarette sticking out of his guitar frets, he blew the roof off of the Theatre with his quick fingers and insane ability to just wail the shit out of anything. But Gene’s playing was decidedly more sloppy (he also couldn’t seem to figure out out how to tune his guitar), obviously hampered by the fact that he was drunk out of his gourd, which was less than desirable.

Apparently the band felt this way, too. One by the one, the band members just sort of packed up and left after “I Don’t Want It”, leaving Gene on stage alone. He went into a cover of “Kansas City Star”, and then the somewhat sweet “Sarah”, which had brought the crowd’s waving lighters out. But when he asked the band to come out and join him for “Don’t Sweat It”, he was met with awkward silence. The band wasn’t coming back, and Gene had to perform the song all on his own. To say it was uncomfortable would be putting it mildly.

It was at this point that I noticed a lot of people leaving, shaking their heads and muttering “what happened?” Most fans, though, wanted to stick it out till the bitter end, but sadly that actually was the end. After Gene left, the audience waited with baited breath for him and the rest of the band to come back out and perform an encore. But after five minutes of anxious murmuring, the house lights went on and Ween fans were left in a state of confusion.

I heard a lot of conflicting remarks from people afterward as we all shuffled out of the Theatre. On one hand, the band had not only played a lot of rare cuts and b-sides, they had played for nearly two and a half hours, so fans had to be pretty happy about that.

On the other hand, some were worried that it didn’t bode well for the future of Ween, considering the band had actually abandoned Gene on stage. And it is hard to remember the better, earlier parts of a set when it goes out with a sad, delirious whimper.

Looking back, this reviewer had a good time and was thoroughly entertained by Ween’s dynamic music, if not the on-stage antics. The night was many different things, but at least boring wasn’t one of them. Whether the show will have any impact on Ween’s future tour dates, though, remains to be seen. Hopefully this is just one little hiccup in the band’s legacy.

Whoa, bud! Banzai pipeline!

——

Gallery by Karina Halle

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Regardless of the changes that some people cried foul over (losing touch with their roots, exchanging the art of Such n Such with a dance stage, along with the aforementioned corporate presence and lineup), this was still Bonnaroo. It still took hours to get there, it was still unbearably humid, it was still crowded, and it was still an amazing weekend packed with a lot of good music. It’s still a beautiful thing to bring people together from all over the world in the name of music on a farm in the middle of Tennessee. And as I watched everyone around me during Stevie Wonder’s headlining set on Saturday night, I saw people of every different size, shape, age, color, gender and religion singing and dancing in harmony and I thought, This is what it’s all about. That’s the Bonnaroo spirit. No corporate sponsorships can ever take that away.

Thursday, June 10th

Fanfarlo
The Other Tent, 4:15 p.m.

As hordes of people were still stacked on the highway, Fanfarlo opened The Other Stage, their faces gleaming with excitement as they looked out to an early and eager crowd. The deep and wandering voices told the somber but hopeful stories that make up their debut record with the sweet duet of mandolin and guitar adding to the eastern European folk tone of Simon Balthazar. A lulling trumpet and sweet violin highlighted “Ghosts” intensity. “I’m a Pilot” and “The Walls are Coming Down” using the same to push up the already solid set, and for that matter the start of the weekend. -E.N. May

Photo by E.N. May

The Entrance Band
This Tent, 4:30 p.m.

Some of the most psychedelic music of the weekend kicked off This Tent on Thursday with a bang of bass grooves ready to send the just arriving crowd into their search for acid. Paz Lenchantin, however, is no secret. The only real curiosity here is why she (or anyone else really) isn’t singing for this band. Band leader Guy Blakeslee is one hell of a guitar player, and made sure everyone knew it, but when it came time for him to step up to the mic, ears cringed, and to be very Bonnaroo about it, the vibe was compromised. -Bruce Matlock

Local Natives
That Tent, 7:00 p.m.

As the first big draw of the fest, Local Natives‘ Taylor Rice took full advantage of the still fresh energy coming from those lucky enough to be inside. With soaring harmonies and heavy bashing tribal laced rock, the bare bones “Shape Shifter” and set closer “Sun Hands” whipped the crowd into a frenzy with fists in the air screaming along. There’s a lot of power behind a band like this, their set the proof of how being down to earth yet still bad-ass they can be. -E.N. May

Neon Indian
That Tent, 8:30 p.m.

According to frontman Alan Palomo, being at Bonnaroo was an incredible experience for Neon Indian. Indeed, just less than a year after their debut album was released, the band was already commanding a large crowd on the opening night of one of the biggest festivals in America. Palomo brought along a full live band, and they tore through tracks from Psychic Chasms. The highlights of the set included closer “Ephemeral Artery” and indie hit “Deadbeat Summer”, during which four topless and painted ladies joined the band onstage, prancing around in Indian headdresses. They ended their set about 20 minutes early, apparently not realizing they had more time, but even with a shortened set they still got the Bonnaroo crowd dancing early, setting a tone for the rest of the weekend. –Carson O’Shoney

Frank Turner
Troo Music Lounge, 10:00 p.m.

Armed with just an acoustic guitar and his voice, Frank Turner took the stage at the Troo Music Lounge ready to win over those who had just happened to stumble upon that particular stage. After making a joke about using a beer koozie for the first time (“In England we have this technology called our hands”), the people next to me yelled in a drunken stupor, “Who is this guy anyways? Go back to London!” But by the end of his hour-long set, these same people were clapping and cheering along with the rest of us. Turner’s on-stage banter was consistently entertaining; the man is nothing if not a good storyteller – whether they’re serious songs or hilarious stories. The set featured some new songs, some a Capella songs, and a volunteer from the crowd was pulled on stage to perform a harmonica solo. Near the end of the set, Turner’s guitar broke. But Constellations, the band performing after him, came to the rescue and loaned him an electric guitar. Turner claimed that he was not the best with an electric, but he made it work. He brought a ton of energy to his set, which is something to be said for a solo acoustic performer. –Carson O’Shoney

Blitzen Trapper
The Other Tent, 10:15 p.m.

“Black River Killer” opened Blitzen Trapper‘s set, heavy in cuts from their excellent 2008 record, Furr, and their latest, Destroyer the Void. With those new songs still working themselves out, they played a tightly constructed hour and a half that sounded fantastic, but left much to the imagination. Blitzen Trapper’s songs have such potential to be built on for the live experience, giving us a turned up version of their modern country stories. “Furr”, “Lady on the Water”, and “Sleepy Time on the Western Coast” gave the audience a chance to sing along, and from off the first record, “Wild Mountain Nation” took them back to their country roots. They’re barn burners without a doubt. -E.N. May

The xx
That Tent, 11:30 p.m.

The award for biggest crowd of the night went to The xx. The mass of people extended far beyond the limits of That Tent. The band came out and pleased fans by opening with “Intro” straight into “Crystalised” – the crowd went nuts when singer Romy Madley Croft sang her first lines. They’ve found a way to recreate the chilly cool of their debut album in a live environment, but don’t really change up the pace too much. That same style that works so well on the album doesn’t translate into anything particularly exciting live. The band sounded good even though the mix at That Tent was a bit off, and fans who were expecting to hear more or less direct replications of their songs were satisfied, but I left wanting a bit more. –Carson O’Shoney

Wale
This Tent, 12:00 a.m.

