Chicago – Every summer, when Lolla rolls into town, it’s a given that on top of the fabulous festival lineup, there will be a bunch of fabulous after-shows to keep the party going – or in the case of this Wednesday, to get the party started. To kick off Lollapalooza’s 25th year, numerous venues held a pre-show hosting Lolla performers, including The House of Blues, along the Chicago River, in the heart of downtown. The HOB was host to The Last Shadow Puppets, the supergroup fronted by Alex Turner and Miles Kane. Excited fans packed in deep. Some arrived as early as 7 a.m. to snag a spot up front at the sold-out show.
When Miles Kane walked out on stage, he was greeted with cheers and applause, but then there was an air of confusion. Where was his other half? Milex wasn’t complete. Kane pointed up, towards the balcony, where Turner was standing, in a white bathrobe, exposing a bare chest and a gold chain. Deafening screams were calmed once Turner began serenading the audience with “Sweet Dreams, TN,” from the band’s recent release Everything You’ve Come to Expect.
Eventually Turner found his way to the stage, fully dressed, singing “Used to Be My Girl.” Between the wild fans and Zach Dawes’ bass, the floor was shaking. “Bad Habbits” especially had the crowd excited. Kane and Turner played their guitars like they were making love to them. An added string section brought the songs like “The Age Of The Understatement” and “My Mistakes Were Made For You” to life.
Kane gyrated in front of audience for a cover of The Fall’s “Totally Wired.” At one point, he shushed the crowd and everyone got quiet for a minute before cheers followed goulish howls from Turner, who went crazy behind Kane. During “The Dream Synopsis” – the first song of the band’s encore – couples slow danced and kissed. Bros hugged each other and swayed to the beats. Turner came down, into crowd, to sing to the fans up front, undoubtedly making their night. Though, no matter where you were in the audience, your night was made all the better, having witnessed The Last Shadow Puppets!
The night opened with adorable crooner Cameron Avery. The Australian singer and multi-instrumentalist is a member of psychedelic rock group Tame Impala. Avery had an air of mystery, coupled with sexiness and smoothness. He wore a tuxedo suit, with a half-buttoned dress shirt. At times he half sung, half breathed his lyrics like a spoken word performance, especially during “Whoever Said Gamblin’s For Suckers.”
Some have compared him to Father John Misty – who he toured with – though it might be more fitting to dub him a modern day Frank Sinatra. Avery’s performance was clever and held a vintage quality that’s been long lost. He was a gentleman with a microphone. It should be noted he also played guitar, and his songs are made extra special with an accompanying keyboardist.
Avery chatted with the crowd throughout the night. He introduced one song with a bit of a wink: “This song is about the love of my life… The love of my life, who left me.” In a sweet falsetto, he sang, “Because you’re all that is / all that there was / and all that there’ll ever be / Baby it’s you.” The piano was fabulous on this song; the keys became a duet partner with Avery, and it was magical. Fans clapped along and sang along, “Baby, it’s you.” When the song finished, Avery told the crowd, “Thank you so much. You’re marvelous! I love Chicago.”
Miles Kane watched from the side of the stage. People in the audience whistled in approval. Avery’s sweet ballads left the audience captivated throughout his performance. But Avery especially got it right playing a mean harmonica, with his cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Spoonful.” Avery asked the crowd, ”Did you think I’d come all the way to Chicago and not play some Chicago music?”
Stay tuned to Best New Bands over the course of the weekend for more Lolla 2016 reviews and photos. For those attending the festival, a full schedule for the weekend can be found here, and for those who cannot make it out to Chicago this year, many shows will be streamed live via the Internet. For more information, head to the Lollapalooza website. Follow Lollapalooza on Facebook,Twitter, and Instagram.
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Photography by Sarah Hess for Best New Bands.
Sarah Hess
After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.
You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.
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