Bill’s Music Festival Memories, Part 1: Lollapalooza 2007 (Video)

So, mark August 2007 as the time when I realized I couldn’t do it anymore.  No matter how good the music, I couldn’t be out in the elements in early August for 10 hours a day for three consecutive days.  That is my lasting memory of Lollapalooza 2007.

Lollapalooza has been occurring in Chicago’s Grant Park every summer since 2005.  It’s 3 days of diverse music taken in by well over 100,000 people.  Looking back on the 2007 festival, I can’t believe how many great performances I missed.  There were just too many great artists spread across too many stages.  I did take in Pearl Jam, The Black Keys, Kings of Leon and My Morning Jacket, to name a few.  But looking at the lineup now, I realize I missed out on (or at least don’t remember) Muse, Modest Mouse, TV on the Radio and Silversun Pickups.

Grant Park is huge, so you have the choice to pick one stage for the day or walk great distances to see bands on different stages.  Weather-wise, I remember Friday being a great day.  Saturday was cooler with a little rain.  Sunday brought the heat, humidity and muddy ground.  I was spent… 3 days of porta-potties, lots of walking, being exposed to the elements and riding the train into and out of town from our hotel in the suburbs.

Pearl Jam closed out the festival on Sunday night with about 50 people dancing on stage during a celebratory “Rockin’ in the Free World” (Watch Dennis Rodman hoist Eddie Vedder onto his shoulders in the video below).

The NewBo Music Festival has a lot of advantages over Lollapalooza.  It’s affordable!  Tickets are only $20… get them now at krna.com.  It’s right here in Cedar Rapids!  It’s 6 great bands packed into one awesome day in early August.  Hope to see you there.