Polyester Heart's Music Blog

Summer Festivals Series: Episode 2 - Pitchfork Music Festival

Better late than never - I know I am a few weeks late but I am hoping you folks will still enjoy some pics and audio from the Festival... 

Festival: Pitchfork Music Festival

Location: Chicago, IL

Venue: Union Park 

Date: July 17th - 20th 

Line-up:

FRIDAY

Built to Spill • The Jesus Lizard • Yo La Tengo • Tortoise

SATURDAY

The National • Beirut • Doom • Yeasayer • Final Fantasy • The Pains of Being Pure at Heart • Fucked Up • Plants and Animals • Cymbals Eat Guitars • The Black Lips • Matt & Kim • Lindstrøm • Wavves • Ponytail • Bowerbirds • The Dutchess and The Duke • The Antlers • Disappears

SUNDAY

The Flaming Lips • Grizzly Bear • M83 • The Walkmen • The Thermals • Pharoahe Monch • Blitzen Trapper • Frightened Rabbit • The Mae Shi • The Very Best • Mew • Vivian Girls • Japandroids • DJ/Rupture • Women • Killer Whales • Dianogah • Michael Columbia

Overview

This was an incredible weekend. First of all Chicago is such a great city to be in and we were lucky enough to get some time to explore (we even found the trendy Ukraniun Village - check out Stella's and the Empty Bottle if you get there!).

As you can see from the line-up above this was a festival so packed with great bands it was hard to see them all. I found it was easy enough to catch at least 15 min of every band if you wanted too, but I had a few favourites that I wanted the full show so I passed on the 'drive by' method. Food was amazing, lots of choices and quite a few vegetarian for those who enjoy that sort of stuff. Drinks were reasonable and the line-ups all in all were good. Bathroom line-ups were incredibly long the second day but more 'provisions' were made on the last day so I was pleasantly surprised.

The only complaint I did have is that I feel it was a bit oversold. It was very hard to get close to a stage unless you waited a half an hour before the band went on, which meant you would miss the other acts. You will see from my pics and the recordings that I was most often too far away to catch good images or sound. If you like amateur hour...see below...I have only posted the half decent material - so no I am not showing favouritism (ok maybe only to Wayne).

Tortoise 

 

I have to say the year couldn't have started off better. I picked up the new Andrew Bird album Noble Beast as well as Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion last week and have not been disappointed.

Andrew Bird with his soothing voice and violin has once again been a great source of solace for me in the past week. Armchair Apocrypha was in my top 5 in 2007, and I am pretty sure Noble Beast will make it there this year.

Animal Collective  has always taken some time for me to grasp. Merriweather Post Pavillion however, I seemed to enjoy on the first listen. Maybe this means it is more accessible then previous releases and that I am boring, but never the less it is a great album. You still hear that tribal rythym from other albums, but there is also this underlying dance beat through most of the songs. And is it just me or do I hear some tones of 'beach boyedness'?

So what else is in store for us? Well here are some of my top anticipated albums of the year ...so far...

February

Beirut March Of The Zapotec - I think they recorded part of this in Mexico, that's kickass.

M.Ward Hold Time - what can I say, I can't get enough of him.

Architecture in Helsinki That Beep - they are fun.

March

Pete Bjorn and John Living Thing - the last album was nice.

April

Doves Title TBA - its been a long time coming for this one. 4 years since Some Cities? wow.

More

Others I hear include The Avalanches, Built to Spill , Happy Mondays (what?), Metric, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Wilco AND Sonic Youth. I gotta say, I am most pumped about Sonic Youth - I think they got better with age. Not to say "My Friend Goo" is not an awesome song though.

Enjoy the year in music!

 L.