Hip-hop is never on time – but don’t tell that to Bonnaroo attendees. While they still get excited for hip-hop shows (the crowd was chanting “WALE! WALE!” for a while before his set), the Kanye West debacle in ’08 is never far from their collective mind. There was even still “Fuck Kanye” graffiti everywhere around the farm this year. But people also understand that sometimes things get a little off schedule at festivals. So by the time 12:15 a.m. came around and there was still no sign of Wale, the crowd was still on his side and ready for him to come out.

But around the 22-minutes-late mark, the crowd started to turn, booing and throwing middle fingers at the stage. Around this time, Wale’s DJ took quick action and played something, which the crowd took to be as intro music, so they started getting excited again. But as the band awkwardly stood around and the DJ played increasingly more random clips of songs (from Biggie to Nirvana to Drowning Pool), it became painfully obvious that he was just stalling for Wale. He even went so far as to play a new Wale song (saying, “Y’all wanna hear some new Wale?” to which the crowd seemed to reply, “No, we want Wale.”), which seemed all too similar to the Sly Stone fiasco at Coachella.

Wale finally came out around 12:30 p.m. and apologized for being late, explaining that he had overslept his nap. Once he started he really wasn’t bad. The D.C. rapper and his band played songs from his debut Attention Deficit, along with older favorites like “W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.” And while his band sounded good and Wale was on point, for some the damage had already been done. –Carson O’Shoney

Friday, June 11th

Conan O’Brien
Comedy Theatre, 1:00 p.m.

While Conan O’Brien served as What Stage emcee for Friday and Saturday, introducing many of the bands that played the main stage, his only scheduled sets were both in the Bonnaroo Comedy Theatre. The theatre runs on a ticket system, and only holds about a thousand or so people. The demand to see O’Brien was absolutely massive, and the folks at Bonnaroo knew it. But instead of giving him his own set on a main stage, they instead simulcasted his sets so fans could watch at the Lunar Stage or the Cinema Tent. People started lining up to get his tickets at five am on Friday and Saturday, a whole six hours before they started handing them out. The line to watch it in the Cinema Tent was nearly as long, and the crowd at the Lunar Stage was huge as well. I watched from that stage, and the audience participation was just as good there as it seemed to be in the comedy theatre. People were clapping, laughing and responding just like they would if he were actually right in front of them and not on a screen. His set was nothing short of hilarious, lampooning all things Bonnaroo while also dressing up like Eddie Murphy in Raw, inviting friends on stage like Andy Richter and writer Deon Cole, and playing a few songs with his Legally Prohibited Band. Even though most fans couldn’t get in to the theatre to see his show in person, everyone left the simulcast satisfied. –Carson O’Shoney

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
The Other Tent, 2:30 p.m.

If there ever was a time to feel the love it was during Edward Sharpe. Off the bat, they started in with the whistles of  “Janglin”, frontman Alex Ebert not on stage more than a couple minutes before taking to the crowd wide eyed and full of unabashed positivity. “40 Day Dream” drew him back to the front row one more time giving the mic to the more than willing participants to help out. It was a beautiful set, filled to the brim with the revelry from their gripping debut record. People’s arms outstretched to catch the radiating optimism from Ebert and his companions whose smiles and energy never faded. The hour’s pinnacle came during the love filled story of “Home” with the spoken word section cutely tweaked for the festival. The song, and the set for that matter, was exactly what you look for, not just in a festival, but in an over all experience. -E.N. May

Dr. Dog
The Other Tent, 4:00 p.m.

Photo by E.N. May

There’s really only one way to follow the revelry of Edward Sharpe, and Dr. Dog blew up the Other Tent with the guitar escalations of “Stranger” to start. Their sets now are mostly, if not all, based off their past two albums, but given their recorded perfection, the tailored for the stage counter parts went above and beyond. The blow out at the end of “The Old Days” and later the “The Rabbit, The Bat and The Reindeer” sent the band and the audience into a frenzy. The soaring harmonies and last verse of “Jackie Wants a Black Eye” hit the heart hard with a rare stroke of song-writing truth that they make look so easy. Dancing was unavoidable with “Mirror Mirror” as it hooked in quick, and even funkier on the guitar melody with all muscle on the back end. Shows like this solidify them as a quintessential live experience, and as they brought in the high heat of the day, it couldn’t have been any better. -E.N. May

She & Him
This Tent, 5:00 p.m.

After hearing bad things about Zooey Deschanel’s stage presence as front woman, I tuned my expectations down a bit for my first time seeing her onstage with M. Ward as She & Him. But when she came on stage, my perceptions immediately changed. From the beginning of the first song, she was jumping, dancing and generally seemed to be having a good time. Her voice sounded spot on, while M. Ward played it cool and understated while also cranking out some great guitar lines. The crowd was huge, it seemed that everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the main attraction, Deschanel. She didn’t disappoint, and was just as adorable as ever. The set was comprised of material off their two albums, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, before closing things out with a gorgeous cover of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You”. –Carson O’Shoney

Tenacious D
What Stage, 6:30 p.m.

Photo by Bruce Matlock

If you were surprised by even the smallest bit of the D’s show, or “didn’t get it” you simply were not meant to be there. For those well aware of the bands rise, the real surprise here was the skill of their supporting cast. Though Jack Black (JB) and Kyle Gass (KG) did their part wonderfully, when it came down to the music, guitarist John Konesky nearly stole the show. Black riled the crowd up using all of his abilities stating that “Kung Fu Panda would be the end of Tenacious D because a Panda is the least metal thing ever,” and informing the crowd that they were potentially the biggest they had ever played to. Seriously Mr. Black, everyone knows panda’s are the most metal animal on the planet, go back to kicking Satan’s ass and leave the panda‘s on screen. -Bruce Matlock

Kings of Leon
What Stage, 9:30 p.m.

It’s rare to find a true to rock band that can be bigger than life, yet still genuine in their love of what they do. If there was any doubt that Kings of Leon could be an actual headliner, Friday night’s set squashed it. They’ve worked their way through the festival stages, this year coming full circle for a set that left them, and us, in rock and roll awe. Caleb Followill took celebratory shots while having the self proclaimed night of his life. Walking out to Mozart’s Requiem, you could sense this was a personally monumental show for the band. From the first notes of “Crawl” they floored you, by the solo you were hooked for a night of true to life rock.

Older material was tightened up and blown out with brash guitar workouts like “Charmer”. Going back to their first appearance at the festival, they played the very rare “Tranny” as a kind of homage to the experience and the love it’s shown them over the years. A Pixies cover of “Where is My Mind” surprised as they hit every note, Followill’s worn voice fitting perfectly with the cult favorite doing it more than justice. As promised, four new songs made the set hinting at what could be in the not so distant future. Few bands capture what the modern rock show is so well, and with this set Kings of Leon further solidified themselves as the heirs to the must see arena rock throne. -E.N. May

Daryl Hall & Chromeo
The Other Tent, 12:00 a.m.

Soft rocker Daryl Hall (of Hall & Oates fame) and electro-pop band Chromeo may seem like an odd pairing, but when Chromeo stopped by to perform with Hall in his web series, Live From Daryl’s House, the results were so good that the folks at Bonnaroo wanted them to come perform together at their festival. It was the first time a pairing from Live at Daryl’s House had performed outside of the series, and the results were the same. Daryl Hall’s smooth voice compliments Chromeo’s electro music perfectly, and vice versa. They sounded great together live, playing off one another like they had been doing it for years. The pair opened with a couple of Hall & Oates songs in one, “Dance on Your Knees/Out of Touch” before a seamless transition into Chromeo’s “Tenderoni”. The large band that accompanied the pair sounded great playing both Hall’s and Chromeo’s numbers, which they switched off every few songs. Hall’s hair was ever-blowing in the wind, and the vibe in the tent was something else. There were smiles all around, and young and old danced together in perfect harmony. –Carson O’Shoney

The Black Keys
That Tent, 12:00 a.m.

