LOLLAPALOOZA'S SECOND STAGE

The headlining acts on this summer's Lollapalooza '93 tour may look alternative, but if you really want to get a blast of the unusual, wander on over to the second stage that is part of the Lollapalooza campgrounds. That's where you'll get to see and hear (depending on what city you're in) a revolving cast of truly cool, must-see indie bands, including the pummeling likes of Sebadoh and Tsunami, Jamaican dub poet Mutabaruka, and hip-hoppers A Lighter Shade of Brown. ''The second stage offers a chance for a person going to Lollapalooza to experience something they wouldn't ordinarily seek out,'' says second-stage coordinator John Rubeli, who chose the bands after being deluged with thousands of tapes and CDs submitted by groups around the country. ''They might say, 'What is that godawful noise coming from the second stage?' And then they might go check it out. This music is not necessarily in Tower Records or on MTV, but it's as vital as whatever is featured in the mainstream outlets.'' In addition to a freewheeling record store and separate booths with fanzines and band merchandise, the second stage will present one local band from whichever city the traveling tour is visiting. The San Francisco shows (June 22-23), for instance, will feature the straight jazz of the Charlie Hunter Trio, living up to Rubeli's intention of making the second stage more ''diverse and multicultural'' than the main stage. Not to mention a challenge for bands that are unaccustomed to the outdoors: ''We're not that kind of band,'' says Neil Hagerty, guitarist with the D.C.-based noise duo Royal Trux (July 14-19). ''It should be interesting, playing on a stage in 95 degrees. I hope they have some fans or something.''