The first Lollapalooza, and the bands that comprised it in 1991, were wildly idealistic and diverse acts.
Led by Jane's Addiction's Perry Farrell, one of the trailblazers of '90s alternative rock, the traveling roadshow was a prime example of the best of college rock at a time when the most popular music was being found left of the dial.
A year later Grunge would follow its lead and erupt. Lollapalooza '91 was its warning call.
Punk stalwarts the Rollins Band and the Butthole Surfers opened the show. On some dates the frantically funky Fishbone and quirky Violent Femmes were also part of the show.
Ice-T brought his gangsta rap to audiences who may have never seen a hip-hop performance before. Then he let down his hair and rocked out with his metal band Body Count.
That gave way to the industrial theatrics of Nine Inch Nails.
Living Colour with the guitar virtuo Vernon Reid was next scaring the goths away who hustled back for Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Then Jane's Addiction blasted everyone home with new music from their groundbreaking second studio album Ritual de lo Habitual.
It might have been too much great music for one day.
Lollapalooza rolled on as a traveling festival in the '90s, but in '96 when Farrell stopped curating the lineup, Metallica ended up as headliners, upsetting alternative fans.
After '97 the party was over and wouldn't return until 2003.
But whatever happened to the bands of that premier tour? Here's a quick rundown.
Henry Rollins
Rollins is a notorious road dog, starting back when he sang in Black Flag. The tattooed author has a long history of entertaining crowds with his spoken word insights when he's not rocking out.
Brits can catch him in August when has three shows in the UK. This fall, Rollins will embark on a three month spoken word tour through the USA. Get your tickets here.
Butthole Surfers
The band has not held a concert since 2020, but Matador Records is keeping a good chunk of the Texas band's material available.
Fishbone
Angelo, Fish, Dirty Walter and the fellas performed in three of the early incarnations of Lollapalooza: '91, '93, and '96.
Fishbone is touring around North America as headliners when they aren't opening for George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic farewell tour.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Fishbone came out right around the same time in Los Angeles in the mid-'80s saying they were all children of the P-Funk spirit. Get tickets here.
Violent Femmes
The trio from Wisconsin are spending 2023 celebrating the 40th anniversary of their self titled debut that contained "Blister in the Sun," “Add it Up,” “Gone Daddy Gone,” and “Kiss Off.”
They'll be touring this fall. Get your tickets here.
Ice T
Who would have guessed the West Side Rollin 30s Original Harlem Crip would be the one performer of Lollapalooza '91 to have been on TV the most, and as a cop of all things.
Ice-T will be part of a number of the west coast stops and the Detroit show of the Rock The Bells Tour headlined by LL Cool J. Get your tickets here.
Living Colour
The hard rocking Grammy winners from NYC recently opened for Soul Asylum and are now doing headlining shows around the US.
Their website appears to be broken so, get your tickets here.
Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross et al performed 58 dates in 2018 and 26 in 2022. It seems like the pair prefer scoring films these days than selling out arenas. The musicians won an Oscar in 2011 for the score of The Social Network. No tours are on the horizon, but the NIN website says Trent and Atticus are composing the "terrifying" score of Teenage Ninja Turtles movie.
Siouxsie
Siouxsie was warmly welcomed at Pasadena's Cruel World. The March 23, 2023 festival appearance was her first US gig in 15 years. Mother Nature wasn't as forgiving. A lightning storm forced promoters to postpone the final performers for the following day. Siouxsie shined in that, her only US date.
Since then she has been playing across the pond. Her final few festival dates are coming up. Tickets available here.
Jane's Addiction
When Perry isn't producing Lollapalooza - which is now three days in Chicago - he's leading Jane's Addiction.
Jane's recently toured with Smashing Pumpkins, though without guitarist Dave Navarro who has been suffering long Covid.
In early July, Perry's side project Porno for Pyros announced it will go on tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Horns Thorns en Halos with Mike Watt on bass. It's the first time in 25 years the band who gave us "Pets" will be touring.
Tickets on sale on their website.