Always on time, and ready to make the Tennessee humidity levels raise a few percent due to increased sweat content, the boys from Akron unearthed the same fiery passion found inside all of their early records with fan pleasers, “Girl is on My Mind” and “Stack Shot Billy”.  For newer songs going back to 2008s’ Strange Times, the band brought along a touring bassist and keyboardist which does in fact remove some level of the intimate feel the band thrives on live. However, the extras also added an extra dimension to tracks like “Same Old Thing” and help reproduce the catchiest of new tunes such as Gary Glitter-esque “Howlin’ for You”. The band is clearly at their most comfortable, however, as the twosome of Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach. Let’s hope this isn’t a sign of things to come on future records/tours. -Bruce Matlock

The Flaming Lips, ft. Star Death & White Dwarfs
Which Stage, 12:00 a.m.

If there ever was a moment to witness, this was it. Everyone knows that The Lips‘ reputation for extravagant shows precedes them, but nothing came close to the visual and audio mind warp they planned for Bonnaroo. Opening with a short set of Lips classics like “She Don’t Use Jelly”, “W.A.N.D.”, and the newer “Silver Trembling Hands”, it was the standard Lips show, hamster ball, confetti guns and all. After a quick half dozen songs, however, they took a break to set up for the big show: Dark Side of the Moon.

Photo by Daniel McIver

Henry Rollins’ spoken word introduced the driving guitar line of their take on “Speak to Me/Breath”, which launched an out of this world menagerie of light and laser. It was an absolute bombardment of the senses, letting up on “Money”, and hypnotizing on “Us and Them”. The lasers radiated blues, yellows, and purples into the clouds of smoke bellowing from the stage while the giant video screen interjected with pulsating colors and dancing nudes. Steven Dresden Drozd’s often odd wail melted right into the vocal solo “The Great Gig in the Sky” blowing everyone back. After two and a half hours, “Eclipse” brought everything back to Earth as the band disappeared in a cloud of smoke leaving the kaleidoscoping colors to dance in the sky. It was an incredible night to witness, and one only the Flaming Lips could’ve imagined. It was as over the top as the band could possibly be, the experience astounding, and most importantly blew minds. -E.N. May

LCD Soundsystem
This Tent, 2:30 a.m.

Over the past few years, LCD Soundsystem have firmly positioned themselves as one of the best live bands on the planet, and Friday night in This Tent proved to be no exception. Having one of the most popular undercard bands on the lineup scheduled for a set from 2:30 a.m. until four in the morning is a bit of a risk, but one that worked out perfectly. There was really no better time for their brand of Talking Heads-esque electro dance punk. The band sounded as tight as ever, and frontman James Murphy was filled with energy. This Tent turned into a huge rave for party starters like “Drunk Girls”, “Pow Pow” and “Yeah”. They blew the roof off the tent with “All My Friends”, for my money one of the best performances of the festival. And while the band’s setlist this tour has not seen many changes, the crowd still loved each and every song they played, especially “Losing My Edge”. The set fell right in line with the long history of great late night sets at Bonnaroo. – Carson O’Shoney

B.o.B.
That Tent, 3:00 a.m.

Where else can you see an artist with only one commercially released album play until sunrise? Well as B.o.B aka Bobby Ray put it early Saturday morning, “I don’t know what time we are supposed to leave this stage, but we will when the sun comes up.” Featuring fellow Atlanta rapper Playboy Tre (who came off rather preachy and annoying) the set consisted of countless mixtape tracks as well as a rather fancy cover of MGMT’s “Kids”. Highlights for the marathon also included a heavy rendition of “Don’t Let Me Fall” which lifted the dwindling crowd’s spirits higher than should be possible at five am, as well as “Bet I” with its hardcore rap stylings that really just come off comic-like coming from the guy “making wishes out of airplanes.” -Bruce Matlock

Saturday, June 12th

Norah Jones
Which Stage, 2:30 p.m.

By the middle of the day on Saturday, the heat index was pushing past the mid-90s. This is not the ideal scenario to see a Norah Jones concert. I would love to see her in a nice air-conditioned theatre on a nice evening after a fancy dinner with fine wine. But in the heat of the Tennessee sun, in the middle of a smelly and sweat-soaked Bonnaroo crowd? That might be the last place I want to see Norah Jones. That’s not a knock against her; her music is just suited to a different time and place. She came out and played a nice set. She proclaimed that it was her first time at Bonnaroo since the very first one, surely the longest time between sets for a repeat act at Roo. She came out and played guitar with her backing band, playing mostly songs from her most recent album, The Fall, along with covers of Johnny Cash, The Kinks, Tom Waits, and Neil Young. Her voice is still a thing of beauty, and the band sounded great, but in the end I just wished I could of experienced it in a better setting. –Carson O’Shoney

Isis
This Tent, 3:30 p.m.

Having announced their breakup just a few weeks ago, fans were even more eager to see Isis this time around as it will probably be their last chance. They did not disappoint. Instead of just going through the motions for their last shows, Isis cranked it up and tried to put on a great show for the fans who will undoubtedly miss them. From sweeping, melodic songs to hard, powerful numbers, the band went through all the peaks and valleys that make up their particular brand of hard rock. While they will be missed, all the fans at This Tent seemed grateful to have one last chance to experience their live show. –Carson O’Shoney

The Avett Brothers
Which Stage, 4:45 p.m.

With little to no relief from the unbearable sun rolling in, The Avett Brothers brought the worn out crowds back to life. Pulling heavily from I and Love and You, “The Perfect Space”, “Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise”, and “January Wedding” stroked the heartstrings, especially when Seth Avett yelled out for life and love on “Laundry Room”. The clouds rolled in, turning on a light rain that was more than welcome while the sweet strums of “Salina” played out. As songwriters they’re simple, but being so personal and genuine in that simplicity allows raw emotion to ride along with them, which altogether gave the festival another perfect mid-day set. -E.N. May

The Dead Weather
What Stage, 6:00 p.m.

Jack White has now completed the trifecta. He’s played Bonnaroo with all three of his bands, and he’s put on a fantastic show each time. His show with The Dead Weather on Saturday was no different. Bassist Jack Lawrence and guitarist Dean Fertita kept the energy high and the music on pace, while White proved to be more than competent behind the drums. Alison Mosshart is a force of nature on stage. She’s sexually charged with tons of energy; sprawling all over the stage like it was her own. The crowd was into the whole set, but went especially crazy when White decided to come out from behind the drums and take center stage. Sometimes it was just to sing lead vocals, but the highlight of the set came when he was front and center playing the instrument that made him famous, lead guitar. His extended solo during “Will There Be Enough Water” was a highlight of the entire festival. It’s time like these that you wonder why he ever yields the guitar to anyone else. From 2007’s solo during “Ball & Biscuit” (with the White Stripes) to 2008’s solo during “Blue Veins” (with the Raconteurs) to this weekend, White is the king of epic Bonnaroo guitar solos. –Carson O’Shoney

Weezer
Which Stage, 7:00 p.m.

