BY JOSE MARTINEZ

A Tourist Let Loose in Chicago: My weekend sojourn to the Windy City for Lollapalooza 2009 felt like a mixed bag before ever heading out. Sure, I'm an old school Lolla vet, traveling across California with the tour back in its inaugural year in 1991, OK, did I just really date myself that badly? And I kept going year after year until it's very end as a traveling festival, but ever since it has been exclusively housed at Chicago's enormous Grant Park as of 2003 the idea of going to muggy, hot Chicago in August has never interested me.

Even last year while interviewing festival founder Perry Farrell who was promoting his Satellite Party project, he even offered an invitation my way, assuring, "It's only hot until the sun goes down."

Gee Perry, that means it's hot all day long!

But this year I decided to finally take the Lolla organizers up on their invitation and headed out for the weekend festival.

My buddy and I landed Thursday evening to a beautiful, cool night and immediately went to grub at Giordano's for some world famous Chicago stuffed pizza. Oh my, the decadence, the amazing taste, the calories!

Then we were off to the old Al Capone haunt The Green Mill for some classic Chicago nightlife. Sure, the cocktails were small but they packed a mean punch, and I'll take that over L.A. overpriced drinks any time. This night we had Green Mill residents Alan Gresik Swing Shift Orchestra delivering a rousing performance. Barely hours in and already this trip was off to a great start.

***

Friday morning, Day One, meant making our way to Grant Park, picking up our passes, and letting the Lollapalooza experience take over. After riding the L to downtown we were instantly greeted with rain. Chicago's funky weather was already beginning and the concert hadn't even started.

Finally with festival wristbands on and umbrella up we ventured to see Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears. Soulful, raw and raucous, the band really kicked it as we made our way to the Lollalounge. Catered lunch, and more importantly, FREE booze was just what we needed. Situated directly across from the cabanas that were going for somewhere in the $30,000 ballpark for full bar service, private, air-conditioned bathrooms and freedom from sweaty, stinky concertgoers is a luxury but festival VIP passes went for only a fraction of the cost, had a closer vantage point and definitely proved the way to go.

After securing refuge under an oversized beach umbrella, with a drink in each hand, I rocked out to New Jersey's Gaslight Anthem. Only a week ago their set had been cancelled due to weather at All Points West but Lollapalooza wasn't going to go that route. And thank goodness, as the Jersey boys did not disappoint. Often compared to a raw Springsteen, the band, in my opinion, comes across as Social Distortion without the snarl. A powerful group, they managed to get a rise out of the crowd who didn't seem to care about the rain.

At this point, hailing from sunny Southern California, I decided it was time to get out of Dodge and make our way to Michigan Avenue where the hospitality suite at the exclusive Music Lounge at the Hard Rock Chicago proved a welcome safe haven from the weather. Unfortunately that meant missing Perry Farrell's impromptu jam with Lee Ann Rimes and the School of Rock band on The Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun."

Artists at the Music Lounge scored swag from Dickies (we even managed to get our hands on a couple of shirts), Griffin headphones, Ben Sherman hats, and complimentary tattoos. Ben Folds, TV on the Radio, and Manchester Orchestra also took the stage while attendees sipped Café Bustelo, Fuze beverages, and Stoli cocktails.

Dry, full and buzzed we opted to play tourists and headed to the impressive John Hancock Center and marvel at the view from the Hancock Observatory. Offering the best view of the city, spanning four states and 80 miles out, even the rain didn't take away from the breathtaking sites.

After a couple of overpriced drinks at the swanky lounge, we decided free drinks were better and headed back to the concert. With the rain gone we made it just in time for the headlining sets and that meant choosing between band du jour Kings of Leon, or old faves Depeche Mode. I voted for The Mode and off we went to score more drinks before taking our spots in the lovely Lollalounge bleachers.

Now I'm sure Kings of Leon probably delivered a tight set but I am 100% happy with my decision as Depeche Mode offered a fantastic performance offering several of their best-known songs including "Walking In My Shoes," "A Question of Time," "Policy of Truth," "I Feel You," "Enjoy the Silence," "Never Let Me Down," "Stripped" and "Personal Jesus."

***

Day Two at Lollapalooza was rain free but it was a scorcher. With the sun blazing and me ready to commit homicide if I had to walk one more city block in the heat, we headed straight to the Hilton's impressive Imperial Suite for a Playboy sponsored Rock Star Brunch. Greeted by Playmates at the elevator door we passed on food, which went as fast as it was delivered, and opted for a sturdy liquid diet (there's nothing like Jack Daniels cocktails and Southern Comfort shots in the morning). Playmates walked around, a DJ spun, and the incredible view above Grant Park and Lake Michigan stunned.

After a couple of hours at the swanky suite living the good life, we ventured back to the festival just in time to grab a couple of more drinks before heading over to Perry's village to see Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell's solo dance set.

Prophet, Farrell's nephew, did his rap set while we took our spot in the crowd. Then Farrell and his lovely wife Etty took the stage. A bit cheesy in parts, it was obvious Perry was having the time in life and that kind of enthusiasm is definitely contagious. Playing some Porno for Pyros, as well as Satellite Party tracks really helped move the set along. Debuting a new song "I Like ‘Em Big," Farrell and his lovely wife took "friendly" to new heights.

