Peter Bjorn and John -- Citi Stage, 6:30 -- 7:30 p.m.

This Swedish pop-rock trio have been together since 1999, but only since the release of their second album Falling Out in 2005 have they been able to garner worldwide attention. They humorously state on their website, “In 2009 PB&J will be celebrating 10 years as a trio and 2 and a half years being successful.” Their sound is a little New Wave, a little Post-Punk with a lot of straightforward pop driven by infectious rhythms. Kanye West has sampled them on mixtapes and collaborated with them on stage, and they’ve recently worked with hip-hop up and comer Drake. Seaside Rock, a mostly instrumental and moody album put out last year was quickly followed by Living Things, released this past March. Living Things returns to their familiar pop sensibilities but has a bit more melancholy feel to it. -- Andy Kahn

Saturday, August 8

Los Campesinos! -- Budweiser Stage, 2:30 -- 3:30 p.m.

Having first come together in 2006 in Cardiff, Wales, Los Campesinos! have spent the following years slowly adding new members, while simultaneously growing in profile and stature with each new release. Now at a healthy six members, each sporting “Campesinos” as a last name, the band is at the top of their game. Starting with 2007’s well received Sticking Fingers Into Sockets EP, Los Campesinos! set the stage for a massive showing in 2008, releasing not one but two critically acclaimed full length albums (February’s Hold On Now Youngster… and October’s We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed) that got them plenty of notice and lots of recognition at the year’s end. Mixing elements of twee pop (sweetly-sung vocals, xylophones, etc.) with hard-driving, noisy indie rock, Los Campesinos! create songs that are catchy and inviting but packed with powerful riffs and pounding drums. It’s a great combination that should translate into an entertaining show at the festival. -- Dan Henshaw

Chairlift -- Citi Stage, 3:30 -- 4:30 p.m.

With their currently wistful, poppy, indie sound, it’s hard to believe that Chairlift originally came together to craft music for haunted houses. Band mates Caroline Polacheck, Patrick Wimberly, and Aaron Pfenning found their work going beyond spooks and ghouls and into the realm of electronic indie pop. Cairlift have been compared with up and coming Psychedelic Indie Rockers like MGMT and Yeasayer, but have taken on a more Feist-like sound putting them into the Indie Pop movement. They were launched into the spotlight when the song “Bruises” off of their first album, Does You Inspire You, appeared in an iPod commercial. Chairlift uses simple electronic drum beats and and 80’s synths to produce catchy melodies that are matched with the classically-trained, girlie vocals of Polacheck but offset by her darker lyrics on addict boyfriends, and infested apartments. -- Britni Day

Gomez -- Vitaminwater Stage, 3:30 -- 4:30 p.m.

Gomez looked to finally be making it big in recent years, but alas the British soulful rockers seem destined forever to be an opening band and constant favorite on the festival circuit. Their set at the vitaminwater stage on Saturday marks their first appearance at Lollapalooza though they were scheduled for the ill fated 2004 Lollapalooza tour. They’ve been known to dabble in the jamband scene with stints on Jam Cruise and a set at the Summer Camp Festival in Chillicothe, Illinois this past Memorial Day Weekend, even though they tend to keep their compositions short and sweet. The band, still comprised of all five original members Ian Ball, Ben Ottewell, Paul Blackburn, Tom Gray and Olly Peacock and founded in 1996, was dropped by Virgin in 2004 but a year later were signed to Dave Matthew’s ATO Records. Ball’s smokey and emotional (without being Emo) vocals are top notch and worthy of making the effort to get to their set. -- Andy Kahn

Blind Pilot -- BMI Stage, 4:15 -- 5:00 p.m.

A lot of Blind Pilot’s music could very easily be used in a Wes Anderson film. It would be about halfway through an extended clip of a character walking away from an extremely sentimental moment that he has nevertheless decided to remain noticeably blasé about. Nylon-stringed guitars strum out quirky and percussive progressions that lay under Israel Nebeker’s soft and soulful voice while Ryan Dobrowski pats away simple and perfectly-placed drum lines. Without a doubt, this band was one of my favorites from last year. Blind Pilot seems to have its head on straight, and even better is that the music is exceptionally catchy and refreshing. They’ll be a great band to check out in between some of the more heavy-hitters, like Jane’s Addiction, Depeche, or Tool. Their discography is easy to work through also, so get started on it before the show. Mandatory listening: 3 Rounds and a Sound. -- Jason Shough

No Age -- Citi Stage, 5:00 -- 6:00 p.m.

