For the first time in Lollapalooza’s six-year history, a non-music act will be featured on the Main Stage.

The Shaolin Monks, modern-day masters of the Asian martial art of kung fu, will kick-box their way into alternative superstardom.

Given this year’s explosive line-up of Metallica, Soundgarden, The Ramones, Rancid, Screaming Trees and Psychotica, the Shaolin Monks may be the last thing one would expect on stage.

London-based producer Harvey Goldsmith and his Austrian counterpart, Herbie Fechter, discovered the monks and arranged for their appearance.

“This is an unusual departure for the Shaolin Monks,” Goldsmith said in a press release. “It marks their first visit to the United States, as well as a very exciting opportunity to display their work to a broad-based audience that otherwise might never have heard of them.”

The mysterious Shaolin sect of Buddhism originated in 525 A.D., when an Indian monk named Ta Mo arrived at a monastery and introduced a new form of the religion based upon one’s remaining in meditative immobility for hours and even days.

Ta Mo’s innovations for keeping physically fit included a new routine of breathing techniques and exercises, thereby forming the basis of today’s martial arts.

During the prime of the Shaolin Monastery 1,300 years ago, the monks perfected their physical moves to include the use of weaponry. For the next 1,000 years, these techniques remained a mainstay of Chinese wartime defense. Today’s Shaolin Monks are the personification of a sound mind in a strong body.

Organizers say that the monks are ideal for the festival’s stage. “The moment I saw these extraordinary performers, I knew they would be perfect for Lollapalooza,” said Peter Grosslight, who first suggested the Shaolin Monks for this year’s concert.

“The physical aggression and drama they bring to their incredible martial arts display is exactly what the fans of this year’s Lollapalooza talent line-up will enjoy. The kids are going to have a chance to see a first-hand demonstration of something that, until now, was available only by renting a movie or buying a plane ticket.”

For more information about the other headliners, ticket availability and all other details pertaining to Lollapalooza, tap into the Net at http://lollapalooza.com.