Reports from Sunday, day three at Lollapalooza in Grant Park, from Greg Kot (GK), Bob Gendron (BG), Kevin Williams (KM), Tracy Swartz (TS) and Janine Schaults (JS):
10:28 p.m.: Lollapalooza organizers issue a statement via e-mail about the decision to end the final night of the music festival 30 minutes early due to severe weather conditions. “As we stated early today, our first priority is always the safety of our fans, staff and artists,” said Sandee Fenton, director of publicity for C3 Presents, the promoter behind Lollapalooza. “While we are disappointed to end the festivities early, safety always comes first.” (JS)
10:06: Lollapalooza was originally scheduled to end at 10 p.m. This afternoon’s short evacuation pushed closing time to 10:45 p.m. Amid reports of potentially severe weather, the schedule was then cut to 10:30 p.m. At 10 p.m., Lollapalooza tweeted: “Chicago, we love you! Thanks for another great year. Don’t forget you can exit via Jackson, Balbo AND the main gates.” (JS, TS)
9:51 p.m.: Nature wins out. Bassnectar announces he has to cut his set short because of weather and closes with one final track. That’s all, folks. (BG)
9:43 p.m.: When she slips off her jacket, Florence Welch draws cheers as if she’d just appeared next to an angel. “We didn’t bring a choir,” she laments. No matter. Her ardent fans — and there’s really no halfway with this artist — are eager to step in. Welch conducts them, but there’s no need really. Her powerhouse voice has got most of the bases covered. Though her lyrics can get mushy and cliched, her voice has its own mystique, an instrument that conveys longing as if it were a spiritual quest. (GK)
9:43 p.m.: Lightning streaking across the sky to the north of Grant Park turns the overhead horizon a majestic blend of silver, blue and purple. But Bassnectar has his own ideas on how to wow the senses. Psychedelic graphics. Cinematic outer-space montages with Dylan Thomas poetry. Strobes flashing with rainbow colors. Pinwheeling fractals. And that’s just the visuals. Bassnectar bombards fans until they’re blinded by a blitzkreig of illumination and sonics. The scenery rapidly changes, offering no respite from the assault. Ironically, Bassnectar, a.k.a. Lorin Ashton, might be the most immobile cog in the entire spectacle. He mans computers and deejay gear atop an elongated platform, injecting snippets of popular songs from Queen, Snoop Doog, Beatles, James Brown (who also receives a spot on the video screens) into a constant mash-up of soul, EDM, rock, hip-hop and any other musical genre he feels like mining. After a while, the mix becomes numbing and grows monotonous. Yet the glitch-tastic party rages on. As Bassnectar drops ground-quaking bass waves, a terrific lightning display continues to flash in the close distance as if in response to the Californian’s high-voltage program. It’s nature’s way of asserting who’s really in charge. (BG)
8:48 p.m.: Lollapalooza organizer C3 Presents announced via Twitter that the evening’s four headliners will begin playing earlier due to impending severe weather. Florence + the Machine and Bassnectar are now scheduled to play at 9 p.m. instead of 9:15 p.m., while Kygo will begin at 9:30 p.m. and Nero will start at 9:10 p.m. (JS)
8:33 p.m.: FKA Twigs scores points for an entrance that Trent Reznor might admire for the sheer eeriness of it all. Back-lit, reverberating percussion, wordless vocals that sound like monks in mourning — even Reznor in full Nine Inch Nails armor might get a little shiver up his spine. Tahliah Barnett is as much dancer as singer, contorting her body in measured movements that suggest Kabuki theater, then swaying and spinning as though being pulled from one side of the stage to another by a giant invisible magnet. A little bit of this goes a long way, however, as the avant-grade trappings trump the songs, which are minimalist, spectral little beings. (GK)
8:15 p.m.: It has always annoyed me that TV On the Radio isn’t more famous. It hit all the marks in a fantastic Lolla set, from rock-star posturing and incendiary soloing. And it’s easy to call this something of a comeback but really TVOTR never left. This groundbreaking ensemble just went on hiatus, like a killer TV show. The band’s mix of hard rock and electronics still sounds fresh, which makes you realize how crazy that stuff was when it first broke. Starting slow, TVOTR slid quickly into no prisoners mode, Tunde Adebimpe spotting and snarling vocals over a backbeat that allows for liberal doses of funk to creep in, from a rock band that just happens to have black dudes in it, rather than getting trapped in that talking horse oddity world of black rockers. The importance of this is a band that gets appreciated for what it is: a hard rock outfit that grabbed its Lollapalooza set by the scruff of the neck. This was another example of what a great drummer can do for a band, allowing the rhythmic flexibility that let the band move through moods and arrangements, from a sparse, almost folk-like backbeat that added drama, to a full-force blast. The trombone was ambitious, since the band at full cry obliterated everything except nuance during “Could You.” Maybe the world still isn’t ready for smart rock ‘n’ roll, judging by a blase crowd that more seemed to be staking out space for the headliners, not that TV On the Radio cared. This was one of the best sets of the weekend from anyone, headliner or not. TVOTR even did a public service, rocking hard enough to, as they said, “beat back the weather.”
