LollapaIllustrated

Every few years I get a chance to go on a vacation. I always try to go somewhere I have never been before. This year I chose Chicago, mostly because of Lollapalooza Music Festival. I invited my girlfriend, Nancy, and her brother and my best friend, Ben, to come with me. I am glad they did, we had a lot of fun together.

The last time I went on vacation was to Maui, Hawaii in the summer of '99. I had a relaxing time there, and I wanted the same on this trip. Stress at work has been ever increasing since my last vacation, and mostly what I wanted was a place far away to relax. I certainly found that in Chicago.

We decided to drive, because, despite the gas prices, it's cheaper than flying. Also, I really needed to see some country side. I assure you, we saw plenty of that. We drove by nearly six hours of soybean fields. Missouri and most of Illinois can be boring, unless you really like the sight of soybean field after field after field. We, however, don't.

Chicago is a very interesting town, as most of the northern metropolitan areas are to us down here in the dirty south. They have many things that we don't have. One of the most interesting things is parking underground. We got lost the first day looking for the parking garage, because we didn't see one, it was under the streets, buildings, and parks. Chicago prides itself as being pedestrian friendly, which was a very nice change from trying to play "Frogger" across Johnston St. Another interesting thing they do in the north is to ask you what kind of "pop" you want. We got asked that at Connie's Pizza, we had to explain to our waitress how to go about asking southerners what they want to drink. Procedure is as follows:
"Welcome to our resturant, my name is so and so, what kind of coke can I get you to drink?"
"What kind of cokes do you have?"
"We have Pepsi, Coke, Sprite, Rootbeer, Lemonaid, Icetea..."
"I'll take a Sprite"
We also told her that you can substitute the word "soda" for coke if you happen to be in a more-than-casual environment, or if you are in the company of old folk. We only hear the word "pop" in the movies. The word "pop", to me, sounds like they are trying to give me drugs.

Anyway, the rest of the trip is highlighted below in an illustrated/narrarated sort of way. Enjoy, comment, be happy, and wish you were there.


List of Bands(In order of appearance)
☆Deadboy & the Elephantmen☆Aqualung☆eels☆Jeremy Enigk☆Umphrey's McGee☆The Racounteurs☆Violent Femmes☆Ween☆Built to Spill☆Sonic Youth☆The Dresden Dolls☆The Flaming Lips☆Thievery Corporation☆School of Rock☆Sparta☆The Second City(comedy)☆Manchester Orchestra☆Moses Mayfield☆Matisyahu☆Queens of the Stone Age☆Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Illustrated story (Click on pictures to enlarge)
Chicago is a beautiful town with a recognizable skyline, not to mention the United State's tallest building, the Sears Tower.


So, we made it to Grant Park where Lollapalooza was held, and we were very happy to be there.

Well, at least, I was happy to be there.
There were a lot of other people there, too.

With all those people there we were bound to run into some interesting, "hippy-type" shirts.


The weather was very beautiful, although, it could sometimes get hot.

There are a few things you could do to beat the heat.

1) Take your shirt off.

2) Put a shirt over your head.

3) Go hang out with Squirtboy!

or 4) Go to a shady spot. The shady areas there actually are cooler than sitting in the sun up there. Down here, the shade only keeps you from getting sunburnt.

The shaded areas are nice places to take a nap.


One thing you have to do while you are on vacation is to take pictures while standing in front of things.
So, we stood in front of this very large water fountain in the center of Grant Park.

And we stood in front of this Dairy Queen in a town outside of St. Louis.

Standing in front of things on vacation is romantic

Gas Prices are not romantic.

After our 3 day weekend in the park listening to some of the better bands out right now sitting in the breezy sun and the breezy shade that Chicago is known for, we had to leave for Louisiana. We left for Louisiana at least twenty times cooler, just look!

Somebody slept a lot on the way back.

On the way back we stopped in St. Louis to see the Archway to the West.


After I got home and devoloped these pictures, I decided I thought these looked cool.


Haven't read other Lollapalooza posts?
Day 0 Day 1 Day 2 Update Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 LollapaIllustrated

This one is so true that I had to share it with you.
Click on image to enlarge-- it's entirely worth it.



