Sunday 05/08/07 Day Three @ Lollapalooza Festival. Grant Park, Chicago

All apologies to Juliette Lewis, The Cribs, The 1900s and The Postmarks – sorry, but all of you are playing too damn early for a Sunday.  Dios, we’d like to see you too, but the naked guy climbing from last year’s Bonnaroo probably won’t grace your scaffolding this year.  So it’s up to you, Winehouse.  Do your worst. 

Over in the Adidas bandshell, the fingertips of Rodrigo y Gabriela are plucking some fluttery flamenco rhythms on their guitars – a nice prelude to The House.  Photo pit is packed and, for the first time this weekend, we are given explicit boundaries. 

“Okay guys, I know this is pretty lame but you’re gonna have to pick a side.  Left or right, doesn’t matter, but you can’t be in the middle.”

“Can’t be in the middle?  Why not?  What’s she gonna do?  Is the House gonna come down here and go batshit crazy?”

“No, she just doesn’t want to be shot from the middle.”

“Oh.”

We’re camped out stage right when Amy Winehouse’s house music kicks in.  And what do you know, it’s ‘Treehouse’ by I’m From Barcelona, only they’ve re-recorded the lyrics:  “I have built a Winehouse / With a beehive hairdo.”  No, that’s not true.  Here is the authentic warm-up music:  “He’s so fine / doo lang doo lang doo lang….”  One of her animated backup singers introduces her as “Mrs.” (sorry, lads, but there’s always M.I.A. – she’s looking for a husband) and she steps into the sunlight, smiling and sober.  ‘Rehab’ is buried at the end of the set – by that time, a good portion of the audience has revolted, having performed an about face, marching toward Lupe Fiasco.  “Man,” says one attendee, “I thought she was gonna cut loose.  Like, take a bat out of her hair and bite its head off.”  Marilyn Manson will be in town next week, friend.  Yes, the consensus in the crowd was that the ‘House disappointed but for a sunny Sunday afternoon by the lakeshore, this is about as good as it gets.

Off to the bandshell with a refreshing beverage, waiting for the Winehouse tourmate, Paolo Nutini.  Not expecting much from Mr. New Shoes so it comes as a surprise to find a performer suffused with charisma.  It’s hard to knock anybody who takes the stage to the tune of the Theme from Rocky.  He’s also obviously off his face intoxicated which makes a big help.  But not out of it like Pete Doherty.  There’s a display of gurning alright, but it’s not of the frightful type.  Yes, whatever is in that black bottle is certainly doing the trick – perhaps this is Jack White’s Mystery Elixir.  Oh, and ‘New Shoes’ is song two in the setlist.  Paolo Nutini – dark horse of the weekend.