The ComedySportz Theatre

Every year, music-festival juggernaut Lollapalooza caters to the parental crowd with Kidzapalooza, a stage dedicated solely to acts appropriate for children. But with no disrespect to School of Rock or the pop-punk whimsy of bands like Play Date, there are plenty of other artists at Lolla that appeal to all ages without being specifically geared toward kids. Here are five of our favorites. J. Roddy Walston & The Business Friday at 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. | Bud Light Stage If you say his name fast enough, it sounds like J. “Rowdy” Walston, a moniker that would fit this Tennessee rocker to a T. No, you won’t be able to decipher his lyrics, and neither will your children. What will make sense to all ages, however, is the band’s yowling brand of Southern (with a capital “S”) rock, which combines sloppy soloing, backwoods drumming, and a barroom piano to appeal to the reptile in all of us. Lorde Friday at 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. | Bud Light Stage Pretty much everyone has heard Lorde by this point, so most Lolla attendees have probably made up their minds on whether or not they want to see the teenaged Kiwi. But if you’re a parent who’s still on the fence, we highly recommend taking your little one to her set. Even if her complex observations about youth go over younger kids’ heads, her production definitely won’t. The beats are danceable, infused with a touch of full-bodied hip-hop, and most importantly, chock-full of hooks that transcend generation. Jungle Saturday at 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. | Samsung Galaxy Stage Little is known about this London R & B by way of disco act, and that’s part of the fun—past shows have been shrouded in a fog thick enough to obscure the performers’ faces. Such anonymity will be difficult to achieve under Lolla’s midday August sun, which should leave Jungle’s Bee Gees–esque grooves out in the open. We doubt they’ll have the same elaborate, stone-faced choreography featured so prominently in their videos, but parents will dig the throwback sound while kids will most certainly be moved to dance. GROUPLOVE Saturday at 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. | Bud Light Stage In terms of sheer fashion sense, GROUPLOVE might be the biggest spectacle at Lolla. It’s not exactly an organized spectacle—skeleton bodysuits tend to clash with sequins, fedoras, and splatters of dayglo paint—but since when does rock ‘n’ roll have to be organized? It’s hard not to get sucked into the playful chaos, especially when the band keeps the music so catchy. Like co-lead singer Hannah Hooper, you and your kid might even be moved to headbang (not too hard, mind you) and forget that this is indie pop, not heavy metal. The Avett Brothers Sunday at 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. | Samsung Galaxy Stage Most of The Avett Brothers are fathers themselves, resulting in some of the best songs about parenthood this side of Ben Folds’s “Still Fighting It.” The band’s introspective lyrics are sure to resonate with anyone raising kids, if not with the kids themselves. Luckily, the Avetts also know how to keep things fun for younger audiences. It’s not uncommon for them to play out in the crowd, incorporate breakneck bluegrass tempos, or even cover Beyoncé. Photo courtesy of Republic Records Lollapalooza takes over Grant Park August 1–3. Regular and VIP passes are sold out, but you can still get Platinum and VIP packages online. Want to explore more music in the Windy City? Read our guide to the summer’s best outdoor music. And, as always, check Groupon for concerts in Chicago. Photos: Annette Geneva (Lorde); Dan Wilton (Jungle) ; Joseph Llanes (Grouplove). J. Roddy Watson photo courtesy of the artist; The Avett Brothers photo courtesy of Republic Records; Lollapalooza photo courtesy of Ashley Garmon.

