Lollapalooza: Five bands to see each day

I honestly think I am the only person in the world who is not completely infatuated with this year's Lollapalooza lineup. Still, being a music fanatic in Chicago, Lollapalooza has developed a grip on my soul and there's no way I could skip it. Plus, all things considered, this is a lineup constructed to please the masses, and there's no doubt it will result in what most will deem the best Lollapalooza ever. Our resident festivals examiner has dubbed it "a schedule made of gold," and has posted his fine picks here. I, on the other hand, am calling it "a schedule so popular that it will result in me unwillingly rubbing sweaty flesh with even more inebriated strangers than last year," but didn't think that would go over too well in the title of this post.

That being said, here are five bands for each day of the fest I think you'd do well to see, assuming you're willing to haul it from stage to stage between sets:

Friday, August 1

Rogue Wave, 1:15-2:15 p.m., MySpace Stage - Some respectable indie rock to get the afternoon going.

Louis XIV, 3:15-4 p.m., Citi Stage - This band's gritty, bluesy glam rock is a lot of fun, and comes off even better live than on CD.

Mates of State, 5:15-6:15 p.m., MySpace Stage - Beautiful indie pop by a husband-wife team. Sweet.

The Raconteurs, 6:15-7:45 p.m., Bud Light Stage - Jack White, Brendan Benson and company have played Lolla before, but with two songwriters so great they're worth seeing again.

Radiohead, 8 p.m., AT&T Stage - Somehow I have never been able to get too excited over Radiohead's records, but I've seen them live and there's no doubt they put on a fantastic show. The band canceled plans for a pre-Lolla warm-up show at the Chicago Theatre because frontman Thom Yorke has been feeling under the weather, so let's hope he is in good form for the big night.

Saturday, August 2

The Postelles, 12:30-1:15 p.m., BMI Stage - "New York City's The Postelles are what you get when you mix Franki Valli and the Four Seasons with The Strokes." How can you not want to see that?

Foals, 2:15-3 p.m., Citi Stage - There's been a lot of hype surrounding this British band's debut album, so it will be good to see how they measure up live.

MGMT, 3:30-4:30 p.m., MySpace Stage - Catchy-psychedelic-indie-electro-pop. Whew.

Lupe Fiasco, 6:30-7:30 p.m., AT&T Stage - Chicago's own hip-hop hero. Well, aside from that other guy. If you're only going to see one act of this genre, choose him.

Wilco, 8:30 p.m., Bud Light Stage - I know people are pumped about Rage Against the Machine, who are playing at the same time. If you're like me, though, and never really got the appeal, Wilco is hands-down the winning choice for the final time slot on Saturday.

Sunday, August 3

Office, 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m., Playstation 3 Stage - Go see this band. I repeat, go see this band. They are one of the finest that Chicago has to offer, and yours truly can't get enough of their new wave-influenced pop ditties. Unfortunately, they are coming on earlier in the day so anyone who isn't at the fest from the start of the day will probably miss out. But trust me, they are a good reason to get there early.

The Whigs, 1:15-2:15 p.m., MySpace Stage - More indie rock fun.

Gnarls Barkley, 6:15-7:15 p.m., AT&T Stage - Here's another repeat offender that is still worth checking out. Their neo-soul act always entertains.

The National, 7:15-8:15 p.m., Playstation 3 Stage - The festival's final dose of indie rock fun, except more serious.

Nine Inch Nails, 8:15 p.m., Bud Light Stage - For a variety of reasons, Kanye West's previous Lolla performance was one of the most annoying concert experiences of my life. That's one of the reasons I'm advocating NIN over Kanye. Not to mention Trent Reznor puts on a pretty good show.