From Quantz dot com.

Day 5- Like a rolling stone... rolling home.

9am, Tuesday, August 8th, 2006- I am in my bed. I am going to attempt to write this blog, then I will fall asleep, for many hours... I hope.

Let me just start off by saying, Lafayette needs to get on the ball. As we are driving around Lafayette looking for a place to fill the gas tank in the rental car, as well as, get it vacuumed and washed, we turn on the radio hoping for the best. 96.5 plays one decent song(I believe it was The Offspring), then it plays a bunch of crap in a row. We start flipping stations: crap...crap...crap... Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason" catches our attention as the most enjoyable song on the radio. After we gave her at least five good reasons not to listen to the song anymore, we flipped back to 96.5. They were advertising the "BIG, BIG" shows coming up. They were: Stained, Nickleback, Hoobastank, and some other band, who probably sounds exactly like the other three bands. Come on now! This is very disappointing especially since the last band I saw play was the Red Hot Chili Peppers, after seeing about 25 other bands that are very talented. If you ask me, the radio stations around here are ball-less and greedy. The promoters, especially at the Cajun Dome, are ignorant in what seems to be music in general, and, also, what people over here are really interested in. The only reasons the people that do go to those shows go to them are because they are force fed crappy music by ignorant people, and because there is nothing else to go see. God forbid they go to a local show, that's scarry stuff, right? Or is it really highly entertaining? Yes, and especially if people are there and are interested. Go get involved people!

Ok, so the ride home, now. We slept in until about 10am to be able to check out by 11. Then we drove down to Denny's and had a very good breakfast. I stuffed myself with the Ultimate Omelete, and cake for desert. Then we got on the Highway. We decided to take the scenic route back home this time. We followed Highway 45 all the way down until it intersected with I-55. We took I-55 all the way to I-10. On the way we stopped in St. Louis to see the Archway. We marveled at it for a few minutes, then we went down to the museum. We read all about the Lewis and Clark Expedition and about the Wright Brothers and their airplane. After about an hour and a half we decided to leave, but first we had to stop to get some gas. We stopped at the first gas station we saw. It was in the midst of quite a few abandoned buildings. I went to go pay inside, and as I was inside, a woman and three or four men walked in. They tried selling us an open carton of cigarrettes. It doesn't do me any good; I don't smoke. They made me a little nervous, but I made it out alive, so it's all good. After that we were getting back on the interstate; on the on ramp some kids had recked their car into the wall. The car had caught on fire and there was trash and clothes strewn all accross the on ramp, don't know why the clothes, though. We asked if they had help coming, they said yes. Good... I left. I did not really want to hang around in case it was going to explode. We left St. Louis, and had planned on eating in Memphis, but then we saw it... a Dairy Queen sign! We don't have one here, of course. So we stopped in, ate, and, naturally, ordered our favorite flavor Blizzard. We flipped them upside-down to see if they passed the test, and they did, so we ate them. The rest of the trip was dark, tedious, and tiresome. I am completely exhausted, so I will sleep now.

I did take some pictures. After I get them developed, I will outline the trip's highlites with them. Peace! I'm out, for quite a few hours, I hope.
Haven't read other Lollapalooza posts?
Day 0 Day 1 Day 2 Update Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 LollapaIllustrated

Day 4- Ending Festivities

Yesterday, we spent most of the day walking back and forth to make sure we could see all of the bands we wanted to see. Today, the schedule worked out in our feet's favour. Our schedule was as follows:

¤ School of Rock. The real school of rock, and can those kids rock. They have excellent technique and they learned all of the famous poses and tricks that made rock... well, rock.

¤ Then we moved on to the main stage to see Sparta. They are very lively and make great music, naturally, being parts of The Mars Volta.

¤ Next, we were of to The Second City. They are an improv comedy group. Funny, witty, and everything that goes along with it. The Second City is well known for giving head starts for SNL and Who's Line Is It Anyway?

¤ That was enough walking already for us to want to take a nap, so we did. We went by the BMI stage, laid a blanket down, and took a nap, while listening to the end of Manchester Orchestra. Nancy and I walked to get something to eat, then we came back and napped some more while we listened to Chicago's local, Moses Mayfield.

