Lollapalooza gets it wrong again

Maybe this is too obvious to point out but Lollapalooza’s headliners mostly suck. Can this festival that once championed new music become any more of a clueless, corporate money-making machine?

Lady Gaga? Really? Green Day? Soundgarden?

The Chicago Tribune’s Greg Kot reports Arcade Fire and Strokes also may headline. It’s hard to say what the reunited Strokes will sound like. The Arcade Fire is the exception and is always amazing live.

Granted, Pitchfork snagged Pavement, and it’s not as though Lolla has been pure with indie spirit in recent years. But the Billboard chart-topping Lady Gaga is antithetical to what I thought Lollapalooza is or used to be about.

Just for the sake of comparison, look at the Sasquatch! headliners for that Memorial Day weekend festival: Pavement, Massive Attack and My Morning Jacket. The full line-up is unbelievable.

To be somewhat fair, we don’t have the full Lolla lineup yet.

And on the bright side: According to Kot, there are a few other non-headlining Lolla bands that we like here at ATYP. That list includes Yeasayer,  Dirty Projectors, xx, Hot Chip and Cut Copy. All of this is unofficial so far.

Ambling Alp – Yeasayer

Ascending Melody – Dirty Projectors

Crystalised – The xx

I Feel Better – Hot Chip