Festival Preview: Five Can’t Miss Bands at Lollapalooza

 Lollapalooza 2012 starts on Friday at Chicago’s Grant Park. We’re sending our friend Jimmy Coulas of Scents and Subtle Sounds to cover the three-day fest for us and he’s prepared a list of five can’t miss bands set to perform at this weekend’s event.

1. Black Sabbath

When: Friday 8:05 – 10PM
Where: Bud Light Stage

Heavy metal legends Black Sabbath will help close out the first night of Lollapalooza with their third and final gig of 2012. It’s been a tumultuous year for the reunited band as guitarist Tony Iommi battled Lymphoma and drummer Bill Ward declined to participate in the reunion. However, the band is marching on and according to Ozzy Osbourne, they are working on new material. While we might hear some of that new material, Ozzy and company will likely deliver a career spanning set that will undoubtedly draw a crowd of all ages.

2. The War on Drugs

When: Friday 2:15 – 3PM
Where: Google Play Stage

If you frequent Hidden Track, then you are probably very familiar with this Philadelphia based band. The Adam Granduciel led group mixes elements of ambient music along with early U2, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen coupled with some Philadelphia grit to create their hybrid sound. The band released their debut album, Wagonwheel, in 2008, which was followed up in 2011 with the critically acclaimed Slave Ambient.

3. Sigur Rós

When: Sunday 4:00 – 5PM
Where: Red Bull Soundstage

There are some bands that just need to been seen live and Iceland’s Sigur Rós is one of them. The band is back after a three year hiatus with Valtari, their first studio album in nearly four years. Dramatic, majestic and etheral are all words that can be used to describe their sound. The band sings a majority of their songs in Vonlenska, which is a non-literal language. You might not be able to understand what they are singing, but it fits the music like a glove. At times they can be eerily quiet, but they are also capable of unleashing thunderous waves of sound.

4. Gary Clark Jr.

When: Sunday 3:15 – 4:15 PM
Where: PlayStation Stage

For being only 28, Gary Clark Jr. has played with some of the biggest names in rock history. The world was introduced to him in 2010 when he performed with Eric Clapton at that year’s Crossroads Guitar Festival. Since then, he has played for the President, performed at Bonnaroo twice and most recently sat in with Dave Matthews Band. While the comparisons to Jimi Hendrix are unfair, there is no denying the inspiration. His love for the blues comes through in his music, but the guitarist has forged a signature sound thanks to his soulful voice and electrifying guitar skills.

5. Alabama Shakes

When: Saturday 4:15 – 5:15 PM
Where: Bud Light Stage

I can’t think of the last band to garner as much buzz as Alabama Shakes has gotten over the last year. The band’s debut album, Boys and Girls, was one of the most anticipated releases of the year and was received well by the critics. Heck, they even played Conan before their album was released. Brittany Howard’s commanding voice drives the music, which combines elements of blues, soul, R&B and indie rock. Having played major festivals around the world, these kids from Alabama will be ready to get Chicago shakin’.

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