celebrating Lollapalooza's 20th anniversary

As early as our high school days, I've been a fan of rock and alternative music. Music played a huge role on our growing up days, specially in high school. My friends play a huge part on the type of music I would listen to and enjoy. I got to discover a lot of bands and songs that I am not familiar to before.

Back then, the likes of Live, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, 311, Incubus, Green Day, Jane's Addiction, Ash, Everclear, Collective Soul, Better than Ezra and of course Nirvana are on our everyday playlist. Songs that were played at school programs were almost always from these bands. We had a chance to watch a live concert (from a videotape of course) that run for 3 days called Woodstock.  I later learned that Woodstock only run for 3 years, 1969, 1994 and 1999.

When we moved here in Chicago in 2008, that summer's Lollapalooza had just ended. We had the chance to watch 2009 and 2010's lineup, but plans didn't push through. I remember harassing Topher to watch 2010 Lolla since Green Day and Soundgarden will be there. I guess it had been a blessing in disguise since I had to come back home to Manila for my Lola.

This year, then we learned that Foo Fighters is gonna headline, I know that there is NO way that we're not gonna see this year's show. In buying tickets, one can actually get it cheaper by buying them wayyy before the lineup is announced, called Early Bird tickets. Those were long gone when we bought ours.

Lollapalooza usually runs on the first weekend of August, and this year it was held on August 5, 6 and 7. Joni, a good friend of ours graciously welcomed us to stay at her place in Belmont during the 3-day show. We took half the day off from work to catch the bands performing on the first day. I was honestly pissed that we were not able to watch Foster the People play Pumped Up Kicks, their set started at 3pm and we got to Grant Park at past 4. Damn.

At the concert's first day, we scheduled to see the following:

3 - 4  Foster the People
6 - 7:15 A Perfect Circle
8:15 - 10 Coldplay
8:15 - 10 Muse

You may be wondering why Coldplay and Muse were scheduled to play at the same time, they very well can because the concert have 8 stages scattered strategically in Grant Park.

When we got to Grant Park, we were given our concert map, a free iTunes card and entrance bracelet at the gate.

map and iTunes card

Entrance bracelet (pardon his hairy arms, haha)

As we made our way in, we familiarize ourselves with the park's orientation and where the stages are placed. Concert environment is always a fun one, people are relaxed, laughing and chilling out and you can always smell weed in the air and these grounds were no different. We made our way to the stage where A Perfect Circle will perform. At exactly 6PM, the band walked out the stage.

A Perfect Circle

Billy Howerdel (guitar) and Josh Freese (drums)

Maynard James Keenan (lead vocals)

James Iha on bass (the same James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins)

Truthfully, I only knew some of their songs at heart and when they played 3 Libras, it was unbelievable. It was our first time to see them live and they did not disappoint. After their set, we waited for about an hour in front of the same stage waiting for Muse to perform. We figured we'd start with Muse and halfway through we'll go to the other stage to catch Coldplay perform.

Muse opening

performing Uprising

They started their set with Uprising and everyone went just nuts! The crowd moved as one, dancing and singing to their song. Then it was followed by Supermassive Black Hole, and it drove the crowd wild. A few other songs in between and then they played Resistance, the crowd absolutely loving it. I've been waiting for them to play Undisclosed Desires before we go to Coldplay's stage. We made our way out of the crowd ready to go to the other stage when finally they played the song. Muse absolute rocked the stage.

they're playing Undisclosed Desires

As we made our way to the other side of the park, there are people just roaming around the streets and buying food. This made us realized that we haven't had dinner yet. I ordered a chicken burrito for my dinner and Topher got some hot dogs I think.

I am exhausted when we got to Coldplay's stage. I sat and devoured my burrito while listening to Coldplay performed Clocks. I would have loved to hear them play Viva La Vida, but I know we were too late. Chris Martin played Amy Winehouse's Rehab in honor of the singer after her death. After about 3 more songs, they ended their set with fireworks! What a way to end the first day of Lollapalooza!

