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Kid Cudi
9:25 p.m. Perry's stage
I wanted to love Kid Cudi, but the forces were against him. A.) I was unprepared for the amount of people squeezing into the fenced-in area surrounding Perry’s Stage. B.) He just wasn’t that good. Maybe it was my unfortunate position that I had to fence jump to get to, or maybe it was the fact that Cudi decided to talk at length between each song. I loved the Lady GaGa bit, but when my favorite "Day ‘N’ Night" came on, there was a horrible screeching feedback. Fail.
-- Rex Chekal
Kings of Leon
8:15 p.m. Budweiser stage
“Chicago’s one of my favorite cities in the whole world,” claimed Caleb Followill, “So tonight I’m gonna get drunk, all right?” Chances are that’s not a once-in-a-lifetime event for the Kings of Leon singer, and the Tennessee band’s performance didn’t necessarily feel like a major event either, in the way last year’s night one headliner Radiohead’s did. That said, the Kings are a good, solid rock band, nicely balancing the Southern groove of “Molly’s Chambers” and the sexy pulse of “My Party.” “Sex on Fire” inspired an embarrassing, drunken mating call of a sing-along, but “Closer,” an eerie encapsulation of Followill’s spiritual howl, went skyward along its haunted rumble.
-- Matt Pais
Depeche Mode
8 p.m. Chicago 2016 stage
80's electronic demi-gods Depeche Mode seemed to adhere to a policy of dull. Despite high hopes for this performance, their set, for the most part, was a complete snooze-fest. Singer Dave Gahan gave it a go with some twirling, whooping and even a little crotch-grab. The crowd waved their arms during "Policy of Truth". But Gahan's vocals and harmonies with guitarist/vocalist Martin Gore were spotty at best, and the rest of the band just stood there. Guys, maybe it's time to reach out and touch those retirement funds.
-- Erin Osmon
Andrew Bird
7 p.m. PlayStation Stage
With his constant rearranging, tweaking and rethinking of his song arrangements, not to mention the instrument swapping, sampling and looping, Andrew Bird rarely seems comfortable, so it was nice to see him and his backing trio sound at ease -- but certainly not lethargic -- during the group's 75-minute set. "Anonanimal," with its paranoid swirl of violin plucking, turned its frenetic energy into a thing of beauty, while "Fake Palindromes" has settled nicely into its role of driving concert-closer.
--Matt McGuire
Of Montreal
7 p.m. Vitamin Water stage
“Kevin you’re a f***ng genius,” screamed one of the many fanboys and girls (but mostly boys) during the colorful theatrics of this Anthens, Georgia-based act. Frontman Kevin Barnes (and his flamboyant alter ego Georgie Fruit) lead the soggy-yet-willing crowd through a funked out, psychedelic disco trip, complete with stage priests and demons, glitter, flying feathers and inflatable rafts. The music was pretty good too. Aside from a weak Barnes duet session with singer Jannelle Monae, including a David Bowie cover that could have been cool but fell flat, the band was spot on, ending the set in dancefloor favories “Heimdalsgate Like a Promethian Curse” and “She’s a Rejecter”. (Oh, and despite his penchant for nudity, Barnes kept his musketeer-meets-kimono get-up on.)
-- Erin Osmon
Peter Bjorn and John
6:30 p.m. Citi stage
Peter Bjorn and John, cursed by the Citi Stage and the overwhelming sound from next door, didn't really hit their stride until mid-set. But then they nailed it. Frontman Peter Moren's energy level jumped way up, conducting the crowd and running in place during "It Don't Move Me." And his antics didn't stop. He carried that energy through to the end, including crowd favorite "Young Folks," the whistling anthem the Swedish trio is best known for.
-- Sara Stewart
Thievery Corporation
6 p.m. Chicago 2016 stage
The 6 p.m. crowd came to the south stage ready to dance, and Thievery Corporation didn't waste any time giving them what they wanted. Surrounded by their usual cadre of instrumentalists and genre-hopping vocalists, the DJ duo moved nimbly from old hits like "Lebanese Blonde," "The Numbers Game" and "The Heart's a Lonely Hunter" to recent releases such as the reggae-infused "Radio Retaliation" and "Vampires," proving along the way that they're still relevant--musically and politically--after more than a decade.
