With five years of Lollapalooza freshly ingrained in my ever-vigilant memory, 2012 may be my swan song. I might only be 23 years-old, but as far as the festival goes my friends and I are veterans in the strongest sense. We know every corner of the park and every trick to speed up the arbitrary processes of the day (always go to the bathroom near the Google Play stage). But more so than the regular Chicago knowledge, we're slowly noticing the median age is fairly young. Ultimately, my return to 2013 really depends on the lineup. I can't spend every year of my life doing this, can I?
All things considered, 2012 was another successful venture. Not only vacation-wise (you forget sometimes how amazing Chicago actually is), but the festival has so many features that it's hard to really grasp everything. Once again, Perry's place is massive. And while it does attract a crowd that's less than favorable (assholes), it's still something to really admire. But overall, how does 2012 stack up?
Day One:
August 3, 2012 was in reality maybe one of the weakest days in recent festival history, schedule-wise. Aside from the casual interest in NES-inspired band Anamanaguchi at 1 p.m., there was a slew of open spots throughout the day.
Anamanaguchi
The self-described "chiptune" band is an unknown to most, but for those familiar with the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World soundtrack, Anamanaguchi scored the entire film. No vocals necessary, the band's uplifting atmosphere was enough to send part of the 1 p.m. crowd into a light frenzy. Sometimes creativity comes after the fun.
After the brief stop, the next hours were spent trying to find friends in a crowd of 100,000 people struggling to get service on their phones. For some stuck in the park, there's only a few "sweet spots" for cell service. And by "sweet spots" I mean, "It might work here, because it won't anywhere else." But, again, five years; I'm used to it.
Time was sparingly sent gathering snacks and biding time in the cooling Playstation Tent on the south side of Grant Park until the 4:45 p.m. SBTRKT show at the Google Play stage. The London electro-R&B act, fronted by Aaron Jerome, had delighted fans with details of their arrival from their native city earlier that same day. For a set that didn't cross over an hour worth of time, the effort was respected. And as the show is concerned, Jerome and co-performer Sampha did their most with their limited time. One thing fans noticed most was Jerome's innate freestyle abilities on the turntable and drums, adding another dimension to the live experience.
SBTRKT
Hastily leaving as soon as SBTRKT's set closed, most of the crowd rushed to the south side of the park for the night's biggest performances. The Shins, M83, and The Black Keys were all slated to play from 6:15 to close, as well as Bassnectar headlining Perry's. The Shins were a highly-anticipated name coming in, after sitting out on temporary recording hiatus since 2007. In reality, I'm still actually surprised I was able to finally see them after all this time, and they certainly did nothing to disappoint.
The lengthy setlist was topped by tracks from March's Port Of Morrow. Laced throughout the show were unrivaled gems from the group's previous three albums: Oh, Inverted World, Chutes Too Narrow, and Wincing The Night Away. No special song was left out, with 2001's "Caring Is Creepy" used as the introduction. Mercer and the band are certainly special live, almost perfectionists. Nothing sounded off on the Red Bull Soundstage - which provided to be one of the better stages the entire weekend. In all, it was one of the more satisfying experiences of the three days.
The Shins
Leaving slightly early to catch a spot close by, we made a tiny camp for M83 at the Playstation stage. For those who attended this year, the stage was marred with technical problems. Depending on where you stood, you either heard an amazing M83 concert or every conversation the people were having around you. But if you were lucky enough to get close, it was one of the weekend's highlights. Most specifically, the finale of the entire band performing a long version of "Coleurs." Culminating with Anthony Gonzalez screaming to Chicago fans, a light-parade followed. So while the Playstation stage may have been a struggle for some, having M83 fade into the night was still a sight to see.
M83
A late trip to Perry's wasn't so much of an experience for Bassnectar (although it was a good one) as it was for the people around. I'll keep it short; I wasn't paying a lot of attention.
So while the day started slow, the finale added an amazing dimension to my previous Lollapalooza experiences. But considering Saturday was a stronger day, I held my hopes up for more.
Best Performances: The Shins, M83
Highlights: "Couleurs," by M83. "Simple Song," by The Shins
Lowlights: Playstation Stage technical difficulties
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