On day two of Lollapalooza, our list for bands to see are just two.
5 - 6 Deftones
8:30 - 10 Eminem

Exhausted from last night's shows, we decided to rest first and just watch the bands that we really liked. Joni dropped us off in Grant Park on her way to a small shopping spree downtown. We got there right in time for Deftones' set.

They sang a couple of their hits like: Diamond Eyes, Sextape, Be Quiet and Drive and Change. This is our 2nd time watching them live and they're really great. They covered Katy Perry's Firework and I thought it was both funny and weird at the time. Imagine Deftones knowing the words to Katy Perry's song.

We have about two hours to burn before Eminem's set at 8:30. We went to Adidas Originals Shoe Box. It's looked like a Shoe Box from the outside but it's really like a museum/playroom inside. They played the latest Originals commercial and there is a photo booth inside where our photos can be taken.

Adidas Shoe Box

Outside, they have this huge Superstar shoe made of Styrofoam where you can pretty much write anything on it.

Topher writing

As we make our way to Eminem's stage, we stopped by the Buckingham Fountain and then at a merchandise store, I bought a Foo Fighters shirt for tomorrow.

at the Buckingham Fountain

About an hour before Eminem's set, we went to the stage where he'd be performing and there were already a massive amount of people waiting. It was really hard to look for a good spot among the huge crowd. Eminem is the only huge artist in that time slot so I think almost everyone is there.

Official Lollapalooza photos by Dave Mead

We don't have any decent picture or videos of Eminem's performance, I'm posting pictures that I got from Lollapalooza's official photo stream. More photos in this set.

He sang hits like: Cleanin' Out My Closet, The Way I Am, Lighters, Airplanes Pt.II, Stan, Sing for the Moment, Love the Way You Lie, I Need A Doctor, My Name Is/The Real Slim Shady/Without Me.Bruno Mars made a cameo appearance for their song Lighters. We left the show before the set ended, that gave us plenty of time to board the L train going to Joni's place in Belmont.

On the third and last day of Lollapalooza, I'm super excited to see Foo Fighters. We heard the Sunday mass at Holy Name Cathedral and then went off to lunch at Cafe Iberico before we went to Grant Park. The bands we're gonna be watching are:
4:15 - 5:15 Flogging Molly
5:15 - 6:15 Cage the Elephant
8 - 10 Foo Fighters

We were able to watch Flogging Molly, they were a really great Irish band. Their music is upbeat and fun even though the lyrics to their songs are depressing. A song or two before they finished their set, we left and moved to Cage the Elephant's stage. We got lucky and secured a place at the front.

Matt Shultz of Cage the Elephant

This is our second time watching them live and I must say that they are better in this performance. They sang their hits like Ain't No Rest for the Wicked,  Back Against the Wall,  Shake Me Down and Around My Head. Halfway through their set, rain started to pour. One would think that with the rain, the crowd will disperse, it didn't. Most stayed throughout their whole set including us. And yes, we were drench!

Official Lollapalooza photos by Matt Ellis

more Official Photos in this set

About half an hour after, the rain finally stopped. We went to the other side of the park to find a good spot watching Foo Fighters. When we got there, it's clear that the whole place is gonna be as muddy as hell.

look at all that mud, looking more and more like the 90s

people playing in the mud

It's clear that we won't be getting anywhere near the stage, not unless we want to take off our shoes and make our way in the mud. We stayed at the concrete stairs where we still have a decent view of the stage although far. It was past 8pm when Dave and the guys went to the stage and they are sooo worth the wait!

Dave Grohl belting out

They sang most of their hits like: Rope, My Hero, Learn to Fly, Breakout, Walk, Monkey Wrench, Times Like These, Best of You and and their encore is our fave Everlong. Rain poured in again while they were playing and as any Foo Fighter fan would tell you, rain or shine, no one is leaving while Dave is on the stage.

Official Lollapalooza photos by Cambria Harkey

more Official Photos in this set

This is our first time in watching them in concert, and I personally find Dave Grohl as a very cool person. I remember him saying that the concert is the most fun that he had for a while and that he would skip the encore and would just play for the crowd as long as he can. Isn't he just great?

Lollapalooza had been one hell of an awesome experience and I almost certain that we would be going again next year!