Charles Barkley, is that you? Michael Jordan, since when do you like indie music? Elton Brand, I didn’t even know they sold your jersey anymore. Oh, wait. Those are just scrawny, white hipsters. (I’ll attempt to keep all hipster jokes to a minimum…) Yes, these basketball jerseys are crucial when striving for wardrobe success at Pitchfork Music Festival and this year was no exception. But if I were dedicating this whole post to the types of outfits I saw at Pitchfork, well…that might actually make for pretty interesting storytelling. I digress….the weekend was about the music and lots of it (good, bad, and ugly). Beginning on Friday, July 16, Pitchfork Music Festival kicked off its fifth annual celebration of the finest music you probably won’t find lining the Billboard Hot 100 chart anytime soon. Instead, Pitchfork dedicates itself to the best in indie music (I always hate using the term “indie” so generally). This was my third year at the fest and it boasted the best lineup far and away out of the three years, in my opinion. Before I get into the music aspect of Pitchfork, I should mention my favorite crowd-related highlights of the weekend. First off, a 40+ year old man re-enacting his version of the “Carlton Dance” from Fresh Prince. Second, a man who could not resist from smacking his girlfriend’s butt, rather hard, every 15 seconds or so. And third, a couple who were dancing to Big Boi and, upon the wife jumping up and down and requesting that her husband launch her into the air in a dance motion, he proceeded to push her over into the dirt playfully. She did not find this funny. On to the music…
Friday was the weakest day. It started off with anything but a bang, as Sharon Van Etten and Tallest Man on Earth opened up the main stages. Both of them played well, and Tallest Man on Earth was one of my most anticipated acts. I just thought they are both far better suited playing in clubs/theatres instead of large open grassy areas. Shortly after Tallest Man’s set, I wandered over to catch a song of El-P’s. Little did I know it would be the worst song I ever witnessed live. The front man continually yelled “CRYING” for three minutes straight as he pretended his face was melting. Enough said. The highlight of Friday came an hour or so later, as Robyn caused me to break out into my first full-on dance session of the weekend. The great thing about this festival is that I go into it anticipating bands that I’ve heard great things about but maybe haven’t done much research on; Robyn was one of those. She is a performer, period. She had that crowd moving like a workout video and played songs both old and new that never once created a lull in the set. Unfortunately, the Friday night headliner Modest Mouse couldn’t capture even a fraction of this energy and were possibly my least favorite act of the weekend. After opening with “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes”, the set (and setlist) were all downhill from there. Not to sound like a 17 year old teenage girl Modest Mouse fan (sterotype much?), but how do you not play “Float On” for fans at a festival? And that’s not the sole reason the set was so poor, just part of it. Isaac Brock seemed pretty disinterested with the show, perhaps because of being pelted with glow sticks. Overall, the set dragged on and even the encore never picked up any steam. On to Saturday….
Saturday started with Free Energy for me and I was pleasantly surprised. Nothing too unconventional about this band from Minnesota, just solid rock and roll. Real Estate followed them and was another one of my most anticipated acts. I really love their latest, self-titled album and “Beach Comber” off that album has been my favorite song of the year since first hearing it in the winter. The album translated to their live show fairly well, although in the sweltering 90+ degree afternoon heat, it was tough to really immerse yourself in the music. That was a constant theme throughout the weekend; battling the heat to enjoy the music. Wouldn’t mind catching them again in a smaller setting. Titus Andronicus was, like Robyn, a band I had heard such positive reviews about but knew very little. After their set, I became a fan. Such high energy, coupled with passion, humor, and catchy choruses, made them a fan favorite rather quickly. As I made my way over to see Raekwon after Titus Andronicus, I mentioned how hip-hop shows never seem to start on time. Surprise, surprise, Raekwon’s set was delayed by 20 minutes due to “sound issues”. Never heard that one before. Even after the set started, the issues continued and the show never got rolling. Panda Bear played right before LCD Soundsystem and was as awful as I imagined he would be. I’ve never been able to get into him, let alone Animal Collective. It literally sounded like a toddler could create the “beats” (noises, also an acceptable term here) he was using. Fortunately, James Murphy and company showed why they’re arguably the hottest band of 2010. I’ve been a late arriver to the LCD Soundsystem bandwagon but I’m glad I’ve jumped on. Their disco-laced music allowed me to enter my second dance session of the weekend. While like Modest Mouse the night before, they didn’t play arguably their biggest hit “North American Scum”, but they did fill their set with hits such as “All My Friends” and “Daft Punk is Playing At My House”. The former of the two creating one of those transcendental music experiences where you realize why you love music so much. And why you love LCD Soundystem, as I’m now learning.
Sunday was the main event at Pitchfork, with the festival seemingly stacking all its biggest bands into one colossal day of music. I started my day out with Beach House and their music carried throughout the festival grounds as beautifully as one could hope. Almost too well, as they could still be heard over at the side stage where Local Natives was playing. Local Natives, too, sounded good and will be heading back to Chicago in October for a show. Surfer Blood was the next breakout indie band to take the stage and they garnered quite a sizable crowd. While I couldn’t stop remarking about how one of their band members looks identical to a young Howard Stern, I was able to enjoy a solid set of music from the Florida band. St. Vincent was next and she is both endearing and rebellious at the same time. Playing a mostly low-key set, Annie Clark ended the show playing her guitar on the ground while kicking out lots of feedback from the amps. Then, came the big boys (no pun intended). Major Lazer, followed by Big Boi, followed by Pavement. My biggest regret of the weekend was missing most of Major Lazer’s set, simply because it looked like the world’s biggest party. It included Chinese dragons, stage-dives off ladders, and excessive dancing. To make the day even better, Big Boi followed with a set heavy on OutKast hits. Even Big Boi’s new songs held up well with the festival crowd who seemed to enjoy every minute of the set. Maybe because it..ahem..started right on time. Last up were the indie rock legends Pavement. They are another band I have started to warm up to as of late and this set certainly helped. Following the trend of leaving hits absent from the setlist, they did not play “Summer Babe”, but did open with “Cut Your Hair”, much to the crowd’s delight. The 21-song set ended right on time and made me want to look further into their show at Millennium Park in September.
Overall, Pitchfork Music Festival has become a great mainstay in the Chicago festival scene. The logistics have improved each year, although I do think they may need to find an alternative venue if the lineup keeps gaining higher-profile names each year. Union Park is adequate but it’s certainly no premier location capable of holding great amounts of people comfortably (comfortably being the key). For the price and quality of music Pitchfork includes, though, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better way to spend a summer weekend. Oh, and don’t forget to bring that Muggsy Bogues jersey that’s been collecting dust in your closet….you’ll fit right in.
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