By Gene Wagendorf III
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| Lollapalooza 2013 | Photo Credit: Jenny Reece |
I know the trend right now calls for me to take a too-cool-for-school attitude about Lolla; to knock its excess hype, branding and mainstream-leaning lineup. As a fan of underground music I'm supposed to have an aneurysm eye-rolling at the likes of Mumford & Sons, The Killers and The Lumineers. Street-cred be damned, that's just not the case. Lollapalooza is Chicago's biggest and brightest party set in one of its most incredible spaces and the 2013 incarnation delivered. Here are the Friday highlights.
Deap Vally
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| Deap Vally |
I knew next to nothing about this band going in to their early afternoon show, but
Deap Vally set the tone for the entire weekend. It was charred riffs, walloping bluesy vocals and gut-punch drumming from start to finish. The songs channeled bits of early Nirvana, executed with Jack White swagger. Deap Vally made a hell of a lot of racket for a two piece but the mayhem was smartly dosed out. The duo's tight crunching and voracious percussion consistently approached all-out mayhem but always fell seamlessly back into the groove. The chemistry between singer/guitarist Lindsey Troy and drummer Julie Edwards was unstoppable on tracks like "Bad For My Body," which leaned equally on big vocals and big sound. While Deap Vally handled an outdoor show and a crowd mixed with fans and casual listeners, they're tailor-made for a raucous club show. Consider this your warning.
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