photo: courtesy of Jim Newberry; pictured: Black Tooth Grin
Chicago has quickly become the center of the music universe, at least when it comes to big summer festivals. So it's only fitting that the biggest fest of them all featured plenty of Chicago's musical talent. Here are some of the many homegrown (or at least locally nurtured) artists you saw onstage at Lollapalooza.
Black Tooth Grin (Rock for Kids Youth Jam Program)
11:30 a.m. Friday; Kidz
How'd you get your Chicago start? Miguel, Roberto and Rex [of Black Tooth Grin] are graduates of Rock For Kids’ 2006-07 Intonation Music Workshop program. They are thrilled to be chosen to play at Lollapalooza. The Rock For Kids Youth Jam Program brings year-round music education to underprivileged and homeless children throughout the Chicago area. Through free music lessons, Rock For Kids works to improve the self-esteem and confidence of the students, while introducing them to the joy of music.
What's your favorite thing about Chicago? The music festivals!
Black Tooth Grin-apalooza will be: Performing classic rock hits such as "Hey Joe," "Smoke on the Water" and "Search and Destroy," they hope to rock your world!
Chin Up Chin Up
1 p.m. Friday; Citi
How'd you get your Chicago start? For me, my Chicago start came when I was in 6th grade and me and this guy Dan McGreevy would tell our parents we were sleeping over at each other's houses, but we would really ride our bikes to the Metra station and take the hour long trip to Chicago; then we would take cabs around and hang out at Clark and Belmont and eat donuts.
What's your favorite thing about Chicago? Well it's definitely not the wind. I'm writing this outside right now and I'm seriously in great danger of blowing away. Today my favorite thing about Chicago is that everyone is riding bikes everywhere lately and it makes it way more fun in a kind of fucked up summer camp sort of way.
Chin Up-apalooza will be: A great excuse to ride around lollapalooza on golf carts.
Wee Hairy Beasties
11:30 a.m. Saturday; Kidz
How'd you get your Chicago start? We were invited to sing some songs for the animals at Brookfield Zoo back in 2005, but this was actually a trick, and in the end we performed for human children instead—they seemed to enjoy it so we have continued down this career path, although our broader fan-base is the furry community.
What's your favorite thing about Chicago? The Wee Hairy Beasties love parks, open shorelines and new invasive species! We think the mayor looks a bit like our lead singer Cyril The Karaoke Squirrel.
Wee Hairy Beasties-apalooza will be: An intense burst of hopping, shaking, singing and dancing with many songs about our favorite animal pals and their crazy hair-brained adventures. We like the audience to join in and sometimes we jump into the crowd for spontaneous dance lessons. The ability to make (and recognize) lots of different animal noises is very important...
photo: pictured: The 1900s
We played a few shows outside of Chicago to work on our moves and outfits before playing here. Our first show in town was at
Schubas, and it was Barf City in the toilets beforehand. A lot of people showed up. I never get nervous performing, but my knees knocked that night. And I hada a mullet at the time, which also made some people barf.
What's your favorite thing about Chicago? The South Side, the CTA and the general stubbornness of the people who live here.
1900s-apalooza will be: Like our other shows, but in a giant empty field with Lovie Smith on the cowbell.
Bound Stems
5:30 p.m. Sunday; BMI
How'd you get your Chicago start? Bound Stems played our first show at the Big Horse Lounge (RIP), like any band shoulda. Our friends ate dodgy tacos and patted us on the back when we were through. I don't remember being nervous—I do remember being hungry. And intoxicated. The next band had a singer with a mohawk, writhing around on the absolutely filthy, beer-mudded floor and literally screaming in our faces. I liked Bound Stems better.
What's your favorite thing about Chicago? There's a city inside the bigger city, where people are so busy making cool projects together, and having interesting conversations together, and cluing each other into personal enthusiasms, that there's no time to watch TV. I'm not talking hipsters especially; I'm talking about folks of every age, color and circumstance—though not many of these folks are rich, I've noticed.
Bound Stems-apalooza will be: It's hard to picture the scale of the stage we'll be playing, so I'm not sure what it'll be like. But we intend to have a blast, and run all over the stage, and play the shit out of our instruments, and sing and holler and hit things and clap and laugh and get real into it. If that sounds like an invitation to join in—it is.
photo: pictured: John Yost's Rhythm Revolution
John Yost's Rhythm Revolution
One set daily at both the Kidz and Green stages
How'd you get your Chicago start? By playing French horn in the school band. The horn "accidentally" fell down the stairs, at which point, I became a drummer.
What's your favorite thing about Chicago? The genuine and friendly people. They keep it real here!
Rhythm Revolution- palooza will be: An opportunity for everyone to actively make music instead of just watching. Drums, shakers, cowbells and wood sounding instruments will be provided for those who do not bring something to play. They can also clap, stomp, chant or sing along.
Subscribe in your favorite reader using the links below. To learn more about feeds and RSS, click here.
