The Queen

One might expect tattoos and piercings to be in abundance a Lollapalooza, and this is quite true of tattoos. Piercings were not a notable decoration this year, however. Of particular note was a couple (who may or may not have been together in any way), one of whom, the male, had a really cool tattoo of a turtle on his back. It was intricate and large. The lady next to him had one consiting of words only, large letters, reading Queen Pain. Not Queen of Pain, not The Pain Queen, but Queen Pain, scribed permanently into her light complextion. I gazed between these two tattoos, and then as Jane’s Addiction came onstage, between the bearers of them to see Dave and other playing an instrumental opening, Home or something like that (don’t know the name). Perry Farrel came onstage at the end, and they broke into Been Caught Stealing. Bam! The instant the tempo stepped up, Queen Pain did something to me. I didn’t see it coming, it was some sort of reverse charge, perhaps with an elbow, or maybe torso only, but she just about knocked the wind out of me. She used me as a springboard to jump into the pit, and was away.