7:56 p.m.: A$AP Rocky pauses to watch the sight of a person in a wheelchair crowd surfing. Ordonarily, hip-hop shows don’t spawn mosh pits but then again, most don’t blare both House of Pain’s “Jump Around” and Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” over the speakers in succession. For A$AP, yes, it’s that easy, and lest anyone forgets, the initials to his name get shouted out by his trio of hype men with regular frequency. To his credit, A$AP doesn’t entirely coast. He establishes and maintains a crazed level of energy for a majority of the set and treats it all as a giant party. On Sunday night, with the prospect of heading back to work fans (well, the small percentage over 18, anyway) in the face, it’s the appropriate atmosphere and vibe. A$AP boasts a lyrical flow most peers would envy, and his entourage scatters like ants to the very front rows on the ground to pump up the crowd. There’s even room for a compelling avante R&B turn in the form of “L.$.D.” Self-promotional references, tributes to weed, descriptions of loose women and homages to money spill from the emcee’s mouth. So do shout-outs to Chief Keef and Chance the Rapper. Yet it’s local boy Vic Mensa who scores the guest spot for a duet on “U Mad,” putting the punctuation mark on a booming celebration of modern hip-hop culture that, in spite of positive messages prouncing unity, still include clicking gun-chamber sound effects. (BG)
7:47 p.m.: Chicago sibling duo Wild Belle breaks out some new tunes that suggest a new direction. Sultry reggae dominated the duo’s 2013 debut album. But now as part of an eight-piece band, Natalie and Elliot Bergman plug into polyrhythmic groves that give their music fresh urgency. A new collaboration with Major Lazer, “Be Together,” underlines the stylistic shift. It suits them well. (GK)
7:29 p.m.: Lollapalooza organizer C3 Presents said it is monitoring potentially severe weather that may impact the remaining slate of Sunday shows. “We are currently monitoring severe weather that is possible between 8-10 p.m. tonight. There is a chance that this may impact the show. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more,” C3 spokeswoman Brittany Pearce said in an emailed statement. A$AP Rocky, Halsey, Nghtmre, FKA Twigs, Nicky Romero, TV on the Radio, Bassnectar, Kygo, Nero, Florence + the Machine are scheduled to play between 8 and 10 p.m. Earlier today, Lollapalooza pushed back its closing time from 10 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. after officials briefly evacuated Grant Park ahead of a storm.
7:20 p.m.: Metra will try to hold trains to accommodate the new later closing time for Lollapalooza Sunday, Metra spokesman Michael Gillis said. Lollapalooza organizers pushed back the festival’s closing time from 10 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. after Grant Park was briefly evacuated Sunday afternoon ahead of a storm. Metra has offered extra service for the three-day musical festival. “We’re going to hold what trains we can until the later closing time,” Gillis said. (TS)
7:15 p.m.: Of Monsters and Men: Smiling, long-haired dudes wearing tie-dye, and smiling dance circles. Yep. This band always sounds like it has come from another planet, to bring us music of its people. It’s all brass, flowing robes and actual melody. At its crunchiest, OM&M hover dangerously close to shoegaze, but understands that edge and how to play with it. As these ambitious power pop tunes unravel like a fairy tale, you have plenty of time to contemplate just what the hell “indie folk” is. Oh, wait … acoustic instruments and frontwoman Nanna Bryndis Hilmasdottir has that Bjorkesque, almost elfin quality. But this band hits it too hard for any sort of folk descriptors, acoustic instruments and moments of sonic gentility notwithstanding. Things veer into a dramatic sameness, but perhaps the denizens of the magical land that has sent us this band have more patience. Pop music needs more pretty, music that sounds like the dramatic outtro of every WB show, forevermore. (KM)
6:52 p.m.: Alicia Bognanno deserves a throat lozenge. The Bully leader chews up and spits out words as if they’re toxins, screaming and yelping with a ferocious intensity that wards off the faint of heart. Having already landed with an impact at the Pitchfork Festival just two weeks ago, Bully is the rare — and possibly only — band to perform at both festivals in the same year. The Nashville quartet makes the most of the opportunities. Drawing from the feedback-laden, punk-informed rock scene that dominated the early 1990s, Bully lures listeners in with corrosive hooks and then drops the hammer. Bognanno rails about breaking her arm jumping off the top of a slide when she was eight years old and protests about seeing a picture of herself. Her emotions come straight from the gut. Each song seems to bear a personal stamp, biographical or otherwise, that invest them with lacerating spite or immediacy. Bully retains the rough edges and leaves the nails stick out of the corroded boards of its raw musical architecture. “You can’t write a book about what you don’t know,” wails Bognanno, who doesn’t rest until she clears everything off her chest. Cheaper, and more effective, than a shrink. (BG)