¤ Our walking around was over for us, at this point. We set up camp at the main stage, so we wouldn't have to move for another five hours. The weather was as perfect as it could possibly get. It was warm with a cool breeze. We watched Matisyahu, the Jewish Rapper. Then listened to She Wants Revenge, followed by Queens of the Stone Age. While Broken Social Scene was playing we went to grab a bite to eat, and came back and secured our spot for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

¤ The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Such an amazing show they put on! The field was completely packed with people, imagine three baseball fields packed solid with, I would guess, 30,000 people or more.

That was the end of the festival. Tomorrow, we leave for home. I will post again after I arrive. It will be my second to last post in my Lollapalooza series. See you all soon!
Haven't read other Lollapalooza posts?
Day 0 Day 1 Day 2 Update Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 LollapaIllustrated

Day 3- Expectations Fullfilled

I came to Lollapalooza with some expectations, not many, but some. Mostly, they were to see Built To Spill, Sonic Youth, Flaming Lips, and the Theivery Corporation. I also expected to see someone from Lafayette(I always seem to run into a familiar face everywhere I go.) So far I have viewed most of the bands from a distance, because in order to get a spot up close you have to "camp out" and claim your territory early, often an hour early. I saw Built To Spill and Sonic Youth up close, which were the two most important band for me this trip. In the middle of Built To Spill I hear someone calling my name, it is none other than Adam Hill. He was with Andre and his brother. What a surprise! I ran into them when we were leaving. They were going to Giovanni's for pizza, we already had plans to go to Connie's Pizza. Which was very good and interesting all in itself. Our waitress was fairly new, and we were her only table. She spent most of the night at our table, telling us her life story. She was almost too much, but we did have good conversation.

I am very tired now, so I must catch some shut-eye. More tomorrow...
Haven't read other Lollapalooza posts?
Day 0 Day 1 Day 2 Update Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 LollapaIllustrated

Update- Day 3

8:43am-- The front desk calls. My package, which contains my licence, has arrived! I am no longer illegal in the city of Chicago. Thanks Mrs. Cathy.
Haven't read other Lollapalooza posts?
Day 0 Day 1 Day 2 Update Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 LollapaIllustrated

Day 2- The Music Begins

7am-- The alarm goes off, the sun had been up for a while, but we all missed it's entrance, and Ben gets up to takes a shower. After his shower, Ben informs us that is hair is now too long to put in a mohawk. By 9am, we have had our coffee and breakfast, and we are on Hwy. 45 heading south. The drive to Grant Park is very easy; straight down Hwy. 45, east on I-290, left on Columbus Drive. We parked in an underground parking "tower." It was about 10:30am when we arrived at the Lollapalooza front gate, we are near the front of the line. The sun was harshly beating down on us. Fourty-five minutes of the intense heat dehydrated Nancy. I saw that she was pale and her lips were white, so we got out of line and I carried/drug her to a shady spot. The shady spots, by the way, are actually have a very noticable difference in temperature. So, we sit down, she drinks nearly a liter of water while I fan her down. Thirty minutes pass and color begins to come back into her face. So, we enter the park, and the music begins...

This is the list of bands I saw today:
☆Deadboy and The Elephantmen☆Aqualung☆eels☆Jeremy Enigk☆Umphrey's McGee☆The Raconteurs☆Violent Femmes☆and Ween

Highlights from the day:

I talked to Dax Riggs, he was happy to see someone from Lafayette. Well, about as happy as Dax can probably get.

The guy in the security shirt that stood on stage and randomly played an instrument of his choosing(sometime the guitar player's guitar), and said weird, random, positive one-liners(he was a very negative looking person, he never smiled) would, also, jump into the audience and do whatever the band members told him to do.

We took a nap under a canopy of trees while listening to Jeremy Enigk. It feels like the A/C is on when you are in the shade and there is a breeze. It's probably near mid to upper seventies in the shade. Very nice.

I was completely impressed with Umphrey's McGee. I will probably be returning home with one of their cds.

