Lollapareview: Brand New

Finally, after all the times we have mentioned him, traveling companion and BFF for fucking life Gianni Antonaccio chimes in on someone he's excited to see this weekend.

When @ Lolla: Saturday / 4:30 / AT&T Stage

Some are reminded of the cookie-cutter pop-punk band with witty lyrics about relationships that released their debut album Your Favourite Weapon in 2001. Many others think of Deja Entendu, the album that nearly every college student circa 2003-2004 (myself included) knew the lyrics to by heart and would sing drunkenly at parties. But moreso even than that, when I think of Brand New, I am immediately reminded of the raw, dark, and powerful emotion of 2006's The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me, which is in my opinion their crowning acheivement to date. Yet although Brand New has been one of my favorite bands to come out of this decade, somehow their live show has always escaped me. That will all change this Saturday, when they grace the main stage at Lollapalooza. Come find me and sing along to "Okay, I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't", "Sowing Season", and more.

Lollapareview: Broken Social Scene

When @ Lolla: Saturday / 6:30 / Bud Light Stage

I've seen them twice before. The first time was in 2005, when a pre-"1, 2, 3, 4" Feist opened up for them at the 9:30 Club and joined them for her Broken Social Scene contributions. The second time was almost 52 weeks ago, one of those MySpace Secret Shows here in Boston, at the smaller-than-my-bedroom TT The Bear's. This time, I'll get to see them among thousands and thousands of other people. They'll play new stuff from the newest BSS Presents album, Brendan Canning's delightful Something For All Of Us, they'll play stuff I'm sure from Kevin Drew's Spirit If... as well. Maybe they'll also slip in a new song or two like they are known to do from time to time. I'm kind of hoping for this one to woo the crowd: If not, I'll take "Stars And Sons" on repeat any day.

Lollapareview: Does It Offend You, Yeah?

When @ Lolla: Saturday / 12:30 PM / Bud Light Stage

One of my favorite albums that I sort of purposely neglected the other week was You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into, the debut album from Does It Offend You, Yeah? I don't know why anymore why I neglected it so, maybe because I was ashamed to admit that "Let's Make Out" is one of the catchiest songs of 2008. Some find it annoying, but a lot of us around here agree that songs like "Dawn Of The Dead," "Doomed Now" and the epic "With A Heavy Heart (I Regret To Inform You)" take the cake. "Heavy Heart" has this total 80s sheen to it that when that sax or whatever it is comes in out of nowhere in the middle, I am reminded of the great INXS who I raised myself on. I hear their live shows are kind of hit or miss, but I guess we shall find out Saturday, now won't we?