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Lollapalooza 2008 | Grant Park, Chicago | Day 1, 8/1/08

Ah, Lollapalooza. The name conjures up a different time in music, when super bands reigned and moustaches weren’t ironic. Overall, the experience was overwhelmingly positive. There were a few snafus that anyone could expect when servicing a crowd of 100,000 or more. There were enough bathrooms, lines weren’t too long, the park was beautiful, the crowd was generally friendly, food and beverages were reasonably priced and the lineup was incredible and evenly paced. Huzzah, Perry Farrell and Co.! Read after the jump for the quick n’ dirty rundown of Day 1.

Photos: Black Lips, King Khan & The Shrines, Deerhunter | McCarren Pool, Brooklyn, NY | 08/03/08

Black Lips - All photos by Bill Shouldis

The Black Lips are a circus on stage by themselves, but add King Khan & The Shrines and Deerhunter to the mix and you’re going to going to have pure mayhem. Sunday’s show at McCarren Pool was just that. It was hard to find a focal point most of the time. TP was flying while an old dude were skating on stage. Pillows were being ripped apart while flowers were placed in butt cheeks and spit was being swapped. When can you say you saw all that at a show? Some dumbasses have been asking where rock ‘n’ roll has gone? Well, maybe if you listened to all these bands more, you’d realize it hasn’t gone anywhere. Viva The Black Lips!

Check out more photos after the jump.

Photos: Siren Fest 2008 | Coney Island, NY | 7/19/08

Photos by Bill Shouldis

Although the lineup wasn’t the strongest and the heat was particularly brutal, hordes of people still made the trek out to Coney Island for the annual Siren Fest on Saturday. Broken Social Scene, Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, Beach House, Islands, Ra Ra Riot and Jaguar Love were amongst the headliners this year.

One of the highlights included Ra Ra Riot’s inspired midday set. The only way I can think to describe them is Moz meets The Arcade Fire, done by a bunch of model-esque indie rockers. They have a new album out on Barsuk in August so be on the lookout for it.

Having Stephen Malkmus and Broken Social Scene on at the same time? Bummer. So I had to split my time between the two but they were both exceptional.

Another observation: There were some serious assholes in the press area this year. I really wonder how some of these people got in to the area. I’m not trying to sound like a pretentious prick but I don’t like getting pushed by drunk, Buckcherry-esque doucheholes.

Assholes aside, I had fun and my ginger ass didn’t get sunburn so cheers all around from me.

So, will this be the last Siren Fest? Personally, I doubt it.

Check out more pictures after the jump.

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Tags: Beach House, Broken Social Scene, Islands, Jaguar Love, Ra Ra Riot, Siren Fest, photos, show review by late night wallflower
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Dear Tonight, The New Dress, Scream Hello, Attica Attica | Lost & Found, Brooklyn, NY | 6/14/2008

The last Dear Tonight show has come and gone, and a phenomenal hardcore band is no more. Dear Tonight, formed in 2001, broke up this past Saturday after an incredible show at Brooklyn’s Lost & Found bar, surrounded by friends, fans, and great bands. Sets by Attica Attica, In First Person, LNWF favorites The New Dress, and Scream Hello led up to shit totally blowing up when DT took the floor in their usual cacophony of hardcore deliciousness. I’m sad that DT decided to break up but it was a privilege to have known this band, been around when they were, and to have been there that night.

Click below for a few more pictures.

Blacklisted, Ceremony | First Unitarian Church, Philly | 6/5/08

It is a rare occasion when you go to a show and enjoy each and every band on the bill. It is even more rare when almost everyone in attendance stays inside for every band, especially during one of the hottest weeks Philadelphia has seen so far this summer. Last week, however, I had the pleasure of witnessing one of those rare experiences at the First Unitarian Church. Simply put, Blacklisted, Ceremony, Life Long Tragedy, and Sabertooth Zombie all straight up killed it that day.