Lollapalooza: 5 Picks for Today and 1 for Tonight
By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 4, 2007 2:50PM
Each morning we're going to highlight five bands playing at Lollapalooza that we think are worth seeing. Some will be popular, some less known, but we believe they're all worth your time. And for those not making it to the festival itself, we'll round it out with an additional show going on after the grounds close down for the evening.
Matt & Kim
Bouncy, jouncy, fun, and happy, Matt & Kim are just the sort of duo to kick your day off with a smile. Matt's off kilter vocals are endearing and the duo's melodies are playful enough to snare both the indie rockers and the dance kids. (adidas stage, 11:45 a.m.)
Tokyo Police Club
We caught these boys a few months ago at Subterrnanean and thew blew us away. Let's say you took Television's songs, sped them up double-time, and cut them in half ... then you have an idea what Tokyo Police Club sounds like. Our only worry is that their immediacy gets a little lost on the massive stage at the south end of Grant park. (AT&T stage, 12:45 a.m.)
Silverchair
We've been getting press releases about Silverchair about every other hour for the past two months, so we almost didn't write about them on principle alone. However their new disc is really, really good -- they're no longer a bunch of teenage grungesters, that's for sure -- so here we are, writing about them. The band has taken the Beatles route of mining their strengthsd and expanding thm with fractured art-rock leanings, leading to results that are surprisingly engaging. (AT&T stage, 2:30 p.m.)
Rhymefest
Rhymefest's debut should have been a monster, but ended up being criminally overlooked. This rapper's rhymes and beats leave most of the mainstream in the dust, and we're not just saying that to lean on / attempt to support our "underground" standing. Hell, any dud e that samples The Stroke and make Julian Casablancas' vocals his bitch, deserves our love and respect. (Playstation stage, 3:30 p.m.)
Muse
Muse makes Queen seem understated. With pop hooks an roaring choruses that take up where Radioheads' The Bends left off, Muse is the perfect capper to an evening downtown. Sure, Interpol is playing across the way, but wouldn't you rather see the night off with a bang instead of the whimper the Joy Division tribute band is bound to deliver? This is why you'll see us fighting our way through the crowd to hit stage center for Muse. (AT&T stage, 8:30 p.m.)
Juliette and the Licks, Suffrajett, theStart
Juliette Lewis' outfit just wasn't meant for sunlight, so we're catching her angry Hollywood grrrl rock at her Lolla afterparty that's open to the public.Chicagoist pals Suffrajett open, and we're totally holding out hope for a face off between singer Simi and Lewis. Also opening is the dance rock combo theStart, who's album is pleasant enough, if somewhat faceless. We're hoping their live show adds a little extra bite. (The Note, 9:00 p.m.)