I left during their last track to catch the latter half of the Arctic Monkeys show. Maybe the first half of their set was more up-tempo but I just kept waiting for them to get things going. Part of the problem could have been from not being so familiar with their new material but they seemed to get lost on such a big stage.

After a few more cocktails we headed out of the park again and walked over to Buddy Guy's Legends for some good Southern cuisine, and to listen to some fine blues music. That's something, sadly, that was missing from the Lollapalooza mix, good old fashion Chicago blues. Sure, Buddy Guy did get on stage with the School of Rock kids but it would have been great if they didn't keep the city's best axe-man under wraps. Or at least showcase more of the music that Chicago is known for. I personally didn't want to leave the club as the air conditioning was divine, but paying for booze was for the birds.

Back in the festival grounds it was time to choose a headliner, Tool or Yeah Yeah Yeahs? Damn those Beastie Boys for bowing out at the last minute! At least at All Points West Jay-Z filled in for the ailing Beastie. I choose Tool and quickly lost interest during their set. Unable to really see the band, especially singer Maynard James Keenan, just watching the video images behind them got old. Sure, the free drinks were nice but I could be hearing better music elsewhere. Not wanting to walk the entire mile to the other main stage to catch Yeah Yeah Yeahs we headed out for a night out on the town.

***

Day Three was another hot day so we spent the early afternoon back at the Hard Rock Music Lounge avoiding the heat and then headed off to Navy Pier for a Sprite/ASICS-sponsored cruise around Lake Michigan. Unveiling its new Sprite Green bottled beverage with half the sugar, it seemed to me it would of course have half the sugar only because the bottle is half the size of a Sprite can. But the soda people were great hosts and the open bar, along with the pleasant breeze, helped create a lovely, non-sweltering afternoon experience.

After our two-hour cruise it was back to Lollapalooza to catch Snoop Dogg. With the South Stage as packed as I had seen it all weekend, the white people really ate up the West Coast rapper's set, singing along to every line. Shouting out props to blazing, talking trash about the police, and proudly wearing his Lakers gear, Snoop was clearly the best-received artist I had seen. In fact, he should have headlined Night Two.

After Snoop, with drinks in hand, it was time to make the mile walk back to the other end of the festival to catch some of Lou Reed's set. We made it just in time for "Walk on the Wild Side."

And as Band of Horses played on the PlayStation side stage I was counting down until Jane's Addiction festival-closing headlining set, which unfortunately meant missing The Killers perform, but I didn't make the trip all the way out to Lollapalooza to miss the festival's founding house band.

Fighting my way to the front of the Budweiser Stage VIP risers, with two cocktails in hand, the lights went out and dueling helicopters flew overhead as Jane's started with "Up the Beach." It quickly became incredibly annoying as Band of Horses was still playing. Um, note to festival organizers, when Lollapalooza founder's band takes the stage, all lesser groups should immediately be unplugged. But even a bothersome gnat couldn't deter from Hollywood's mighty reunited Jane's with original lineup back in tow.

Quickly "Mountain Song" followed as did "Ain't No Right," then "Three Days," "Whores," "Been Caught Stealing," "Then She Did," "Ocean Size," Ted, Just Admit It," "Summertime Rolls," "Stop," and finally "Jane Says." Then sadly, Lollapalooza was officially over.

With Smashing Pumpkins' Jimmy Chamberlain ready to fill in for ailing drummer Stephen Perkins, whom according to Farrell was warned by two doctors not to perform, the band tore into one classic after another. Seemingly, Perkins never missed a beat. With Farrell dressed in his best sexy Elvis Presley gold lamé suit, and guitarist Dave Navarro, now a bona fide rock star in 2009 whom the charismatic singer referred to as "the body," the band was in fine form just like it was the summer of 1991 all over again.

Welcoming another Perry onstage, it was quite surprising to see Aerosmith's Joe Perry take the stage and play on "Jane Says" for the festival's closing number. With the 2009 Lollapalooza over, the crowd, which averaged 75,000 a day, took to the streets. It was a pretty impressive sight watching the concertgoers take over downtown Chicago.

On the eve of the 40^th anniversary of Woodstock, the grandfather of all music festivals, Lollapalooza is clearly in a league of its own when it comes to U.S. festivals. Sure, SoCal's Coachella is one of the country's premiere fests but you're stuck in the boonies whereas with Lollapalooza you're right smack in the middle of the heart of the city. It's a pretty awe-inspiring image watching the crowd amidst the impressive Chicago skyline. I know you couldn't pull this off on this level in L.A.

Sure, you could probably do this in Central Park in New York, or perhaps in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, but even then that part of town isn't very inspiring, but the Lolla set up, which is committed to the city of Chicago until 2018, is something to really behold, even if it takes place in the month of August.

Where do I sign up for next year's festival already planned for August 6-8, 2010?

[Photo Credits: Snoop Dogg and crowd shots by Jose Martinez, Gaslight Anthem by Matthew Taplinger, Perry Farrell by Ashley Gorman, Jane's Addiction by Dave Mead]