[caption id="attachment_10537" align="alignnone" width="445" caption="Photo by Craig Shimala - craigshimala.com"][/caption] LoudLoopPress.com was one of the blogs chosen for Lollapalooza's Best Local Music Blog contest to write previews for the fest's 2010 acts, which will also appear on Lollapalooza.com. In our first of three band previews, Associate Editor Andrew Kahn introduces us to The Morning Benders.
Spend a day or two out on the West Coast and you’ll pick up on the laid-back, worry-about-it-tomorrow attitude that persists throughout many of the various locales. Give Big Echo, the sophomore album from Berkeley, California’s The Morning Benders a spin or two and just as quickly you’ll pick up that airy West Coast vibe. Despite the relaxed atmosphere there’s nothing lazy about the group bringing their melodic and breezy brand of pop to Lollapalooza’s The Grove stage at noon on Saturday, Aug. 6. The quartet, led by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Christopher Chu, worked with Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor on Big Echo to capture a lush but warm sound that the group has transferred to their live show. In the studio or on stage there’s a cool confidence in what they do. “The grass is always greener – when we are in the studio, I get antsy, and all I want to do is go on tour,” said Chu, “When we are on tour for months at a time, all I want to do is get back in the studio and make something new. Can't have one without the other.” At a recent performance at The Vic Theatre opening for Broken Bells in Chicago, Chu personalized the set by chatting with the audience between songs. He’ll try and do the same in front of the larger, outdoor festival crowd at Lollapalooza. [caption id="attachment_10539" align="alignnone" width="445" caption="Photo by Craig Shimala - craigshimala.com"][/caption] “I always find a way to feel connected to the audience when I am performing,” said Chu. “And even if we can't talk to people from the stage, we'll go into the crowd after and talk to everyone. We do that at every show.” Chu’s ability to connect with the audience is aided by his charming and vulnerable lyrics that are laced with romantic imagery. There’s sincerity in his tone that’s bolstered by the focused rhythms of drummer Julian Harmon and bassist Timothy Or and the blissfully harmonic guitar of Joseph Ferrell. The Morning Benders have toured extensively in 2010, already having played in Chicago twice. But Chu and company are excited to be coming back for Lollapalooza. “Chicago is one of our favorite cities to play,” said Chu. “Festivals are a lot of fun for us though because we get to see a lot of our friends in bands. Due to our crazy schedules there are few times when all our band homies are in the same place at the same time. Who is Chu looking forward to catching at Lollaplooza this year? “I would love to see The Strokes, and Arcade Fire. I very rarely go to see big bands like these at shows, and a huge music festival seems like the ideal venue to see them in. Could be epic.” The Morning Benders - "Excuses" from Yours Truly session httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jgmgE-QDzA By Andrew Kahn  \  comments

Going to Lollapalooza this summer? There's an app for that. Chicago's largest music festival, which takes place this August 6 - 8 in Grant Park, has released a free iPhone application today that's set up as your one stop shop for all things Lolla. Some of the application's features include a customizable schedule, much like the one you can set up on Lollapalooza.com, in addition to the complete schedule with artist info, streaming Lollapalooza radio constantly playing songs from a variety of Lollapalooza artists and a feed to the official Lollapalooza news and twitter feed. That's not to mention those who downloaded the app this morning also were the first to see the Lollapalooza map, which shows the new expanded festival grounds. But fear not, we've got a look at the map for you right here (click to enlarge): As you can see, the big changes are that Perry's Stage and the Grove Stage have moved across Columbus making things a bit more spacious, unless you know, they allow 20,000 more people inside. But that's another story for another day. Additionally, the app can act as your single social media updater as it will allow you to post photos to Facebok or change your status in Facebook, Twitter or both! Here's some screen shots of the app, which you can download in the Apple App Store right now by simply searching for "Lollapalooza": Customizable Schedule Lollapalooza Radio Real time Lollapalooza News/Tweets Wanna buy tickets? You can - right from your iPhone Forgot your lighter? Don't worry - Lolla's app has you covered. By Richard Giraldi  \  comments

Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival finalized its lineup and schedule for the event slated for Aug. 13-15 at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Mass. Though the fest will take place outside of Boston, the band is making sure the weekend is filled with some Chicago love. Among those included on the bill are Mavis Staples, whose upcoming album You Are Not Alone was produced by Jeff Tweedy, Wilco side projects The Autumn Defense, Pronto and The Nels Cline Singers, Deep Blue Organ Trio, On Fillmore and several audio/visual DJ sets by Numero Group. Throughout the weekend there will be a comedy stage hosted by Todd Barry and on Sunday, Aug. 15 there will also be a special Jeff Tweedy solo performance, billed as “Solo Plus” which hopefully indicates he’ll be joined by some of the festival’s other artists. Here’s the full schedule for the weekend:

Friday, August 13 8 p.m. - Midnight

The Books Pronto Deep Blue Organ Trio plus SOLID SOUND LAUNCH PARTY featuring the audio/visual collective The Numero Group w/Special Guests

