There’s a pungent whiff of familiarity to the 20 or so headliners anchoring Lollapalooza’s four-day roster. No less than 10 also played Coachella or Bonnaroo, while at least six are scheduled to appear at San Francisco’s Outside Lands as well. Then there’s LCD Soundsystem: They’re hitting up all four. Two notable exceptions are alt-rock veterans Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jane’s Addiction, though neither is a stranger to the Lollapalooza experience. If you attend America’s top branded festivals to catch hot-selling acts in indie, electronic music, and hip-hop, then all this curatorial regurgitation is good news. If, however, you attend them to explore unique, under-the-radar talent, then you’re best focusing on the names that appear in fine print, at the bottom of the concert poster.