-- M. Kathleen Pratt
The Decemberists
6 p.m. Budweiser Stage
The Decemberists’ set might be one of the best of this year’s Lolla. (It may be only Friday evening but I’m saying it now.) Their epic rock opera, 2009’s “Hazards of Love,” must be heard live to see the elaborate instrumentation of this powerful fantasy love narrative. Even the ginormous backdrop of Grant Park’s Budweiser Stage is too small to contain this versatile band—who tackle everything from hard-driving rock to folksy ballads equally well.
-- Dorothy Hernandez
Fleet Foxes
5 p.m. PlayStation Stage
Fleet Foxes are one of the few bands that work on any stage, from dim clubs to Friday's venue -- a sprawling festival. The Foxes' hour-long set was familiar to anyone who has seen them before, drawing largely from their "Sun Giant" EP and self-titled debut LP. As always, they sounded pristine -- broad, majestic and beautiful, the kind of soundtrack you'd want at the top of the Rockies, but which sounds equally perfect in a soggy Grant Park. Their four-part harmonies and rustic jangle filled the space flawlessly. And a note to non-meat eaters: singer Robin Pecknold plugged the Chicago Diner, in Boys Town, as "the best vegan place in the world." So there.
--Josh Noel
Crystal Castles
5 p.m. Vitamin Water stage
“They're not underage; they showed me their cards!” yelled Crystal Castles singer-screamer-patently spastic dancer Alice Glass after pouring a bottle of booze into the front row. It was nearing the end of the Toronto-based electronics duo's set, and Glass was slurring, no doubt thanks to between-song slurps from the same bottle she “gifted” to the crowd. But that didn't stop her from pushing forward an energized, if sometimes disjointed, set of charged songs led by Ethan Kath's stellar dance beats. No doubt this show was a party in the first row.
--Lisa Balde
Asher Roth
5 p.m. Citi Stage
Asher Roth and I have a lot in common. We both like, Wii, mac & cheese and drinking. Roth's audience and I, however, do not. In between the shotouts for boobies and the parade of white suburban teens underage drinking, I lost my taste for the white rapper. From now on, I'll keep him segregated to my ear buds where no one will ever know I am listening to him, and no one can ever associate me with his audience.
-- Rex Chekal
Ben Folds
4 p.m. Budweiser Stage
Ben Folds, whose barrelhouse pop piano can give Elton John a run for his money at times, is much better than the smug songwriter he's so frequently content to play. His hour long set was heavy on misogyny ("B**ch Went Nuts," Dr. Dre's "B**ches Ain't S**t") and void of most of his best work ("Brick," "Jesusland").
--Matt McGuire
Bon Iver
3 p.m. PlayStation stage
A rainy afternoon might be the perfect way to take in Bon Iver's melancholy tunes. Unfortunately, the crowd didn't stop talking long enough to enjoy it. But that couldn't douse Justin Vernon's spirits. The bearded folkie sang his vulnerable lyrics earnestly, eyes shut, thanking the crowd over and over. Vernon's music definitely has the power to enrapture a festival crowd. It's just too bad most of them missed it.
-- Sara Stewart
Heartless Bastards
3 p.m. Vitamin Water stage
The sc
hedule said Heartless Bastards were playing the Vitamin Water stage at 3 p.m. Friday, but make no mistake: This was the Erika Wennerstrom show. Whether the spunky frontwoman was rocking out on an edgy rendition of "Valley of Debris" or exploring her lower register on the raw, yearning title track to the Ohio band's latest, "The Mountain," she never let up. Between the big, soaring hooks and the gritty blues lines running under them, we hardly had time to notice the downpour around us.
-- M. Kathleen Pratt
Amazing Baby
2:15 p.m. Citi Stage
You've come a long way, Amazing Baby. Together for only a year and a half, the Brooklyn quintet has built buzz as big as their sound. Their brand of glam rock with pounding drums, swirling fuzzy guitars and Will Roan's charismatic vocals--that even make choruses of "ohs," "ahs," and "la's" sound compelling--got the crowd going, fist pumping, hand clapping and, oh yes, pogo-ing. Awesome, albeit soggy, set to get into the Lolla groove.
