RFC: So, what are you doing to gear up for the big Lollapalooza performance?
Brian Karscig: Well, we have been rehearsing and doing some one off shows to get ready, and been tailoring a set that is a collection of old and new songs. We went back to just doing a 4-piece rock gig, and are leaving the string section at home this time. We are really excited! 2005 Lollapalooza was one of our all time favorite shows.
RFC: So, what are you doing to gear up for the big Lollapalooza performance?
Parker Gispert: I have started performing a series of deep knee bends every day to prepare us for the big show. I should be good and stretched out come Sunday.
RFC: So, what are you doing to gear up for the big Lollapalooza performance?
G. Love: Eating lots of green veggies and raw eggs, running 10 miles a day and practicing my guitar.
RFC: So, what are you doing to gear up for the big Lollapalooza performance?
Lennon Bone: We've been doing a ton of touring lately. Being out so much doesn't give a lot of time for working out new material, so during the days before Lolla we'll have a series of rehearsals to work out some new stuff. We plan on playing a couple of those during our Lolla performance. Other than that, we'll actually have a few days off to just relax and kind of pick out what all we want to see while we're there. For us, Lolla is going to be almost as much about taking in a bunch of our favorite bands as it is having a great show.
RFC: So, what are you doing to gear up for the big Lollapalooza performance?
John Stanier: Nothing!! We have now been on tour for 1 1/2 years and we are firing full pistons......a well oiled "battle" machine that needs no preparation whatsoever.
RFC: So, what are you doing to gear up for the big Lollapalooza performance?
Margot & NSS: Practicing waking up before the sun goes down. So far we have gotten to 2 pm!
Continue reading "Lolla Preview: Margot & The Nuclear So and So's" »
RFC: So, what are you doing to gear up for the big Lollapalooza performance?
Rob Cantor: We're making a list of who else we want to see. This festival is so packed with talented artists that I'm excited just to be there. In terms of our own performance, we're concocting a few new ideas to make this a special performance...
RFC: So, what are you doing to gear up for the big Lollapalooza performance?
Josh Lambert: We’re practicing every day, making a bunch of new stuff, and working out heavily.
RFC: So, what are you doing to gear up for the big Lollapalooza performance?
Zach Rogue: We're playing pretty early. Let's not get too carried away...we have rehearsed though, just in case.
Today kicks off a series of Lollapalooza previews on RFC where we talk to various artists on the bill about how they're preparing for the big gig. Starting off the series in style is DJ mash-up madman Gregg Gillis, aka Girl Talk:
RFC: So, what are you doing to gear up for the big Lollapalooza performance?
Gregg: I'm listening to Jane's Addiction while staring at myself in the mirror everyday.
Some people spend years perfecting guitar. Others spend years perfecting air. Air guitar that is. Air guitar has become a world-wide phenomenon lately, even spawning last year's documentary Air Guitar Nation. Fans at sold out venues go crazy for the guys and gals who have one minute to live out their rock star fantasies. Each competitor choses a song and has 60 seconds to prove their "airness." A second song is chosen by someone else and they must perform to the best of their ability. Each regional winner convenes at the national championship and the winner from that jets off to Finland to compete for the world championship.
This Wednesday, UK grime superstar Dizzee Rascal returns to Chicago for a co-headlining gig with NY underground legend El-P. It's been a while since we've seen Dizzee in these parts as there was a rather extensive three year gap in between the release of his sophomore album, Showtime, in 2004 and his latest, Maths & English, that came out last year. The gap seemed even longer here for American fans as Maths only received a "soft" release in the States then (via download only) and it wasn't until just a couple weeks ago that a physical domestic version was made available on store shelves via Definitive Jux. RFC caught up with Dizzee on the phone last week while he was taking care of business at Def Jux HQ in New York to discuss the new record and find out what he's been up to these past few years.
Everyone's favorite Liverpudlian art punks, Clinic, are back on the scene with a brand new album and a full North American tour that will have them criss crossing the continent almost non-stop starting tomorrow through the end of the month. Similar to the band Elbow who we profiled last week, Clinic first broke through in the States around the turn of the millenium with a critically acclaimed debut album that hinted at massive commercial successful for years to come...however, years later they continue to be relegated to the realm of cult favorites and critical darlings. They've still got a strong fan base here in Chicago though, as they were able to add a second headlining show next Monday night at The Empty Bottle (check the status of your tix if you ordered early, you'll probably be defaulted to the early show). RFC recently caught up with Clinic lead singer Ade Blackburn via email to check out what the band has been up to lately and how they feel about continuing to have a "cult band" status.