6:30 p.m.: Gogol Bordello never gets old, until it tries to get cute, which it did way too soon during its Palladia set, rolling out a mid-tempo ditty that killled the momentum of its powerhouse opening. At its best, this is a garage band that is steeped in Eastern European folk music, kinda like if a Roma wedding band decided to jam with Ty Segall. Besides, when you amplify an accordion, awesome things can happen. “Participation of Chicago women’s choir will be required,” cried frontman Eugene Hütz (whose name has an umlaut, which makes him metal) to set the wild “Companjera,” which was exactly the kind of tune this band should never, ever stop doing. Bombastic power chords surfed folk music rhythms, backed by some lovely oompa-oompa drum thumping. Tempos are sky-high, to the point of unsustainability, and even if you don’t quite dig the music, it’s still fun. Gogol Bordello is never going to inmovate, doing something that makes your eyebrows rise. This band is just going to kick your butt with energy and rhythm. (KM)
6:23 p.m.: Odesza could be booked for the Perry’s stage with their penchant for epic dancefloor workouts, but then again they don’t really fit in with the boom-boom EDM crowd. Instead, they’re booked at the big stage at the north end of Butler Field, and it’s a good thing, because the vast lawn is filled with celebrants. The Seattle duo of Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight dons red Chicago Bulls jerseys, which besides a little audience pandering doubles as appropriately comfy garb for the sultry afternoon. The duo floats melodies through lush soundscapes that wind and swoop, and merges live instrumentation — a horn section and drum line — with the soul in the machines. (GK)
6 p.m.: Has the statute of limitations expired on the “former Stroke” thing? Many doubted that Albert Hammond Jr. would survive the demise of being part of an uber-trendy outfit, but like Mike Nesmith of the Monkees, talent will win out. If you want to be a rockin’ solo artist, start with a great rhythm section. Smother it all in pacey power pop, add snarl from three guitars, and stand back. Hammond reveled in guitar rock in ways that were in many ways a throwback. EDM continues to creep into the rest of pop music, as bands try to hit upon that “contemporary” sound. Hammond just rocks. Bassist and drummer set up fast-moving contrapuntal rhythms, not playing against, but keeping the song’s pace flitting along in different ways, each echoed by a different guitarist. It was pretty wonderful stuff for folks despairing in the face of real rock songs disappearing. This set was a vigorous tour of power-pop goodness, with echoes of iconic ensembles such as the Kinks, and the Buzzcocks. Not bad at all. Hammond isn’t a singer, really, more an enthusiastic bellower as his slightly nasal delivery pierces the mix. But amid the up-to-11 attack of his band, that also worked like a charm. (KM)
5:50 p.m.: Twenty One Pilots bust out the ukelele. The instrument, which became en vogue a few years ago for a hot second, fits right in with the Columbus, Ohio duo’s approach — namely, co-opting nearly every popular music trend of the past five years and throwing it haphazardly into a blender. If rap-rock makes a dreaded return, thank these guys. Drummer Josh Dun and singer Tyler Joseph have all they can handle to fill their set with cheap time-wasting tactics. But they’re riding a wave that has quickly carried them from small clubs to large halls. Twenty One Pilots boast a considerable bro-factor appeal. Songs such as “Stressed Out” and “Tear In My Heart” suffer from rote lyrics, mismatched style pairings and amateur musicianship. When he ill-advisedly raps, Joseph evokes visions of a C-rate Eminem. His balladic attempts don’t fare any better. He and Dun stitch together dubstep, new wave, rock, hip-hop, electropop and (sigh) reggae into attention-deficit-disorder compositions that never find any real footing. Some songs emerge akin to a tortured diary reading; others rely on facile tropes or watered-down Casio beats. Their decision to cover Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” makes as much of a connection with the song’s meaning as a college freshmen that wears a Marley shirt as an advertisement for marijuana. Forget any context or substance. It’s all a very forgettable frat party, and the kegs are drained of focus, melody and songcraft. As they say on “Chopped,” the “time starts now.” In other words, Twenty One Pilots, your 15 minutes of fame are ticking away. (BG)
5:46 p.m.: Officials decided to evacuate Lollapalooza at 2:35 p.m., after the National Weather Service detected heavy rain, lightning and probably hail headed to Grant Park, a spokeswoman for Lollapalooza promoter C3 Presents said. No injuries were reported related to the evacuation of more than 49,000 patrons.
