INDIES IN ILLINOIS
Independent music is one of the major attractions at this year's Lollapalooza. Here, arranged alphabetically, is a preview of some of the indie acts to watch for in Chicago:
ANDREW BIRD: Chicago's Andrew Bird is coming off his best album, 2005's "The Mysterious Production of Eggs" (Righteous Babe). The singer/songwriter/violinist takes elements of swing, jazz, folk and psychedelic pop, creating songs that are usually intimate, sometimes spooky and almost always compelling. Stop by to hear his arresting vocal interplay with Nora O'Connor, or simply to watch him manipulate the sounds of a violin.
Appearing: Sunday, 3:30, Adidas-Champs Stage
CALEXICO: Over the last 10 years, this Arizona band has established itself as a sort of country-meets-mariachi act. Its desert-inspired soundscapes were perfect for a cross-country drive or a Western soundtrack. But with this year's "Garden Ruin" (Touch & Go), Calexico began to mess with its formula, turning its extended instrumentals into short, melodic pop songs, all held together by Joey Burns' striking baritone.
Appearing: Saturday, 3:30, Adidas-Champs Stage
COLD WAR KIDS: The songs of Southern California minimalists the Cold War Kids are built out of an array of musical sketches - a melancholic keyboard melody here, a drum smattering there and a distant Joy Division-inspired guitar line in between. The band recently self-released two EPs, "Up In Rags" and "With Our Wallets Full." There's an irresistible tension on both, a sense that it's all about to erupt in a rock'n'roll fury.
Appearing: Saturday, 1 pm. AMD Stage
THE DRESDEN DOLLS: See the Dresden Dolls, and satisfy any urge to head to the theater. This is one of the more unique rock acts on the Lollapalooza bill, thanks in large part to vocalist Amanda Palmer, who is truly something special. She'll dazzle as her voice hops and contorts its way around cabaret piano lines, hard-rock guitars and all sorts of off-kilter arrangements. There are plenty of theatrical flourishes, but the band keeps things fast and lean to please the rock purists.
Appearing: Saturday, 5:30, Adidas-Champs Stage
LADY SOVEREIGN: With her first major label single in the U.S., Lady Sovereign isn't out to make friends. For the chorus for "Love Me Or Hate Me" she sings: "If you hate me, then f**k you!" The U.K.-born Lady Sovereign recently signed to Def Jam, and it's clear she hasn't lost her edge. The tiny, potty-mouthed rapper favors techno beats and silly rhymes. At Lollapalooza, she'll offer a preview of her October full-length.
Appearing: Friday, 5 p.m., Playstation Stage
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS: There was a time when the main reason to see the New Pornographers was to simply hear Neko Case work her way around a rock song. That ended with "Twin Cinema" (Matador), one of last year's strongest collections of harmony-filled power-pop. The lyrics can be meaningless at times, but when each four-minute song packs this many hooks and melodic shifts, one doesn't have much time to notice.
Appearing: Saturday, 7:30, Q101 Stage
THE SHINS: Chicago tends to be obscenely hot and humid in early August, but regardless of the temperature, the Shins are the one band that can instantly whisk the listener away to a cooler place. There's an effervescent bounce to almost everything the Shins touch, and the act spikes its vintage pop with a little guitar edge. A new album is promised for late 2006/early 2007.
Appearing: Sunday, 4:30, Bud Light Stage
SLEATER-KINNEY: Lollapalooza will mark the final U.S. performance for Sleater-Kinney, barring any future reunions. It's a chance to catch a glimpse of one of America's finest rock bands, and one of the defining acts of the riot grrrl movement (see also Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, etc.). The guitars are gigantic, the rhythms are even bigger and the wailing vocals could rattle city skyscrapers. For those who missed them the last 15 years, get a crash course here.
Appearing: Friday, 7:30, Adidas-Champs Stage
SMOKING POPES: Legends in Chicago, the Smoking Popes never made much of a name for themselves outside the Midwest. The band reunited last year, performing for the first time in nearly 10 years. On its three mid-'90s albums, the Smoking Popes didn't record a song without a hook. But it's the elegant vocals of crooner Josh Caterer - he brings a Rat Pack flair to punk rock - that will forever set apart the Smoking Popes.
Appearing: Saturday, 5:30, Q101 Stage
WHAT MADE MILWAUKEE FAMOUS: Owning a name that nods to either Schlitz beer or Jerry Lee Lewis, What Made Milwaukee Famous mixes vintage keyboards, distorted vocals and power-pop guitars. On its self-released debut, "Trying Never to Catch Up," the band falls somewhere between Squeeze and the Strokes, and mixes in some playful digital effects. Now signed to Seattle-based indie label Barsuk, Lollapalooza will be one of the act's first major performances.
Appearing: Sunday, Noon, AMD Stage