Are you down in Tennessee battling the rain or are you glued to your twitter watching the fun go by? Regardless of where you’re at, Bonnaroo is off to a fun/wet beginning. I made the inaugural festival and returned a couple years back. This year, I just couldn’t swing it, but that doesn’t mean we can’t offer you an inside look into all the action. Drop us a comment if you’re at the festival, if you’ve been in the past, or who has the best coverage of the festival that we can rely on for speedy updates.

All photos by Karen Dunbar

By Jodi Root

It was a very big happy birthday to me last night as I joined countless others in the dance party of 2009 at Uptown’s Aragon Theatre. I celebrated my 26th alongside super goddess Karen O, guitar mastermind Nick Zinner and percussion madman Brian Chase—dancing til I screamed myself hoarse and sweat out every last ounce of life I had left in me. The one and only Yeah Yeah Yeahs kicked off their nation-wide tour in support of It’s Blitz! last evening in Chicago, and you may as well stop reading this review now and just go buy your ticket for the closest stop to your city now—I mean it. God damn incredible.

I was previously borderline dreading this set. Don’t get me wrong, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are my most beloved band ever—even with my initial reaction of caution to the calmer sounds of It’s Blitz!, I am still 100% devoted to this thrashtastic rock trio—but I am, or at least was, definitely not a fan of The Aragon Theatre. Formerly a ballroom, the acoustics in this hall have always been echoic, with feedback and sound difficulties always mucking up whatever headliner was trying to rock it out. But not last night, oh no. Nothing could stop the rock, the glamour, the almighty beings that hail themselves, “Bigger than the Sound.”

The YYY’s stepped to the stage around 8:45, to thunderous, crazy ass applause. Backed by a giant deep violet glittery spiral, Karen O kept her reputation as indie rock’s most trend-pushing rock gem, rocking some bitchin’ yellow purple zebra tights and a crazy ass eyeball patterned kimono, which transitioned cloth hula hoop accessories, a hoodie and of course, a leotard. Bitch looked hot. Glowing amber lights illuminated through the fog, catching the shimmer of the glitter stage set, as Y shaped confetti shot through the shadows to the crowd. And this was just the beginning.

YYY kicked it off with a gentle, yet epic rendition of It’s Blitz!’s “Runaway.” Gorgeous and intimate, the song served as a perfect calm before the storm—kicking next into Fever to Tell’s raunchy grit theme, “Black Tongue.” Let me tell you, there is nothing more liberating and empowering than screaming “Boy you’re just a stupid bitch and girl you’re just a no good dick,” at the top of your lungs on your birthday. And I was definitely not the only one. The crowd went shitastic as Karen writhed, moaned and screamed. Zinner killed it on the guitar. Shit was sharp.

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By Jodi Root

Ever since I caught word that my beloved Yeah Yeah Yeahs were back in the studio with plans for a third album, I’ve been drooling in anticipation with every slight blog posting update. Album title? It’s Blitz! Alright! Album artwork? Manicured hand crunching egg yolk stop motion? YES! First track “Zero?” Synthed up glamour pop nightmare! (Sure, I noticed an absence of guitars, but the 80’s John Hughes-ish keywork was undeniably catchy dance party). Second track shortly after by way of Kanye University, “Heads Will Roll?” OMG. OMG. OMG. So dark and seductive, dance floor anthem!!!! Jodi was very, very pleased.

But then the full album leaked.

Since then, everyone’s thrown in their two cents of yay/nay. And at first, all I could focus on was what I had previously heard—the two singles, which are, let’s face it thrashtastic hipster dance delight. But then when my excitement of finally copping mp3 versions of these two addicting tracks wore out, I finally managed to flip through the remaining 8 tracks. And what were my thoughts? Well. . . I think my friend Arlo summed it up best when he posted on my Facebook wall, “Have you heard the new YYY record yet? I think I like it. I think you’ll like.” This was my first impression—“thinking” I liked it. Because, well, it’s the Yeah Yeah Yeahs! And I’ve adored every and anything they’ve recorded. I’ve been enamored with the grittiness of both the Machine and Self-Titled EPs, the impeccable debut Fever to Tell the more recent tightass rock factory EP Is Is, and of course, the last studio attempt, Show Your Bones.

But first full listen of It’s Blitz!? Ehhhh . . . Like back with Show Your Bones, I knew enough not to trust my first impression just yet. I remember the day I picked up SYB clearly, and it was a very special day indeed. But shortly after popping the yellow disc in my stereo, I quickly caught onto YYY’s transitional style—where was the shrieking? Grinding guitars? Thrashing, inaudible rock madness? Well, it certainly wasn’t on that album. Ehhh . . . But after enough listens and attentive patience, I grew to love the album in its own and it remains in regular rotation to this day. I discovered that after the two synth pop intro tracks on It’s Blitz!, the remainder of the record is significantly slowed down and a much more intimate collection of tracks than what we YYY fans are accustomed to.

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