
DATE: Wednesday, July 2, 1997               TAG: 9707020575

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY SUE VAN HECKE, SPECIAL TO THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   82 lines

A BEACH LOLLAPALOOZA THE SOCIO-POLITICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL ROCKS IN A SOARING, RAGING, AMPHITHEATER DEBUT.

Lollapalooza, the traveling alternative rock music festival, rolled into Hampton Roads Tuesday, welcomed by breezy weather and a crowd at the GTE Virginia Beach Amphitheater, three-quarters full.

Though the outdoor concert targeting the tatooed and pierced set is now in its seventh year, this is the first time the multi-act Lollapalooza has come to this area.

``It's about . . . time, '' said Brad Henlin, 19, of Virginia Beach. Until now, ``The closest one has been in Raleigh.''

Henlin had come primarily to see the raging rap/heavy metal hybrid band Korn, one of seven acts to perform on the festival's mainstage.

The group incited a mosh pit, which continued through the set by alterna-metallers Tool, on the amphitheater's hillside lawn. Moshing, slam dancing and body surfing were not permitted in front of the stage, one of the facility's many well-enforced regulations.

``I wish they wouldn't have so many rules here,'' Henlin complained. ``You can't smoke in the seats. You have to show your ticket everywhere you want to walk to.''

The amphitheater's debut Lollapalooza drew locals and tourists alike. Toni Locke, 25, drove up with four of her friends from Myrtle Beach, S.C.

``Raleigh's closer,'' said Locke, ``but we wanted to come here to see a friend. Plus, I want to see Snoop Dogg,'' she said, referring to rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg.

Other bands on the bill included Julian and Damian Marley, sons of reggae great Bob Marley; British popsters James; trip-hop artists Tricky; and techno duo Orbital. A second stage featured six underground rock acts.

Founded by Perry Farrell, former front man for Jane's Addiction and currently with Porno for Pyros, Lollapalooza has always included socio-political organizations in its concourse area of music and art attractions, food, jewelry and apparel vendors.

This year, which marks Farrell's return to the festival after a year off, the focus was on dioxin and its poisoning effect on the environment.

Vendors seemed pleased with the turnout at Virginia Beach, the fifth stop on an eight-week tour covering more than 30 U.S. cities.

``It's going real well,'' said vendor Donovan Bernard, one of the festival's more flamboyant dressers in his neon tie-dyed T-shirt and flame-red, bell-bottom trousers.

``The people here are real nice. This is the biggest crowd we've seen so far - and the crowd is really excited.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos

MOTOYA NAKAMURA photos/The Virginian-Pilot

Gia Eppolito calls for help as she holds up part of a sinking tent.

She was in the midst of giving Harold Knutsen a hair wrap for his

beard when the structure started to fall over.

Betty Woodfin, of Petersburg, Va., above, enjoys the British band

James, one of the early acts at the festival. The group, which began

in Manchester, England, in the '80s, just released ``Whiplash.''

Once known for an alternative pop sound, it's moved toward

electronics. At right, Summercamp from Santa Barbara plays on the

second stage.

A security guard climbs into the crowd to chase down some people who