BACK FROM THE DEAD
Sep 1, 2005 12:00 PM, Cody DeMatteis
After disappointing ticket sales landed 2004's Lollapalooza in the graveyard just weeks before launching, Perry Farrell opted to resurrect the franchise this year as a stationary two-day event in Chicago's Grant Park July 23-24. The weekend was one of the hottest in recent Chicago memory, but not to be deterred, 33,000 concertgoers braved the looming specter of dehydration and heat stroke in the name of good music and mediocre beer each day. The new Lolla's lineup stretched from acts that participated in the show's heyday (Dinosaur Jr. and Primus) to some of the hipster it bands of the moment (the Arcade Fire and Louis XIV).
Early on the first day, M83 played its synthy spin on the early-'90s shoegaze movement, which worked well on a large outdoor stage. And The Bravery put on an energetic show, ripping through its brand of dance-punk to the cheering audience. Unfortunately for less rock-inclined fans, much of the electronic and hip-hop was slotted early in the day or relegated to a stage that required crossing four lanes of traffic to get to. Nevertheless, VHS or Beta put on a strong set of electrorock that evoked images of Robert Smith hiding somewhere in a disco. This year's small showing of hip-hop contradicted the Lollapaloozas of years past, where the likes of Snoop Dogg headlined with acts like Korn. Still, DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill fame gave his take on the mash-up craze with odd combinations like pairing the thumping bass of the White Stripes' “Seven Nation Army” with Busta Rhymes' “Dangerous” or backing Jay-Z's “Dirt Off Your Shoulders” with a guitar loop from Tool's “Undertow.” After Muggs finished his set, he served as DJ for an Adidas-sponsored b-boy battle juried by an impressive roster that included original members of the Rock Steady Crew. Although the battle had some amazing action, it could have benefited from better promotion.
Early Sunday morning saw a fantastic set by poet and rapper Saul Williams. With just his DJ in tow, Williams tackled some fierce renditions of songs from his semirecent Saul Williams (Fader, 2004), including a guest appearance from Butterfly of the first day's final act, Digable Planets. Despite second day temperatures topping well above 100 degrees, the crowds still found their way out to enjoy the range of acts. At a time when Coachella is the last word in summer festivals, Lollapalooza showed a strong attempt to return to form. If it will resume as a touring festival or stay put in Chicago is still up in the air, though. With some tweaking to the formula, it could again become a widespread success.
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