Lollapalooza Is Here!
The summers are just packed in Chicago. Every weekend, especially in August, seems full of festivals of every kind--food fairs, art fairs, concerts, Venetian Night, fireworks, the air and sea show. The place to be this Friday, Saturday and Sunday is Lollapalooza, of course. I plan to go, and so about 50 percent of all the people I know. The other 50 percent are going to avoid the city like the plague, so as not to have to deal with the extra traffic that this major music festival brings to the plate.
Lollapalooza swallows up part of the waterfront in the Grant Park area and at least one major Chicago landmark (Buckingham Fountain); only people with tickets can have access. But there are still tickets available for all days of Lollapalooza (a one-day pass costs $80, a three-day pass costs $195), so you can still join in the fun. If it's like last year there will probably still be tickets available on the day of, but you don't want to count on that if you have your heart set on seeing a certain band. For those with three-day passes they're issuing wristbands again, which means you can't switch users unless you can get the wristband off without mangling it.
Lollapalooza features many shady spots, some of them just to the sides of stages, which is good because this weekend we're expecting hot, sunny weather (highs between 89-91 degrees). Refreshment is available, of course; the iced sweet tea is yummy and there's a nice variety of decent food available. If you have a wristband and an hour or so between sets, feel free to step out of the fray and eat a meal in an air-conditioned restaurant near the park.
Only you can decide what bands you want to see. I'm most interested in Modest Mouse, the Fratellis, Peter Bjorn and John, the Polyphonic Spree, the Black Keys, Snow Patrol and maybe TV on the Radio, but I won't be there all three days. You can check out the complete schedule now at www.lollapalooza.com and plan your day (and believe me, you're gonna need one). Doors open at 11 a.m. and kids under 10 are free. And they have a stage all to themselves, so you'll definitely see young children around. See you there!
