Lollapalooza 2010. Day One. Recap. Go.

9:00 p.m.: The Strokes

While most made their way to the south end of the park to get a googily-eyed glimpse of Lady Ga Ga, I opted to grab a close spot for Garage-punk revivalists The Strokes. This was the band’s first show on American soil in “Fooooorrrrreeeeeveeeeerrrr,” lead singer Julian Casablancas said in jest (They played a warm up show in London). But it really has been a long time. Plus, although the band never officially broke up, there were times when it was under the assumption that the Strokes were no more. Yet a new album is on the way, or so we hear, and the band is headlining Lollapalooza after being pretty much in hibernation.

Yes, it’s clearly a nostalgia trip until they release new material, but this isn’t anywhere in the same league as the big rock gods such as last year’s headliners Jane’s Addiction or his year’s cool-but-pointless Soundgarden reunion. Early in their career, The Strokes were lumped in with The White Stripes and The Hives as a new wave of post-punk, lo-fi, garage rock that’s more kitch than serious. However, when the Is This It dropped, it was obvious the band were no one-hit wonders. Even their second full-length Room On Fire, while followed in the same mold of their debut, ratcheted up their popularity. In 2004 and 2005, The Strokes looked to become the next biggest band in the world if their third album, First Impressions of Earth, hadn’t been poorly received critically and commercially.

Flashforward to 2010 and, if last night’s show was any indication, The Strokes are back. Sure, Julian Casablancas released a solo album for which he even toured. But it was truly remarkable how well the old hat fits. The band looked neither disgruntled, disinterested or nervous. They played with a ferociousness and tightness that seemed as though they’d never missed a beat or took several years off. Casablancas was seen smiling throughout the set pumping himself up to the sights and sounds of the old band. Guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr. even produced big grins during his soulful axe rips.

They played with a machine-like focus and purpose that sounded so on point that they literally could have been faking it to a CD. Spoiler: They weren’t. Instead songs like “Hard To Explain” with its hyperdrive beat and slinky guitar line sounded more like classic rock staples than early-2000′s New York garage. “Last Nite” was an instant sensation while a subdued version of the Room On Fire track, “Under Control”, seemed to throw things back to Mavis Staples’ R&B-filled set from earlier in the day. Of the few tracks they did play from First Impressions of Earth, all of them sounded terrific. How terrific? Enough for me to revisit that album sooner rather than later.

6:35 p.m.: The Black Keys

Here’s a fun fact: The Black Keys, or at least one member of the group, have played Lollapalooza every year since 2007. So to call them Lolla veterans, well, that might be an understatement at this point. One thing I can certainly say is that playing a large scale festival so many times has surely shored up their live presence for the good. The bluesy rock of the midwest duo, featuring vocalist and guitarist Dan Auerbach alongside drummer Patrick Carney, can sure entertain. Auerbach threw his entire body into their performance and not only writhes around like a madman but, at the end of the set, was covered from head to toe in sweat.

However, things didn’t begin so well. Early on, when the band concentrated on their older material, the Budweiser stage volume was way far too low. Creeper “Strange Tiimes” lost most of its eerie vivaciousness. Things improved ten-fold when two additional musicians were brought on for songs from their latest release Brothers. Specifically, the cool organ groove of “Tighten Up” picked up the pace until the gritty assault of their old standby “10 A.M. Automatic” powered the set to an epic close.

5:50 p.m.: The Dirty Projectors

For those not in the dancing mood, to the north end of the park was the Dirty Projectors. They might share the same hometown as Matt & Kim, Brooklyn, but these two bands couldn’t be farther apart sonically. The Dirty Projectors’ deconstructed and broken down pop tunes either wash away in a dream like euphoria or erupt into abrasive art-rock movements. Sometimes it works on every level, while other times it misses a step or two. Still, even when the band ended nearly 10-minutes early by accident, they came back out for one more song to the delight of the few who didn’t abandon their set midway through.

5:15 p.m.: Matt & Kim

For fans of Adam and his Package who would prefer to dance instead of think, there’s the Brooklyn drum-n-keys duo of Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino, or alternatively, Matt & Kim. Although their sound is nothing to write home about with fast, pounding drums and cardboard cut-out synth lines, they keep the mood light in a way only classic Nickelodeon cartoons could. In between songs, Matt tells dirty jokes, and Kim is nothing but ear-to-ear smiles. It’s this sort of adolescent, never-grow-old attitude that appeals to both tweens and hipsters who like to dance. Then throw in a few simplified old school hip hop covers, and you’ve got yourself a winner.

