Lollapalooza review 3

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WORST BIG-SCREEN VIDEO EDITING
Sleater-Kinney. We know it was probably their last Chicago show ever, but did we need the slow-motion effects? We almost expected the soundperson to cut the power on the Oregon rockers and blast Green Day’s “Time Of Your Life.” (TF) The crew working the camera production during Wilco apparently thought random, quick cuts were the best way to emphasize the instrumental meltdowns during “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart.” They were wrong. (SF)

BEST SET
Peeping Tom’s 2:15 slot Saturday. This group is ex-Faith No More frontman Mike Patton’s vision of pop music and, not surprisingly, it’s insane. Flanked by a DJ/samplist, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, drummer, female vocalist/violinist, and human beatbox extraordinaire Rahzel, Patton took the stage wearing a dapper white suit, sunglasses, and a hairnet. Peeping Tom is easily Patton’s most accessible band in a long line of bizarre projects (including Fantõmos, Tomahawk) and it was apparent when songs like “Mojo” and “Five Seconds” instantly became crowd singalongs. A hyper crossbreed of pop gloss, industrial rage, and funk groove, Peeping Tom were easily the most adventurous act I saw during the weekend. Ironically, the highlight of the set was when Patton and the rest of the band left the stage and let Rahzel (ex-Roots) do his thing. For those who haven’t heard Rahzel, he’s much more than just a beatboxer, more a human sampler. His bass was so low it would literally rumble your insides, and his five-minute performance, which ended with the bassline to The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army,” left many audience members shaking their heads in amazement. (TF) Tough call with Common’s boundless energy and The Reverend Horton Heat’s numbing surf tonk, but Peeping Tom’s set deserved a bigger stage. Mike Patton’s psycho hip-hop cauldron spliced his funk metal upbringing and put meat-head rap rock to complete shame. (SF)

ROUND UP
Chicago represented itself well with big dogs Kanye West, Common, Wilco, and Poi Dog Pondering. Andrew Bird’s decision to jack up the bass diminished his floating pop while temporary microphone problems for the Second City’s “Mission: IMPROVable” ruined some jokes . . . Pitting West against Latin superstar Manu Chao unfairly took emphasis off the Parisian’s first Stateside gig in nearly five years. A man who has filled Central Park in the past, Chao’s surging, ska-inflected set could threaten Café Tacuba’s rock-en-español throne . . . Wilco unveiled four songs from its forthcoming album, including (based on the choruses heard) “Impossible Germany,” “Let’s Fight,” and “What Light” . . . The Shins and The Hold Steady also offered new tunes, though the former battled sound problems and the latter pumped prom-night abandon into “Massive Nights” . . . Before MixMaster Mike’s set at Mindfield, host Perry Farrell debuted the first single from his new band, Satellite Party, based entirely on Rare Earth’s “I Just Wanna Celebrate” . . . Sleater-Kinney, at their final non-Portland concert, made little allusion to the fact they’re splitting up. Their hour set leaned heavily on last year’s The Woods than any run through the classics, but closed with the bang of “Turn It On.” (SF)

— Trevor Fisher & Steve Forstneger

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Category: Live Reviews