Lollapalooza 2013 Preview: Sunday

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 1, 2013 8:40PM

So yeah, by Sunday—if you’re attending all three days of Lollapalooza—you will most likely be pretty much brain dead. And smell awful. However perk up, your perseverance will pay off if you check out our picks for bands not to miss that day! And for god’s sake, while the wine by the bottle is a great and economic choice, by now hopefully you will have learned not to drink four of them before sundown. - Jim Kopeny / Tankboy

[See our music picks for Friday and Saturday, plus our picks for what to eat in Chow Town.]

Best reason to get to the fest early:
Rivals of the Peacemaker on The Grove stage at 12 p.m.
Our hometown Red Bull Sound Select pick Rivals of the Peacemaker open the fest, and it’s a good reason for whiskey drinkers and dive bar patrons to get there early. Husband and wife duo Billy and Alexandrea Watson head up the folk rock group, and while they claim to have different taste in music, (at risk of sounding cliche) they make beautiful music together. Thanks to a successful kickstarter campaign, their first full-length album comes out next month. So far we’ve heard power and drama on “Drive Slow” and the pain and defiance of “Let It Rain,” and we look forward to a solid album (and set) from this new crew. - Michelle Meywes

Locals we’re rooting for:
Makeshift Prodigy on the BMI stage at 1:10 p.m.
Makeshift Prodigy have a sound that’s too big for seedy clubs. Atlantic Records seemed to agree when they signed the Tinley Park-based band. Now MP seems to be stuck in that awkward limbo between getting a record deal and gaining national recognition. We’ve noticed a Makeshift Prodigy draws a great deal of comparisons to Muse and everybody knows what a hit they were at the fest two years ago. We know a gig at Lollapalooza doesn’t guarantee you stardom but at least it’s nice to know the fest is still backing our hometown players. - Katie Karpowicz

Best set to be caught daydreaming :
Wild Nothing on the Red Bull Sound Select stage at 2:15 p.m.
Known for a nostalgic brand of shoegazy dream-pop Wild Nothing’s latest EP, Empty Estate, takes the project into electro-pop territory. We’re interested to hear how Jack Tatum’s integrates the EP’s experimental meandering instrumentals with the mellower indie fare off stunners like Gemini and Nocture. If Wild Nothing’s musical reminiscences this time around are less hazy and more Eno-influenced, they still pair well with an amber Instagram filter for Sunday afternoon atmosphere.- Jessica Mlinaric

Get your headbang on:
Baroness on the Petrillo Stage at 3:30 p.m.
Their ain’t a lot of metal at this year’s Lollapalooza, and while I’m pretty sure it was Metallica that killed the first incarnation of the fest, metal is back in vogue so it’s absence is unfortunate. (And by in vogue I mean embraced by the mainstream; I’m not saying there’s been no good metal since 1996.) Baroness is simultaneously a safe and interesting choice, since I think the crowds will find their heads bobbing along to the group’s melodies without realizing the ambitious nature of their music coursing underneath their songs. - Jim Kopeny / Tankboy

Best sister act since Sister Act:
Tegan and Sara on the Redbull Sound Select Stage at 4 p.m.
Tegan and Sara have always written catchy melodies, but their latest release Heartthrob is the first time they’ve produced a full blown dance pop album. These sisters were long darlings of the indie scene, so this turn into the mainstream caught me off guard but it really shouldn’t have. The duo’s strength has always been in making heartache hummable, so why wouldn’t they take the extra step and make misery danceable? I’m looking forward to crying and laughing and hopping up and down in joy during their midday set, that’s for certain. - Jim Kopeny / Tankboy

Best time to get weird in the woods
Wavves in The Grove 4:45 p.m.
If you’re lagging come Sunday afternoon, meet us in the shade of the Grove stage for a surf-punk recharge courtesy of Wavves. The San Diego band has polished their scuzzy garage sound on their last few releases, notably this year’s Afraid of Heights LP which featured vocals by Jenny Lewis (we’re anticipating a guest appearance). Nathan Williams and crew’s fuzzy guitar and sunny stoner melodies about surfing, substances, and self-loathing are ideal for a reverie under the trees. - Jessica Mlinaric

