Bloc Party Trade Their Dance Rhythms For Stadium Anthems

Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke looked like he was ready for a very political game of basketball. Dressed in brightly colored shorts, vintage Nikes and a Barack Obama T-shirt with the word "Progress" written on it, Okereke and his band managed to overcome some technical glitches and the absence of bassist Gordon Moakes (he's at home with a new baby) to deliver a set of inspired stadium-sized dance riffs as the Chicago sun set. The band really clicked the new single "Mercury" (where Okereke sampled his own voice) and on the set-closing "Helicopter" (which was greeted as a true anthem). During some down time, Okereke even teased the opening riff of Nirvana's "Heart Shaped Box," which was a knowing nod to Lollapalooza's early-'90s roots.

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Song Stories

“Time to Pretend”

MGMT | 2008

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”

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