Cost: Tickets: $205 ($190 for an Advance 3-day pass 'til they sell out)

What to expect: Lollapalooza, Chicago's three-day monster music fest offers up 150 bands on several stages throughout Grant Park, plus a host of other distractions.

Why to go: Lolla's headliners are reason enough: Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine and Nine Inch Nails—plus Chicago favorite sons Kanye West and Wilco—will all perform. But if you need another reason, the gorgeous Chicago cityscape towering over the Lollapalooza crowds should do the trick.

The Schedule:

Friday August 1st
Bud Light Stage
12:15-1:15 p.m. Black Lips
2:15-3:15 p.m. The Go! Team
4:15-5:15 p.m. The Black Keys
6:15-7:45 p.m. The Raconteurs

Play Station 3 Stage
11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. K'NAAN
1:15-2:15 p.m. Butch Walker
3:15-4:15 p.m. Duffy
5:15-6:15 p.m. Cat Power

BMI Stage
11:15-11:45 a.m. We Go To 11
12:15-1 p.m. Magic Wands
1:30-2:15 p.m. The Parlor Mob
2:45-3:30 p.m. Electric Touch
4-4:45 p.m. Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears
5:15-6 p.m. Your Vegas
6:15-7 p.m. Weapon
7-8 p.m. The Cool Kids

Kidz Stage
11:30 a.m.-noon Suzy Brack and the New Jack Lords
12:15-12:45 Paul Green's School of Rock All-Stars
Special Guest
1:30-2 p.m. The Dream Jam Band
2:15-2:45 The Terrible Twos
Jeff Tweedy
3:15-4 p.m. Tiny Masters of Today

Citi Stage
noon-12:30 p.m. Sofia Talvik
1-1:45 p.m. Manchester Orchestra
2:15-3 p.m. The Enemy UK
3:15-4 p.m. Louis XIV
4:30-5:15 p.m. Free Sol
5:45-6:30 p.m. Grizzly Bear
7-8 p.m. CSS

Myspace Stage
11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Bang Camaro
1:15-2:15 Rogue Wave
3:15-4:15 The Kills
5:15-6:15 Mates of State
7:15-8 p.m. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

AT&T Stage
12:15-1:15 p.m. Noah and The Whale
2:15-3:15 p.m. Yeasayer
4:15-5:15 p.m. Gogol Bordello
6:15-7:15 p.m. Bloc Party
8 p.m. Radiohead


Saturday August 2nd
Bud Light Stage
12:30-1:30 p.m. Does It Offend You, Yeah?
2:30-3:30 p.m. Dierks Bentley
4:30-5:30 p.m. Explosions in the Sky
6:30-7:30 p.m. Broken Social Scene
8:30 p.m. Wilco

Play Station 3 Stage
11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. De Nobo Dahl
1:30-2:30 p.m. Mason Jennings
3:30-4:30 p.m. DeVotchKa
5:30-6:30 p.m. Okkervil River
7:30-8:30 p.m. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings

BMI Stage
11:15 a.m.-noon Krista
12:30-1:15 p.m. The Postelles
1:45-2:30 p.m. Innerpartysystem
3-3:45 p.m. Steel Train
4:15-5 p.m. Serena Ryder
5:15-6 p.m. DJ Bald Eagle
6-7 p.m. Uffie

Kidz Stage
11:30 a.m.-noon The Dream Jam Band
12:15-12:45 Tiny Masters of Today
1:15-1:45 p.m. The Jimmies
2:15-2:45 The Terrible Twos
Special Guest
3:30-4 p.m. Homemade Jamz' Blues Band

Citi Stage
noon-12:30 p.m. Witchcraft
1-1:45 p.m. Ferras
2:15-3 p.m. Booka Shade
5-6 p.m. Spank Rock
6:30-7:30 p.m. Battles

Myspace Stage
11:30 a.m.-noon Last Band Standing
12:15-12:45 p.m. Margot & the Nuclear So and So's
1:30-2:30 p.m. Dr. Dog
3:30-4:30 p.m. MGMT
5:30-6:30 p.m. Jamie Lidell
7:30-8:30 p.m. Toadies

AT&T Stage
12:45-1:30 p.m. The Ting Tings
2:30-3:30 p.m. The Gutter Twins
4:30-5:30 p.m. Brand New
6:30-7:30 p.m. Lupe Fiasco
8:30 p.m. Rage Against the Machine


Sunday August 3nd
Bud Light Stage
12:30-1:15 p.m. White Lies
2:15-3:15 p.m. John Butler Trio
4:15-5:15 p.m. Iron & Wine
6:15-7:15 p.m. Love and Rockets
8:15 p.m. Nine Inch Nails

Play Station 3 Stage
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Office
1:15-2:15 p.m. The Weakerthans
3:15-4:15 p.m. Amadou & Mariam
5:15-6:15 p.m. Flogging Molly
7:15-8:15 p.m. The National

BMI Stage
11:15 a.m.-noon Ha Ha Tonka
12:30-1:15 p.m. Wild Sweet Orange
1:45-2:30 p.m. Tally Hall
3-3:45 p.m. Newton Faulkner
4:15-5 p.m. Eli "Paperboy" Reed & the True Loves

Kidz Stage
11:30 a.m.-noon Q Brothers
John Butler Trio
12:15-12:45 Homemade Jamz' Blues Band
1:15-1:45 p.m. The Jimmies
2:15-2:45 Peter DiStefano & Tor
G. Love & Special Sauce
3:15-4 p.m. Paul Green's School of Rock All-Stars

Citi Stage
noon-12:30 p.m. The Blakes
1-1:45 p.m. What Made Milwaukee Famous
2:15-3 p.m. Nicole Atkins & the Sea
3:30-4:30 p.m. Black Kids
5-6 p.m. Saul Williams
6:30-7:30 p.m. Girl Talk

Myspace Stage
11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. The Octopus Project
1:15-2:15 p.m. The Whigs
3:15-4:15 p.m. Chromeo
5:15-6:15 p.m. Blues Traveler
7:15-8:30 p.m. Mark Ronson

AT&T Stage
12:15-1:15 p.m. Kid Sister
2:15-3:15 p.m. Brazilian Girls
4:15-5:15 p.m. G. Love & Special Sauce
6:15-7:15 p.m. Gnarls Barkley
8:30 p.m. Kanye West

Centerstage Reviewer: K. Tighe