The Avengers. Captain America. X-Men. The Amazing Spider-Man. Marvel Comics has been dominating the box office with a slew of summer blockbusters in recent years, and the trend continues this Friday, August 1, with the opening of Guardians of the Galaxy.  So, in the name of anyone feeling burned out on Marvel, we asked Eric Thornton, chief executive operating officer of Chicago Comics, to pick his favorite non-Marvel superheroes. Robotman Publisher: DC Comics Powers: Superhuman strength and speed, flight, shape-shifting Brief history: After he was severely injured in a car accident, Cliff Steele’s brain was inserted into a robotic body. He uses his powers for good as one of the founding members of weirdo superhero team the Doom Patrol. What makes him cool: “He’s just one of the characters that I’ve always loved,” Eric said. “In the DC Universe, everyone’s so clean-cut, and he’s just so cranky.” He also loves that the character frequently “deals with existential problems” due to being a man in a robot’s body. Brainiac 5 Publisher: DC Comics Power: 12th-level intellect Brief history: An alien from the planet Colu, Brainiac 5 is a descendant of Brainiac, one of Superman’s original and most deadly enemies, who chose to atone for his ancestor’s crimes by fighting with the Legion of Super-Heroes. What makes him cool: Unlike some of his more classically good companions, Brainiac 5 is “just this kinda crazy, supersmart asshole who thinks he’s better than everyone else.” But he’s not without his charms. “He’s got a crush on Supergirl … which is adorable.” Dick Grayson Publisher: DC Comics Powers (or, more appropriately, abilities): peak athlete, master martial artist, acrobat, detective Brief history: Most people know Grayson as Batman’s original Robin, but what they might not know is that little Dick grew up to become Nightwing and even took over the cowl of the Dark Knight himself for a time. What makes him cool: For Eric, Grayson stands out among other heroes for his maturity. “He’s just gone through so many iterations—he’s one of the few characters to have really evolved. They’ve actually allowed him to grow up.” The Tick Publisher: New England Comics Press Powers: superhuman strength and agility, “drama power” (the power to become stronger as situations become more dramatic) Brief history: The Tick has little to no memory of his past and is known for his overzealous sense of duty, bizarre inspirational speeches, and dim, childlike nature. What makes him cool: “There was a short-lived show on Fox in the late '90s, but everyone should know the Tick! He’s hilarious!” Eric said. And with a battle-cry of “Spoon!” and an odd host of companions such as Batmanuel, Sewer Urchin, and, of course, his moth-suited sidekick Arthur, who’s to argue? Animal Man Publisher: DC Comics Power: the ability to harness the power of any animal that has ever existed Brief history: Caught in the blast of an alien spacecraft, Buddy Baker gains his phenomenal powers and uses them to fight crime with the Justice League. What makes him cool: “He’s a guy who used to be kind of a joke of a character for like 30 years until Grant Morrison reinvented him,” Eric noted. “He’s a unique superhero with these crazy, dumb powers.” All of these characters can be found at Chicago Comics (3244 N. Clark St.) or anywhere else comics are sold. Guardians of the Galaxy opens nationwide on Friday, August 1. Check Groupon for great deals on movies in Chicago.

Compared to previous years’ rainstorms and heat waves, 2014’s Pitchfork Music Festival was all sunshine and cool breezes. The idyllic weather helped set the vibe for the 43 performances spread over the three-day event. Here are our highlights of the festival’s best moments (both musical and non-musical): Musical Best Headliner: Beck Neutral Milk Hotel delivered an intimate set to loyal fans and Kendrick Lamar ended the fest on a bombastic note, but Beck’s Friday-night showmanship proved hard to top. He showcased well-known (aka funky) hits—“Loser” and “E-Pro” among them—as well as the softer, more introspective side exhibited on albums like Sea Change and this year’s Morning Phase, reminding fans of his status as a true genre chameleon. The constant hopping from hip-hop to blues to country all built to a maximalist encore that included a wicked harmonica solo, an early-career medley of “Where It’s At,” “One Foot in the Grave,” and “Miss You,” not to mention an impressive amount of dancing. Best Finale: St. Vincent The