The Dead Part of You

Are we there yet?

Lupe Fiasco opened with the new track he does with Kanye and Pharrell, US Placers, which was awesome [rapping over Thom Yorke's "The Eraser"]. Then some Gorillaz "Feel Good, Inc." before launching into his own material. Most of Food and Liquor, plus the new track Superstardom. It was all kinds of hot and sweaty. I was pretty close to the front, I couldn't get any closer due to Pearl Jam fans sitting down [whatever]. It was what I had been waiting all weekend for it and it was freaking awesome. Lupe Fiasco, you were THE BEST THING I saw on Sunday, and THE BEST THING I saw all weekend!

I felt like shit afterwards, and headed into that air conditioned AT&T room, which was packed. I started making my way to the other side of the park for Iggy and the Stooges and it was really crazy how many more people were there Sunday. It wasn't fun anymore, it was oppressive. I met up with Bob behind the soundboard for Paolo Nutini [ICK] and he was completely burned out too. We went to go sit in the shade someplace for The Stooges, but got separated almost immediately.

Instead of actively watching The Stooges, I went and got right up front at the stage across the field for Yo La Tengo. I could still hear them and it sounded just fine. I could see the video screen. So I saw the whole "No Fun" melee from afar, when Iggy let 200 people on stage, and they didn't get the hint when it was time to get off. It made me kind of glad I wasn't up too close, actually.

I sat on the ground in the shade of the stage while Yo La Tengo set up. I was fully rested, rehydrated and ready to go, they were just perfect. I mean it - when I think about it, I had been waiting almost 15 years to see them live [I don't know why I never made the effort before] and the set list was pure silver and gold. Opening with "Sugarcube" into "Autumn Sweater"? I COULD JUST DIE. "Tom Courtenay" into "Big Day Coming"? BE STILL MY INDIE POP HEART. And when they weren't playing my favorite 3 minute songs, they were going completely nutsy droney on numbers like "Pass The Hatchet I'm Goodkind". Yo La Tengo! You were THE SECOND BEST THING I saw on Sunday, and THE SECOND BEST THING I saw all weekend! I love how I caught the stagehand in a halo:

And then there was Sophie's Choice. Do I cross the field over to Modest Mouse to close out the weekend [convenient, and I love them] or walk to the other side for TV on the Radio [out of the way, but I've never seen them]? THE ANSWER IS TV ON THE RADIO!

I was even able to get up pretty close, but again, was a little worried about being fatigued in a rough crowd. Luckily, they played a pretty mellow set - other than "Wolf Like Me" and "Staring at the Sun", there wasn't too much crowd rowdiness. I was next to the weirdo that threw his Red Sox hat on stage ["We'll be selling this after the show"].

And that was that! There was some chanting ["One More Song" morphed into "Fuck Pearl Jam"] and a few minutes later Perry Farrell came on stage across the field so we could thank him all for everything, because it would not have been possible without him, and oh yeah, here's Pearl Jam.

I stayed for the first two songs but they just weren't doing anything for me. Plus, being like 1/4 mile from the stage, and what with light traveling faster than sound, everything seemed out-of-sync on the video screen nearest to me, which was really unsettling. I slowly made my way out and just as I was leaving the park, watched the unrelated to Lollapalooza fireworks.



So the weekend was pretty L@@K A++ SELLER. Would I go to Lollapalooza again? THE ANSWER IS YES!!!