5 minutes with The Go! Team's Ninja and Ian Parton

Lollapalooza '08, Day 1

By Laura Leebove
Published: August 2nd, 2008 | 8:45am

Members of British band The Go! Team are no strangers to Lollapalooza — they last played here in 2006. But this time they were upgraded to a daytime slot on the northside main stage.

Despite the sick heat, The Go! Team gave their all in a high-energy performance. After the show, vocalist/MC Ninja and songwriter-guitarist Ian Parton took a few minutes to talk with Venus Zine about their Lolla experience.

Was there anything different about your experience at Lollapalooza this year than 2006?

Ninja: Not really, I mean we always give 100%. We never expect people to come and see us so we're always really happy when people show up, 'cause you never know if people are going to get sick of you or what's gonna happen, or who you're up against at the same time. It went really well, we're really happy with the show.

What was it like being on one of the main stages this time?

Ninja: It was great, we were a bit worried that no one was gonna come and see us but there were loads and loads of people out there, it was really nice.

Parton: It's ridiculous. I couldn't get over the crowd. It's a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing. [In 2006] if it wasn't [the stage we were on this year], it was a similar stage two years ago, so it wasn't like completely unknown. We've done Glastonbury [Festival] and Fuji [Rock Festival] and stuff.

How does Lollapalooza compare to some of the other big festivals you've done?

Ninja: It's just quite a nice setting actually, it's the middle of quite a pretty city and there's good vibes here.

Parton: It's more corporate. The Bud Light stage, AT&T stage.

What do you do to prepare for shows like this, when you know it's gonna be a lot more people and a bigger, outdoor environment instead of a closed-in venue?

Ninja: There's not a lot you can do really, just get on with it, give it 100% because it's live for TV as well. We don't have any special [traditions] for bigger festivals compared to smaller ones or smaller shows.

Parton: We kinda jump around whether it's a tiny stage or a massive stage and we always go for it.

How do you keep up the energy, especially in this heat?

Ninja: I have no idea, I was gonna die! Halfway through the first song I thought, "I'm not gonna make it." It was so hot I was dizzy. It's like working out in a sauna.

What kept you going?

Ninja: I don't know! I honestly don't know.

Parton: You just got to. For me, I really look forward to that jumping around stuff so it's not dragging. A lot of it is the music kind of urged me to do it, you know what I mean?