Today, Lollapalooza released the complete schedule for its 2015 festival in Grant Park. We already knew that Friday, July 31, was overstuffed with great acts, culminating in Sir Paul McCartney shaking his 73-year-old mop top on the main stage. Now we know just what difficult decisions we'll have to make as we jog back and forth down a crowded Columbus Avenue on Day One. Saturday and Sunday seemed weaker, lineup-wise, but the weekend presents some tough choices, as well. These are the worst conflicts on this year's Lollapalooza schedule.
7. Saturday: Sturgill Simpson, 2:45pm vs. Charli XCX, 3pm
Okay, an outlaw country revivalist and candy Britpop princess have little in common, but we love 'em both. Complicating matters is the great Django Django, who hit the south field just before Charli at 2:15pm. This is why we wear running shoes.
6. Friday: Flying Lotus, 9pm vs. The Weeknd, 8:30pm
First, it sucks that both of these LA avant-soul acts are going up against a Beatle. It's smart to counter-program against McCartney, for those kids who don't give a damn about their parents' heroes, but why slot two acts that probably appeal to the same crowd against each other?
5. Friday: Alt-J, 6:30pm vs. First Aid Kit, 6:30pm
We dug both 2014 albums from these progressive (sorta) folk acts, pushing bucolic pop in fresh directions. Alt-J's weird new shapes always draw us in, but those Swedish harmonies are sweet as well.
4. Saturday: Toro Y Moi, 3:45pm vs. Death from Above 1979, 4pm
It's motorcycles versus sailboats, sweat versus breezes, when the headbanging duo go head to head with the smooth funk-pop for Chaz Bundick. This one depends on the weather. The hotter it gets, the more likely we are to kick back with a cocktail to chill to the grooves of What For?, the latest Toro platter.
3. Saturday: Tyler, the Creator, 5:45pm vs. Tame Impala, 6pm
Again, polar opposites, though both psychedelic in their own ways. The two acts are just quite popular and bound to split factions of friends. Tyler is certain to create a memorable moment, probably wrapped in controversy, while Tame Impala will be killing it with tracks from what's bound to be one of the best albums of the year, Currents. It's no contest for us, though. We want to float away to "Let It Happen."
2. Sunday: FKA Twigs, 7:45pm vs. TV on the Radio, 7:30pm
Goddam it, these two are so cool, and they made two of the best albums of 2014. That being said, FKA's eerie, visual R&B lost some magic under the sun on the Pitchfork stage last year. At dusk, it should fare better, though she still belongs in a dark club. We lean toward the pumped-up guitars of TVOTR, who have plenty of ammunition from last year's Seeds.
1. Friday: War on Drugs, 5:30pm vs. Alabama Shakes, 5:45pm
Now, this doesn't make a lick of sense. These classic-rock revivalists appeal to the same demo—dads, NPR donors, vinyl collectors. We expect heavy golf-cart traffic between the two VIP sections as the older set shuttles from end to end to catch a bit of both. But the winner for us is War on Drugs, largely because Hot Chip leads in, and we're not missing them.