Lollapalooza Part 3 (and final reflections)

Sunday
Sunday was much more chill than Friday and Saturday, as Ben and the gang had gone home and I was left to wander alone among the festival's final acts. I really only had two bands that I cared to see that day - Iron & Wine and Flogging Molly - and was planning to go home before the final headlining acts, Kanye West and Nine Inch Nails, took the stage.

So I took the train in (God bless the weekend passes that let you ride an unlimited amount for $5) and made it to Grant Park just before Iron & Wine took the stage.

Iron & Wine - I&W is a moniker for songwriter Sam Beam, a small man with a lumberjack (or Viking?) beard whose recordings gained popularity because of their uber-hushed, gentle tones (rumor is he recorded his early stuff in a room next to that of his sleeping child, thus the hushed-ness.) Beam's last record, 'The Shepard Dog,' was a change of pace from his previous work, employing more percussion and instrumentation that gave it almost a Mediterranean feel, a move that was neither selling out nor overachieving - it was just good. And proof that the man is one of the best modern songwriters. His live show, I found, must be a change of pace from what he used to do as well: his set at Lollapalooza, as best I can describe it, was jam-band-ish. Which isn't a bad thing, but it also wasn't the greatest. I realize it was Lollapalooza, and a festival of that caliber requires something with a little more pep than your recorded material, but I found that I got kind of bored with the set from time to time (of course maybe I was just distracted by the annoying stoned dude next to me who kept writhing around in some sort of way that I'm sure he considered dancing.) Either way, I was glad to see it, and in all honesty, was impressed that Beam had more tricks up his sleeve than what his early material may have implied. Can't wait to see what he does with it next.

Thankfully, Flogging Molly was playing on the stage closest to Iron & Wine, and right after them (literally right after the last note of Beam's set, Flogging Molly took the stage and kicked off their set) so I didn't have to go far to catch my next desired show.

Flogging Molly - Ah, Flogging Molly - proof that sometimes music is meant to be nothing more than just a ton of fun. These dudes - nay, in the Irish spirit, these bastards - throw one heck of an Irish rock (or Celtic Punk, as it's been called) jamboree, and I was happy to be a part of it. They ripped through a set of fast-paced, fiddle-and-accordion-and-banjo-laced rock tunes, with lead singer Dave King expertly handling the crowd between songs. The crowd was digging it, as I could especially tell following the show, as fans departed literally drenched in sweat. Honestly, I probably would have enjoyed it more if I'd had friends their to dance with (and if I'd put a few back before the show) but I still had a blast, and will happily see them again next time they swing through Ohio. As for their recorded material, I strongly recommend it for those times that you just want to celebrate life, dance, and pump your fist in the air.

After the masses scattered following Flogging Molly's rollicking set, I made my way over to the stage for Girl Talk, a DJ who is huge on the indie circuit and who specializes in mashing up hundreds of popular songs into dance tunes. When I got to the stage, however, I realized it was surrounded by maybe 10,000 ecstatic fans (the stage was set up in an area for maybe half that) so I didn't stick around for long. I heard people danced around stage and had fun though. Oh well.
So I walked back over to the stage Flogging Molly had played on and waited for the next band, The National, to start. The National is a group out of Cincinnati who had their 15 minutes of fame, receiving rave reviews for their album 'The Boxer,' which really is quite good, if you're into that piano-driven alt-rock kind of thing.

The National - Another set that just didn't translate well from record to Lollapalooza stage; these guys are good at what they do, but I got really bored. Maybe it was because I was exhausted from the three-day weekend. I don't know. Either way I just lost interest. They're a great band, but I need a little energy to keep my attention; I need a little something different than what I'm expecting.

And that brings me to my final reflections on my Lollapalooza weekend. Basically, my ticket was paid off from seeing Radiohead and Rage Against the Machine alone. Like I said before, that crossed two bands off of my 'see-before-I-die' list, leaving only U2 left (though I'm sure I'll add more; for instance, I know I have to see Sufjan Stevens live someday.) So I don't regret spending $200 for the weekend, not in the least (though my bank account is aching right now; darn you Perry Ferrell for charging so much!) But I couldn't help but think about Athens as I went from stage to stage last weekend.

You see, I saw a lot of great bands at Lollapalooza, sure, but I guess I found myself expecting to be more impressed by the bands I was excited to see. It wasn't the bands' faults, though; rather, I think it was the fact that I was seeing the bands with 75,000 other people, most of whom were drunk or stoned. It was the fact that the shows weren't personal in the least because every single one of them was crowded by thousands upon thousands of folks, many of whom were there for other bands (or to just get stoned in public without getting in trouble for it.)

For me, a concert is an experience. It's about connecting with the band and all of the other people surrounding you, who are witnessing what you're witnessing. It's about an energy, be it a adrenaline-fueled one or a toned-down emotional one. It's about the setting - the way you feel crowded in with the sound and surrounded by it. And honestly, I just couldn't really get those feelings at Lollapalooza. It had it's moments, but I just couldn't connect with the bands in the setting I was in. I couldn't feel that energy that I love to feel at shows. Like I said in this post and others, I really did enjoy a lot bands. But I would have rather seen them all play in a bar.

Which brings me to my point on Athens. Lollapalooza reminded me how truly great the Athens scene is, and how much more appreciation it deserves. Great bands play at several bars every weekend. They cost a couple bucks to attend, and you crowd into a small venue with other people who came to catch a good show. Not all of the bands are great, but you usually can find an energy to feed off of, be it from the band or the crowd. Every show you go to is an event, not just a performance. And that's where Lollapalooza lacked.

Plus, in Athens, you don't have to run 2 miles to try to catch another band. Everything is right there for you.

Ultimately, as I said, I don't regret going to Lollapalooza. But it has helped me appreciate how lucky I am to have Athens. It's a mini-Lollapalooza in my own backyard, only for way cheaper.

May I take advantage of it all the more this year.