Oh Weezer, why do you like to make it so easy to hate on you? While Mr. Cuomo busied himself by being a “Troublemaker”, the rest of the band performed a rock show. It seemed at times like Cuomo was trying to find any way possible not to perform, everything from ripping apart mics located on the speaker stacks to pulling the wires hanging from the bottom of them. While he was busy being a “destructive badass”, as someone in the crowd so bro-ishly put it, he allowed everyone else in the band play lead-singer on great sing-alongs of “Why Bother?” and “Dope Nose”. Just saying, the band seemed to get along just fine without him. -Bruce Matlock

Stevie Wonder
What Stage, 8:30 p.m.

To see a legend perform is incredible, to see Stevie Wonder is a religious experience. All weekend Conan O’Brien had been able to keep a sense of humor for the main-stage he was MCing, but for Stevie, he was speechless with a kind of excitement that can only happen when introducing the modern godfather of soul.

With everyone at the festival watching, Wonder walked out with a white keytar tearing into his own introduction. From there it was a night of greatest hits like “Superstitious” and “Higher Ground”, throwing in a talk boxing cover of George Clinton’s “We Want the Funk” that brought down the house. Of all the aging performers, by voice alone Wonder is still in his prime, hitting every note and flourish perfectly. “Grape Vine”, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”, and “Don’t You Worry About a Thing” took us on his 30-year soul train and gave the festival a set that will go down in history. -E.N. May

Photo by Bruce Matlock

Jay-Z
What Stage, 11:30 p.m.

Jay-Z’s headlining set on Saturday night was nothing short of huge. The stage setup, the band, the crowd, the songs, Jay-Z himself – everything about it was just bigger than anything else at Bonnaroo this year, with apologies to Stevie Wonder’s fantastic set before his. If the title of best rapper alive was ever in question, he put that to rest at his self-proclaimed second home – Bonnaroo. The crowd got excited even when the 10-minute countdown flashed on screen, and went completely insane when Jigga came on stage. He started the set with “Run This Town”, and after that it was hit after hit after hit. He seemed extremely happy to be there, and to get a shoutout from Stevie Wonder, who said he would be sticking around to experience Jay-Z. He repeatedly said he was having the best week ever, and it showed. He and his band absolutely ripped through cuts from his entire discography barely taking any pause. Jay did stop the show to survey the crowd at one point, pointing out signs, flags, and shirts that people were sporting. He noticed a girl who had on a shirt proclaiming it was her 19^th birthday, and Jay had her come on stage, gave her a hug, and led 70 thousand people in singing her happy birthday. I think it’s safe to say no birthday will beat that.

Rumors had swirled throughout the weekend that Beyoncé would show up like she did at Coachella, or that Jack White would come out and they would debut the song the two had worked on at White’s Third Man Records. Alas, neither collaboration happened, but Jay didn’t need them. He handled the crowd by his lonesome, and had people bouncing, waving, tossing up diamonds – doing whatever he commanded. He completely commanded the What Stage in a way that I had never seen any Bonnaroo headliner accomplish. From the opening beat of “Run This Town” to the closing note of “Encore”, Jay-Z dominated Bonnaroo. It was a triumphant tour-de-force performance that should erase any ill will that Kanye West created in the Bonnaroo community. –Carson O’Shoney

GWAR
The Other Tent, 2:30 a.m.

Photo by E.N. May

Taken deep from the bowls of hell, raised from their frozen tomb in the arctic, the blood soaked metal spectacle that is GWAR took to the Other Tent and annihilated all within reach. There are tips to know when going to a GWAR show, the most important is to not expect to leave clean, and that you won’t to be the same after. From the second pounding “Saddam A Go Go” the blood guns came out and unleashed on the first few rows (including yours truly in the photo pit). A disemboweling saw more gore, and in the end, it looked like a zombie massacre. The show, as part of their 25^th anniversary tour, was unrelenting in the ways that literally only they could do. These kinds of theatrics don’t exist anywhere else. The costumes, blood cannons, and side show antics always go over the top, and even if you’re not a metal head, you just have to see it to believe it. -E.N. May

Sunday, June 13th

Calexico
Which Stage, 1:15 p.m.

Playing an early Sunday set, the pleasantries of Calexico provided an easy wake up for those sticking around. The steel slides floated along with the trumpets, trading licks with guitars, creating a harmonious blend of southwest folk wisdom with American alt-country.Hailing  from Arizona, the band’s set took a political tone, with members using the chance to express themselves on the recent immigration fiasco. -E.N. May

Aziz Ansari
Comedy Theatre, 1:30 p.m.

Coming off of his highest profile gig – hosting the MTV Movie Awards, just last week – the demand to see Aziz Ansari was high. As I waited in line, I saw girls with “AZ-IZ” painted across their face and “RAAAAAAAANDY” painted down their arms. With the obvious exception of Conan, Ansari was the most in-demand comic at Bonnaroo, and his fans were equally eager to see him. After a great opening set by Chelsea Peretti, Ansari walked out to erupting applause. He was immediately taken back by the fact that there was a sign language translator there signing his show, and warned her that there were plenty of dirty things to come, to which he proceeded to mess with her by saying some dirty things he wanted to see signed.

Throughout the set, Ansari would repeat a dirty line if he missed it being signed the first time around, and sometimes the signs were just as funny as the joke themselves. And the jokes were definitely funny. With a set of all new material, he covered a wide range of topics from 50 Cent learning what a grapefruit is to his little cousin Harris having sex with a Cinnabon. After his 45 minute set, he came out and did another 15 minutes of RAAAAAAAANDY, his overly gross but totally hilarious character from Funny People. He completely killed and everyone in the tent left with a smile on their face while quoting their favorite lines, which is exactly what should be happening after any good comedy show.  –Carson O’Shoney

John Fogerty
What Stage, 4:00 p.m.

Starting out right with back to back Creedence, John Fogerty delivered a perfect late afternoon set, dusting off all his classics. He’s another in the line of legends that can still perform like the 70’s never ended, way past his prescribed prime. With the words already well ingrained, “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” and “Down in the Corner” were perfect for a mid-day sing along. Working through some solo material, Fogerty closed the set with more CCR memories, delivering flawless work on the still fantastic “Fortunate Son”. Creedence may not be around anymore, but it doesn’t mean the music is anywhere close to disappearing. -E.N. May

Ween
Which Stage, 5:00 p.m.

Ween’s brand of ADD genre-hopping can grate on some people, but their throngs of hardcore devoted fans think otherwise. Love them or hate them, they usually put on a fantastically fun live show. Their last show at Bonnaroo, a two hour plus romp on Saturday afternoon in This Tent in 2007, was a classic – which made the expectations high for this year’s show. This time around however, their time was cut to an hour and a half and they were put on the Which Stage, a much less intimate environment as far as Bonnaroo stages go. They weren’t bad; “Voodoo Lady” still stands out as one of the best live songs around, but there wasn’t much to distinguish it from any other normal Ween set. The setlist was lacking, and the energy wasn’t as high as the last go round. All in all, it wasn’t a bad show, but compared to their last Bonnaroo show, it was a let down. –Carson O’Shoney

Phoenix
Which Stage, 7:15 p.m.

As the unofficial festival closer for many, Phoenix came out to see a seemingly endless sprawl of people. Having played just last year in the smallest of the tents, this was a huge moment for the latest of the indie bands to blow up. They knew why they were there too, and excitedly gave fans what they came for, opening with “Lisztomania” and running through the bulk of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. “Fences” laid down a strong electro pop rock groove that was as smooth as it could ever be. This was a special moment for the band, and they showed it with the energy shooting through “Consolation Prize”, and the grand finale we all saw coming. With heat lightning lighting up the rising thunderhead above, “1901” exploded over the field. The grinding yet sweet synths gave the festival one last chance to move with frenzied excitement. Seeing this, and feeling the moment, Phoenix took the song a few minutes longer, giving one more reprise of that infectious hook. This was their best moment, and they seized it with everything they had. Let’s hope they get off the road soon and start writing again, though. -E.N. May

Dave Matthews Band
What Stage, 9:00 p.m.

