Rumors ran rampant by 3 P.M. regarding the Kidzapalooza stage's last "very special" guest of the day. Some said Eddie Vedder (and you'd have thought, judging by the two enormous black-clad Pearl Jam fanatics sitting with the kids in the front row), while others said Patti Smith and My Morning Jacket's Jim James. The latter were right, and at 3 P.M.

We caught up with the lads of Motion City Soundtrack again at Lollapalooza, just two weeks after we hung out at their NYC show and filmed the band performing three songs from their forthcoming album, Even If It Kills Me, out Sept. 18.

It was hard to abandon the beats of M.I.A.'s "Bucky Done Gun" pulsating from the Bud Light stage yesterday afternoon (Aug. 3) before the Rapture took the Playstation stage a few field-lengths down the park. Fortunately, M.I.A.'s deep world beats had those awaiting the dance-heavy set already bumping for a party.

Upon hearing the loud, fuzzy, distorted guitar and driving drumbeats emanating from the Citi Stage, I knew I was in the presence of Portland-based husband and wife duo Kevin and Anita Robinson, a.k.a. Viva Voce.

We've spent a lot of time with Against Me!

We here at SPIN.com wish we could pack you all up in our respective suitcases and stow you away to this weekend's Lollapalooza festival in Chicago. But just because you don't have a ticket for the Windy City's lakeside extravaganza doesn't mean you can't soak up some of the festival's top performances.

Surfacing in short silver shorts and a brightly colored shirt to the largest crowd I've seen all day, London-born Sri Lankan homage paying rapper M.I.A. took to the Bud Light stage and rocketed through her first few songs flawlessly, only to get into "Pull up the People" and stop short: "that one sounds better in the club." In her short time onstage, M.I.A.

"How ya'll doooo-aaooowww-ing!"

Preemptively perusing the festival grounds one day prior to their set, Minneapolis' Tapes 'n Tapes stopped through the SPIN.com tent for brief chat following a super-brief 20 minute flight to Chicago out of their hometown.

Poised against a backdrop of Chicago's metallic skyline, Gainesville, Florida-bred punkers Against Me!