A Weekend Spent at Pitchfork Music Festival

Last Monday I was seated at work mulling over my lack of weekend plans when I received an email that I was approved to attend and cover Chicago’s ultimate indie-music festival, Pitchfork. Needless to say, I was ecstatic; not only to write about my experience, but as a music lover and previous festival attendee.

The festival, run by music media outlet, Pitchfork Media, has graced Union Park on the west side of Chicago every summer since 2006. This year the festival was held July 21st through 23rd. Pitchfork is known for its genre-bending lineup showcasing artists on the cutting edge of hip-hop, alternative rock, dance music, and even branching into punk and jazz.

In years past, Pitchfork has hosted Tame Impala, Phoebe Bridgers, and Kendrick Lamar; who have since forged names for themselves in the mainstream, as well as indie staples like The National, Fleet Foxes, and Wilco.

This year’s headliners highlighted the progression of alternative and indie rock music with Radiohead spin-off band The Smile featuring Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, rising indie-folk favorite Big Thief, and the Midwest’s own Bon Iver.

This weekend was a journey filled with many highs and one unfortunate low:

Day 1 - all about the music

After a full day at work anticipating the evening to come, I finally donned a vintage skirt, which I deemed fitting, and over-worn sandals and headed to the park.

Upon my arrival, entry was smooth. I was able to bring in an empty reusable water bottle and refill it at various stations throughout the grounds. Once inside, I decided I had enough time to make my way around the park before settling in for the final three sets of the night.

I spent this time noting various booths I wanted to visit, the massive record store nestled into the back side of the park, and potential food options to try later in the weekend.

After, it was time for Perfume Genius. One thing I enjoy about Pitchfork is that, while there is a large crowd, I never feel claustrophobic or overcrowded. The crowd was evenly dispersed around the stage with typical congestion being towards the middle and front. I opted to stand to the left of the sound booth about 10 rows back from the stage for this performance.

Perfume Genius, photo courtesy of Pitchfork Music Festival

Perfume Genius, the stage name for singer Michael Alden Handreas, took the stage confidently adorning a pair of red latex gloves along a backdrop of an orchestral introductory song. His set moved through a discography of ambient electronic music as well as more guitar-driven rock songs and ballads. His performance was encapsulating as he illustrated the struggles discussed in his lyrics through interacting with objects on stage — golden tulle and a chair. The crowd was incredibly receptive to his performance and entranced by his ethereal vocals. This was a great set to kick off the weekend. Though I knew of Perfume Genius before, I was not an avid listener, however, after witnessing a compelling performance he will definitely start making their way into my listening rotation.

After the set ended, I made my way over to the adjacent stage to get ready for Alvvays.

Alvvays, photo courtesy of Pitchfork Music Festival

I was incredibly excited to catch Alvvays as I had recently re-discovered their latest album. I was not disappointed. Their set was incredibly solid with a mixture of old favorites, Dreams Tonite and Archie, Marry Me as well as newer hit After the Earthquake. The performance was consistent and bouncy with the crowd dancing and singing along. Lead singer, Molly Rankin, had incredible live vocals. I felt like I was listening as if I was at home. The indie-pop group delivered catchy riffs along with relatable lyrics defining themselves as an incredibly in-sync act. The performance cemented them as one of my favorites of the weekend.

As the sun began to set over the park, I settled into the back right of the crowd for The Smile.

The Smile, photo courtesy of Pitchfork Music Festival

One of my favorite things about the inclusion of the Smile at the festival was the diversity in age of the crowd they drew. Older and younger music lovers alike stood patiently (some slightly impatiently) awaiting the band. They were greeted to a cheering crowd as they began to play.

I went into the set without having listened to the Smile before so I did not know what to expect aside from the vocal stylings of Yorke. Similar to Radiohead, his vocals deliver a sense of yearning and established the nuances of the emotions each song conveyed. Beyond the vocal performance, there was a diverse and creative use of instruments including saxophone, piano, an electric bass played with a bow, and more.

The sound was all-encompassing making you float through the music and taking you on the same creative journey as the band playing the songs. The songs in their set flowed into each other transporting you somewhere you didn’t think they would go. The set was ultimately a preface to the weekend and left me wondering what I would discover in the days ahead.

Day 2 - sadly interrupted
I went into Day 2 with a mission to try out the food and drink offerings at Pitchfork and catch a few sets including Vagabon and Snail Mail.

I met up with a couple of friends who had Saturday passes and was pleasantly surprised when they took me to see MJ Lenderman. His set was entirely different from the sound of the one I had previously enjoyed bringing western and folk music to Pitchfork’s Green stage. It was a fitting backdrop to a sunny afternoon in Chicago.
After enjoying the set we headed to explore the drink offerings at the festival. Some of my friends visited the Espolon Tequila Bodega while others opted to visit Goose Island’s iconic Chicago Pink Line Train turned bar featuring brews on draft.

After securing our beverages, we headed to the Blue stage in the back of the festival to listen to up-and-coming R&B artist, Vagabon.

