On Saturday Pitchfork started with a dilemma, Kevin Morby or Royal Headache? I had recently seen a set by Morby at Schubas so I opted for Royal Headache. I did stick around for one song by Morby and Will Miller from Whitney was joining them on stage to play trumpet. Some of festival highlights tend to be those mini collaborations that a large co-location of artists easily affords.

Royal Headache didn’t disappoint with a soulful, fuzzy lead by feverous front man Shogun. But you know who did disappoint?? Brian Wilson. Some things are better left in the past and I think The Beach Boys might be one of them. The sound was too crystal clear, like someone had simply pressed play on their MP3 player and when Wilson did attempt to sing, it was depressing. John Cusack did make an appearance but this is a music festival, not a film Q&A. The movie Love and Mercy came out this year and Cusack is a Chicago native so the choice for Brian Wilson to play made some sense. Except that what we got was a sad old man group trying to relive their glory days. I understand that Brian Wilson is a musical genius and I mean him no disrespect but I just don’t think that Pitchfork was the right setting.

Devonte Hynes paid Carly Back on Saturday when she came on during his set. He opened his set with the same intro from Freetown Sound, which is a poignant speech by Ava Raiin about race and feminism. It’s a fabulous intro and I’m glad he kicked his set off with it. Festivals are a great time for artists to make statements not just musically but socially as well. They hold a lot of power and have a lot of young, eager ears listening. He kept it light and fun though and had the whole crowd bopping and swaying. Empress Of also graced us with her presence to sing for the track “Best of You”.

Sufjan Stevens closed out Saturday and it was a bacchanalia of sound and colour. He and his band were decorated in various shades of neon and silver fringe on almost all their appendages. He had his signature angel wings and it took everything for this writer to not burst into tears. He played an amalgamation of “Illinois”, “Age of Ads” and “Carrie and Lowell”. Many of the songs featured synchronized dances from him and his back up singers along with him being held up on a ladder in a giant silver headdress. Of course, he finished the set with the beloved track Chicago and then a cover of Prince’s “Kiss”. Easily, my favourite set of the weekend. When Chicago started the crowded erupted into approval and Sufjan could have handed us the microphone, not a single lyric was missed. I love when things are joyous, whimsical and strange and Sufjan was all of that and more.

Sunday was filled with extremely sexy and danceable acts like Kamasi Washington, Holy Ghost!, Jeremih and Miguel. Jeremih’s set may have stolen the show with a guest appearance of Chance the Rapper. Once Chance stepped onto the stage, the crowd surged forward in a wave of crazed, enthusiastic madness.

Holy Ghost! was the great dance party of the weekend. In every observable direction all kinds of moves were being bust and inhibition was thrown to the wind. Final days of festivals are definitely the time when you need to get your ya ya’s out. I, for one, could not stop shaking it. The only break was had when front man Nick Milhiser stepped off the stage to light up a cig.

The weekend closed out with F.K.A Twigs and Oneohtrix Point Never. My fellow comrades have already referred to F.K.A Twigs as a goddess and I have to say her trippy, smooth performance could be lead by a celestial being. Per usual though, I want to give some clout to the under dogs, Oneohtrix Point Never was insanely intense and unlike any other set I saw at Pitchfork. Loud, unearthly, and trance like. They may not win a Grammy any time soon but if you’re looking to get weird, they’re the ticket.

Music Festivals feel like this magic place where reality is suspended. People are kinder and strangeness is not only expected but also encouraged. I love the whirling distortion that happens when the lights fall on Union just as much as the sun blazed dance parties during the day. Every year I think it can’t get any better but it always does. Until next year, kiddos.

Images by Garrett Duncan and Matt Lief for Pitchfork

The post Welcome to the eleventh hour: Pitchfork 2016. Part 2 appeared first on Quip Magazine.

Pitchfork started in a gray drizzle as my black, torn sneakers stepped into Union Park. Car Seat Headrest had already begun and Will Toledo’s unique voice was the perfect beginning to this festival. Pitchfork is known for showcasing emerging artists. The band soon started into Vincent and Toledo was in his fetal like position shredding on his guitar. His boyish good looks only add to his allure and the obscure lyrics like the ones in “Drunk Drivers” help engage the misfits as well.

