Lollapalooza, Sunday 7th August

On the third and final day of Lollapalooza, the most of best acts of the day are the earliest. At noon, the Los Angeles-based Lord Huron walk on to the Playstation stage, and from the first note they are staggering. The fact that the first band of the day puts on the one of the best performances is exciting not only because it is the triumph of the underdog, but also because Lord Huron is just getting started – they only have two EPs and less than 3,000 fans on Facebook. The music they play is incredibly affecting, boasting gorgeous harmonies above guitar lines with an African flavor comparable to Vampire Weekend. However, the Caribbean influence in the percussion and comping patterns – most evident on ‘Into the Sun’ – sets the band in a category all their own. The result is a dreamy, worldly brand of rock that translates wonderfully to a live setting, especially during ‘The Stranger.’ The unavoidable conclusion of the experience is that Lord Huron is definitely a band to watch for.

Next up is rock trio The Joy Formidable from North Wales. They provide the second pleasant surprise of the day with their excellent stage presence and vibrant performance. The songs have all the instrumental power of garage rock but with catchy melodies sung in Ritzy Bryan’s befittingly bright voice. In the overwhelming early heat, the crowd is jumping and dancing. They close with a rendition of ‘Whirring’ that brilliantly spirals into absolute chaos. Three large inflatable cat heads appear out of no where to surround the band as they go into a jam that is a powerful wall of sound. Bryan slams her guitar into everything in sight – the floor, the drums, even hitting a gong with it before she tosses the guitar straight into the center of the gong and walks off stage. It is the perfect way to end the set.

Noah & the Whale provide the greatest opening stint of the entire weekend. Before they take the stage a brass choir recording of the entirety of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is blasted from the speakers. The entire crowd starts singing the words, and the enthusiasm never dies throughout the entire song. Even the notoriously difficult range of ‘for meeeeee’ does not deter anyone. It is one of those memorable moments that could only occur at a music festival.

The band itself puts on a great performance. Charlie Fink’s smooth tenor is excellent in a live setting. As they play a stirring version of ‘Blue Skies,’ the fact that the weather matches the song’s optimistic wishes exactly makes the delivery more poignant. Poppy songs like ‘Love of an Orchestra’ inspire swaying and dancing. The immortal sing-along ‘Five Years Time’ gets the crowd shouting and jumping. They close with ‘L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.,’ the hopeful message resonating with the audience and leaving them cheering as Noah & the Whale leave the stage.

The next hour is not as riveting. The Cars pale in comparison to Big Audio Dynamite the day before: their time is not steady and their stage presence fails to rouse excitement. About an hour later, halfway into Cage the Elephant’s set, it begins to rain. Lollapalooza in the rain is something to look forward to – the energy of bands and fans alike go up, and performances can take on a new power and meaning. (The best instance of this was two years ago, when the Decemberists performed straight through their album The Hazards of Love during a downpour.) Fans began dancing in puddles and cheering as the rain started to fall harder. When Cage the Elephant sang ‘Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked,’ the ecstatic fervor coming from both the band and the audience was contagious. Afterwards, singer Matt Shultz says, ‘This is a moment I know I am going to remember for the rest of my life,’ and proceeds to dive into the audience during the next song. The overwhelming excitement inspired by the performance is undeniable.

Next, Damien Marley and Nas take the stage on the other side of the field. Their blend of reggae and hip-hop not only seems completely natural but is also irresistible. The grooves from the band are tight and infectious. Everyone is dancing and the smell of pot smoke becomes conspicuously more pungent. Marley’s pride in his native country is epitomized by a man whose only job for the whole set is to wave the Jamaican flag. The subject matter of the songs is refreshingly relevant, political, and inspiring, in particular the slow jam ‘Leaders.’

The rain stops in time for Explosions in the Sky. Their set is cut short by the Arctic Monkeys, who frustratingly decided to run fifteen minutes over their allotted time on the other side of the field. ‘We’re going to pack sixty minutes of rock into forty-five minutes,’ says guitarist Munaf Rayani as the band, already waiting in position on the stage, finally get the okay to play. It seems an impossible and nonsensical task, but the four-piece instrumental band actually pull it off. Their composed rock jams are unbelievably emotional, and the sunset over the Chicago skyline provides the perfect backdrop. It is the kind of music that requires a good attention span, but is incredibly rewarding for those who really listen. The band’s mastery of dynamic contrast is particularly stimulating, with loud sections suddenly breaking down into single guitar lines that slowly add counter-melodies. When the intense climax is reached, it seems euphoric. The performance could feasibly be described as a spiritual experience.

As the set ends and the walk is made to the other side of the festival for the completely different musical stylings of Deadmau5, the sky is purple and the clouds are ominous. Within five minutes, the festival receives what could only be described as a ‘torrential downpour.’ The five or ten minutes of heavy rain just as Deadmau5 begins cover the field with mud. The tens of thousands of fans gathered at the Bud Light stage are not deterred, and all begin jumping and dancing in the sludge. Deadmau5’s infectious beats keep everyone moving for the entire hour and a half set. His style is much more intelligent than the clichéd ‘BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM’ associated with mainstream dance music. He cleverly features a lot of three-over-two feels and his chord progressions are compelling, even featuring the odd seventh chord. The transitions between songs are also captivating, with floating feels and interesting rhythmic introductions. It becomes obvious that Deadmau5 knows what he’s doing as a musician.

In the meantime, the mood of the crowd is elated. We all become caked in mud to the waist at least while screaming and dancing. Two adventurous men climb to the top of one of the towers in the back of the field and are quickly ushered down by festival authorities. It is a scene that somehow seems to capture the generation – at some point in the evening the performance becomes less about the artist and more about the general experience of the crowd.

After the festival is over, Michigan Avenue and its channels are taken over by the attendees of the festival. Every few minutes deafening cheers erupt spontaneously. A fountain in the corner of Millennium Park is taken over by fans washing mud off before returning to their homes. Lollapalooza 2011 leaves everyone in high spirits.