Monday, August 15, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Lollapalooza: The beat goes on. Twentieth-anniversary festival rocks despite the rain with its stellar headlinersE By Elliot Alpern I Daily Arts Writer .m CHICAGO - The rain came down in sheets over the cityscape of Chicago on a hot Sunday night, and at its center, hundreds of thou- sands of wet, tired people danced Grant Park's spacious fields into a thick mud. The Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl led a massive audience in singing "My Hero" on one end of the parkland and a human ocean swayed to deadmauS's reverber- ating beats on the other. This was the finale to Lollapalooza's 20th anniversary. The eldest of the three major American summer music festivals (the others being Coachella and Bonnaroo), Lollapalooza has had a long and storied history, boast- ing such recording giants as Pearl Jam, Green Day, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in the past, to name a select few. "In 1991, I expected about 10 to 20,000 weirdos," said founder and Jane's Addiction lead singer Perry Farrell at an opening day press conference. "Now I'm proud to say we have 90,000 weirdos!" And this year, those weirdos came out in staggering numbers to behold a slightly humdrum collec- tion of headliners: Coldolay, Muse, the Foo Fighters and Eminem. But if that tandem of names did noth- ing to excite, their sets sure did. On day one, Coldplay and Muse competed to draw fans as the coin- ciding acts of the night, and did not disappoint those who made either choice. Coldplay's Chris Martin offered a tribute to the late Amy Winehouse, and debuted a hand- ful of new songs from the band's upcoming album. Those that decided to see the rock trio Muse bore witness to a spectacular show of effects, complete with lights, lasers, columns of smoke and even fireworks that echoed through the skyscrapers of Chicago. Eminem ruled the night on day two, baitingthe audience with sur- prise guests Bruno Mars, Skylar Grey, and Royce da 5'9" in a fren- zied but powerful performance. The packed concert grounds con- trasted with the rather undersized turnout for My Morning Jacket, which still proved to be worth- while for fans of its wandering psychedelic rock and blissful jams. Those lucky enough to buy three-day passes or Sunday tick- ets were treated to what will likely be an oft-remembered experience, COURTESY OF DAVE MEAD FOR LOLLAPALOOZA Muse plays a Friday set to festivalgoers. regardless of whom they went to see that night. The rain front that had delayed the Arctic Mon- keys for the better half of an hour did nothing to dissuade the fea- tured events that were Foo Fight- ers and deadmau5, each of which drew immense crowds despite the temperamental climate. The latter mix-master sat atop a mas- sive cubic throne and subjected his congregation to a unison of deafening beats and blinding lights despite technical issues that afflicted some of the effects. Noth- ing, though, could bring the festi- val to a close better than a surprise appearance by - the founder him- self - Perry Farrell, who gave his spectators a hearty goodnight as the Foos rounded out their exten- sive and dynamic set-list with the always popular "Everlong." However, as any seasoned fes- tival-goer will tell you, the head- liners don't make the show. The established big (but not biggest) names along with the budding up- and-comers constitute the meat and potatoes of the festivities, and through these offerings, Lol- lapalooza shined brilliantly this year. Due to favorably scheduled matchups (which can conversely destroy crowds at multiple stages), day one saw several bands draw considerably larger turnouts than they were used to. "When we did our sound check an hour earlier, there were like, a hundred people maybe," said Young Cannat The M an hour there w amount and sla the cro Alon Young Foster t sive ga win ov( utes. E electric of guita easily g miliar alike, c merrym Do me at Addi The Me formed on day, ly, to ex Though weathe Monke into ra the Giant guitarist Eric their soaked fans with "I Bet You a in an interview with Look Good On The Dance Floor" ichigan Daily. "And then early in their show. r later, we walked out and Though Lollapalooza features ere more than 10 times the the newest and freshest,'70s band of people. It woke us up The Cars and '80s group Big Audio pped us in the face ... but Dynamite played on consecutive wd responded really well." days to a variety of ages. Unfortu- g with California natives nately, neither seemed to have the the Giant, the unproven energy or excitement that many he People attracted a mas- were looking for, and ultimately thering, and managed to just went through the motions. er onlookers within min- For those not interested in join- mploying quick tempos, ing the masses, the staff at Lolla- rhythm and timely bursts palooza made certain to include an r, lead singer Mark Foster alternative. Created for the many ;alvanized both the unfa- that wanted to dance the festival and long-time admirers away, Perry's tent was a welcome reating a sea of dancing alternative, with artists like Skril- nakers. lex, Girl Talk, and Pretty Lights leading massive raves. KiD CuDi was cut off with one song remain- ing at Perry's finale on day three, wnpour only and furiously knocked over two amplifiers in his exit. adds to the it's impossible to really grasp the scope and magnitude of a fes- mories made tival like Lollapalooza without going. For three days, the windy t Lolla 2011. city is awash with Lolla fever, and everything in Grant Park has its own flair: the food stands serve "lobster corn dogs" and "fried rav- tionally, outfits Portugal. ioli," and prospective alcoholics an and Local Natives per- take swigs out of wine-filled squirt to multitudes of viewers bottles. Take the third night, for two and three, respective- instance - as the fans exited with xtremely warm receptions. thousands of phones, cameras, and seemingly dismayed at a shoes ruined by the rain, nobody r-shortened set, the Arctic could stop talking about a show ys channeled their enmity and a festival they would always .w British rock, pleasing remember. -{ COURTESYOF LOLLAPALOOZA Eminem performed for an audience of 95,000 on Saturday.