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Lollapalooza turns 20 years old this year and to celebrate the occasion, founder Perry Farrell is taking the groundbreaking alternative festival to Santiago, Chile, starting this Friday, April 1. "I waited 20 years before I took it out of the country, always wanting to," Farrell tells Spinner.
And now his vision comes to pass as Jane's Addiction, the Killers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the National, Cat Power, Kanye West, Ben Harper, 30 Seconds to Mars and several other acts make Lollapalooza an international event. So, how did Chile win the Lolla lottery?
"We picked Chile. I always like to say it was very organic. In the song 'Jane Says,' when I say, 'Jane says, I've never been in love/I don't know what it is, I want them if they want me,' that' just how it was with Lollapalooza," Farrell says. "We went around the world and researched in Europe, Asia, South America and I met these guys from Lotus Productions. They reminded me a lot of Paul Tollett, Rick Van Santen and Gary Tovar from Goldenvoice. I just liked them. They were young, but they had a sophisticated opinion about music and business. They knew what they were doing, but they also knew how to have a good time and throw a great party."
Remarkably, this also marks the first time in Jane's Addiction's quarter-century run that they will play Chile. As a consummate showman and party host, Farrell can't wait to induct Chile into the world of Jane's. "Going down to Chile and South America, we've never been down there. They've never seen us and these people are so ready to become part of the international community of musicians," he says. "The excitement and
