Contributor
19 items by Bob Gendron
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Even Without Obama, Kanye West Reclaims Chicago and Lollapalooza | ARTICLE
Rumors of Barack Obama being onhand to introduce Kanye West proved false. No matter. Aiming to permanently put the Bonnaroo debacle in the past, the local rapper came out not to just conquer the festival stage but...
August 4, 2008 1:15 AM ET -
Mark Ronson Welcomes Rhymefest, Phantom Planet at Lollapalooza | ARTICLE
Mark Ronson and company marked the final date of their 16-month tour in funky style. The English guitarist/deejay had a host of international guests in tow — ncluding Liverpool's Candie Payne, Australia's Daniel Merriweather and all of...
August 4, 2008 1:00 AM ET -
Gnarls Barkley Cover Radiohead, Channel Buddy Holly | ARTICLE
Two years ago, Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" was the toast of Lollapalooza and covered by multiple performers. This time, Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse returned the favor. Saluting 2008's most adored act, the twosome pulled off a brilliant rendition...
August 4, 2008 12:20 AM ET -
Saul Williams Stays on Message During Supercharged Set | ARTICLE
"We on stage know that race is a social construct and we can go beyond it. So you can you!" No, those words didn't come from the mouth of Barack Obama but of Saul Williams, whose side...
August 3, 2008 11:40 PM ET -
Iron & Wine Keep the Volume Low But Spirits High | ARTICLE
Iron & Wine's calm folk-rock demanded peace and quiet, and for the most part, got it from a very polite crowd. Backed by a band that, akin to its leader's razor-repellent facial hair, seems to grow with...
August 3, 2008 11:25 PM ET -
Wilco Premiere New Song, Mine Deep Cuts at Lollapalooza | ARTICLE
"We've been doing a lot of sewing these past few months preparing for this show," cracked Wilco's Jeff Tweedy in reference to the Chicago band's snazzy rhinestone suits, which would've fit right in at the Grand Ole...
August 3, 2008 12:20 AM ET -
Broken Social Scene Mix Group and Solo Songs for Sprawling Set | ARTICLE
Compensating for the absence of its most famous member (Feist), Broken Social Scene showed that brass high-school band instruments do belong in rock. With Amy Millan serving as the token female representative, the predominately dude version of...
August 2, 2008 11:45 PM ET -
Okkervil River Combine Poetry and Violence at Lollapalooza | ARTICLE
Okkervil River got things off to a murderous start. The Austin band opened with "The President's Dead" and immediately continued on a bloody pace with the violent wishfulness of "Black." Yet to frontman Will Sheff and a...
August 2, 2008 11:30 PM ET -
Foals Inspire Saturday Afternoon Dancing, Hydration | ARTICLE
Foals made it all but impossible to stand still during a caffeinated set that crossed new-wave tunefulness and sharp bursts of post-punk noise. In persuading the crowd to clap and jump in unison with the music, the...
August 2, 2008 11:15 PM ET -
The Raconteurs Play the Role of Big Rock Stars, Break Guitar Strings | ARTICLE
The Raconteurs came to play on Lollapalooza's Friday evening with the '70s on their mind. Even the video-screen footage was colored black and white, a retro effect that carried through a show that was part jamboree, part...
August 2, 2008 12:20 AM ET -
Cat Power Channels Pathos, Covers CCR During Stirring Set | ARTICLE
Cat Power may not ever conquer her on stage awkwardness but at least she's found ways to defeat a majority of her fears. Saying barely a word to an overflowing early evening crowd, and backed by a...
August 1, 2008 11:45 PM ET -
Yeasayer Use Percussion to Keep Lollapalooza Crowd Mellow | ARTICLE
For a band whose sound is so manic, Yeasayer played it cool during their Friday afternoon set. The Brooklyn quartet's African beats, tropical samples and Middle Eastern drones brought a taste of the world to Grant Park,...
August 1, 2008 11:15 PM ET -
Cool Kids Cover Snoop and Skee-Lo at Old School Lollapalooza Show | ARTICLE
If the enthusiastic hometown reception for the Cool Kids is any indication, hip-hop's future is firmly rooted in its past. Harkening back to an era of two turntables and a microphone — and adding one more mike...
August 1, 2008 10:50 PM ET -
Pearl Jam's Fierce, Political Headlining Set Brings Lollapalooza 2007 to a Fitting End | ARTICLE
Lollapalooza's day three special collaboration arrives courtesy of My Morning Jacket, which welcomes the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra as a backing band. Jim James and company are dressed for the occasion, looking dapper in three-piece suits (sans...
August 6, 2007 12:45 AM ET -
Iggy and the Stooges Cause a Near Riot at Lollapalooza Day Three | ARTICLE
In advance of Sunday's events, heavy overnight showers moved through Chicago and resulted in standing water, marshy grounds and stinky sod. Bayou-level humidity has also set in, and the predicted cloudy skies quickly cede to beaming sunshine....
August 6, 2007 12:25 AM ET -
Interpol, Muse, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Patti Smith and the Hold Steady Rock Into the Chicago Night at Lollapalooza Day Two | ARTICLE
"Last year we played here and I said it was the most fun I ever had at 3 PM. This is shaping up to be the most fun I've ever had," proclaimed Craig Finn two songs into...
August 5, 2007 3:02 AM ET -
Silverchair, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Cold War Kids Rock the Early Shift at Lollapalooza's Day Two | ARTICLE
Before any band even begins playing, Saturday is off to a promising start. Overcast skies and lower temperatures are a welcome relief from the heat, and the hand-sanitizer dispensers have actually been refilled. Boy-girl Brooklyn synth-pop duo...
August 4, 2007 9:37 PM ET -
Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem, The Black Keys Bring Day One of Lollapalooza to a Groove-Heavy End | ARTICLE
As the sun continues to descend behind buildings and temperatures cool in Chicago, the Black Keys turn in an effort that confirms why they've landed a slot on one of the big stages. In the city that's...
August 4, 2007 12:44 PM ET -
M.I.A., Against Me!, Ted Leo Kick Off Day One at Lollapalooza | ARTICLE
Cloudless skies, hot sun and an intermittent cooling Lake Michigan breeze greeted fans Friday at Lollapalooza, held for the third straight year in Chicago's beautiful albeit sprawling Grant Park. The Fratellis proved that even Scottish hipsters can rise...
August 3, 2007 8:18 PM ET
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