Saturday, August 14 1 p.m. - Midnight

WILCO Mavis Staples The Baseball Project Bread & Puppet Mountain Man Vetiver On Fillmore Sir Richard Bishop Brenda plus The Numero Group (DJs) Story Pirates (Kid Friendly) Comedy Cabaret Featuring Hannibal Buress, John Mulaney, Kristen Schaal and Todd Barry

Plus

Weekend Pass to MASS MoCA featuring the Sol Lewitt Retrospective, Material World Exhibit, the kid-friendly Kidspace and the Solid Sound Specific Nels Cline's Solid Sound Stompbox Station • Glenn Kotche's Interactive Drumhead Exhibit • Pat Sansone's Polaroid Exhibit • Cassandra C. Jones' - Video Installation • WILCO Curated Film Series • WILCO Poster Retrospective • Poster Printing Workshop • On-site Luthier

Sunday, August 15 Noon - 8 p.m.

Jeff Tweedy Solo + Avi Buffalo The Nels Cline Singers The Autumn Defense Outrageous Cherry Deep Blue Organ Trio plus The Numero Group (DJs)

By Andrew Kahn  \  comments

Brace yourself, Chicago. OBBITYFEST 2010 is coming your way on Saturday, July 3. OBBITYFEST is the brainchild of psychedelic DIY rockers The Earth Program. The band recruited eight up-and-coming Chicago groups, including Rabble Rabble and Animal City, for its all day music festival. The festivities kick off at 3 p.m. at the ToyShop on 4818 N. Magnolia Ave., between Lawrence and Argyle in Uptown. In addition to the music, free vegan food and snacks will be provided in a drug- and alcohol-free environment. OBBITYFEST is an all ages event; the cover is a $5 suggested donation. With nine bands on the bill, that is a little over 50 cents per act. You can’t beat that value. Find the complete OBBITYFEST 2010 after the jump.

OBBITYFEST 2010 Lineup and Schedule 9:25 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Rabble Rabble 8:30 p.m. - 9:10 p.m. The Earth Program 7:45 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. Animal City 7:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Donoma 6:15 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. The Clams 5:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Rodeo 4:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. House Sounds 4:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Kiddy Korral 4:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. Funeral Home

By Audrey Leon  \  3 comments

Over the past few years, Lollapalooza has amped up their post-festival shows in some of the city's most popular clubs, and this year is no different. Chicago's largest festival unleashed their aftershow lineup this morning, which for some is even more important than the festival lineup. Here's the rundown of who you can catch around town this August 5 - 8. First up, on Thursday, August 5, you can catch the New Pornographers and the Dodos will rock the Metro, Devo and the Dirty Projectors will work their magic at the Congress Threatre, Slightly Stoopid and Collie Buddz hit up the House Of Blues, Cymbals Eat Guitars and Young Galaxy take over Schubas and, finally, Big Pink with The Smith Westerns and Night Gallery will be at Lincoln Hall. Now for Friday, August 6. The big aftershow on Friday night is the Dare2Dream benefit concert at the House Of Blues featuring those polarizing psych-dance rockers MGMT. All the proceeds from this show will go to People's Music School in an effort to bring funding and awareness to music education. As for the rest of your Friday night, you can check out Cut Copy with Dragonette at the Metro, The Walkmen and Warpaint at the Double Door, Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros and Freelance Whales at Lincoln Hall, Wild Beasts at the Empty Bottle or Rogue Wave with Gamble House at Schubas. Saturday, August 7, is huge for aftershows as The National and The Antlers descend upon the House Of Blues, The Black Keys and the Morning Benders hit up the Metro, Minus The Bear and Miniature Tigers will be at the Double Door, Blitzen Trapper and Avi Buffalo rock Lincoln Hall, The Soft Pack and Royal Bangs will rumble Schubas, Wavves and Harlem conquer the Empty Bottle, Gogol Bordello can be found at the Subterranean and Hot Chip will be at the Congress Theatre with friends Rusko, Steve Porter, Ancient Astronauts and Perry Farrell. Lollapalooza Sunday, August 8, features French pop heavy hitters Phoenix with Toro Y Moi at the House of Blues and, finally, HEALTH and locals Chandeliers will rock Reggie's Rock Club. Tickets to all of these shows go on sale Friday, June 25, at 10 a.m. Be there! By Richard Giraldi  \  comments

