Today is a big day. At long last, the lineup for Lollapalooza 2007 has been announced. As expected, it’s a doozy. While my inclination is to dive headfirst into the catalogues of some of the more hyped acts I’ve never listened to, the best course of action is to hold off until the schedule is announced; becoming obsessed with a band only to discover they’re playing opposite one of your favorites can be highly traumatic.
I cannot urge people to come to Lollapalooza enough. Tickets will set you back considerably but three long days of ecstasy is worth plenty of money in my opinion. My studio apartment is starting to look a bit crowded but I vow to take whatever means necessary to find room for any out-of-towners interested in attending. If I somehow can’t house you, I’ll find someone who can.
Without further ado, here’s my take on the lineup:
Acts I’ve Previously Seen Live (with the number of times I’ve seen them and the grade I’m assigning to their live set in parentheses):
My Morning Jacket (Once, Incomplete)
- Really, I just grew frustrated waiting for their set to end from half a mile away while waiting for Sleater-Kinney to come on at Lolla last year. Supposedly they’re a great live band.
Pete Yorn (Once, Incomplete)
- I somewhat distractedly listened to Pete Yorn from three quarters of a mile away at a free concert in Grant Park a few years back.
The Hold Steady (Four times, A)
- If you’ve never seen the Craig Finn and company live, it truly is something to behold.
Elvis Perkins in Dearland (Twice, C+)
- Kevin and I saw Elvis and his band open for 
Bound Stems (Three times, A)
- Chitown's own Bound Stems play a tight set and more importantly, with the possible exception of the aforementioned Hold Steady, they seem to have more fun on stage than any other act I’ve ever seen.
Ten Most Anticipated Acts (In order):
10. Peter Bjorn & John and Yo La Tengo (tie)
9. Bound Stems
8. The Hold Steady
7. Tapes ‘N Tapes
- Twin Cities represent!
6. TV On The Radio
5. Annuals
4. Lupe Fiasco
3. Pearl Jam
- The most prolific band of my generation?
2. Silversun Pickups
1. Modest Mouse
- I’m extremely grateful to have a reprieve after passing up the opportunity to finally see them later this month.
Five Most Underwhelming Acts (In order):
5. Elvis Perkins in Dearland
4. The Rapture
3. Julliette & The Licks
2. Satellite Party
1. Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
Ten Bands I’ve Been Looking For An Excuse To Start Listening To (In no particular order):