“Attendees generally complied with the orders to evacuate. However, event security requested police assistance with the crowd in front of the Perry’s stage because people were not immediately leaving the area, and it was subsequently evacuated,” C3 spokeswoman Brittany Pearce said in an e-mail to the Tribune. (TS)
5:32 p.m.: Northwestern Memorial Hospital reported treating 12 concertgoers from Lollapalooza today, mostly for alcohol-related problems, a hospital spokeswoman said. Mercy Hospital said it treated two concertgoers today for alcohol-related issues and dehydration as the temperature at Grant Park reached 90 degrees. It’s unclear if any concertgoers have reported injuries related to the brief festival evacuation for a storm earlier this afternoon. Lollapalooza promoter C3 Presents and the city Office of Emergency Management and Communications have not released details related to the evacuation. Since Lollapalooza began Friday, Northwestern has treated 59 concertgoers while Mercy has treated 20 festivalgoers. (TS)
5:07 p.m.: “Let’s roast together.” A seduction or a threat? Maybe there’s a little bit of both from Marina Diamandis, who fronts Marina and the Diamonds. She’s got classical chops and a dominatrix look with her black vinyl outfit topped by matching green tiarra and sunglasses. The fans are stoked to see her, dancing in the dust and singing back the words of “Hollywood” and “Primadonna” as though their stories of empty glamor are their own. Though Diamandis’ high-register voice threatens to fly away with the afternoon gusts, the best of her music is anchored by a rhythmic crunch that keeps the fans happily pogoing with their vinyl heroine. (GK)
5:02 p.m.: Angus and Julia Stone sound like they come straight out of a Cormac McCarthy novel. Caked with red-dirt dust, their country-and folk-splotched rock kicks the mellowness of their studio fare to the curb. These are songs fit for toothpick-chomping outlaws, revolver-touting peacekeepers and hardscrabble bartenders that live amidst rugged terrain. The reunited Aussie brother and sister duo each touts a noticeable Down Under accent. A very capable backing band provides settings that range from cozy to harrowing. The group juggles sonic diversity with aplomb, from the acoustic-based dreamscape “Big Jet Plane” to three guitars generating undercurrents that glance at the Stooges’ proto-punk classic “I Wanna Be Your Dog.” Snakedriving reverb and jangling notes ricochet amidst wide-open spaces. Neither vocalist traveled this far to mess around or take guff. “What have you done?” demands Julia, snarling the words as if they’re being permanently rid from her core. Exorcism complete. (BG)
4:37 p.m.: George Ezra resumes the main-stage post-evacuation musical activity on the south end of the park with a brief acoustic set, a wan voice floating over Hutchinson Field that’s actually more suited for a rainy day rather than the resumption of festivities at a big outdoor festival. But his closing song, “Budapest,” is undeniable, and its chorus sticks like cotton candy on a hot afternoon. (GK)
4:26 p.m.: Lollapalooza promoter C3 Presents issued a statement Sunday afternoon about the evacuation but representatives did not return requests for comment on follow-up questions. “We want to thank the tens of thousands of festival goers, staff, and artists who calmly and safely exited from Grant Park today,” said Charlie Jones, partner of C3 Presents, said in a statement. “We also applaud and thank the City of Chicago for their cooperation and commitment to making Lolla a safe and enjoyable experience for all. Once again Chicago has come through and we’re proud to call the city our partner.” (TS)
4:11 p.m.: The new post-evacuation schedule means there is at least one piece of protocol that carries over from the 2012 storm that suspend the festival for more than two hours. Three years ago, most of the bands were rescheduled and the 10 p.m. closing time was pushed back 45 minutes. (GK)
4:10 p.m.: Lollapalooza releases an updated schedule with headliners Florence and the Machine and Bassnectar beginning at 9:15 p.m. and extending the band’s set times until 10:45 p.m. (JS)
3:13 p.m.: Everything is calm on Roosevelt Road. Aside from backed-up traffic, fans behave in an orderly fashion and seek out places to grab food. Because most concertgoers were funneled out north of Roosevelt, the area is likely the least-populated with festgoers. Once a trio of red-shirt security workers get the word to move back to the park, it’s a sign all is nearly back to normal. Minutes later, the Lollapalooza app buzzes with a notification that gates reopen at 3:30 and music resumes at 4. (BG)