The last band to play Bonnaroo is a fairly special honor to bestow upon any band. Those brave enough to withstand four long days of 110+ heat index and still be able to withstand the mass of un-showered Zach Galifinakis impersonators want to sit back in the grass, relax, and cool off before heading down Shakedown Street for the last time.

This honor is always bestowed upon the jammiest in the land; Phish last year, Widespread Panic numerous times, you get the idea. Dave Matthews and his band of ridiculously capable artists jammed for two and a half hours on what could have been the most musically tense set off the weekend. Certainly there were light moments, but darker songs such as “Lying in the Hands of God” and “Timebomb” sounded perfectly fitting as lightning crashed in the background.

Though the thunder was long gone, the band closing out with their version of “All Along the Watchtower” seemed perfectly fitting. Those wandering in the crowd suddenly came to a realization that life is actually anything but a joke, and after the musical wonderland that is Bonnaroo, it was approaching on the horizon all too quickly. -Bruce Matlock

Photography by Michael Hurcomb, Bruce Matlock, E.N. May, and Daniel McIver.

My newfound buddy obscurely stated one night, “Everyone is their own little Sasquatch.” This was easily the most accurate observation of the weekend. Everybody was partying their hardest, rocking out in an intimate location to some of the biggest bands of today, consuming vast quantities of alcohol, scouring the campgrounds for E, and just going all-out nuts. The vibes at this festival were rock out or go home. The Gorge was prepared for all of this, however, which is why Sasquatch has been able to maintain such success all these years. It’s thee Pacific Northwest festival, and they like it to run smoothly. If they keep bringing the same magnitude of artists back, keep the Gorge clean, and keep running this smaller operation in the same fashion, it won’t be long before blood is spilled over tickets.

But allow us to digress…

Saturday, May 29th

Laura Marling
Bigfoot Stage, 12:50 p.m.

This British youngster Laura Marling rocked the Bigfoot stage for an early afternoon mellow-fest with her stylish brand of folk. This was the perfect way for everyone at the Gorge to get into the spirit of listening to new and talented music, setting quite the bar for the remainder of the weekend. It was not hard to go into a trance while listening to her strong yet soft vocals, and coupled with the sunshine and a light breeze, it was the quintessential start to the festival. -Ted Maider

Brother Ali
Sasquatch Stage, 1:10 p.m.

Who else could spit truth with all of nature’s beauty looming in the background? Brother Ali’s furious brand of politically charged hip-hop ripped through the air for the daytime crowd at the main stage waving their hands in the air, like they actually did care about what he had to say. Aside from his down-to-Earth sociological observations, he and his DJ, Snuggles, did a beat-box tidbit about the kind of movies they watch on the tour bus, which seemed to include porn, Eddie Murphy, and the new Iron Man sequel. To finish it all off, Brother Ali spit the most honest verses about modern America, all without a beat to back him up. That’s as honest as it gets. -Ted Maider

Fool’s Gold
Yeti Stage: 1:20 p.m.

Afro-pop is one hell of a way to kick off Sasquatch 2010. Laura Marling offered a mellow welcoming as I passed by the Bigfoot stage, but as soon as I stepped around the corner to the Yeti state, I was blown away by the L.A hipster jam band. Fool’s Gold set the dance party standards at a high level for the rest of the festival with a beach ball flying, costume wearing, dance party, especially during the high-register guitar riffs in “Surprise Hotel”. You couldn’t help but join in. -Kacie McKinney

Mumford & Sons
Bigfoot Stage: 1:55 p.m.

Photo by Christopher Nelson

It was awesome to see such a large, well-deserved crowd for the British folk-rockers, Mumford & Sons. For a set full of ballads early in the day, there was a surprising amount of dancing and singing along with the tunes from Sigh No More. “Little Lion Man” was definitely a crowd favorite as everyone clapped and sang along and the banjo strumming by Winston Marshall and soulful vocals from Marcus Mumford during “Roll Away Your Stone” was a show highlight. -Kacie McKinney

Minus the Bear
Sasquatch Stage: 2:15 p.m.

The Seattle quintet shredded like nobody else as they tore through a set of fantastic songs. The only word to actually and accurately describe these guys was “relentless.” Each member of the band seemed to be in their own little musical world, and it seemed like between them, there was a lot going on. And nothing beat the “Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse” that got the crowd to pogo like it was 2002 again. It’s clear, after quite a few albums, that Minus the Bear has perfected its style to go down as one of the purest and leading members of the modern rock scene. -Ted Maider

Photo by Kyle Johnson

Portugal.The Man
Bigfoot Stage: 3:00 p.m.

When I reread my notes for the Portugal. The Man show, they said things like “totalchaos” and “gnar psychedelic rock.” This should give you an idea of where my mind was at as the group played their bizarre brand of trippy art rock, complete with insane noise jams and a quick MGMT cover. It was unlike anything I had ever seen, while members thrashed their instruments around in the blazing hot sun, and shocked audiences all over the grounds. Clearly these guys and girls were on some other mental plane, and by communicating it through their music, they were able to take us there too. -Ted Maider

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Bigfoot Stage: 4:05 p.m.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

Word travels pretty fucking fast in the modern age. When I saw this band at Coachella just a month ago, the crowd was big, but maybe about half as big as the crowd here (in Coachella to Sasquatch terms of course). You could hardly breathe as Edward Sharpe and company arrived late to play their six-song set of insanity. The band opened up with an uplifting rendition of “40”, as well as their newfound classic “Home”, which excited the crowd more than a trucker getting his Grand Slam at 4 am. This band is clearly killing it after just one album, and it will only be a matter of time before they become a stellar cult act. -Ted Maider

The Lonely Forest
Yeti Stage: 5:40 p.m.

Good to have a band playing in their home state and at their first Sasquatch ever. Up against Broken Social scene the crowd was small not even making it past the sound stage…but The Lonely Forest had a cult following that was shouting out song requests and soaking in every deeply personal love song. It was also fun to see John Van Deusen play the theme song to Intervention to a Sasquatch drinker at the Luke Burbank comedy show (not to mention, I got t0 help him look up some of the lyrics to the theme song when he stopped by the media area). -Kacie McKinney

Broken Social Scene
Sasquatch Stage: 5:45 p.m.

“We traveled 42 hours to play for you today,” Broken Social Scene informed us upon their arrival. And then the band proceeded to play like they had been waiting 42 hours to rip their hardest. The band’s unique style of guitar assault rock was perfect for the Gorge as the sun began to loom behind the clouds and the temperature dropped. But their music kept people alive as they hypnotized the crowd into an intellectually charged frenzy. Note: Three guitars are better than one. -Ted Maider

Photo by Kyle Johnson

I’m not sure how it’s possible to play an intimate set with 20,000+ people, but Broken Social Scene did it for the better part of an hour. Somehow they made a connection with everyone there, and they received the loudest cheers of the night. The lovely Lisa Lobsinger joined the band for the second half of the set, including her infectious Forgiveness Rock Record track “All To All”. They went on with the full band to play old hit after hit, “7/4 Shoreline”, “Stars and Sons”, and “Fire-Eyed Boy”. The best set at Sasquatch, hands down. -Winston Robbins

The National
Sasquatch Stage: 7:00 p.m.

