Interesting: Lollapalooza 2007 Part 2

I agree with Jairy: Day 2 was nothing like Day 1, but thanks to some cooler temps and some delusional Swedes, it was still joyous.

I'm From Barcelona
As with the Spree, IFB goes for quantity more than quality: in the number of performers (close to 30), crazy outfits (bear suit, black suit/white tie, striped leggings), and smiley smile times (too numerous to count). Balloons, songs about chicken pox, and tunes with 27 people all singing melody. A perfect set for the beginning of the day. I don't imagine that their studio set is all that good, but they have figured out the equation: shaker shaped like banana = good times.

Tapes and Tapes
This band was the most serious-sounding (except Interpol, but I'll get to them) but serious in a loud and good way. I picked up their CD on eMusic last month and really like their hard edge.

Silverchair
I napped a little on the hill in Grant Park during this set, but I must say that of all the poppy hard rock bands out there, Silverchair have perfectly serviceable skills, a good front man, and some *gasp* melodies. Worth a listen. I hear they are the David Hasselhoff of Australia.

Cold War Kids
CWK got screwed on this one - they should have been at a larger stage, and the sound was fishbowl-y. The middle and bass registers were way too high, but from what I could tell, they played OK. However, do not let this discourage you from GETTING THE COLD WAR KIDS CD NOW. Thx.

The Hold Steady
ALl of the reviews about this set have been right on - they give a great show, the lead singer is very much into it, there's a guy with a handlebar moustache, etc, etc.
However, the lead singer does not sing -- he kind of talksings, and I just don't get it. So, I can't get into this band's recordings. Good show though. It was at this show that I saw the Myspace booth. At this booth, they handed out free bandanas, and you could get your picture taken with some skanky girls in Myspace tubetops and miniskirts. That about says it all.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
I listened to this set from across the field as I made my way to the front of Spoon's stage. You may sense a trend: whiny lead singer voices don't do it for me. So Clap...Yeah! is not on my faves list.

Spoon
Despite the fact that they left out the best three songs from the new album, Ga^5, Spoon's set was great. They played my favorite song, "Fitted Shirt," and a lot of other solid tracks. What a tight band of normal-looking guys. They are confident, understated, and almost surgical in delivering the rock. I hate to plug eMusic too much, but Spoon's whole catalog is on there. That's a hint.

Muse
Lucas will disown me, but I left co-headliner Muse after 10 minutes. They began with a transcription of JFK's famous speech about communism from 1962. It was up on the video screen, and all I think of was my favorite line from Beavis and Butthead: "If I wanted to read, I would have stayed at school, huh huh, huh huh, um, huh huh. This sucks."
The sound is too hard for my taste, and so I made the mile walk across Grant Park to...

Interpol
My least favorite band alive. Could I please go to the dentist instead? Or maybe get a kick in the groin? Interpol plays music from the future. A future where everything is boring. I know Jair is a fan, but that band had ZERO energy on stage, no connection to the crowd, and seriously, made me sleepy. Where is the guy in the bear suit shaking the banana?