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The Lollapalooza Mixtape

The grandaddy of Chicago festivals has finally arrived.

The colossal three-day music festival known as Lollapalooza is once again setting up camp in Grant Park in Chicago this weekend, bringing to the city new and legendary artists alike. This year the festival boast a laundry list of indie rock and electronic acts, along with mammoth bands such as Tool, Depeche Mode, The Killers and Jane’s Addiction. The festival is also adding a second entrance this year, so hopefully getting into the grounds will be a lot smoother this year. And if you’re heading down to Grant Park this weekend, make sure to bring plenty of water and sunscreen, because it’s looking to be insanely hot this year. With all these acts and choices, it’s tough to pick out a few sets to check out. Below you’ll find two choices for each day of Lollapalooza that I believe are worthy to rock out to this weekend.

Manchester Orchestra - The Procession - Their bombastic single “I’ve Got Friends” has been on constant replay for me this summer, and I’ve fallen in love with Manchester Orchestra’s earnest lyrics, intense layered instrumentation, and honest delivery. I’d rather see them inside a venue, but their music along makes them a must at Lollapalooza.

Andrew Bird - The Naming of Things - The Chicago violin troubadour has come a long way from the days of playing The Hideout. Bird is one of the many artists that have played the smaller Pitchfork Festival in Chicago, but are graduating to the big gig in Grant Park this year.

Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes - Last year at Pitchfork Festival I was offered ecstasy during the Animal Collective set. I politely declined. Honestly the surreal backdrop and bizarre mélange of sound needed no aid from illegal substances to be totally entertaining. Expect lots of people, some on drugs, dancing in a field.

Diplo - Veni Vidi Vici (The Black Lips remix) - Diplo tends to turn anything he touches into booty shaking gold. His remixes elevate songs to a higher level, and his DJ sets are insane. He’ll be popping up all over Chicago during Lollapalooza weekend, so if you miss his set at the festival, just seek out one of the parties he’s spinning at. It’s well worth the hunt.

Passion Pit - Moth’s Wings - Passion Pit have been the indie rock blog darlings of 2009, popping up on every site (including HEAVE), and rightfully so, with their brand of poptastic electro dance rock. Their music isn’t deep or insightful, but catchy and fun - the perfect soundtrack for a hot summer afternoon.

Lou Reed – Vicious - Honor your rock elders this weekend by checking out Lou Reed this weekend. Besides being in a little band called The Velvet Underground, his album Transformer is incredibly important to the history of glam rock, and his contributions in music have helped form some of the most important acts and moments in rock ‘n’ roll history.

Posted by Lisa White on Aug 07, 2009 @ 6:00 am