2009 Lollapalooza

July 26, 2009

Big City, Big Bands
A 2009 Lollapalooza Preview

By Kristi Kates 7/27/09

All of those internet rumors, fellow Lollapalooza fans, were indeed correct months ago. Retro-cool hip-hopsters The Beastie Boys, melodic modern rockers The Killers, and Southern-rock-turned-art-rockers Kings of Leon will serve as the Lollapalooza Festival’s top-notch 2009 headliners, with this year’s show set to be held August 7-9 at Chicago’s Grant Park, one heck of a great weekend road trip destination.
Over 100 bands and solo artists have now been confirmed for this year’s Lolla, which is being helmed once again by founder and “figurehead” Perry Farrell, who will also play a top-bill set with his band for the first time since Lolla began back in 1991 (in recent Lolla years, Farrell has mostly played the smaller stages at the fest, or popped up in the DJ tent.)
And, in spite of this year’s stodgy economic climate, ticket sales are already going well according to festival promoters; a variety of ticket options are still available at www.lollapalooza.com, ranging from $80 single day tickets (great if you go online and check out the schedule for each day; you can select the day with the most bands that you want to see) to regular three-day passes.
If Lolla is your only vacation destination this year, you might want to really go for broke (literally) with the Lolla Lounge VIP passes, which get you all manner of bonuses, sightlines, and more for $850; or get a gang together to rent one of Lolla’s Private Luxury Cabanas - price to be determined by how many people you’re bringing, and how many personal servers or catering items you might need.

BANDS FOR EVERYBODY
Just what do you get for all that hard-earned dough? Plenty. In addition to the aforementioned headliners, Lolla’s lineup this year ranges from new indie rock (Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, Band of Horses, Of Montreal, TV on the Radio, The Airborne Toxic Event, White Lies) to old classics (Lou Reed, Ben Folds), hip-hop (Snoop Dogg), electronica mainstays (STS9, Deadmau5) to experimental musicians (Crystal Castles, Cage the Elephant), and even some modern folk (Andrew Bird, Peter Bjorn and John, The Decemberists).
The 2009 edition of Lolla also includes another version of the fest’s DJ tent, called Perry’s, at which you’ll be able to dance to spins from the likes of Simian Mobile Disco, A-Trak, and Bassnectar, among others.
With eight stages set up across the span of Grant Park, you won’t have any breaks in the music; from the opening of the fest each day to its closing set, there’s something happening pretty much all the time.
In addition to dancing at Perry’s, there’ll be an autograph booth this year so you can meet n’ greet some of your favorite bands, and Lolla’s great “Green Street,” an environmentally-focused area of non-profit environmental organizations, sustainable vendors, great ways to help various causes, and all kinds of info you can take along with you.
Two food courts, several beverage stations, a medical tent, free water fountains, a bag valet, several lounges (one of them air-conditioned), and stores at which you can buy CDs, t-shirts, posters, and Lolla souvenirs as well as other necessities (at the “General Store”) will help make sure that your on-site Lolla experience will rock all weekend long.

Tickets and hotel rooms are going fast. Order your tix via www.lollapalooza.com.