I simply recorded a gentleman dancing with a Flip Cam, and next thing you know, he's a superstar all over the world. My "Lollapalooza 2009: World's Best Dancer" video is quickly going viral on YouTube. Last night I started getting texts and comments that it was featured on G4's "Attack of the Show." After a little digging, here it is. Fast forward to 3:30 if you don't want to watch the whole thing....


How this quick-footed, fist-pumping legend was not ranked #1 is beyond me. Thanks to G4 and AOTS for the mention of this television station, but your complete ignorance when it comes to human gyrating ability at a music festival is astounding.

So that's it. Lollapalooza 2009 is over, I'm showered and sitting at my recently elongated cubicle back at the station. Wondering what an "elongated cubicle" looks like? You don't want to know.

Yesterday was a good day. For one, I was riding a high from one of the best wedding receptions I've been at. The Saturday night party was at the Brookfield Zoo, with the cocktail hour in the "Tropic World: Africa" monkey house. Might sound strange, but watching two gorillas play-fight while sipping a cold beverage and snacking on Beef Wellington turned out to be one of the most exciting hours of my weekend. Am I getting old or what?

Anyhow, Lollapalooza Sunday consisted of me walking around Grant Park and taking in some much needed music. It was a late start...

2:30 KAISER CHIEFS (above)

If you've ever seen The Kaiser Chiefs, you know they're a great way to wake up your day. They've also got a great sense of humor.

Shaking off the heat, lead singer Ricky Wilson commented on how sweaty the crowd looked.

"We need 50,000 beers out there right now," he said. "Anything but Bud."

They were playing on the Budweiser stage. They ripped through their hits and anything else that would make the crowd get in the air. Great show.

 
Continue reading Lolla 2009: My Sunday, with video! »

As Depeche Mode bellows out in the background, Lollapalooza Day 1 is nearing a close. Overall, it was a pretty average day for the Grant Park Lolla Saga. But a great picture is worth so much more than what I can tell you...re-live the day with the RedEye's photo gallery.

It was the first day the fest has seen large amounts of rain. The result? Let's just say I hope you're not in a softball league at Grant Park, it'd be like playing outfield at Woodstock '94. The field looks absolutely trashed. We'll see if this tremendous heatwave coming through will help dry things up.
Continue reading Lolla 2009: Day 1 Recap »

The title speaks for itself. I ran into this man at Perry's stage. Best. Dancer. Ever.
 

The Gaslight Anthem, out of New Jersey, are ripping up the Chicago 2016 stage as I write this. A crowd loaded with umbrellas, ponchos, and thousands of sopping wet people are getting their money's worth. In the middle of a set that's included cuts off their latest album, "The 59 Sound," singer Brian Fallon stopped to ask a question that's been on his mind since he hit the stage.

He wondered about the Congress Hotel, seen off in the distance. He heard that Al Capone did something crazy in it.

"That's kind of creepy," he said. "We don't have anything like that."

Yeah, there's nothing creepy about New Jersey at all, right? It's my first time seeing these guys live, and it's nice to see they're just as entertaining between songs. TGA is quickly becoming one of my favorite young bands. I'm scheduled to interview them later this afternoon. I'll post it as soon as it's ready.

You've seen him on Top Chef Masters, maybe you've been to his restaurant. Celebrity chef Graham Elliot Bowles is known to make a big impression on the plate. This weekend he's been giving his biggest task yet, cooking meals for a few of the headliners at this year's Lollapalooza.

It's a big honor for the chef. I caught him with my rain-covered Flip cam earlier, and we talked about how he's getting through the weekend, his life in music, and what all of those tattoos are about! Please excuse the poor quality, quite a bit of rain came down while I was walking the grounds!

 

Once you see Hockey, you never forget them. Especially if you were at Lollapalooza 2009. The power went out on the band not once, but twice. They managed to get through it with an improvised drum session which turned into a dance fest. Continue reading Lolla 2009: Hockey overcome power problems, wake up crowd »

Video coming shortly....

Hey Champ recently signed with Lupe Fiasco's new label, something the local guys were quick to point out during their set. Many of the fans stacked in front of the south stage were there to see them, while others were waiting on later acts. But by the end of their set, they were all bopping along in unison.

It's hard not to get into Hey Champ's funky, electronic beat. I'd love to see them in a later set with a bigger crowd. More people means more energy, but these guys made due with what they had. Definitely worth checking out if you get a chance sometime.

Sorry for the delay in posting here, as usual 100,000 people converging on one area swamps any broadband capabilities. Just east of the media tent is the Chicago 2016 stage, and as early as 11 a.m. this morning, hardcore Depeche Mode fans were lining up in the front row of the stage. I say early because DM is headlining! They'll be playing about 8 p.m. and most of these folks will be setting up shop in the pouring rain all day to see them.

I talked with a few of them and put together some video......

Lollapalooza 2009 has opened for business. I'll be roaming throughout the grounds all day long, shooting video and taking snapshots. I'm hanging out all day with my colleagues over at "metromix on CLTV"...we'll be interviewing bands throughout the day.

So keep refreshing, follow my updates on twitter.com/marcusleshock and at facebook.com/leshock. So far I've only overheard one person throwing up in a urinal, but hey, it's only 11:30 a.m., right?