It doesn’t take long for the weather to clear up and people start to trek over to the Blue stage. The sun could not have more perfect timing. Whitney takes the stage and sunny weather definitely matches their jangling fusion sound. Ehrlich leads the band though a set almost identical to the one they played for JBTV. He makes sure to introduce the band and even gives a shout-out to his folks. The set even features a string quartet to help out on the title track “Light Up On The Lake”. A perfect summer band, if you haven’t already hopped on the Whitney train, I highly recommend it.

Twin Peaks set was scheduled to play next on the Green Stage. A Friday 5:30 set was something I was surprised by. Two years ago, before the release of Wild Onion, they opened the festival, one would think they would have earned a Saturday playtime while touring behind their 3^rd album. Their set was the usual psyche freak out most of their sets are. The boys of Twin Peaks are much like their music. They’re raucous, wild mad men that you can’t help but love. They’re Chicago boys too so most of us were brimming with hometown pride. You could even see the Whitney boys on the side in support.

Broken Social Scene was second to last on Friday and there was definitely a wave of nostalgia as people reminisced over studying, hooking up, and breaking down to this band through their formidable years. Kevin Drew and crew haven’t played the states in over 5 years and they didn’t disappoint as they banged out the hits including: “Texico Bitches”, “Fire Eyed Boy”, “Shoreline”, and “Ibi Dreams of Pavement.” The crowd for the set was the largest one for the day if not the entire weekend. It makes sense though because BSS has a connection with the city of big shoulder due to spending a year here while recording Forgiveness Rock Record.

Carly Rae Jepsen’s set had a cameo by Devonte Hynes so it looks like her cred is only getting stronger.

Beach House closed out Friday is a dreamy, twinkling, Steven Soderbergh style of lighting. Their music doesn’t always translate the best live due to the light airiness of it but having the park to themselves definitely helped. Watching their set felt somewhat like floating through space. Front woman Victoria Legrand left us with inspiring words “Trust in those who love, because those are the ones who matter. Don’t let fear win.”

Images by Garrett Duncan for Pitchfork

The post Welcome to the eleventh hour: Pitchfork 2016. Part 1 appeared first on Quip Magazine.

It was an oppressively hot evening in Chicago and I was glad to get off the saddle of my bike and into Schubas. The fans were twirling, the beer was flowing and my friends were already inside. I was standing in the former brewery and waiting for Kevin Morby and Company to take the stage when two guitars pass right in from of me. At first I was thrown and then I realized “its them!”

Once lit up on stage the entire band looks like a photo from 1960s Nashville, save for Duffy’s midriff. This is actually Morby’s third time playing Schubas, but for some reason this time feels different. His latest album Singing Saw is a masterpiece and is definitely Morby showcasing some serious skills and his own personal progression in lyrics. I’m a little disappointed he didn’t have the singing saw in tow but alas, into each life a little rain must fall. Let me digress for a moment though to express the sheer joy and genius that Kevin Morby’s second solo album is. The warbling opening to “Cut Me Down” sets you up for a creative folk journey. From there Morby transports us with his Dylan-esque voice through jangling jams like “Dorothy” to rythmic heartbreaks like Destroyer. I know nothing of the neighborhood Mount Washington in LA, but is did something for Kevin Morby. And let me add, it’s even better live, even without the saw.

The show itself was a delight. He debuted a new song called Tiny Fires and even graced us with a very good Ira Glass impression. Megan Duffy, who wasn’t present on the album, is honestly mind blowing. She smoothly and humbly moves from lead slide guitar to rhythm without missing a beat. I MUST here more from this woman! Sam Cohen is another force in Morby’s band in the form of percussion. His drums are powerful and vibrate off of your bones and into your neurons. The entire show was filled with hoots and hollers from the crowds and plenty of explosive side jams were had on stage. Morby ended the set with a cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “Where I fall”.

I cannot reiterate the genius, power, and beauty of this album. In the words of Shuga Records, I highly recommend this album. If you are lucky enough to make it to Pitchfork Music Festival, his set is on Saturday and is worth making it in early!

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