You can refer to The National in one of two ways: The National or “the men of few words but great charisma.” A graying Mat Beringer and his supporting cast took the stage after a staggering performance by Broken Social Scene. A little to my dismay, I honestly believed that I had reached my Sasquatch climax during BSS’s earth-shattering set at 6 pm. I was a little sad that the night had peaked so quickly. I was so wrong.

The National restored my faith in the pending weekend only minutes after it had been shattered. They’re like a good wine, better with age. As anyone will tell you, the band’s latest installment, High Violet, is no joke. There seems to be no ceiling for just how high The National can go in the studio. Their live show is very much the same. Mat and his family and friends band took the stage and said very little, but kept us riveted throughout regardless. They moved through old hits from Alligator and Boxer seamlessly coupled with Violet hits. Highlight of the show: When Mat Beringer left the stage, jumped the fan restraining bar and trudged 30 yards into the crowd, all the while screaming the chorus of ”Abel”. Why this man is not consistently on the indie crush list for sheer awesome-ness is lost on me. -Winston Robbins

The Hold Steady
Bigfoot Stage: 7:30 p.m.

Photo by Christopher Nelson

Always have a drink in your hand and be ready to dance and you will be on the same energy level as Craig Finn when he belts out the party songs of The Hold Steady. I was expecting to hear more new material since Heaven is Whenever came out in early May but they played all the favorites including “Constructive Summer”, “Chips Ahoy”, and “Magazines”. They also slipped in a few from their latest effort. Up against The National, they had a small, but encapsulated crow. It was a good mix and a fun raging dance party – and an especially popular place for green man crowd surfing. -Kacie McKinney

Vampire Weekend
Sasquatch Stage: 8:30 p.m.

Photo by Christopher Nelson

The New York-based quartet walked out on stage to DJ Kool’s “Let Me Clear My Throat”, which couldn’t have been a more humorous entry. The band, however, wasted no time whatsoever in cranking out the greats, as they launched into a high-strung version of “White Sky”. It was then that the whole crowd went ape shit and put out the most positive energy possible. Everyone jumped and sang out the words to songs like “Giving up the Gun”, ”Bryn”, and an electrically charged version of “A-Punk”. Not to mention they wove “Campus” and “Oxford Comma” together in a fashion that would make Jerry Garcia proud. It’s safe to say that Vampire Weekend ripped it Saturday night in a fashion that left everyone out of breath. -Ted Maider

Nada Surf
Bigfoot Stage: 9:00 p.m.

Many were still at Vampire Weekend, but Nada Surf was a fun alternative packed with nostalgic 90s hits like “Always Love” and “Blankest Year” and some from the new cover album If I had a hi-fi including Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silience” and Kate Bush’s “Love and Anger”. This was a performance I had been looking forward to for months and I was left satisfied, but not blown away. -Kacie McKinney

My Morning Jacket
Sasquatch Stage: 10:00 p.m.

The only people who were having more fun than the audience was the band. My Morning Jacket’s musicians never looked more triumphant in their headlining state, playing some of the best selections from their catalog (complete with a ferocious looking donkey on the stage front). Songs like “Dondante” tripped out the entire audience and eased them into a trance, while songs like “One Big Holiday” got the entire crowd into a moshing frenzy at the start of the show. As well as tracks like “Gideon”, “I’m Amazed”, and “Touch Me, I’m Going to Scream” to make this set list officially rad. In the time My Morning Jacket played, they assured the audience that they were one of the hardest working bands in America, and were clearly worthy of headlining a major music festival. This performance easily could have solidified their position as a contemporary music classic, and will be uttered around MMJ folklore for generations to come. -Ted Maider

Deadmau5
Bigfoot Stage: 11:30 p.m.

If you weren’t a Deadmau5 fan before this show, you certainly would have been afterward. That’s not to say I haven’t heard Deadmau5, because I own his albums and find his simplistic style of less-is-more fascinating. His live show, though, goes to show that the more-is-awesome concept works just as well. With a light show that can’t be beat, a style of electronic music that is currently dominating the modern airwaves, and a mask that will forever be associated with the Toronto mix master, it was the show of the night. People furiously danced under the stars as he cut tracks like “Ghosts N’ Stuff” and “Brazil.” At the end, the talented genius waltzed toward the ground and gave some of his fans a high five. I quickly ran over and shouted, “You’re the fucking man!” and he turned back to give a wave. I presume it must be hard knowing that you and your music are this awesome. -Ted Maider

Sunday, May 30th

Martina Topley-Bird
Yeti Stage: 1:00 p.m.

A progenitor of the trip hop genre playing her solo work on the most intimate stage at Sasquatch? Yes, please. Martina Topley-Bird took the stage in a red wedding dress (which we would see later as she took the stage with Massive Attack), looking beyond gorgeous with her amber skin and golden brown curly locks. Things didn’t go exactly as she’d planned with her set, and there were some definite technical errors, but she didn’t let that get her down. In her charming British accent, she explained with a wry smile on her face, “I’m sure you understand. It’s festival vibes. Everything can and will go wrong. I just hope no one’s filming. Oh great. There’s a man with a camera. You bastard…” -Winston Robbins

Local Natives
Bigfoot Stage: 1:30 p.m.

Photo by Christopher Nelson

For reasons we may never understand, Pitchfork succeeds. If P4k’s Best New Music is for you, you’re in for at least the next six months. About half the time, they’re right, which means about half the time they’re wrong. Fortunately for us at Sasquatch, they were right in their recent love of Local Natives. Word spreads fast, and as a result this was one of the biggest crowds at the Honda’s Bigfoot Stage. The time they were allotted was nearly long enough for them to play their entire debut album, but the songs that really got the ultra-hip audience going were “Camera Talk”, their cover of Talking Heads’ “Warning Sign”, and the strained, shouting chorus of “Cubism Dream”, which, for the uninformed goes, “I did it for you, I did it for me!!!” Tell you what, Local Natives, your set at Sasquatch 2010 definitely “did it for me.” -Winston Robbins

Luke Burbank
Rumpus Room: 2:00 p.m.

After a little talk with The Lonely Forest I had to go see what all the fuss was about with Luke Burbank – host of Too Beautiful to Live. He taught us all the game of getting iced… keep those Smirnoffs handy at your campsite because next time you hand one to someone they have to get down on one knee and chug it – it’s the rule. Within five minutes of being at the festival, The Lonely Forest iced him. And John Van Deusen came up on stage and sang the Intervention theme song to a participant in the audience that told everyone in the crowd his most embarrassing puking drunk story. -Kacie McKinney

The Tallest Man on Earth
Bigfoot Stage: 2:35 p.m.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

He literally looks like the tallest man ever while standing up on that stage all by himself, but you got to give Kristian Matsson credit for confidence. The Tallest Man on Earth’s set was basically the calm before the storm that was day two of Sasquatch. Matsson’s well-thought out poetry over his mellow and melodic guitar tones smoothed the crowd over as the clouds rolled in. As he stood there, staring out over 10,000 people and belting out his most personal sentiments, it showed that the Tallest Man on Earth could weather any storm – personal, physical, or meteorological. -Ted Maider

They Might Be Giants
Sasquatch Stage: 3:20 p.m.