Joining the ranks of Bonnaroo and Sasquatch, Pitchfork Music Festival looks for laughs this year with the addition of a one-day Comedy Stage that will take place on the secluded B, and/or Balance stage, on the festival's opening Friday, July 16. According to Pitchfork.com, the Comedy Stage will be hosted by Les Savy Fav frontman Tim Harrington (Unfortunately, it appears the rest of the band will be absent. Sadface) and feature stand up funny man Eugene Mirman, everyone's favorite ex-Stella-Michael Michael Showalter, the Daily Show's Wyatt Cenac and SNL writer Hannibal Buress. Finally, as of today, single passes to Saturday, July 17, have sold out. Last week we announced that three-day passes and Sunday tickets were gone as well. So, if you want to hit up any of Pitchfork Music Festival 2010 without perusing Craigslist or EBay, then you better heard over to Ticketweb.com right now and grab some Friday tix. Check out the new updated Pitchfork Fest lineup, Comedy Stage additions included, below: a = Aluminum Stage, b = Balance Stage, c = Connector Stage Friday July 16 (gates at 3 p.m.): 3:30 Sharon Van Etten (a) 4:00 The Tallest Man on Earth (c) 4:35 El-P (a) 5:30 Liars (c) 5:45 Hannibal Buress (b) 6:25 Robyn (a) 6:30 Wyatt Cenac (b) 7:15 Michael Showalter (b) 7:20 Broken Social Scene (c) 8:00 Eugene Mirman (b) 8:30 Modest Mouse (a) Saturday July 17 (gates at 12 p.m.): 1:00 Free Energy (a) 1:00 Netherfriends (b) 1:45 Real Estate (c) 1:55 Sonny & the Sunsets (b) 2:30 Delorean (a) 2:50 Kurt Vile (b) 3:20 Titus Andronicus (c) 3:45 Dâm-Funk (b) 4:15 Raekwon (a) 4:45 Smith Westerns (b) 5:15 Blues Explosion (c) 5:45 WHY? (b) 6:15 Wolf Parade (a) 6:45 Bear in Heaven (b) 7:25 Panda Bear (c) 7:40 Freddie Gibbs (b) 8:30 LCD Soundsystem (a) Sunday July 18 (gates at 12 p.m.): 1:00 Allá (a) 1:00 Cave (b) 1:45 Cass McCombs (c) 1:55 Best Coast (b) 2:30 Girls (a) 2:50 Washed Out (b) 3:20 Beach House (c) 3:45 Local Natives (b) 4:15 Lightning Bolt (a) 4:45 Surfer Blood (b) 5:15 St. Vincent (c) 5:45 Here We Go Magic (b) 6:15 Major Lazer (a) 6:45 Neon Indian (b) 7:25 Big Boi (c) 7:40 Sleigh Bells (b) 8:30 Pavement (a) By Richard Giraldi  \  2 comments

Pitchfork has finally revealed the set times for their Pitchfork Music Festival set times for this July 17 - 19 in Chicago's Union Park. The best part about Pitchfork Fest's planning is that, due to only three stages, they plan the set times very accordingly so that there's almost no run-over on the main Aluminum and Connector stages. Want to catch Modest Mouse AND Broken Social Scene on Friday night? No problem. Simply turn to your right. Finally, three-day passes for Pitchfork Music Festival 2010 have sold out as well as tickets for Sunday. No worries, you still have time to grab tickets to days one and two, or even catch Pavement back in Chicago on September 13 in Millennium Park (Tickets for that go on sale tomorrow morning!). Get the full Pitchfork Fest 2010 schedule, via Pitchfork.com, after the jump. a = Aluminum Stage, b = Balance Stage, c = Connector Stage Friday July 16 (gates at 3 p.m.): 3:30 Sharon Van Etten (a) 4:00 The Tallest Man on Earth (c) 4:35 El-P (a) 5:30 Liars (c) 5:45 Hannibal Buress (b) 6:25 Robyn (a) 6:30 Wyatt Cenac (b) 7:15 Michael Showalter (b) 7:20 Broken Social Scene (c) 8:00 Eugene Mirman (b) 8:30 Modest Mouse (a) Saturday July 17 (gates at 12 p.m.): 1:00 Free Energy (a) 1:00 Netherfriends (b) 1:45 Real Estate (c) 1:55 Sonny & the Sunsets (b) 2:30 Delorean (a) 2:50 Kurt Vile (b) 3:20 Titus Andronicus (c) 3:45 Dâm-Funk (b) 4:15 Raekwon (a) 4:45 Smith Westerns (b) 5:15 Blues Explosion (c) 5:45 WHY? (b) 6:15 Wolf Parade (a) 6:45 Bear in Heaven (b) 7:25 Panda Bear (c) 7:40 Freddie Gibbs (b) 8:30 LCD Soundsystem (a) Sunday July 18 (gates at 12 p.m.): 1:00 Allá (a) 1:00 Cave (b) 1:45 Cass McCombs (c) 1:55 Best Coast (b) 2:30 Girls (a) 2:50 Washed Out (b) 3:20 Beach House (c) 3:45 Local Natives (b) 4:15 Lightning Bolt (a) 4:45 Surfer Blood (b) 5:15 St. Vincent (c) 5:45 Here We Go Magic (b) 6:15 Major Lazer (a) 6:45 Neon Indian (b) 7:25 Big Boi (c) 7:40 Sleigh Bells (b) 8:30 Pavement (a) By Richard Giraldi  \  2 comments