Lollapalooza

It was Saturday.  It was about 80 degrees and sunny.  It was a great day to go to the park.  So, we packed up a blanket, some snacks and the family and headed out to one of the largest outdoor spaces in Santiago.  Us, and about 70,000 of our closest friends.  Maybe closer to 80,000.  We're a pretty popular family, huh?

Not really.  It was us and about 70,000 others but that's just because it was Lollapalooza weekend in Santiago.  This is it's third year here Santiago and this time we were determined to make it.  In 2011, the first year they held it here (or anywhere outside of the U.S.),  it was held the same week we moved.  I like to make plans on short notice but even I couldn't pull that off.  Last year, I considered it.   I would have liked to have seen Joan Jett, Björk, The Foo Fighters.  But the little's were, well, little.  Even I couldn't figure out how to take a not even 3 year old into that kind of ear splitting sound.  One that cries at the sound of fireworks.  Even if she was wearing earmuffs.  That says a lot since I am known to be able to take my kids anywhere, no matter the age.  Stinkerbell was at Disneyland at the ripe old age of 19 days.  (And I don't want to hear any backlash on how I could take a baby that little to such a public place.  It's not like I let her lick the hand rails while we were standing in line.  If she could, she would tell you what fibers my dress was made of, since that was what she breathed in all day).  ANYway...

We put it off attending until this year.  And even then it was iffy.  B though he was going to be gone for work until about a month before.  Thankfully, his trip didn't begin until Sunday so we were able to secure tickets for Saturday.  One day is better than none in my opinion.  Especially when it is the day we really wanted to see (hear?) anyway.  See, Pearl Jam was headlining.  And Pearl Jam has a special place in B's heart as it was the first album he ever spent his own personal money on.  Running all the way home from the store so he could listen to it.  Over. And over.  And over again.  And as of yesterday, he had yet to see them in concert.  Check one off the bucket list.

But this wasn't all for us (ok, it was, but we made sure the little's had fun too).  They have their very own KidzaPalooza.  Full of coloring and face painting, a park and kid concerts, fairy making and jugglers.  There were bubbles floating everywhere and a town full of Lego characters.  They were in heaven and it was hard to get them to want to walk back out in to adult world.

But hunger got the best of them and to get food we had to go back to the front gate.  Which meant passing by the 2 big stages set up to play "adult" music.  Funny to say that it was for adults since that is the music that set their feet to tapping and their hair a' swinging.  It took us almost an hour to get to the food since no one's feet seemed to move forward, but simply in time to the music.  Mostly in circles.  I love that my girls love music, and any time they hear it, they just can't help but dance.   The crowd seemed to feel the same way since every time I looked up from my camera, there was another group of people taking pictures of them.  Not sure if that should worry me or not...nah, they just saw cute kids dancing.

Stinkerbell was the biggest hit.  Dancing or not.  She had her earmuffs on most of the walk (loud, Mama, loud!) and everyone couldn't help but look and exclaim how cute it was.  She. ate. it. up.  And played it up.  Definitely her Papa's girl!

We had dinner, we danced and we watched a few bands.  I think the girls favorite was the Hives (mine too), and B's was definitely Pearl Jam (loved that too) but Queens of the Stone Age, Of Monsters and Men and the Kaiser Chiefs were pretty cool too.

All in all, a great day.  The mile or two walk back to the car at 10:30 was not my favorite moment, especially since I was carrying a sleeping 30 lb. baby who valiantly stayed up to see her first concert but just couldn't keep the eyes open any more.

Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat.  Music is lifeblood for me.  For B.  And hopefully for my kids.  Anything I can do to instill this into their hearts, their minds, their souls will be my pleasure.

MadHatter giving me Rock Fingers.  Stinkerbell a bit confused on what that is...

 These two are ready to Rock!

Nothing to do with Lollapalooza - just a cute pic of a cute baby ready for her first concert.

Same goes for her.

Things were a bit disorganized.  But this is Chile and I didn't expect much.  So this line - that you can't even see half of was about 2 hours.  Thank goodness we had a stroller and a "guagua" (baby).  VIP treatment and we were through in less than 15 minutes.

Of Monsters and Men were playing when we came in.  I really like them...the girls like to dance to anything...but Kidzapalooza closes at 6:30 so we don't have time to just sit and listen...

According to the little's THIS is where the fun begins.

 They both put their drawings on the wall.

Took a time out for a swing break...

They fished for ducks (that gave them a sucker as a prize)...

They "milked" a cow and couldn't stop laughing...

They Conked the Crow...

Well, almost...

We watched the performers...

 Posed with some Lego friends...

And watched the bubbles permeate the air.

We got hearts painted on our faces...with a bit of glitter thrown in

Or we chose to be a puppy...

We talked Papa into a fashionable headband...

And then. we. danced.  

And danced...and danced...

It didn't matter who was watching.  It didn't matter who was trying to walk.  The music was permeating every cell of our beings and we had to dance...

Until we had to take a break and put our earmuff's on...And then we just looked cute.

And then we really. really.  really.  got into it.

And we rested some more...because that dancing stuff, especially to the hard, hard rock of Queens of the Stone Age is hard stuff (the Hives was easier as it was bouncy...less head banging)

And then it was time to head to the main stage.  We stayed away from the front for obvious reasons.  We headed back to about here...

Not Pearl Jam - But about how far back we were from them...

And we waited.  Both girls were so excited to see their first real concert.  I can't believe they saw Pearl Jam for the first time the same time I did.  Never in my wildest dreams was that the scenario I saw in my mind when I was 16 and their first album came out...But they loved it...listened to about 3 songs and then passed out.

And were so cute doing so.