-- Dorothy Hernandez
Gaslight Anthem
2 p.m. Chicago 2016 Stage
Even if you’ve never heard Gaslight Anthem, you’ve heard them. In frontman Brian Fallon’s songs, lovers leave the front light on, have stars in their eyes and have passion that burns like a fire. It’s a decent song they sing, even if a little familiar at times. Thankfully, the New Jersey quartet borrows more than ideas from their influences (Social Distortion, Springsteen); they’ve got their energy too. Propelled by a thumping backbeat and ferocious power chords, the band slashed its way through a rainy afternoon that showed no signs of letting up.
--Matt McGuire
Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears
1 p.m. Vitamin Water Stage
Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears know two speeds: full speed and slightly less than full speed. Their frenetic dirty blues funk (or is it frenetic dirty funky blues?) got mid-afternoon fists raised and heads bobbing. Blazing through an hour-long set largely culled from their latest record, "Tell 'Em What Your Name Is," Lewis' raw vocals nearly summoned James Brown at his sweatiest. More aggressive than Lolla funk acts of years prior -- like Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings -- Lewis introduced one roaring mid-set song, "This is called 'Big Black Snake.' Y'all know what that's about." An appreciative crowd laughed so, yes, they did. But they cheered even louder when the band played another bruiser: "Bitch, I Love You."
-- Josh Noel
The Knux
1 p.m. Citi Stage
Friday's drizzle only kept the Citi Stage crowd down for a couple of songs before Rah Almillio and Krispy Kream achieved full hands-in-the-air participation on their breakout "Cappuccino." By the time the duo hit the soulful chorus of "The Train," clapping was not optional. But the rest of the set ebbed and flowed as the brothers alternated between energetic crowd pleasers like "Bang! Bang!" and awkward attempts to engage the crowd during song breaks--an odd approach when the key to revving everyone up should've been clear: more music, less grandstanding.
-- M. Kathleen Pratt
Hey Champ
12:30 p.m. Chicago 2016 Stage
It was raining. The slot was early. Synthesizers are, at times, underwhelming in a festival setting. But hey, champs, you pulled off your first Lolla like a group of old pros. Chicago singer/guitarist/future indie heartthrob Saam Hagshenas busted out killer front man moves, energizing the already amped crowd, which more than doubled by mid-set. Fans erupted to favorites such as "Cold Dust Girl", and then kept the muddy dance party going through the end of the crisp, explosive set.
-- Erin Osmon
Manchester Orchestra
12:15 p.m. Budweiser Stage
“Shake It Out” was the perfect, furious opener for these Atlanta rockers to tell the crowd that their disappointment from Hockey’s set wouldn’t last. Both polished and ragged, confident and angry, the band, led by Andy Hull’s spectacular croon-scream, flexed its muscle in front of a surprisingly gigantic audience for so early in the day. An exceptional set from loud, bleeding hearts, with all the vulnerability and rage that comes with it.
-- Matt Pais
Hockey
11:30 a.m. PlayStation Stage
After 3.5 songs and two complete power shutdowns, Hockey threw in the towel. The crippling sound issues weren’t their fault, but the promising Portland disco-rockers didn’t handle it well, with singer Benjamin Grubin somewhere between a tantrum and tears. The band thanked fans by tossing out cans of free beer, which seems like a good way to have a lawsuit on your hands before your debut drops (in October). Before then, the band should, as their song says, “Learn to Lose.”
-- Matt Pais
April Smith and the Great Picture Show
11:15 a.m. BMI Stage
Not one but two pork pie hats among the weekend's very first band. And appropriately enough: Smith and her four-piece serve up a fun, tight, vampy brand of yesteryear swing that had the modest early day crowd clapping along. Mixing in accordion, upright bass, and a vintage leather Samsonite suitcase (no joke -- as a drum) with Smith's knockout pipes, the Brooklynites made for an energetic start to the weekend.
-- Josh Noel