In the past couple of years, No Age has lead the charge of lo-fi indie rock acts that have gotten their starts in the confines of Los Angeles’ The Smell. The venue boasts one of the most closely knit families of bands around, with bands putting on benefit shows and volunteering labor to help maintain the building (No Age guitarist Randy Randall allegedly helped dig up trenches in the concrete floor so the venue could add a second bathroom). This strong DIY ethic is present in No Age’s music which consists of fast and catchy indie rock songs infused with noise. No Age turns the fidelity way down, resulting in songs that sound homemade without losing any fun or accessibility. Their 2007 album Weirdo Rippers collected highlights from previously released EPs and ended up being one of the best albums of that year, garnering the band a fair amount of praise and building hype for their first proper LP Nouns, released last year. Nouns took everything that was great about their first album and turned it up to eleven, cramming twelve blistering and infectious noise-rock tracks into half an hour. Their live show is similarly intense, featuring Randall hammering away on guitar while Dean Allen Sprunt handles drums and vocals. It’s a loud and fun live experience, so don’t miss them at this year’s festival. -- Dan Henshaw

Sunday, August 9

Portugal. The Man -- PlayStation Stage, 1:30 -- 2:30 p.m.

Who is this guy, Portugal? We know his mom must have been bombastic enough to name him after a country, the neighbor of Spain, which lamentably turned down the exclusive copyrights to the new world in 1492 by laughing in the face of Christopher Columbus, another man. Or maybe he named himself, having grown up in the wild amongst wolves and leopards. Or maybe it’s an interesting band from Wasilla, Alaska, that formed in 2005 and boasts an eclectic guitar-leaden mix of genuine post-something indie rock. Portugal The Man has been extremely busy ever since they formed, moving to Portland, Oregon, working their way up through the rather homogenous pressure cooker that is aspiring indie-rock gods and churning out four albums in four years. With song titles like “AKA M80 The Wolf” and “Elephant” and “How the Leopard Got it’s Spots”, you’d think it’s safari music (or at least Russian influenced since they could probably see Russia from Wasilla), but it’s neither of these. All we know is that they are a definite must-see this weekend, so check them out and report back with your thoughts and comments. -- Jason Shough

Bat For Lashes -- Vitaminwater Stage, 1:30 -- 2:30 p.m.

Coming all the way from Brighton, England is singer/song writer Natasha Khan, better known as Bat for Lashes. Although not very well known, Bat for Lashes should be a feast for the eyes and ears. If there was a New Age genre within the Indie Rock movement, Khan would be in the thick of it. Bat for Lashes walks the line between Psychodellic Pop and Indie Rock, giving her an almost New Age sound with an Indie twist. Khan lines up with the vocal strength, eccentric musical creativity, and cryptic lyrics of Annie Lennox, Kate Bush and Tori Amos. Yet, she stands right on the edge with artists like The Knife, Cat Power and Azure Ray. Khan tries to bring her songs to life on stage with a talent for many instruments and a background in music and visual arts. Long before she was making music she created multi-media installations. It was during her time as a nursery school teacher that she began writing pieces for her first album. Bat for Lashes lastest album “Two Suns” came out in April 2009 and focuses on Khan’s alter-ego, Pearl, telling stories through her eyes. It’s not hard to hear echoes of lyrical fantasy world of Stevie Nicks and the synthesizer experimentation of David Bowie in this album. -- Britni Day

Cage the Elephant -- Citi Stage, 2:15 -- 3:00 p.m.

The stage antics and non-stop energy of Cage the Elephant’s lead man, Matt Shultz, preceeds him at this year’s Lollapalooza. No stranger to the festival, Cage the Elephant promises to be a frenzied spectacle of a show. They call Bowling Green, Kentucky home, but, suprisingly, first hit it big on the UK charts. Currently, they are found all over the radio for their hit “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked”. Although they pride themselves in bending rock genres and defying the norm, Shultz’s unmistakable vocal style harkens back to bands of the 90’s like Fun Loving Criminals, and G. Love and Special Sauce. Their guitar sounds, provided by Matt’s brother Brad Shultz and Lincoln Parish, switch between effective, chimey and simple to harder, complex and more powerful -- reminiscent of Oasis, but with the raw intensity of Iggy Pop. Bassist Daniel Tichenor and drummer Jared Champion top it off with a little funk and lots of stable drive like Iggy’s Stooges. With all the Brit-rock influence found in their music, Cage the Elephant still keeps their southern twang with a little slide guitar every now and then. -- Britni Day

Gang Gang Dance -- Citi Stage, 3:30 -- 4:40 p.m.

