Organization: Penn State University
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 12:39:42 EDT
From: Steve VanOrmer <SRV101@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.music.industrial
Subject:    Lollapalooza II in Pittsburgh,Wow

First let me say that this was one of the best concerts I've been to. The
weather was excellent for an outdoor concert, partly sunny and around 75 - 80
degrees.The traffic was rather heinous because the concert was sold out.
 Here are my thoughts on the show.

Lush- Didn't see them. We were drinking beer and eating and we just didn't
make it over.(I think I'll live)

Pearl Jam- These guys were great but they played much too early. Eddie Vedder
admonished some of the security guys for picking on the people in the pit. They
played mostly stuff from "Ten" but the highlight was two killer covers of the
Who's "Baba O'Reily" and Neil Young's " Rocking in the Free World".

J M Chain- They were tight and the sound was good but they didn't generate much
 excitement. Highlight "Head On".

Soundgarden - It was here that the show heated up, I missed the first half beca
use I went for beer (again). When I got back I found that a new pit had formed
in the lane between the reserved seats and the lawn or general admission seat
s. (For those that have never been to the Star Lake Amphitheater its set up is a
 little weird. The reserved seats in front of the band are raised around
 five feet above the bottom of the bowl like lawn which surrounds the stage. So
if you wanted to get down to the pit area near the band you had to climb a few
stairs and show your ticket stub to the security people. The security guys were
very determined not to let anyone who didn't have seats in this section. This i
s important later.) A cool moment came when Soundgarden played "Cop Killer" by
Body Count (foreshadowing?).

Ice Cube- I have to be honest I didn't really like Ice Cube before this concert
 and I really didn't know why he was on this tour. Much to my surprise he was
great. He really knows how to work the crowd. I had a fun time. Highlight: The
whole show was great. He did "Gangster, Gangster" from N.W.A.

Ministry- It was obvious that a majority of the people came to Lollapalooza to
see Al and Co. As Ice Cube's set was finishing up people were already forming
in the lane. The plan was simple if enough people climbed up into the seats the
 security guards would be powerless. The security guys knew this so they called
for re-enforcements. There was a lot of tension in the air. Ministry's set starr
ted at dusk just as everyone had reached maximum inebriation and had built up a
fair amount of animosity towards the security guy's. By the time they took the
 stage  thousands of people were crammed into the narrow lane. As the first dru
m beat hit the mayhem started. The bass was turned way up so that you could fee
l every beat in the pit of your stomach. When they started playing people start
ed trying to climb up into the seats, the security guys pushed them right back
into the fray of people moshing violently below. Some of the guards got a littl
e carried away and began getting rough and punching people that got in their fa
ce. The crowd on the hill took exception and began ripping up sod and throwing
it at the guards, raining dirt and grass on the people in the pit. Some food se
rvice workers were transporting boxes of pizza ingredients from one side of the
star lake to the other. They foolishly tried passing through the lane where the
people were  moshing. Seconds later people were throwing hand fulls of pizza ch
eese and pizza shells and dumping sauce everywhere. Someone overturned a huge g
arbage can and threw it into the pit. Ministry played on, working the pit into
a seething mass of sweat, violence and testosterone. The sound was impeccable
and by the time they played "Breathe" for the encore I thought for sure that my
 friends in the pit were dead. They weren't of course and from what they told m
e everyone in the pit was pretty cool about picking you up if they knocked you
down. I really wish I would have gone for it but .....

The Red Hot Chili Peppers- They sounded awesome and the lighting was great. I
won't spoil the encore for anyone but it has to be seen to be believed.

Bottom line: If you can get tickets to this show by all means go.

                                    |   "It's a sad man my friend,
 Steven R VanOrmer                  |    who's livin' in his own skin
 Dazed & Confused                   |    and can't stand the company."
 srv101@psuvm.psu.edu               |
 The Pennsylvania State University  |
Newsgroups: rec.music.industrial