Fleet Foxes, Passion Pit, GZA Keep Lolla Rocking at Afterparties

After Day Two of Lollpalooza ended, concertgoers had their pick of afterparties. At the Metro — some 7 miles from the festival grounds — Fleet Foxes delivered a warm, soothing set, despite the fact that both Robin Peckold and Skyler Skjelset were battling illness. "I'm on this weird mixture of Advil and Dayquil," Peckold announced. "I wouldn't recommend it." Fortunately, the flu had no effect on his voice - he still ably hit the upper register on the chiming "Sun it Rises." He was even feeling well enough to deliver to new songs, both of which continued their tradition of merging broad folky strums with four-part harmonies.

Nearer to Grant Park, the GZA, joined on stage by Santigold, tore through a string of classics from Liquid Swords and Beneath the Surface at the Rock the Vote Late Night at the Hard Rock Hotel. The latter features one of Santigold's earliest performances, and she seemed delighted to be on stage. She provided a goofy foil to GZA's stern prophet, smiling and dancing to classics like "Duel of the Iron Mic." Later in the evening, Passion Pit — now expanded to a full band — played a thrilling, hyperkinetic set. The band has begun to find their groove, and their late night performance was full-on ecstasy, thumping rhythms and hard, driving synths.

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Song Stories

“Is It True”

Brenda Lee | 1964

As the British Invasion reached its peak in 1964, Brenda Lee went from Nashville to London to record one of her hardest-rocking hits, her perky vocal backed by a stuttering, squalling guitar. That guitar was played by session musician Jimmy Page, yet to skyrocket to fame with first the Yardbirds and then Led Zeppelin. "She said to me, 'I've come here to make a record with the British sound,'" remembered producer Mickie Most. "She felt she wouldn't get the same sound in Nashville because they're only just catching up on the British beat group sound of about six months ago."

More Song Stories entries »

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