Part of the explosion of Brooklyn bands that occurred a few years back, Gang Gang Dance have spent the past few years perfecting their own, very unique blend of experimental rock. With a sound that’s virtually impossible to mistake for anything else, the band has released four full length albums and various EPs on Brooklyn label The Social Registry. Each successive LP has seen their sound undergo a refinement that culminated with last year’s Saint Dymphna, their breakthrough album and their most pop-informed release to date. Garnering the most praise of any of their efforts so far, the album appeared on several “Best of 2008” lists and has earned the trio the most recognition of their career, and in turn a spot at this year’s festival. They’re sure to play a lot of selections off of Saint Dymphna, which means the set should be catchy, fun, and best of all, danceable. If you’re looking for a truly unique experience at the festival, don’t miss Gang Gang Dance. -- Dan Henshaw

The Raveonettes -- PlayStation Stage, 3:30 -- 4:40 p.m.

Coming from Copenhagen, Denmark are The Raveonettes. Made up of guitarist/vocalist, Sune Rose Wagner and bassist/vocalist Sharin Foo, The Raveonettes have an unmistakable sound and a flare for the dramatic. They mix energetic Surf Rock with 60’s Psychedelic adding their own touches from influences like The Jesus and Mary Chain and Sonic Youth. With fuzzy guitar sounds, squealing feedback and sometimes lots of distortion -- almost My Bloody Valentine-esque -, The Raveonettes are easy to pick out in a crowd. Yet, it’s the vocal harmonies of Wagner and Foo that make their style completely their own. The Ravonettes have been known to put on a good, but very loud show. Critics say their music was built for it and doesn’t sound good any other way. Bring earplugs. -- Britni Day

Dan Deacon -- Vitaminwater Stage, 3:30 -- 4:40 p.m.

If you are looking for the hot-sweaty-pulsating-wild-and-crazy-dance party set at Lollapalooza make it a point to get to the Vitaminwater stage at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday to see Dan Deacon. Electronic is the simple and straightforward description of his music, but there’s nothing simple or straightforward about Deacon. Eclectic doesn’t begin to describe the madness that typically breaks out at his performances which commonly find him not on a stage but on the floor with the audience with his gear set up on a simple folding table. It’s not unusual by the end of the set for the spectacled and bearded experimental artist to have stripped down to his tighty whiteys as his beats and the atmosphere get hotter and hotter. Definitely the type of stuff that will make you shake your ass  and from time to time stop and scratch your head as he mixes in found sounds and odd breaks during the spectacle that is his show. Backing Deacon a Lolla will be a 14 piece drum ensemble the What Cheer Marching Band helping to make the show even more entertaining and interesting. He’ll be at the Logan Square Auditorium with Deerhunter and No Age for an official after show Sunday starting at 10:00 p.m. -- Andy Kahn

Passion Pit -- Citi Stage, 5:00 -- 6:00 p.m.

It’s one of the best indie rock stories of the past few years: Michael Angelakos, then a student at Emerson College, records four songs as a Valentine’s Day gift to his girlfriend at the time. The songs become popular around the school and before you know it, Angelakos is signed to Columbia/Frenchkiss records, which releases the Chunk of Change EP, consisting of his V-Day gift plus two new tracks recorded for the release. The EP drops in September 2008 to acclaim and eight months later Passion Pit (now a full band of five) releases its first full length, Manners, to even more critical praise. Riding on the strength of great tracks like “Moth’s Wings” and “Sleepyhead,” the album has put Passion Pit in the spotlight for 2009, landing them a set at this year’s festival in the process. Certainly divisive, deciding whether or not to catch their festival set should be based on your opinion on high-pitched falsetto signing. Angelakos hits some high notes that have turned plenty off while simultaneously being the reason many love the band. -- Dan Henshaw