Underneath Chicago's red-hot sun, stages blazed with some white-hot music. White, literally, as spunky female MC and self-proclaimed "white midget" Lady Sovereign gave audiences something to mosh about while Jack White and his new band, the Raconteurs, proved they're worth being talked about.
"She may be small, but she fucking brought it," said Kym Hackenen, a 20-year-old student who sported a Sov-like sideways ponytail. Perhaps this was a bit out of place because she doesn't sing punk, metal, or even hard rock -- but her epithets about faux-tanned girls and her own baggy T-shirt were delivered at a too-fast-to-understand pace and eccentric accent that drove audiences wild.
Add concrete thumping beats, middle-fingered audience participation, and swigs from a giant bottle of Veuve Cliquot that Sov called "too heavy" and you get a delightfully strong show. So strong, in fact, that one audience member close to the subwoofers said, "I almost can't breathe because of the bass."
Gritty yet delicious, Lady Sovereign isn't someone to bring home to your mom, or even to bring your mom to see in concert. At just 20, she's managed to mix traditional rap with hints of reggae, dance house, and a bit of British humor, completely justifying her needless swearing and drunken swaggering. By the end of the show, a violent audience perfectly expressed a dirty yet delightful feeling left with show-goers.
The Raconteurs pulled off different grit, mostly influenced by Jack White's greasy shag and guitar strums. White worked co-frontman Brendan Benson, drummer Patrick Keeler, and bassist Jack Lawrence to create a playground of guitars so true, it instills faith in love at first sight. The chemistry, notably between Benson and White as they share a microphone, is undeniable. "I just love the camaraderie between the band," said 21-year-old fan Kari Setterholm. "It's like what high school bands are like." Setterholm had dragged a friend who hadn't heard of the new group before; but after White and friends keyed out a phenomenal cover of "Crazy," originally by Gnarls Barkley, both girls were ready to be groupies. KURT SOLLER
Chicago's urban skyline is Lollapalooza's backdrop.
Up close with Lady Sovereign.
Don't call it a side project: Jack White wails for the Raconteurs.
The Raconteurs, wide-angle.
Iron & Wine's Sam Beam.
PHOTOS BY RACHEL AHERIN
At Lollapalooza '06, Spin is on the ground with our college correspondent program. Eight college students -- four writers, four photographers -- earned the opportunity to cover the festival for SPIN.com, live, all weekend long. Sound appealing? Stay tuned to SPIN.com for future opportunities to apply for our college correspondent program!