They Might Be Giants‘ breed of comedic and strangely composed indie rock is able to still hold water after the group’s 20 plus years of existence. By playing songs with titles like “Racist Friend” and “Upside Down Frown”, they were still able to resonate with the population of the Pacific Northwest. The band themselves were appreciative of all the people who came to see them, even the sleeping people (me) in the back. Not to mention, they busted out sock puppets halfway through their set, and introduced them to us as The Avatars of They, who then sang for the next few songs. It was definitely a strange performance, filled with comedic interludes and kooky songs, but if it’s not weird at a festival than what’s the point of checking it out? -Ted Maider

Kid Cudi
Sasquatch Stage: 4:25 p.m.

“We’re all grooving and we’re all friendly at a Kid Cudi show,” the new breed of MC told the crowd when he took the stage Sunday afternoon. He was certainly right, because everybody was feeling real good suddenly. Everybody was on their feet and everyone was dancing like there was no tomorrow. Meanwhile, Kid Cudi spit his rhymes in his Anthrax t-shirt as his DJ laid down tracks that spanned a vast influence of beat composition. Kid Cudi was cutting it up that afternoon, and if you slept through that, then I am truly sorry. -Ted Maider

Tegan & Sara
Sasquatch Stage: 5:35 p.m.

You know what I like most about Tegan & Sara? Nothing is recycled. I have seen them four times over the course of the past two years, and not once has there been a joke used twice, no signature gimmicks to get the crowd involved, and no uniform costuming — which means they are always flying by the seat of their pants, and that deserves some serious respect. There aren’t many bands out there, however musically talented, quite as capable of that organic interaction with the crowd as T&S.

Given the short time they were allotted, they weren’t given much time to fool around showing off songs from their latest, Sainthood. They played mostly fan favorites from previous records; songs such as: “Where Does The Good Go”, “Nineteen”, “The Con”, and “Walking With a Ghost.” These girls are pros and they know it, they’ve earned every scrap of their success, and it’s fun to see reap the benefits. -Winston Robbins

The xx
Bigfoot Stage: 5:55 p.m.

It suddenly got very creepy where I was standing as The xx took the Bigfoot stage towards the end of the day. The clouds were dark and the songs were eerie as the vocals lulled everyone in the crowd into a numb stupor. The xx’s brand of steezy beats, thumping bass, and cryptic vibe got everyone hypnotized as the darkness of the night crept in to a style of music that embraced the nightfall. It’s music like this, that when seen live, takes you to a new level of mentality that is only achievable in a scenario like Sasquatch. -Ted Maider

LCD Soundsystem
Sasquatch Stage: 7:00 p.m.

Photo by Christopher Nelson

Did you think you could mosh to LCD Soundsystem? Neither did I, until it happened. LCD Soundsystem had, what I considered, one of the best shows of the weekend. James Murphy arrived on stage and wasted no time blowing minds left and right. His energy was insane as he screamed out the lyrics to “Time Has Come” and “Us v. Them”. Shortly after that, the band launched into the rowdiest version of “Drunk Girls” that left the crowd breathless from dancing, as well as “Daft Punk is Playing at My House” which was nothing short of a roller coaster ride. I couldn’t imagine anybody trying to sit down during this show. He got the entire crowd at the Gorge to stand up, wave their hands in unison, and chant out “All My Friends” as the band closed their amazing, jaw-dropping, almost inspirational hour-long set. -Ted Maider

Fruit Bats
Yeti Stage: 7:30 p.m.

I left the LCD Soundsystem to check out the Fruit Bats. As much as I was having a good time down on the mainstage dance floor I didn’t mind the peaceful break that Fruit Bats offered. The passion Eric D. Johnson puts into the vocals is worth the show. The Ruminant Band has definitely been a good thing for The Fruit Bats and they would have had more attention if not up against the best dance party of the weekend – and quite possibly the best dance party Sasquatch has ever seen period. -Kacie McKinney

Pavement
Sasquatch Stage: 8:30 p.m.

Photo by Christopher Nelson

Apparently, it was Stephen Malkmus’ birthday. Why didn’t I get a notification from Facebook? I clearly would have made a note to rock just that much harder, but it didn’t matter anyways, because Pavement came out with the full intention to have just as much fun as the crowd. It was possibly the most satisfying set Pavement could have possibly played, complete with shenanigans from Malkmus and Spiral Stairs. The band kicked it off with the most fast-paced version of “Cut Your Hair” which was followed by an epic “Trigger Cut”. The band played everything you could possibly have wanted to hear, including spectacular numbers like “Gold Soundz”, “Kennel District”, and “Shady Lane”, while the Pacific Northwest citizens lost their minds to seeing one of their favorite bands only mere feet in front of their eyes. -Ted Maider

Massive Attack
Sasquatch Stage: 10:30 p.m.

Massive Attack was by far the biggest name on the bill at Sasquatch 2010 and consequently garnered the biggest crowd. The masses came in throngs to see the trip hop legends perform for the first time ever at The Gorge, and few, if any, left underwhelmed. The theatrics were second to none as they took the stage on what was one of their last US dates. They came out soft starting with Heligoland bonus track “United Snakes”, while the screen behind them flashed 100 words a minute, all drug-related: melatonin, cocaine, mescaline, ketamine, THC, heroin, codeine, ecstasy, etc. And I firmly believe that over half the crowd in attendance was on one, if not more of the mentioned drugs, and I’m surprised they didn’t put the word “massive attack” on the drug list, because their music in itself can induce pleasurable highs. So in that sense, it was accurate of them to open with a list of drugs because everyone was high to a certain extent.

That same screen would become the backdrop of the ideas they wanted to express in words or numbers for the remainder of the two hour set. It went from a political rally, to a question of freedom using quotes and statistics (Arizona got shanked multiple times), to a full on quote fest fraught with thought provoking ideas. And while this may seem shameless and completely devoid of all subtlety, it worked given the atmosphere.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

Of course we saw appearances by Massive Attack regulars Martina Topley-Bird and Horace Andy, as well as the boys themselves, 3D and Daddy G, and as they ran through the set, they each provided such a unique spin to the MA sound. It almost felt like a stage production with the frequent coming and going of musicians and the constant costume changes of Martina Topley-Bird. The set was fairly Heligoland top-heavy, with tracks like “Babel”, “Girl I Love You”, “Psyche”, and “Splitting The Atom”, but their classics received pretty fair attention. From “Teardrop” to “Risingson” to “Angel”, Mezzanine was well represented, as was Blue Lines with tracks “Safe From Harm”, and “Unfinished Sympathy”. All in all, it played like an incredible greatest hits, and it blew the minds of all who were lucky enough to witness it. -Winston Robbins

Booka Shade
Bigfoot Stage: 11:30 p.m.

The house duo from Germany known as Booka Shade opened up their electronic doors of insanity to the world on Sunday night as the closed out the entire show. The band tore it down, while ravers danced under the stars for a solid hour and a half. Even when the band tried to get off stage, the audience screamed for more, until the band finally obliged playing for another 15 minutes. This pleased the crowd immensely as the synth and drums duo blazed up that stage some more, keeping everybody in full-on party mode for just a few more moments. Nobody, and I mean nobody, wanted it to end. -Ted Maider

Monday, May 31st

The Heavy
Sasquatch Stage: 12:00 p.m.

Nothing like some English soul to cure that Monday hangover. Kevin Swaby’s voice was the perfect thing to ease everyone into the last day of the festival as they were enjoying their $8 lattes and $11 hair-of-the dog beers. Rockers with some funky horns and a soulful voice, you never know what The Heavy will cook up next. Songs such as “How You Like Me Now” (Featured in a KIA commercial) and the horns in “No Time” set the funky mood for the morning. -Kacie McKinney

Mayer Hawthorne & The County
Sasquatch Stage: 12:55 p.m.

