Overall, I like the fact that these guys are thinking outside of the box when it comes to delivering something interesting for their fans to watch. OK Go are nothing if not ingenious when it comes to funding their careers as musicians and the best thing about this band when it comes right down to it is that their music is damn good as well. Check out all their videos and behind the scenes featurettes on the making of their videos on their You Tube page.

What do you think of the video? Let us know in the comments below.

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After how I left Lolla feeling last year, I was more than a little nervous to be volunteering again this year. For those who do not remember, my hatred of Lollapalooza last year was surpassed by nothing and I swore I would never participate again.

Well, I did.

There are several reasons why I sign up every year. I did mention it last year, but I work with just about the coolest group of people who make any of my shifts fun. I believe in what I’m there to do, which is help people with disabilities be able to access the concert as well as they can. Plus, there’s always a band that’s playing that I have to see.

This year: Muse. But I’ll get to that later.

First thing I have to mention is that Lollapalooza made several improvements to the layout of the festival this year. They moved the food to the main street, and put Perry’s (DJ Stage) in a tent a bit further away from everything. Perhaps these changes were minor, but they made a huge different in the feel during the weekend. Several people I asked had noticed this as well. Everything was more spread out, so we didn’t feel as scrunched together and places were easier to access. So yeah, good job Lollapalooza organizers!

I was working first shift again. Seeing as there was no one that I was really dying to see first thing, I allowed the boss to place me wherever they felt it necessary. I got sent to Perry’s.

Ok, it might be the case that I don’t necessarily considering doing a DJ set really “making music” because technically you’re just playing someone else’s song and maybe another song on top of it. And maybe changing the speed or something. It just doesn’t impress me all that much. Therefore, being sent to Perry’s made me worry that it would set the weekend off on a bad foot. However, I decided to be optimistic and think that I’m getting all the bad out of the way.

Black Cards

It wasn’t all bad, really. The first two “artists” were standard DJ sets which was pretty boring. But people were just trickling in and it was like the opening muzak. There was one stellar performance from Ana Tijoux. A female rapper/dj who raps in Spanish. I can definitely get behind this. There’s something so much sexier about music in Spanish.

Post-shift there was a short list of artists that I wanted to check out. My resolution for this year was that I was not going to bust my ass running from one end of the grounds to another trying to see everyone. First on the list was Black Cards.

Small confession: in another time I was a fairly loyal Fall Out Boy fan. So I wanted to check out Black Cards on the basis that it’s Pete Wentz’ new project and solely that. It was a huge disappointment. Pete spends his time DJing, and basically being Pete. That familiar stage presence was the best part of the show. I spent most of the time wondering a) why there were dancers and b) how the singer could be both auto-tuned AND out of tune. Not good. Not worth my time.

Food break: We got one $5 coupon for the whole weekend again this year, and I spent mine right away. I got a french scallop dish that was unbelievable but was probably the one thing at Lolla that was not a lot of food for the money. I also got some really good soy nut roasted edamame. Yum!
(For those who did NOT read last year’s article. The food was the only thing I liked. It’s fantastic, and affordable.)

OK Go

After a short rest, I met up with a friend for Ok Go. I was pretty excited for this one, since I’m sort of an Ok Go hipster and have an advanced copy of their self-titled album. It took a while for me to get into it (meaning: They didn’t play anything I knew until about halfway into their set). They did play this song using handbells, which was pretty badass. By the end I had to be dragged away to get to Muse. And even then I stopped and listened halfway there to see if I needed to go back.

OK Go play with their…bells?

And Muse. Not to give you all spoilers but Muse was really the highlight of the whole weekend. If my complaint last year was that the big headline shows did not seem all the big, or the bands messed them up, Muse set that all right. This is a band that knows how to do a big show and they do a really good job at it. The show itself is big, without eclipsing the music. And the band themselves don’t ever look too small to be on a such a big stage. Just amazing. Muse is a band that I’d see a million times over and not get tired of.

Muse: Oh, the spectacle

Who I Saw: Narcisse (Perry’s), LADY D (Perry’s), Ana Tijoux (Perry’s), Collie Budz (Perry’s), Black Cards (BMI), Muse (Music Unlimited)
Who I Missed: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Bright Eyes, A Perfect Circle, Girl Talk, Coldplay

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Clarence Clemens (1942-2011)

The biggest music news over the weekend was the passing of E Street Band sax player  Clarence Clemens at the age of 69 due to complications arose after having a stroke in his Florida home. Next to Bruce himself, he was quite possibly the most recognizable figure in the New Jersey band having been an original member of the group since 1972. The “Big Man’ with the big heart will sorely be missed the world over. R.I.P.

Jackass star Ryan Dunn was killed in a car accident over the weekend. Kids, drinking and driving is BAD. Don’t do it.

According to Mashable, Facebook might be getting a music service. Rumors of the social spy machine/time waster working with European streaming music service Spotify have bubbled for a while now.

OK GO have a new live album coming out tomorrow called 180/365 which refers to how many live shows they’ve played over a year. The band is premiering the entire record over at Mashable.

Amy Winehouse got effed up and tried to perform a set. Cancels part of European tour [via LA Times]. No one is surprised.

Except maybe this guy:

Catman

Finally, more Middlewest Festival Artists announced: Xerxes, Inspector Owl, Kid You’ll Move Mountains, Loose Lips Sink Ships

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Featured music by
OK Go
Minus the Bear
The Braves
Stendek
The Constellations
The Lustkillers

Sock Monkey Sound