Lollapalooza '09: Day 1

As it turns out, this is my second Lollapalooza -- Tool also played Lolla back in '97, and I went down to the Tinley Park for the show. I of course would have totally forgotten about this, but thankfully I wrote it down.

Well, the 2009 edition of Lollapalooza is a lot different -- much better locale (the surrounds of the Chicago skyline are just great), no standing around on asphalt, many more stages, very well organized, and a heckuva lot rainier.

Yes, it rained basically the whole time that we were in Chicago today -- only stopping for brief periods during Fleet Foxes and The Decemberists. The crowd didn't seem to mind -- some folks had umbrellas or ponchos, but most people were just wet. And as the day wore on, cold.

Of all the bands that I saw today, I liked The Decemberists the best -- although The Builders and the Butchers were a close second. I haven't bought the new Decemberists album yet, but during the course of their incredibly tight set, they played all new (to me) songs, and now their new album is a must buy. Most songs flowed from one to the next, and many had a surprising amount of guitar, and more importantly, energy. When your cold and wet, you want some music that has some life to it:

Colin Meloy on the jumbotron

Which leads me to the worst act of the day, Bon Iver (well, I wasn't too fond of The Knux either, but they just aren't my cup of tea). I actually like their CD (given to me by Sara), but they were far, far too mellow for a massive outdoor festival. The Fleet Foxes were almost in the same boat -- I liked them a bit better than Bon Iver, but I'm still not so sure that I'm going to buy their album.

The Builders and the Butchers, on the other hand, are easily the best find of Lollapalooza so far. They played a lot of different instruments, had great audience participation, and were just plain fun. I definitely need to check these guys out some more.

All in all, aside from the wetness, it was a good, albeit tiring, day. I'm certainly hungry for Tool (and Glasvegas) tomorrow, however. More photos here.

-Andy.