Pitchfork Festival Takes Over Chicago
Indie music aficionados head to Chicago for the 3rd annual Pitchfork
This year's Pitchfork Music Festival featured over 40 bands including Animal Collective, Spoon, The Hold Steady, and get ready for this... Public Enemy. Since 2006, the festival has been organized by Pitchfork Media, a Chicago-based website that promotes up-and-coming indie rock bands. This year, roughly 53,000 fans from across the country attended the sold-out festival according to the Chicago Tribune. The festival's organizers set out to create a fun, welcoming atmosphere where music devotees could discover new music. They've definitely achieved their goal; Pitchfork is probably one of the most affordable (three-day passes were $65) and least corporately sponsored music festivals in the country.
An Eclectic Lineup
Though Pitchfork is known primarily for bringing attention to indie music, this year's festival included an diverse lineup.The festival opened on Friday night with Missions of Burma playing its 'Vs.' album, Sebadoh performing 'Bubble and Scrape' and Public Enemy performing 'It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back' in its entirety. This year's Saturday and Sunday lineups showcased a number of lesser-known bands including Icy Demons, The Ruby Suns, Mahjongg, and Apples in Stereo.
A couple of bands worth checking out included Caribou, who's psychedelic tendencies morphed four minute songs into jam sessions, and Fleet Foxes, whose lyrics about growing up in the Northwest are backed by folk-inspired music. Both nights ended with phenomenal performances by Animal Collective (Saturday) and Spoon (Sunday).
Additional Attractions
In addition to music, the festival also brought attention to Chicago's small businesses and artists by featuring the Flatstock 17 poster convention, the DEPART-ment craft fair and the CHIRP record fair. Flatstock 17 showcased the posters and artwork of artists from throughout the world. One artist in particular that stood out was Diana Sudyka, a Chicago-based illustrator who's poster making skills have been sought out by music venues worldwide. Her beautiful, whimsical posters have been created for the likes of The Decemberists, Andrew Bird, and Feist.
DEPART-ment is a Chicago-based group that creates craft fairs displayed the wares of the local D.I.Y. scene. Hand-made jewelry, handbags, and clothing from over 90 vendors were featured. The CHIRP record fair was sponsored by the Chicago Radio Independent Radio Project, which is working to create a new community radio station in the city. Chicago - based record labels like Touch and Go, Thrill Jockey, and Flameshovel represented their signed talent by displaying their latest records
An Edge Over Bigger Festivals
Though the Pitchfork Festival may not garner attention the way events like Lollapalooza, Coachella, or Bonnaroo can, the emerging festival more than makes up for this with an intimate, welcoming atmosphere where music fans can kick back and discover new music without having to fork over $8 for bottled water.