Most talent on Perry’s stage at one time:
Dog Blood on the Perry’s stage at 5:45
When Lolla announced its lineup this year, it left many dance music fans scratching their heads over a prominently billed act called Dog Blood. It didn’t take long for word to spread that the guys behind the moniker were actually two of electronic dance music’s biggest names: American dubstep poster boy Skrillex and Germany’s techno whiz Boys Noize. Despite the fact that the pair has only put out a couple of songs together so far, we like what we hear so far. This will be their
first show in Chicago together and we wouldn’t miss it for anything. - Katie Karpowicz

Loudest argument about authenticity:
Vampire Weekend on the Bud Light Stage at 6:45 p.m.
What is it about indie rock bands who stick to a certain style and the critics who castigate them for it? Vampire Weekend has been slogged by music writers and others for their world beat rhythms ever since they first gained nationwide notoriety with their self-titled debut, as if they’re the only band who’s listened to Paul Simon’s Graceland non-stop for months on end in college and decided to form a band. The group hasn’t let the naysayers get them down, even if they do chafe at the “authenticity” argument from time to time and people continue to buy their albums—Modern Vampires of the City debuted atop the Billboard albums chart in May. - Chuck Sudo

Most simultaneous twerking during the entire weekend:
Major Lazer on the Perry’s stage at 7 p.m.
Yeah, we feel pretty confident about this prediction. Judging by Diplo’s Wavefront Music Festival performance, the number of college-aged white girls twerking it to his dubstep dancehall troupe will simply be immeasurable. The last time Major Lazer was here in March the performance was non-stop fun but the new album hadn’t dropped yet. It’ll be fun to be able to sing along to the new stuff this time around. - Katie Karpowicz

Best reason to wish it was your birthday:
2 Chainz on The Grove stage at 7:15 p.m.
First of all, when we saw the lineup, we laughed at the fact that Cat Power would be following 2 Chainzon stage after his performance. 2 Chainz might be somewhat of a head-scratcher to some, but we're going to ignore the haters and give this one a chance. 2 Chainz has also had a pretty solid year, collaborating with the likes of Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, and Drake. Oh, and he also came out with one of the more popular singles of 2012 (let's just say that if your birthday is on Sunday, you're going to have the Most Fun).- Tiffany Kwak

Best case for men wearing lipstick:
The Cure on the Red Bull Sound Select Stage at 8 p.m.
Why does history condemn hair metal bands for their use of hairspray, eyeliner and lipstick while Robert Smith gets a pass? The answer lies in the staying power of The Cure’s musical oeuvre. Songs like “Boys Don’t Cry,” “The Hanging Garden,” “Lullaby,” “In Between Days” and pretty much anything off Pornography, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me and Disintegration still put a charge in my aging spine. There’s something about Smith still sticking with the fashion sense that inspired two generations of brooding teens to take up eyeliner pencils and Bobbi Brown lipstick to be respected, even though The Cure is firmly in the “trot out the hits” phase of their career. - Chuck Sudo

Best reason to wear your dancing shoes:
Phoenix on Bud Light stage at 8:30 p.m.
After 2009's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, it was kind of difficult to predict what Phoenix would release next. That album seemed perfectly well-rounded and a surprise hit to many, so there was a big chance that its follow-up could be underwhelming. Phoenix's most recent effort, Bankrupt!, proved that Phoenix still has what it takes to sustain its musical momentum. The new material may not stray too far from the musical stylings of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, but after four years of waiting, we have a reason to dance again and that's good enough for us. - Tiffany Kwak

Best example of “one of these is not like the others:”
Cat Power on the Grove Stage at 8:45 p.m.
Chan Marshall had me fighting off the Sandman during her 2008 Lolla set, through little fault of her own. But I’ve long admired her willingness to experiment with her sound, even though last year’s Sun didn’t do much for me. I will be curious to see if Marshall brings her A-game to this year’s set. She’s never been the most polished supporter, but she canceled an appearance at Coachella last year saying it wasn’t fair to play while she was working on her new album, while she had to scrap plans for a European tour because she was fighting angioedema. - Chuck Sudo