Lollapalooza: Catch These Acts On The North End

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 6, 2009 9:20PM

Listen, we realize that only a small percentage of folks are as crazy as we are at Lollapalooza to actually run back and forth from one end of Grant Park to the other trying to catch every act we can. Most sane people set up camp at one end of the festival or the other, usually picking a side due to headliner or frequency of favorite artists, and then sort of take it all in. If you're one of those folks hanging out on the south end of the festival on any particular day this weekend, we've compiled a list of acts that should lure you north. Ask your friends to watch your blanket for a spell and trek on over to check out these recommendations.

FRIDAY

Bon Iver (3 p.m., Playstation) - We recommend seeing this band if, for nothing else, to see how such intimate, quiet songs can translate to the wide-open festival setting. It'll either be one of the more intriguing sets of the day or one of the biggest disasters. Other similar bands (Iron & Wine last year) have managed to fill out their sound for the bigger stage. But how will songs that seem meant to keep us warm on cold winter nights fair in the summer? Who knows, but it'll be worth checking out. - Marcus Gilmer

Kid Cudi (9:25 p.m., Perry's) Look, Depeche Mode will probably be done by now and everyone at Kings Of Leon will be gently snoozing, so hop over to Perry's stage to catch this Kanye protege close out the opening evening in hyper style. We've dug just about everything we've heard from him, and his Lady GaGa sampling "Make Her Say" (though we thought the original tilte, "Poke Her Face," was much funnier) is one of our favorite tunes of the summer. Plus, considering the crowd he runs with, we wouldn't be shokced to see a couple high profile folks hop up to share the stage with him... - Tankboy

SATURDAY

Langhorne Slim (Saturday, 2 p.m., BMI) - Slim’s insurgent folk isn’t breaking down barriers - his sound is somewhere between fast-picking bluegrass and the country punk of the Old 97's or Uncle Tupelo - but he’s one of the best performers on the club circuit today. The 19-year-old from Langhorne, PA stalks the stage like a circus lion tamer, backed by one of the best rhythm sections in pop music. Don't be surprised if an on-stage dance party hoedown ensues. - Lizz Kannenberg

Los Campesinos! (2:30 P.M., Budweiser) - Saturday is going to be hot. You're going to be sweating anyway, so you might as well go all in with these energetic youngsters. We expect lots of pogoing to be going on for the Welsh rockers. And, hey, they have a new album due soon so new songs! Just remember to properly hydrate afterward. - Marcus Gilmer

SUNDAY

Neko Case (4:30 p.m., Budweiser) - The lady has some pipes and she blew us away back in the spring with her performance at the slightly-more-intimate Chicago Theatre. But we've seen Neko in a festival setting before and lord knows she can command attention with her breath-taking vocals. Her latest LP, Middle Cyclone, is another great entry into her discography that translates well to the live setting. Here's hoping she brings back local hero Kelly Hogan to perform with her as she did in April. - Marcus Gilmer

Lou Reed (6:30 p.m., Budwesier) - O.K., we'll admit it, Lou isn't a sure thing when it comes to electrifying festival crowds. Will be be grumpy, garroulous, or brandishing a tarnished shade of guilelessness. And we don't care. It's motherfuckin' LOU REED people! - Tankboy

MSTRKRFT (7 p.m., Perry's) - Think of is as a headbanging, hip-grinding dance party you'd be happy to bleed to, that's unafraid to sneak in some old school House before crunching ryour ribs into your vertabrae with bass. This DJ duo is awesome onstage. - Tankboy