3 p.m.: After the evacuation announcement, concertgoers congregated inside the Grant Park South underground garage. Patricia Alvarado, 23, was with friends eating ice cream waiting out the storm. “We left pretty much right away,” she said. Stephen Ponce, 25, noted the fest’s ability to alert the crowd of the evacuation in a speedy fashion. “I was impressed that they announced it before it was on the Internet,” he said. At first Ponce wasn’t sure where to go, but “they had it posted on the Lolla app. They had it on Reddit too.” (JS)
2:54 p.m.: Crews were slow to leave Artist Village, an area intended for performers, after the evacuation was announced over loudspeakers. Some crew members debated waiting out the storm in cars and trucks on site. For those who left the gates at Roosevelt Road, there were no verbal announcements where they should go. The three parking garages designated as shelters were blocks from the Roosevelt entrance. (TS)
2:29 p.m.: SirenXX abruptly leaves the stage after just a few minutes and soon it’s clear why. Lollapalooza is experiencing another weather evacuation. It brings a merciful end to the girl-girl group’s mall bop, which comes across as manufactured, prefabricated and industry-vetted as anything here. Cloying, bubbly, and evocative of the Chipmunks harmonizing, SirenXX is the kind of artist that causes you to question how an act with such shallow, derivative music lands a spot at a major fest. They can’t sing and can’t dance. Yes, PG-rated pop remains in short supply in an era dominated with blatant sexual references and barely clothed stars. Picture SirenXX, then, as today’s version of Debbie Gibson and Tiffany. But even at their cutsiest and fluffiest, the latter have more to recommend than a pair of sprites putting on an act that belongs in a shopping-center food court. (BG)
2:35 p.m.: Promoters C3 Presents order a complete evacuation of Grant Park with a storm closing in. Heavy winds and hail are hitting the city a few miles from the park as the announcement is made. Unlike the 2012 evacuation of the park because of a storm, clear instructions are broadcast to festival goers over the public address systems at the stages to seek shelter at Grant Park and Millennium Park parking garages with entrances on Michigan Avenue. The evacuation is described as temporary and the festival is expected to resume at 4 p.m. (GK)
2:00 p.m.: Eighteen concertgoers were arrested at Lollapalooza on Saturday, bringing the arrest total for the first two days of the three-day fest to 25 patrons, according to information from the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications. Eighteen music fans were given citations, and 87 attendees were transported for medical issues Saturday, OEMC spokeswoman Melissa Stratton said. On Saturday, Texas rapper Travis Scott was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after he encouraged fans to jump barricades during his show. One fan was also arrested and charged with disorderly conduct stemming from that incident, Stratton said. Seven arrests, 35 citations and 85 medical transports were reported Friday by OEMC but no additional details were given. (TS)
1:47 p.m.: The wind and dust are turning the sound coming off the big stages on either end of the field into the equivalent of a bad phone connection, dodging in and out. But Chicago quintet Twin Peaks fights through with catchy, wordless vocal refrains and scrappy guitar solos. Their set plays like a self-built bumper car running at high speed, losing a shock absorber here, blowing a tire there, but still somehow crossing the finish line. The ramshackle recklessness is a welcome antidote to some of the more studied and polished performances from new bands on other stages, who suggest they’ve been coached and manicured on how to present themseles in front of a festival audience. Twin Peaks, in contrast, just plays like it has nothing to lose, and about a hundred fans in the center of the audience break into a frenzied dance party that continues throughout the set. (GK)
