This summer saw some very impressive concerts, such as O.A.R., Dave Matthews and The Fray, to name a few.
Lollapalooza rocked Grant Park like it does every year.
The B-96 Bash at Toyota Park in Chicago displayed some of the best new music around.
But of course Blink 182’s comeback tour took the award for the biggest show of the summer.
Let’s take a look into the playlist of the summer of 2009.
To start off the concert season, the radio station 96.3 FM B-96 put on a show to remember.
Acts such as the Black Eyed Peas, LMFAO, Flo Rida, Asher Roth, Akon and Kelly Clarkson performed at Bridgeview’s Toyota Park. All the acts played both brand new and classic music. The Black Eyed Peas even debuted their new single “I Gotta Feeling.”
Lollapalooza also brought some amazing performers to one place for three days of great music in beautiful Grant Park.
The big names included The Killers, Depeche Mode, Tool, Lou Reed, Jane’s Addiction, Snoop Dogg, Rise Against and Kings of Leon.
Some new acts broke into the music scene at Lollapalooza as well.
Manchester Orchestra, The Gaslight Anthem, Silversun Pickups, Cage the Elephant and Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears were among the many new and unusual bands to grace the annual festival.
Despite poor weather, Lollapalooza will stick with not only the audience, but the performers as well.
One of the first big names to play this summer was O.A.R. The band played at the Charter One Pavilion on Northerly Island, Chicago. The venue was a beautiful spot, overlooking the skyline and giving the audience a great view of the lake.
O.A.R. played for two nights and left the crowd cheering for more both times.
In the first show, the band played mostly newer and more popular songs.
The second show brought older, less familiar songs. Lead singer Marc Roberge played to the crowd perfectly and put a charge into the audience with his charm and wit.
The band ended the concert on the second day with their infamous signoff, playing the song “That Was A Crazy Game of Poker,” and throwing playing cards into the crowd to let the fans remember why they fell in love with O.A.R.
The band put on a great show in the Chicagoland area as well. No longer a quiet treasure, The Fray played old and new songs at popular venue the First Midwest Bank Amphitheater in Tinley Park. The Fray has officially made its name in Chicago and has also put itself on the map as one of the best bands around.
One of the most popular shows of the summer was Dave Matthews Band who played at Alpine Valley in East Troy, Wis.
Dave mixed in some of his newest album, “Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King” as well as all his classics.
Dave never disappoints and he kept true to that this summer at Alpine.
The brightest spot of the summer was Blink-182’s comeback tour.
After a four-year break-up, Blink returned to play for its loyal fans. Since much of the fan base has been following the band since grade school, most of the audience was between the ages of 16 and 23.
This summer fully satisfied the thirst for good times, good friends and good live music.
