CHICAGO — Maybe I'm just getting old.
Or maybe Lollapalooza truly is a kids' game these days.
I have a few thoughts about the lineup that was released early this morning (long after 3-day passes sold out, naturally).
As in past years, the headliners span a wide range of genres, with bonafide rock stars Metallica and Paul McCartney up top.
They're joined by veteran fest guests like Florence and the Machine and Alabama Shakes — whose recent Chicago Theatre performance will likely be their last til next fall, thanks to Lolla's exclusive radius clause that bars bands from playing elsewhere in the city for six months before and three months after the July 31-Aug. 2 show.
But scrolling past the mix of summer fest staples like Bassnectar, Of Mice and Men,and A$AP Rocky, and more recent breakout stars like Sam Smith, Alt-J and The Weeknd, I find myself in very unfamiliar territory.
Here are five bands on the lineup that made me giggle, then Google:
Mista Cookie Jar and the Chocolate Chips: A family band fronted by C.J. Pizarro and based in L.A., the kid-focused group often performs in elementary schools and describes their style as "Urban-Island-Folky-Rock & Roll for the Inner Child." Players in the Chocolate Chips band include 11-year-old "Ava Flava" who "spit[s] stylee lyrics with mad flow," alongside her little brother "LUCAS! AKA Joey the Dogg" and a cast of characters including "Peachy Keen" and "Jelly Bean."
Black Tiger Sex Machine: Their super-minimal website didn't give me much to go on, but based on their other summer bookings at Electric Forest and Wakarusa, I have a few guesses about Black Tiger Sex Machine's deal. The Montreal-based band apparently dons Deadmau5-style light-up tiger heads onstage, and pronounce on their Facebook page that "electronic music is our RELIGION."
Catfish and the Bottlemen: A Welsh band whose debut album came out last June (and only dropped in the U.S. in January), Catfish and the Bottlemen have apparently been touring for six years, and on their last trip through Chicago to play Schubas they snapped an awesome photo in front of the Bean, which makes them OK in my book.
Peking Duk: The first video I stumbled across for Peking Duk looks like a somber take on "What Does the Fox Say?" but I'll try not to hold that against them. Evidently they're an Australian electronic music duo comprised of Adam Hyde and Reuben Styleswho first caught people's ears with a Passion Pit bootleg remix called "Take a Walk."
The Lonely Biscuits: Founded "in a dorm room at Belmont University" in Nashville by two roommates, The Lonely Biscuits has released four EPs and is currently working on their debut album after headlining their first tour last year. According to their website, they plan to both graduate from college this year and choose " between a few different labels." Have I mentioned I feel 100 years old?
Check out the full Lollapalooza 2015 lineup here, and let me know how many bands you recognize in the comments.
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