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Each year, Lollapalooza, one of the most well-attended festivals of the year, brings together an alarmingly large number of acts together that vary on the genre as well as the fame spectrum. And, while there are some huge names in this year’s lineup, there are is a blinding bunch of smaller acts sprawled across the festival’s eight stages. We narrowed some key acts that are not to be missed to help you strategize for the weekend. Fuel up and get ready to sprint across Grant Park.
PMACAST: Lollapalooza 2012 Preview
FRIDAY 8/3
12:00 – 12:45pm: First Aid Kit @ PlayStation
Start out the day with a mellow set from Swedish sister duo First Aid Kit. Turning heads with their warm, harmonious vocals, the duo’s latest The Lion’s Roar features some more folk-oriented cuts, but don’t forget about their 2010 debut The Big Black & The Blue.
First Aid Kit – “Hard Believer”
1:00 – 1:45pm: Anamanaguchi @ Google Play
8-bit jams have gone a long way since their video game years. You know it’s a party when chiptune rock becomes sweaty, rage-worthy. Go back to 1985 with Anamanaguchi, whose discography spans original tunes like the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack and remixes of everyone from Fang Island to Das Racist.
Anamanaguchi – “Jetpack Blues, Sunset Hues”
2:15 – 3:00pm: The War on Drugs @ Google Play
Take a break after Anamanaguchi’s rager and get drenched in the airy, shoegazy rock of The War on Drugs. Though most of the original members, including Kurt Vile, have left, the new lineup’s Slave Ambient still provides great material for a live set.
The War on Drugs – “Snake Tongues”
3:15 – 4:15pm: Tame Impala @ Sony
Australian natives Tame Impala give possibly some of the the most impressionable live shows. Not only does the spacey psych rock lend itself for heavy live renditions, the seasoned members–most of which have various side projects, like Pond–have a mesmerizing stage presence. Back bends and other shenanigans aren’t abnormal.
Tame Impala – “Elephant”
4:00 – 5:00pm: Metric @ Bud Light
Nearly 15 years in the making, Metric is still going strong with their addictive anthem rock. There’s a slight overlap with the Tame Impala set and, while there’s bound to be a massive horde of people for Metric, it’s still might be worth it to duck out early from the former to catch Emily Haines in action with five LPs worth of discography to select from.
Metric – “Stadium Love”
4:45 – 5:30pm: SBTRKT @ Google Play
Finish up Metric’s set then head over to the Google Play stage to catch some of London-based SBTRKT’s DJ set that’s sure to include more kinds of house than you can count on one hand. With a variety of remixes under his belt, there’s sure to be several impromptu mashups and improvisations as well.
SBTRKT – “Gloss”
6:00 – 7:15pm: Passion Pit @ Bud Light
Get back in touch with summer 2009 and the infectious synthpop in the key of ’80s dancefloor jigs complete with a shining disco ball. Still tinged Michael Angelakos’ falsetto vocals, the group’s latest release Gossamer is more punched up for poppy stage renditions. If that’s not your cup of tea, head over to the Red Bull Soundstage to catch The Shins deliver what’s sure to be a nostalgic set.
Passion Pit – “Constant Conversations”
7:30 – 8:30pm: M83 @ Sony
Start the night off with a huge dance party M83′s set. Coming straight from a sought-after tour with sold out shows abound, the group is sure to draw a massive crowd. Other than the crowd-pleaser “Midnight City,” hope for some mellower cuts from 2008′s Saturdays = Youth.
M83 – “Midnight City”
8:30 – 10:00pm: The Black Keys @ Red Bull Soundstage (vs. Black Sabbath)
End the night with a duo made for big festival audiences. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney chug out an album nearly every year and none of them is less than great. Hear the rough riffs roar and echo in the park while the drums set off fireworks inside your ears.
The Black Keys – “Tighten Up”
