Lollapalooza in São Paulo, March 29 – 31st

By Maria Lopez Conde, Contributing Reporter

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – For the second year in a row, some of the biggest names in music will descend on the São Paulo Jockey Club for the 2013 Lollapalooza festival. Originally conceived by alternative rock legend and Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, the three-day spectacle will bring together as many as sixty Brazilian and international acts at the end of March.

This year Pearl Jam, The Killers, The Black Keys, deadmau5, Queens of the Stone Age and Planet Hemp have been confirmed as headliners by Geo Eventos, the Brazilian organizers of Lollapalooza.

The event that packed 135,000 into the venue in 2012 is expected to draw 200,000 this year, according to Leo Ganem, president of Geo Eventos.

“São Paulo is an enormous urban center without a big festival and this an opportunity for rock fans to take advantage of national and international bands in a special format,” Ganem said.

While the event may have started as a predominantly grunge and alternative rock festival for Jane’s Addiction’s U.S. farewell tour in 1991, over time, Lollapalooza has evolved into a larger-than-life music destination that reunites musicians and spans all genres. In 2011, Farrell’s brainchild went international with a Chilean edition, followed by a Brazilian version in 2012.

Flavia Petrucelli Trolli, who lives in São Paulo told The Rio Times: “I went last year, and managed to go only one day, but it was a sensational and well-organized event. [Lollapalooza] is huge and a very important festival in São Paulo, and with so many good bands selected to play, it is very anticipated for anyone who loves music.”

On Friday, March 29th, indie folk ensemble Of Monsters and Men, British DJ Feed Me, and Curitiba-based alternative band, Copacabana Club, among others, will heat up the stage. The American rockers from Cake will make the Jockey Club shake until the dancing starts with an overdose of electronic music at the hands of Passion Pit, Crystal Castles, DJ Porter Robinson, deadmau5 and Knife Party. The Killers, who released their album Battle Born in 2012, will close the first night with their mix of rock riffs and catchy melodies.

The second day’s lineup will dazzle fans with a star-studded list of acts that includes Brazilian duo Stop Play Moon, indie chillwave sensation Toro y Moi, and the powerful Alabama Shakes.

Later in the evening, A Perfect Circle, Franz Ferdinand, Two Door Cinema Club and rapper Nas will take to the stage. To cap it all off, back-to-back headbanging courtesy of The Black Keys and Queens of the Stone Age.

Staying true to the festival’s grunge roots, Sunday’s main draw is Pearl Jam, an iconic rock band that made its Lollapalooza debut back in 1992. Pearl Jam, whose last album, Live on Ten Legs was a compilation of live tracks from concerts, is sure to bring to the stage the classics that won them fans worldwide, like “Jeremy”, “Black” and “Alive.”

Brazilian rap rock ensemble, Planet Hemp, indie rockers The Hives and Kaiser Chiefs are some of the acts who will be joining Pearl Jam on March 30th, while electronic music giants of the likes of Hot Chip, Kaskade, Rusko and Major Lazer will be rounding out the last night of the show.

A fixture of the last Lollapalooza, this year’s edition will also feature Kidzapalooza, a stage with events for those under ten, like a music workshop with Iggor Cavalera, former drummer of metal band Sepultura, and a kid-friendly dance party by Disco Baby.

In 2012, the event brought together the Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys and the legendary Jane’s Addiction for a two-day extravaganza. This year, music fans in Rio de Janeiro will not be left out because Lollapalooza is also bringing Hot Chip, Two Door Cinema Club, Passion Pit and Alabama Shakes to Lapa’s Circo Voador.

Lollapalooza 2013
Dates: March 29th, March 30th, March 31st
Times: 12PM-11PM
Venue: Jockey Club, São Paulo – SP
Tickets: R$175 – R$990