The Violent Femmes. Enough said. I love them now, because like the pixies, they are old and look very conservative, but rock out harder than everybody else. Everybody loved them.

Ween. They are amazing. It was nighttime by then, which made their light show so awesome. Nancy and I sat on top of a hill, laid out a blanket and watched from there. Then, at the end of the night, fireworks went off. The city skyline was lit and beautiful. The day in it's self was worth the money spent.

It was a very good day. Beautiful weather, beautiful skyline, excellent music, and a big fireworks display at the end of the night. What could be better? Also, I called the car rental place, where I thought I had left my licence, they did have it! So, thanks to Mrs. Cathy, I am having it overnighted to my hotel. We are all in good health now and we can't wait until tomorrow, stay tuned.
Haven't read other Lollapalooza posts?
Day 0 Day 1 Day 2 Update Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 LollapaIllustrated

Day 1- Hit The Pavement

Finally, we made it out of Lafayette by 2am. I drove the speed limit across I-10, onto I-12, and up to I-55. We arrived at my sister's house, in Jackson, MS. at 5:30am(thirty minutes ahead of schedule.) She and her roomate were already up, and they were anxious and willing to make us breakfast. I had only an apple cinnamon doughnut and a cup of vanilla macadamian nut coffee. I did not have the energy to eat a large breakfast, instead, I needed a power nap. While I was getting some shut eye, Ben and Nancy were eating eggs. Both of them ended up having pains in their stomachs; there is no direct evidince linking the pains and the eggs together. Nancy still does not feel well. The rest of the 15 hour drive was very relaxing for me. Northern Mississippi was probably the most scenic part of the trip, and Missouri was definately the least scenic. We were happy to finally get into Illinois, eventhough, most of that state is nothing but crops. It is, however, more aestecically pleasing than Missouri. So, I drove and drove, and Ben and Nancy slept and slept. We made it into Chicago, at last! I missed only one exit, causing us a five minute delay. Not bad for the first time in "da Bears" home town. After spending $2.40 on the tollway to get to where our hotel is, we finally found it. I go to check in, and the lady behind the counter asks me for ID to confirm my reservation. Of course, I reach for my wallet, and I open it up to where I normally keep it... but it's not there. I look everywere and I can't find it! I give her personal information, such as, phone number, address, SSN instead. We unload our bags into our room, then we head to Subway to get a bite to eat. We come back, park under the hotel, where it's all wet and it stinks. We eat our sandwhiches, take showers, and prepare for tomorrow.
Haven't read other Lollapalooza posts?
Day 0 Day 1 Day 2 Update Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 LollapaIllustrated

Day 0 - Good Omens

Good omen #1:
My bags were packed and sitting on my couch, I was ready to leave only after I took my trash out and checked the mail. --Nothing says, "Welcome home." like a trash can full of rotting food and waste. After I had deposited my trash into the dumpster, I walked to the mailbox, expecting at least a bill or two. What I got instead was a check for $100 for a show I worked a couple of weeks ago.

Good omen #2:
Nancy and I went to the airport this afternoon to pick up the rental car. Who else greets us at the door but Austin Keller and his roomate Brian(last name unbeknown to me at this point.) This was the conversation in brief:
"Heeeeyyyy!!! Austin!!"
"Timmy!!!"
"What are you doing here?"
"Just got back from Cancun. Where are you headed?"
"Chicago."
"Cool, why there?"
"Lollapalooza"
"Cool, who's playing?"
"...basically a mixture of bands from Bonaroo and Voodoo Fest."
"Cool."

Well you get the idea. So, we finally go to rent the car. We step up to the desk and the lady says, "We don't have any compact cars right now, would you like a free upgrade to an SUV?"
Well, of course I do. I thought it might have been run down, but it wasn't at all. It is really nice, and even has a button on the keychain to unlock my door, and a cd player!

It is nearly 1 am now, so we must load the Ford Escape, and ...escape on out of here. We are head to my sister's house in Jackson, Mississippi first, for breakfast and coffee. More updates later.
Haven't read other Lollapalooza posts?
Day 0 Day 1 Day 2 Update Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 LollapaIllustrated