Countdown to Lollapalooza 2009: My Top 10 Favorite Lolla Performances Part 1

I went to a concert and a party broke out. Thank you, Lollapalooza 2008.

For the past three years, my entire year has revolved around one weekend: Lollapalooza. Drawing huge crowds and even huger bands, Chicago's three day music festival is to put it mildly, my favorite thing in the world. In order to prepare for this most monumental musical event, I have decided to do a series of posts highlighting some of the artists I am planning on seeing this weekend as well as looking back on some of the best performances. To get things started I am taking you through my favorite performances from the past three years. Putting this list together, as I had to narrow the list down from nearly 50 performances.

Top 10 Favorite Lollapalooza Performances (o6-08) Part 1:

10. Rage Against The Machine (2008)

Seeing Rage Against the Machine nearly a decade after they broke up, was as awe inspiring, explosive and violent of an event as I had hoped. My love for the band developed a long time ago in the terrifying world of middle school. They were one of the bands I would wait by the radio for their songs to come on and then plug headphones in and blast it as loud as I could handle. Rage wasn't something my parents necessarily approved off, with all of their bad words and militant communistic philosophies so in order to get my Rage fix, a great deal of discretion was required. I actually had a chance to see their first performance after they got back together at Coachella 2007, but I ran out of money and couldn't afford to stay for the third day of the festival. Luckily, I got my change a year later when the band headlined Lollapalooza. Almost immediately after first notes of the set opening "Testify", the crowd worked themselves into a massive violent frenzy that prompted lead singer Zac de la Rocha to stop midsong to tell everyone to calm down and behave themselves. He was forced to do this a number of times throughout the show. I think the fact that I have never feared for my life more at a concert is a testament to the bands ability to deliver the goods. Clearly, they still got it. Even though the band hadn't released a new song in nearly ten years, every one of their classics sounded as potent and relevant as ever. This performance proved once and for all that the music of Rage Against the Machine is timeless

9. Muse (2007)

Ok, so I've always enjoyed Muse either in spite of or because of the fact that they sound just like Radiohead. I've also always been a sucker for the epic, which is exactly why Muse's performance in the headlining spot of Lollapalooza 2007 takes the #9 spot on this list. When you get this close to a show this big, its hard not have the time of your life. This performance had one of the best moments of any show I've ever seen. The final song of their encore was the biblically proportioned "Knights of Cydonia". No build and release has ever been more explosive than when the guitar riff kicks in 5 minutes into the song after the "No one's gonna take me alive" chorus. One second 60,000 people are singing and pumping their fists, the next second it's the dance/orgy scene in The Matrix Revolutions happening in downtown Chicago. Except with less awkward sex and more moshpits and guitars. Pure chaos. Perfect.

8. Kanye West (2008)

I first saw Kanye at Lollapalooza in 2006 when he was touring his Late Registration album. He had won some Grammys, he was selling a lot of records and he was on top of the world. That show was pretty good. Two years later while touring the massively successful Graduation, he gave Chicago a legendary show. It was a perfect homecoming. The city's most arrogant and commercially successful hero had returned to pay his respects to the city that raised him. From the heartbreaking rendition of "Hey Mama", to the show stopping "Stronger" encore and even a cover of "Don't Stop Believing", Kanye West was truly the best he has ever been that night. It was the perfect climax to a long, sweaty, exhausting but truly satisfying weekend. The fact that I shared the show with my younger brother (his first ever concert experience) just made the show that much more memorable.

Thats all for today, check back tomorrow for Part 2.

4 Days to go.