In his suit and high-tops, Mayer Hawthorne used his falsetto voice and thick-rimmed glasses to channel Motown soul music. Most notably he channeled his former role as DJ Haircut and had the crowd singing Biz Markie’s “Just a Friend.” While I’m still questioning why he took five minutes to poll the audience about what kind of music they liked,  it was good music to sit up on the hill and get ready for the day ahead. -Kacie McKinney

Seattle Rock Orchestra
Bigfoot Stage: 2:20 p.m.

This Aracade Fire cover band was a hidden gem during the solid Monday main stage set. As I was getting closer to the stage I actually heard a person say “OMG Arcade Fire is playing!” as they ran over to the Bigfoot stage to watch the band play songs from Funeral. But what they saw instead was around 30 of Seattle’s best freelance classical and pop musicians tearing it up. One girl was even playing a teakettle and played it so hard it broke. -Kacie McKinney

Drive-By Truckers
Sasquatch Stage: 3:00 p.m.

The cowboy boots were in prime form for Southern rockers Drive-By Truckers. But the crowd seemed to be a mixture of the alt-country enthusiasts for the day and hipsters waiting to rush the main floor for Passion Pit coming up next. There were a few hollers from the floor and a few snickers from the Passion Pit crowd as Patterson Hood dedicated  “18 Wheels of Love” to the 18 Wheeler Peterbilt in the sky. -Kacie McKinney

Passion Pit
Sasquatch Stage: 4:10 p.m.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

Many people around camp Sasquatch were chirping about the Boston group’s performance. Apparently, last year Passion Pit rocked the northwest while playing various tracks off their masterpiece LP, Manners, and this year they seemed to kick just as much, if not more, ass. “Make Light” at the beginning got the crowd into a dancing frenzy, and nobody was safe during their live rendition of “Sleepyhead”, as Passion Pit put all their energy into their keyboards. If you weren’t out of breath after the show, you clearly weren’t feeling it. -Ted Maider

Dr. Dog
Bigfoot Stage: 4:30 p.m.

Thank god Craig Robinson bombed it on the comedy stage because Dr. Dog got the crowd they deserved. I love watching people’s awe-shocked faces amidst a Dr. Dog performance. Working off of You may expect these guys to play a mellow little set, but you ain’t seen nothing until you see them live. -Kacie McKinney

She & Him
Sasquatch Stage: 5:20 p.m.

I’ve never been certain as to what exactly possessed M. Ward to collaborate with Zooey Deschanel. I had guessed that it must have had something to do with the never ending pools of blue water she calls eyes, but seeing She & Him live has changed my mind about that in a big way. It’s become very clear to me that it was their affinity for ’50s music is what brought them together.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

They busted out song after song teeming with nostalgic vibes and kept us all thoroughly entertained with their onstage antics and charisma. Zooey playfully introduced the band saying, “We’re She & Him, and him and him and him and her and her” referring to her backing band. And I must give credit where credit is due, Zooey’s got almost as much onstage swagger as the legendary M. Ward, who is known to drop jaws with his sheer coolness. Playing mostly songs from their newest installment, Volume 2, the highlights were “Don’t Look Back”, an elongated “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?”, and their cover of “Roll Over Beethoven”. -Winston Robbins

Band of Horses
Sasquatch Stage: 6:40 p.m.

Some people are simply just born to front bands. Julian Casablancas, Wayne Coyne, and Thomas Mars, are all excellent examples of individuals who quarterback their respective bands with absolute professionalism and perfection. As of May 31, 2010, I am officially adding Ben Bridwell to that list. Despite their latest installment, Infinite Arms, being panned by most critics (somewhat undeservedly), Band of Horses took the stage with the utmost confidence in themselves. And why shouldn’t they? They’ve released three solid alt-country albums to massive success amongst the indie community and they’ve somehow maintained their dignity in doing so (that’s an intentional jab at you, MGMT).

Photo by Kyle Johnson

“This band started in Seattle in ’04 and now we’re bringin’ it home for Sasquatch 2010,” Bridwell exclaimed. True to his word, they played hit after hit, playing only two songs from their latest effort. I guess they got the message from the critics, however inaccurate it may have been. Highlight tracks: “Is There A Ghost”, “Detlef Schrempf”, “Ode To LRC” and “Great Salt Lake” got the crowd moving, and reminded us all about just how much we love Band of Horses deep down. -Winston Robbins

MGMT
Sasquatch Stage: 8:00 p.m.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

I have never feared for my life more than I did while on the floor during MGMT (that says a lot). Between an eager and pushy crowd, untied shoes, a lack of air, gallons of alcohol sweat depleting from my body, and a face-melting show from the band, it was easily one of the best (and most anticipated) shows of the weekend. They dedicated their set to those who died in combat (it was Memorial Day after all) and then opened with their slow, and down-to-Earth number “Pieces of What”. However, they didn’t hesitate to shake it up with songs like “Brian Eno”, “Flash Delirium”, and “Time to Pretend”. To end it, the band played the most intense version of “Kids,” which the crowd sang the synth riff to accapella style as the band exited the glorious main stage. -Ted Maider

The New Pornographers
Bigfoot Stage: 8:20 p.m.

The best time slot The New Pornographers have seen (as Carl Newman pointed out “It’s weird to play in the dark”) proved to be well-deserved. And an engadged crowd was ready with an inflatable whale and glowsticks  that became part of the act throughout the show. This was the most engadged and talkative I had ever seen the band – and Neko Case was in prime form with her one-liners. Up against MGMT on the main stage,  Case jokingly told the audience that MGMT was sending a shuttle over soon to get us. And as soon as a large crowd left MGMT and booked it to the dance tent the band asked them “Hey, where are you going?” They played all the favorites including kicking it off with “Spanish Techno”and ending with an encore performance of “Letter from an Occupant”. -Kacie McKinney

Neon Indian
Rumpus Room: 8:40 p.m.

Alan Palomino has had a great year – that much is true. But it’s tough to realize why he’s had such a great year unless you’ve seen him do his thing onstage with Neon Indian. It’s simple, it’s catchy, and it’s fun to dance to, especially when you’ve poured all your energy into the past three days and this is the last act you will see. People went berserk for the Texan gone Brooklyn-ite’s hits. “Terminally Chill”, “Deadbeat Summer”, and “Should’ve Taken Acid With You” seemed to particularly get everyone rough and rowdy. And in a tent that is not very large, full to the brim with people, this can prove to be quite a fulfilling experience. -Winston Robbins

Ween
Sasquatch Stage: 9:30 p.m.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

Everyone was super excited for Ween (most of these people appeared to be Canadian). It made me somewhat jealous, as my knowledge of Ween is slightly limited (my roommate used to play Chocolate and Cheese constantly), but when they started, it didn’t matter. Ween jammed hard in a way that the dudes from Phish would be overtly envious. While blasting through tunes like “Spinal Meningitis”, “Bananas and Blow”, “Bare Hands”, and “Take Me Away”, it was clear why so many people were jacked up about Ween. They are simply just a great band, with quirky/memorable songs that their fans love and know every word to. Why wouldn’t a band like this headline a major music festival? As I departed from Ween’s extravagant closing set, I knew Sasquatch had done me just right with all the music, which is why any of us go to these festivals in the first place. -Ted Maider

Special thanks to photographers Kyle Johnson and Christopher Nelson.