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Lollapalooza Day 3: Mumford and Sons
Mumford and Sons played an exceptional closing day set that once again packed out the Playstation stage to the gills. The band, which has been gaining significant traction in the US after the release of their terrific album Sigh No More, serenaded the crowd with their beautifully harmonizing vocals and hand clapping, foot stomping folk ballads. Their unique sound lent itself quite well to the festival setting and they seemed right at home in front of the sea of people who came to see them.
Mumford and Sons are embarking on a fall tour that will see them travel through Europe, the UK, then back to the US for a run of dates that will see stops in many of the cities that the band played on their previous tour. After catching them at Lollapalooza, I would highly recommend catching them if you get the chance. Dates for the tour are listed below, including a show at Stubb’s!
Lollapalooza Day 2: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
The Edward Sharpe set at Lolla this year was either really, really well planned or a happy benefactor of coincidence. The stage that the band played was tucked back in the trees, creating a sort of ‘off the beaten path’ feel to their show – like you were somewhere else entirely. Fortunately, this matches up exactly with how the band themselves and the music they create make you feel as well. Their sound, and in concert their appearance, have the ability to transport you to a different place and time and at Lollapalooza we all traveled there together.
The band took they stage to deafening cheers from the packed crowd who came out to see them. Edward Sharpe wasted no time making friends as he immediately stepped up and into the crowd before the band even played a note. The entire set had a homey feel to it that put a smile on the face of most everyone that I saw. The highlights of the set in my opinion were “Home” and “40 Day Dream,” but every song the band played was executed extremely well and with a sincerity that is sometimes difficult to find these days.
Lollapalooza Day 2! Metric
I might be biased. Ok, I definitely am, but day two at Lollapalooza may have been the high point of the festival for me musically. Several bands that I had been anticipating greatly played that day, and all of them delivered the goods. The first act I caught was Metric who put on a show stopping performance to an absolutely packed out PlayStation stage.
The band tore through material spanning their career, leaning heavily on their spectacular most recent album, Fantasies, with highlights including “Help I’m Alive,” “Sick Muse,” and “Combat Baby.” The band also played a cover of Neil Young’s “Hey Hey, My My” during the set. Full set can be found below.
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- Black Sheep
- Satellite Mind
- Help I’m Alive
- Empty/Fight For Your Right To Party
- Gold Guns Girls
- Hey Hey, My My (Neil Young cover)
- Gimme Sympathy
- Sick Muse
- Dead Disco
- Stadium Love
- Combat Baby (acoustic)
Live From Lollapalooza #2! Hot Chip and Lady Gaga
I headed back to the grounds to catch a personal favorite act in the likes of UK dance rockers Hot Chip. I have seen them live before, and they do not disappoint to say the least. The heavy Lady Gaga crowd received the melodic beats of the Englishmen well to say the least and they kept the energy building to a fever pitch with songs such as “Over and Over” and “Ready for the Floor” which the band dedicated to Lady Gaga who would take the stage later.
Fans were eager to say the least for Gaga to get her show going, and immediately after Hot Chip wrapped up I wandered into the crowd to find a spot for the spectacle that was about to occur. A giant curtain was draped around most of the stage (see photos) up until a countdown on the screens wound down and a sheer screen replaced the velvet black and the show began. The first song was performed behind the sheer screen before it was lifted to unveil an elaborate set. Gaga’s wardrobe changed every few songs as did the wardrobe of her dancers and the entire show surrounded a journey to the “Monster Ball” that we were all a part of. Lady Gaga’s singing talent alone was enough to impress me. The choreography and her candid nature on stage only increased the sentiments. I have to admit that there was the expected weirdness at times that left me scratching my head, but overall it was an excellent performance by a very talented artist. Gaga referred to her last Lolla appearance three years ago multiple times throughout the set, and seemed to use this performance to rid herself and everyone in attendance of any ill memories from that experience and to celebrate where she is today.
James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem at Stubb’s – Definitely Not Losing Their Edge
Last night Austin played host to a dance party for the ages, as both LCD Soundsystem and Miike Snow descended on the city. I am going to focus on LCDs show for this however, because well…I was there. Yes, that was the first of several, hopefully many, LCD song references in this review. We arrived early to catch Holy Ghost, a DFA label mate of LCD Soundsystem, who are on their first live tour ever. The fact that these guys had not done this whole “live show” thing before was not evident in the least, and they were a great warm up for the night.
A light rain was falling, and the humidity and heat were sweltering to the point that by the time LCD took the stage most everyone already had a good sweat going. The opening track ‘Us vs. Them’ set the tone for the night, sending the crowd where I was standing into a frenzy that I had not seen at an outdoor show in some time. The energy was absolutely electric. The band tore through a set that was sure to please any LCD fan, generously pulling material from all three of the band’s albums.
The shift in momentum that occurred from the pounding beats and screaming fans on ‘Daft Punk is Playing at My House’ to the next song ‘All My Friends’ showcased perfectly the exceptional balance that LCD has achieved in their catalog. Some of the people there may have been worried that this would be the last time they could catch these guys in action, but James made the comment that they would be back touring in support of this album, playing songs that they have not had the chance to play before, and doing it all until someone made a Facebook group begging them to retire (I would not recommend this as you will have an angry throng of die hard LCD fans after you if you do so).
If you were there, then you know that this was a show that you will not soon forget. You know that this show had it all. And when James belted out ‘where are your friends tonight? If I could see all my friends tonight’ all he had to do was look straight ahead, because he had over 2000 friends right there singing it back to him. I could go on about how epic every song ended up being, but really if you were there you know. I was there, and LCD Soundsystem is definitely not losing its edge.
Setlist:
- Us v Them
- Drunk Girls
- Yr City’s a Sucker
- Pow Pow
- Daft Punk Is Playing At My House
- All My Friends
- I Can Change
- Tribulations
- Movement
- Yeah
ENCORE
- Someone Great
- Losing My Edge
- New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down
- Empire State of Mind (Jay-Z cover)