1:16 p.m.: There must be a grocery-store-aisle romance novel lurking somewhere within the minds of Night Terrors of 1927. Or maybe it’s a teenaged zombie apocalypse tale of the last few survivors cuddling in a bunker. Either way, the quintet — helmed by ex-Rilo Kiley guitarist Blake Sennett and former Honarary Title vocalist Jarrod Gorbel — worships end-of-the-world drama. Save for a cover of the Romantics’ “Talking In Your Sleep,” nothing the band does includes any nuance. In line with its overwrought name, Night Terrors’ bombast only goes big or it goes home. Gorbel sings like a wounded thespian. He emotes about broken hearts, longed-for relationships and falling into the arms of a lover. He clutches at his breast, wraps both hands around the microphone and punches a button to deploy samples with grandiose gestures. There’s not a dollop of irony to be located within a hundred feet if the stage. It’s enough grandeur to cause even Morrissey to cringe. Sennett and company meet Gorbel’s recurring “whoa-oh-whoa” exaggerations with soaring pop-rock and solos pulled out of Poison guitarist C.C. DeVille’s trick bag. At their best, Night Terrors resemble a third-string Killers. At their worst, their sweaty desperation and over-the-top flair border on comically bad. “Please embrace with us,” requests Gorbel. Uh, no thanks. (BG)
1:10 p.m.: Zebra Katz: White jumpsuit, matching eye patch and DJ Dirty Fingers led to the best rap set I saw at Lollapalooza. Zebra Katz (Ojay Morgan) is part of the queer hip-hop movement that for a while was taking off like a rocket. And it’s fascinating to see what happens to rap without the misogyny and sexism. What you get is pop music, a performer creating somgs that use wordplay to make cool stuff. “It’s My Party” was sampled, grimed up and drowned in bass as Zebra Katz showed off flow that should have folks like G-Eazy crying into their lattes. Rap is ultimately music and about music. Remove all the junk and hostility from it, and the genre gets back the base. Zebra Katz also solved the problem with live rap, stalking the stage like a white,-clad demon, using words to pound home the beats of his deejay, vocals as much of a percussion instrument as the turntables. Want your rapper to spray a bottle of champagne over the audience? Check. Want your rapper to parody the machismo silliness of mainstream rap? Check. The steadily growing crowd at BMI wasn’t just because of the shade. (KM)
12:15 p.m.: Sheppard: On a train ride from De Gaulle Airport in Paris once, a busker got on the train. Everyone sighed. Some Australians shouted requests, and turned it into a party. Aussies. You know this batch from way across the water for its giant hit, “Geronimo,” but what else is on offer? A party. A pair of drummers who understand polyrhythms control the world with an aggro, primal backbeat, as everybody else runs around screaming and chirping. “Let’s party,” indeed, because this here is party music, all uptempo jangle, happy lyrics and quality rock craftsmanship. Sing-along choruses make it easy for an enthusiastic crowd, and that Aussie lilt in the vocals just seals the deal. Between Sheppard and In the Whale, if you chose to sleep in today, for shame. The day is off to a wonderful start. (KM)
12:05 p.m.: “I know there’s a lot of indie and folk and EDM bull[expletive] going on but we are going play some rock ‘n’ roll for you,” announces In the Whale. The Denver duo more than makes good on its promise. Stripped down to a simple essence, the band’s hard-edged fare scampers, thrusts and giddily thrashes. “Woman” tilts on riffs that threaten imminent collapse. The punked-out “Girlfriend” races, relishes in humor and gives the group a chance to toss out a pinata. “Lake of Fire” erupts with volcanic might. Dirty, fun and caked in garage grime, the songs are unconcerned with trends. “There might be too many hipsters in the crowd,” guitarist/vocalist Nate Valdez declares when revving up the crowd and challenging fans to ignore the fact it’s just past noon. He proceeds to sing as if he’s just hit on a biker gang leader’s old lady in a bar and must run for his life. Yep, this the way to wake up. In the Whale’s go-for-the-throat performance serves notice as how any young act should treat a fest appearance — no matter how many people happen to be watching. “Now go and tell the others what you saw,” Valdez commands at the close. Amen brother. (BG)
11:50 a.m.: Northwestern Memorial Hospital reported treating 47 concertgoers from Lollapalooza on Friday and Saturday for a mix of ailments including alcohol-related issues, a hospital spokeswoman said. Mercy Hospital reported treating 18 concertgoers Friday and 11 concertgoers Saturday, mostly for dehydration and alcohol-related issues, a Mercy spokeswoman said. Temperatures topped 80 degrees Friday and Saturday. A spokeswoman for the city Office of Emergency Management and Communications said there were 85 medical transports Friday but did not have a number for Saturday, the second day of the three-day music festival in Grant Park. (TS)
