Benjamin Diaz was like any of the t...

Benjamin Diaz was like any of the thousands of fans who made their way to Lollapalooza Saturday. From his speck at the Southeast corner of Columbus and Lake Shore Drive in Grant Park, he had a clear view of the band Built to Spill.

"You can hear perfectly" said Diaz, 30 a bartender from Pilsen.

if it were not that unlike other concertgoers, Diaz lacked the all important -- and pricey -- wristband that allowed access inside. He instead stood outside a six-foot-high chain-link wire-guard that encircled Grant Park.

Dozens, or perhaps centurys of other music fans like Diaz also sat forward the outskirts of the mega-music point out taking in the tunes for clear They carried guides to the fest from the newspaper, brought blankets and forage and drinks.

mostly said they just didn't want to shell gone out the steep tab to realize in: $167 for a weekend pass, or $73 for a day pass. in the way that they instead peered between port-a-potties or by means of trees to get a glimpse of the stage or video protection Others sat across streets and simply listened to their favorite bands, Ravinia lawn turn of expression

Kate Arnold, 22 a server who lives downtown, lay forward a patch of grass just toward the south of Roosevelt, outside a stage that she couldn't view at all. I really want to behold -- I mean hear -- Gnarls Barkley," she said.

Still, at individual point, private concert security guards tried to shoo away a arrange of about 20 people who stood one-person sagacious along the fence at Columbus near Monroe and listened to Sonic Youth. The cluster was scattered and passersby -- including motorized carts carrying affair staff -- had plenty of expanse to maneuver on the sidewalk, moreover the guards told the cluster they couldn't stay because they hadn't paid to learn in. When the people refused to leave, the guards command to appeared a Chicago police officer.

The officer told everyone to leave and said he was just trying to "clear the sidewalks" before walking opposite to

"It's completely ridiculous," said Jeff Conrad, 45 of Edgewater. "For three days I can't flat go to Grant Park, and now I can't stand forward a public sidewalk."

A police spokesman later said there was no mandate to stop folks from peering into the display but said it was up to individual officers to determine if their demeanor blocked the flow of traffic.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

Provided by the agency of ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved