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This year's Lollapalooza is again a local affair.

Monday Jul 28, 2008.     By K. Tighe

Festivals Feed

Just as Lollapalooza descends on Grant Park each year, Chicago's talent pool has swept in to upstage many a touring band in the lineup. This year's installment is no different. You've already got the goods on Wilco, Lupe and Kanye, but what about our rising stars? Here are the stats on three of Lolla's hottest acts—all local, of course.

Want to know what the locals are thinking before they take the stage? Centerstage talked to a few of them to find out.

Cool Kids (7 p.m. Friday, BMI)
What's the deal with them, anyway?
Antoine Reed (aka Mikey Rocks) and Evan Ingersoll (aka Chuck Inglish) managed to take Pitchfork audiences by storm last year; tour with M.I.A. and the Rock the Bells festival; and develop an enormous online following—all well before releasing a debut album, which is expected later this year.

Sounds Like
Old-school hip-hop, comparisons to the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J have been plentiful (largely due to the assault of catchy hooks and dance-worthy beats), but make no mistake: The Cool Kids may be building on hip-hop's '80s heyday, but with such tremendous skill showcased at the onset of their career, it's clear that they've got more to offer than just a rehashing of the past.

What to expect this weekend
The frenetic energy that only youth can bring, an audience full of impressed and writhing masses, some tongue-in-cheek '80s apparel and an unusually high amount of BMX jargon injected into the stage banter.

Album to check out
The debut LP is to come, but this spring saw the release of The Bake Sale, an EP that compiles stand-out tracks from The Cool Kids' live shows and Myspace page—including fan favorite, "Black Mags."

Office (11:30 a.m. Sunday, PS3)
What's the deal with them, anyway? The brainchild of Scott Masson, Office is one of Chicago's workhorse bands—having played nearly every venue around the city—and was signed to James Iha's (of the Smashing Pumpkins) indie label, Scratchie Records, before negotiating out of the contract to get back in touch with its DIY roots. The lineup now includes drummer Erica Corniel, bassist Colin DeKuiper and guitarist/vocalist Tom Smith in addition to Masson.

Sounds Like
Concentrated, unblemished pop-bliss. Impossibly catchy, impeccably orchestrated and bouncy as hell, Office delivers concentrated indie rock that owes a debt to Brian Wilson.

What to expect this weekend
Fun. With only a few exceptions, the Office catalogue is sunny, energetic and perfectly suited to a festival environment. A few drops of psych add just the right amount of whimsy, and the whole package is delivered with the precision of a headliner—but the heart of an indie band.

Album to check out
A Night at the Ritz was released in 2007 on Scratchie Records to great reviews, and serves as an excellent intro to Office, as it's full of material from the group's self-released demos.

Kid Sister (12:15 p.m. Sunday, AT&T) What's the deal with her, anyway?
This Chicagoland native got her start MC-ing at her little bro's (Josh "J2K" Young, who is half of Flosstradamus) parties, and eventually earned Kanye West's stamp of approval with her single "Pro Nails," which the producer added a verse to and released on his Can't Tell Me Nothing mixtape, to massive fanfare and heavy MTV rotation. She's now a Kanye protege, signed to Fool's Gold/Downtown Records and her debut album, Dream Date, is due out in September.

Sounds Like
Club rap with an electro chaser. Her bro is her hype-man/DJ, and Dream Date is riddled with cameos from the likes of Kanye West and A-Trak (West's touring DJ). Dance-inducing beats, old-school sensibilities, slick production and the natural talents of Kid Sister culminate in one hell of a package from this Chicago twenty-something.

What to expect this weekend
Cameos. With mentor Kanye headlining Sunday, if his entourage pulls into town early, expect that he and A-Trak will be popping in to accent Kid Sister's performance. DJ JTK will be anchoring the beats and the audience will be going ape.

Album to check out
Dream Date isn't out until September, so if you want a dose of Kid Sister before then (and after Sunday's show, you will), you'll have to pick up Kanye's Can't Tell Me Nothing.

Want more Lolla? We've got you covered. Become an expert on the fest with our alphabetical primer; learn how you can go green in Grant Park; plan out your schedule (and your kids' schedules, too). If you're still not satisfied, check out one of these after-parties. And don't forget our music-festival survival guide.