BY MITCHELL HERRMANN For the Sun-Times
Orlando Higginbottom of Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs performs
at Lollapalooza in Grant Park Friday. (John J. Kim/Sun-Times)As electronic music has risen from the underground into the mainstream, DJs are getting booked into venues traditionally reserved for musicians with guitars and drums. Over the last few years, Lollapalooza has experimented with including dance music acts alongside the usual pop and rock lineup, resulting in a series of incarnations of Perry’s stage. Last year’s tent setup proved too small
for larger than expected crowds of dancers, so the newest version of Perry’s is back in the open air and features a pair of rave-ready LED towers.
The biggest hurdle Perry’s has to face is the rain that could hit later this weekend; last year a thunderstorm turned the field into a muddy slip-and-slide.
For festivalgoers wandering between acts early Friday afternoon, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaur‘s set of pop-influenced house music provided an enticing introduction to the new Perry’s stage. The British producer’s set contained enough bone-rattling bass to keep experienced ravers interested, and enough catchy vocal hooks to draw in curious passersby.
From his bright aquamarine dinosaur suit to the synchronized, costumed dancers who intermittently joined him on stage, TEED’s show gave off an aura of playful fun. Airy electropop verses gave way to pulsing, energetic choruses, over which the DJ added his own live vocals. The lighthearted house beats and prehistoric outfits provided a refreshing break in a lineup of all-too-serious dubstep and electro DJs.