Vagabon, photo courtesy of Pitchfork Music Festival

Vagabon has only recently popped up on my Spotify Discover weekly and other playlist compilations I follow. I was excited to see her perform live and catch new songs I could add to playlists and my daily listening rotations. She came out in a very cool acid-wash denim-colored set. She began her performance with an electronic danceable song and continued into her second song with a more relaxed vibe, but suddenly she stopped singing. She announced to us, clearly upset, that she could not continue her set as lightning had been spotted. The crowd clapped for her and a sea of “awws” fell over the crowd. In a solemn goodbye, she tossed a bouquet of roses meant for the end of her set into the audience.

Confused, and thinking that music would surely start shortly, my friends and I made our way into the middle area of the park to wait it out. About 45 minutes later it was announced we needed to evacuate the park and the festival was cancelled. Thus, I headed out of the festival and back home. Later I found out they had reopened the gates, but I was unable to return later in the evening.
With my second day foiled, I was eager to explore all that Pitchfork had to offer apart from the music on my last day.

Day 3 - something old and new

On day 3 I finally was able to check out the additional features at the festival. I made my way toward the massive tent structure set up in the back. Before entering, I stopped by the merch stand selling Pitchfork Festival shirts, artist merch, and music. I was able to snag a pretty cool light blue Pitchfork Fest t-shirt with all the artists who played the festival listed on it. After my pit stop, I continued to the white tent which housed on one side, a pop-up record store called Chirp Record Fair and the other side hosted the Renegade Craft Fair.

I perused the record side first. Stalls were set up by local and regional record shops all selling a variety of inventory from records, tapes, and CDs. There was so much to look at, I could have spent the whole day there. Then I maneuvered my way to the craft side of the tent. The craft fair displayed stalls from local and regional artists and curators that featured, vintage clothes, pottery, candles, and jewelry. I felt like my own personal mall was set up for me. You easily could spend most of your time in the tent and emerge with some fun new treasures.

As I exited through the back of the tent, I found myself introduced to even more art this time at the poster fair set up on the back street of the park. Booths lined both sides of the street showcasing artists’ design work on music and concert posters as well as other subjects. If you were to buy a poster, you were able to pick up a tube to take it home in.

As enamored as I was by the amount of shopping that could be done, I did not want to miss the evening’s music. I started making my way back to the main area, but stopped quickly at the Haagen Dazs lounge area where I got free ice cream! I can never resist a sweet treat.

I finally was back at the Green Stage and waiting for Koffee to begin her set. Koffee is a 23-year-old singer and rapper from Jamaica. She won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2019, making her the youngest person, and the only woman to do so. She had such a fun and infectious stage presence. Koffee was accompanied by a dance crew as well as her band and encouraged the audience to let loose. It was impossible not to move along to the music. Koffee brought the most energy out of a crowd I had seen during the weekend. The music itself encapsulated her culture as well as incorporating other elements including electric guitar solos and funk-style breakdowns. I highly enjoyed the energy she brought to the stage and her music was perfect for a summer evening.

Once her set ended, I decided I would try to move close to the front for the headliner Bon Iver. As I was naming the headings in this article, I decided on “something old and new” for day 3 because while I was discovering new music and new art that day, I was also anticipating the comfort I would feel by hearing the music of Bon Iver; an artist I have been listening to for the last 10 years. While it’s magical to find something new, it’s also amazing to feel the effect music can have on us years and years after we’ve heard a song or album for the first time. I found Bon Iver to still enthrall me even after all this time.

Bon Iver, photo by Madeline Halgren

Bon Iver is an indie-folk band created by Justin Vernon. Over the years Bon Iver has changed sonically and always taken risks. From beginning largely acoustic-driven, Bon Iver has grown into a massive production involving multiple synthesizers, guitars, drum kits, horns, and other electronic enhancements. Before the set, the expanse of the band was unveiled with audible reactions from those around me.

The set opened with songs from the latest album, Yi and iMi. The performance was perfectly accompanied by an incredible light show. Later in the set they performed 10 d E A T h b R E a s T, which shook the audience. I could feel the bass of the song in my chest. It was incredible to witness how in sync the members of the band were with each other. Up close, you could see subtle signals they gave to give cues or change tempos and keys.

Justin Vernon is as vocally impressive as ever as proven by his solo performance of 715 - CREEKS, one of my most anticipated songs of the night. However, Bon Iver did not just rely on their most recent two albums for the set. In a segment towards the end, Bon Iver played Perth, Blood Bank, from their first EP, and Justin sang Skinny Love solo. This was followed by the band coming back in for the expansive, Holocene, a song that I hold very near and was as beautiful as I remember it being the last time I saw them live.

Sonically, Bon Iver breaks boundaries and challenges the audience to do the same through their lyricism. The experience of seeing them live is captivating and almost transcendent. It was an incredible way to end the weekend.

Overall, Pitchfork Fest delivered music, art, and more, making it a perfect addition to any summer concert lineup. I am excited to see what is in store for next year!