4:27 p.m.: DEVO

If I told you five years ago that at Lollapalooza 2010, one of the early highlights would be 1980′s whacky, synth-rockers DEVO, would you have believed me? What about one year ago? Either way, this actually came to fruition yesterday as DEVO mesmerized a crowd that were unusually responsive. After starting with a couple tunes from their new album Something for Everybody, the band launched into their classic back catalog. “Whip It” worked the audience up into a frenzy (Many in the crowd dawned the band’s signature plastic lego-looking hat). Later, a particularly odd sight was when a mosh pit erupted during DEVO’s performances of “Jocko Homo” and “Mongoloid”. Though, like Mavis Staples, DEVO and their devoutionized art-rock seemed out of place, the crowd embraced their goofy weirdness and asked, “Are we not men?” then answering “We are DEVO!”

3:30 p.m.: Big Pink

English electro-indie rock duo Big Pink were quite the frustrating act. Their slow songs were far too sleepy and droning for the midday crowd especially at times when it sounded as if the vocals were off key. Then just as I, and a few others from the sight of the crowd, were going to write them off and stake out a spot for DEVO, they’d pull you back in with a energetic, electronic stomper of a tune such as the backbeat-heavy “Dominos”. Unfortunately, their set continued to ebb and flow with the slower songs disengaging, and in the end their set lacked consistency and structure.

2:20 p.m.: Mavis Staples

Is it irony that a festival designed on the basis of being “alternative” and to showcase the latest and greatest rock, and these days pop, a 71 year-old local gospel and soul legend had undoubtedly the performance of the day? Staples, part of the famous Staples Singers, shined as she delivered an extremely powerful performance with near sermon-like intensity and crowd interaction. What made her set so grand was that you could tell everything she was putting in her songs and every word she spoke came directly from the bottom of her heart. She was genuinely excited to be there, and so was the small crowd who watched her entire set.

Not even Jeff Tweedy, who came out to help on two songs including the titled track to her upcoming Tweedy-produced album You Are Not Alone, could steal Staples’ spotlight. One of the most seemingly magical moments of the day came when Staples and her band busted into the Staples Singers’ 1972 hit single “I’ll Take You There” and men and women of all ages and generation gaps danced without inhibitions. It should be tough for any artist over the entire weekend top or even match Staples’ revival.

1:35 p.m.: The Walkmen

The second Pitchfork 2009 flip-flop act in Lollapalooza 2010′s opening two hours, The Walkmen brought the same type of passionate delivery that made their late afternoon slot at last year’s Pitchfork Fest such a success. The Walkmen are a band your mother might even enjoy with their clean cut looks, Dylan-esque vocals and focus on melody and harmony. Their jangly, country-thick guitar tone reverberated throughout Grant Park and off the enormous Lady Ga Ga stage a bit farther south. One thing about the Walkmen at major festivals is that they do it big, and they once again brought out a horn section for a few tunes. Lead singer Hamilton Leithauser told the crowd they were generally excited to be there, and it seemed to be the case as the crowd were enthralled in their revved-up, folk hymnals. However, a slightly later time slot would do wonders to benefit their occasionally dark edge.

1:16 p.m.: Los Amigos Invisibles

An odd choice to follow up the noisy Wavves across the field, Los Amigos Invisibles were the first to bring the real grooves to Lollapalooza day one. The Venezuelan band might be that country’s answer to LCD Soundsystem. They brought the hot latin beats that would shift in and out of funk and rock elements. Not sure if the crowd knew who the band was on stage, but the danceability of Los Amigos’ music is something that festival crowds can’t resist.

12:45 p.m.: Wavves

If there was any resemblance between Best Coast’s performance two weeks back at Pitchfork Music Festival and Wavves’ set at Lollapalooza, it’s not surprising. Wavves frontman Nathan Williams and Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino are an item, and it makes sense. Both bands have a similar lo-fi, basement recorded mentality, both their band names have to do with the beach and both share a open fondness for marijuana. But they’re aren’t just carbon copies with different sexes. Wavves music has a bit more of a bite. Williams’ “whatever”-filled, snarling vocals fit his frantic noisy guitar pop to a tee. Wavves’ songs are pure dirty fun that could soundtrack a early morning, drug-induced beach party.

However, things did get a bit awkward at the end of the set, when drummer Billy Hayes and bassist Stephen Pope, formerly of Jay Reatard’s band, began pestering Willams about what song to play next. It seemed like some sarcastic humor, but Williams, who seemed to get more distracted as the 45-minute set went on, erupted back that they “have the same fucking setlist” as him and to stop asking. It remains to be seen if there is indeed real tension between the bandmates or if maybe they toked a bit too much before taking the stage.

12:00 p.m.: It’s back and bigger than ever.

The first thing you’ll notice upon entering Lollapalooza this year is the increase in size. Whereas the previous point of entry use to be right in front of Buckingham Fountain, as pictured above, this year’s main entrance was pushed up to Michigan with some merch and food booths lining the way up to the “old” entrance.