Lou Reed – Lollapalooza 2009

Lou Reed at Lollapalooza 2009 - apblake

We were nearly to Buckingham Fountain, the half-way marker at Chicago’s Grant Park, when the last “beyotch” reverberating all the way from Snoop Dogg’s set on the south-most stage finally dropped to an inaudible whimper and the iconic chorus of Lou Reed’s “Sweet Jane” started drifting our way from the north. By the time we got to the stage, and around ten rows from the front, we managed to still catch a good forty minutes of Lou Reed sucking. Sucking hard. If anyone has license to do 20 minutes of noise, it has to be Reed, but by God, you would think he could pull it off, no? Sadly, not the case. “I’m Waiting for My Man” and “Walk on the Wild Side” couldn’t even help him.

Jane’s Addiction – August 9, 2009 – Lollapalooza

Perry Farrell on the closing night of Lollapalooza 2009 - apblake.com - click for full gallery

It is going to be a few days before I have everything up (I think it actually took me months after summer’s festival), but let’s start things off right with a few shots of Jane’s Addiction on the final night of this month’s Lollapalooza in Chicago, Illinois. The fifth Jane’s show of the summer for me and by far the best.

Setlist:

Up The Beach
Mountain Song
Ain’t No Right
Three Days
Whores
Been Caught Stealing
Then She Did…
Ocean Size
Ted, Just Admit It…
Summertime Rolls
Stop!
Jane Says

Gene Ween – 8/15/09 – Buffalo

Gene Ween in Buffalo - photo by Andrew Blake - click for full gallery

Click the image above or right here to a few shots from Gene Ween at Mohawk Place the other night.

Setlist:

tried and true
chocolate town
she’s your baby
now i’m freaking out
golden eel
loopity loop (a capella)
she wanted to leave
i don’t want to leave you on the farm
don’t get to close 2 my fantasy
don’t laugh (i love you)
the grobe
buckingham green
the mollusk
stay forever
birthday boy
light me up
–on piano—
lullaby
even if you don’t
happy colored marbles
————

INTERMISSION

marble tulip
stallion pt.3
help me scrape the mucus off my brain
i don’t want it
little birdy
transdermal celebration
baby bitch
you were the fool
hiv

—encore—
buenos tardes amigo

Shellac – August 10, 2009 – Chicago

Steve Albini of Shellac at Millenium Park, Chicago. Photo by Andrew Blake

After three days of braving the neverending mile-long jaunt between the main stages at Lollapalooza, we got to relax (if that’s possible) to a free outdoor show by Chicago legends Shellac on Monday night. After hour an hour of navigating through downtown for parking that wouldn’t break the bank (even with the cost of admission being zero, there is something sinister about $20 parking, no?) we managed to make our way to the ampitheatre at Millenium Park while the opener was still on and even landed some cushy stage-side seats.

Albini and company put on one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t know where to begin, but here is a nice review of the show by Greg Kot of the Tribune.

Lauren Ministero shared my camera for a handfull of shots so she receives co-credit for these.