The mother of all Midwest festivals is about to roll into Chicago this weekend boasting yet another diverse (albeit not overly innovative) marathon line-up. The previously roaming and now stationary Lollapalooza descends upon Grant Park starting Friday as Depeche Mode leads the pack with its retro meets futuristic dance pop pulsations. Kings of Leon also earns the title of co-headliners, and though the garage rockers always put on an excellent live show, the band’s still best in an intimate club. Others on the opening night’s card include Thievery Corporation, Ben Folds and The Decemberists. (more…)

Summer festival season is about to hit full swing and all eyes will certainly center on Chicago come Lollapalooza 2009 (hitting Grant Park August 7-9). Though the line-up has yet to be annouced, last year’s trifecta of headliners included Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine and Kanye West, which means there won’t likely be a shortage of major players throughout the upcoming installment. While fans wait with baited breath to find out who will fill in those very slots, a contest has popped up on these very pages worth getting even more excited about. (more…)