bewitching St. Vincent owned the Red stage on Saturday with her ferocious guitar playing and raw choreography. There were no straight-up dance routines, but Annie Clark practically glided across the stage, moving in synchronicity with her backup guitarist to give the show a near-cinematic quality. Clark (whose gold-embellished dress would look at home on any red carpet) ended her set by rolling around on the stage and smashing her head into a bass drum—her post-show icing was well-deserved. Best Brass: Neutral Milk Hotel It’s not every year that a tuba takes center stage at Pitchfork. Then again, few things about Neutral Milk Hotel’s set were conventional—the lack of photo and video coverage, for one, and the fact that the crowd felt “Holland, 1945” was moshing music. All shoving aside, the band delivered an emotional set that was true to the antiquated sideshow spirit of their cult album In the Aeroplane over the Sea. A heavily bearded Jeff Mangum sang in his broken-boy yowl while Scott Spillane blew the brass until his cheeks were purple and Julian Koster shredded his bow on a musical saw. Best Near-Disaster: Majical Cloudz The weekend was not without its glitches—the most severe of which was a complete keyboard failure for Majical Cloudz. Whereas Pusha T delayed his set by 30 minutes to wait on a late DJ, the electro-pop duo decided to power through their technical difficulties with a largely a cappella set, drawing on the audience for handclaps and making a few jokes along the way. Things ended dramatically with an onstage demolition of the busted keyboard. Best Rookie Rapper: Isaiah Rashad Recently signed to Top Dawg Entertainment—home of fellow Pitchfork Fest MCs Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q—the 22-year-old rapper drew a loyal crowd to the small Blue stage, no doubt recruiting some new fans in the process. Rashad laid his spitfire verses over subdued, jazz-like melodies. The end result was a fusion of West Coast party vibes and the gruff Southern style of his native Chattanooga. Best Collab: Sharon Van Etten and Goose Island Beer Near the end of her downtempo yet emotionally powerful set, Sharon Van Etten dropped in a plug for the dry-hopped kölsch she helped make for Goose Island Beer Company. “They asked me if I wanted to collaborate on a beer, and I said ‘Yeah, if you want it to be disgusting,’ but it was really good!” Indeed, the SVE Kölsch was a hit, though you won’t find the limited-edition brew outside this year’s Pitchfork Festival—yet. Non-Musical Best VIP: Marnie the Dog The 12-year-old Instagram celeb hit the festival hard, snapping selfies with fans, shopping for vinyl, and cuddling with Dum Dum Girls, DIIV, and Perfect Pussy. Best Festival Perk: Free Haircuts Tyler Scott and Will Valentine of Joe’s Barber Shop gave out more than 200 free haircuts at the festival this weekend. The catch? Their clients had no say in what kind of style they received. “I made a girl cry,” Scott said. “I shaved half her head.” Nonetheless, most festival-goers left happy. “It’s a free haircut. You get what you get!” Best Artwork: Geometric Village from Johalla Projects Johalla Projects debuted its newest public art piece at Pitchfork: a duo of tent-like structures designed by collage artists Heather Gabel and Chad Kouri. The two contrasting pieces created a sort of Choose Your Own Adventure depending on who was playing the nearby Blue stage. Kouri’s vibrant, simple prints and upbeat slogans paired well with the carefree electro-pop of Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks, while Gabel’s stark black-and-white images included a human skull and a coyote torso that complemented the darker, more contemplative compositions of Jon Hopkins. Best Craft: Mia Weiner’s Custom Embroidery In the craft tent’s sea of chunky plastic earrings, flower-adorned sunglasses, and ironic T-shirts, Mia Weiner’s booth stood out for its direct connection to the music. Her custom-embroidered pieces—each taking untold hours to complete—offered a truly unique souvenir: hand-stitched flags and pins of the festival’s featured artists. Request your own custom piece from her online shop, How Could You?. The next Pitchfork Music Festival won’t be for another year. In the meantime, check out more music in the Windy City with these deals for concerts in Chicago. Photos: Jessica Lehrman (Beck, crowd); Tom Spray (Isaiah Rashad); Ebru Yildiz (Sharon Van Etten, St. Vincent); Andrew Nawrocki, Groupon (non-musical categories)