4th August 2013: Day 5
Last day in Chicago and we were due to skate with the Windy City Roller Girls, but just as we were to leave we found a message saying it had been moved to a earlier time! So we missed it 🙁 such a shame. We decided to use the time wisely though and to skate some more of Chicago, but first of all I attended the Church in the Loop, a little church within the youth Hostel. Really friendly people, so nice to meet locals as well as other travellers.
Our skate (me on new skateboard), took us along the river, a really lovely skate. Gab pointed out that there were 4 little cars driving along the river!
We did some little video clips of us skating, will upload those later. We got a bit of a free tour, as we skated along side a tourist boat! I recommend taking skates or a board on hols, you get to see everything much quicker and much cooler 😉
We headed back to Lolla as I wanted to see Jake Bug… Yes that young lad from Nottingham! He was very good… Needs a hair cut though, he’s rocking the Oasis/charlatans mass of hair n swagger.
Went off on an explore n found a band called ‘Skaters’, so had to listen really! They looked like they’d been on tour for a while, very ragged round the edges! A bit punky, but not enough to keep my attention. More wondering about until I heard a ragged bluesy sound and followed it, it turns out to be another Brit called Alex Clare, I’ve heard one of his songs on the radio, but not really known who he was. He seemed really chuffed to be playing here n quite sweet about it. Chilled out laying in the hot sun listening to his gravely voice and the crowds occasional joining in.
Next was a rock band called Baroness who were not bad either, kind of stoner rock, with plenty of long instrumentals… Later in the day I was stood at a crossing next to the singer… Didn’t dare say anything tho!
I decided to head off for another skate, this time to see the big wheel that we had seen across the water… Turns out to be rammed with people, there were a few large boats with people dressed in evening wear and sipping cocktails… Not really my scene ha ha, so skated the Lake Shore (which I keep calling the sea front) back to The hostel to meet Gab and to ready ourselves for The Cure!!!!
We headed in early, expecting a huge crowd, but hardly anyone around! So we walked straight to the front… It was really weird! No one pushes or shoves, they’re always so polite… And there is so much space that you can actually dance at the front!!!! This place is far too weird!
Anyway we meet some local fans and I stay with one of them while Gab goes off to see Cat Power. The Cure arrive and I can’t believe I’m actually seeing them after all these years. Robert Smith is showing his age, but his voice still sounds amazing and hr gets the crowd going straight away. The American crowd seems to go crazy for different songs to us Brits, so even I go crazy for Love Cats it’s a bit weird that not many other do! Was totally brilliant end to the festival though n Rob was so cute at the end, walking to each end of the stage awkwardly to say goodbye.
