Without a doubt, the first day was the harshest to endure. There were a few moments of peace, but the majority of the day was nonstop rain, but fans embraced the flurry standing out in the open field to support Chicago native Kaina, who came out on stage to thunderous applause. Kaina returned the dedication by singing songs off her latest album It Was A Home, songs like “Apple” made people dance with its groovy retro style while other songs like “Anybody Can Be in Love”, truly showcased her heavenly voice.

Parquet Courts took the stage next. It felt like déjà vu of 2019 when the band played the very same stage at Pitchfork during a thunderstorm, which lead to organizers evacuating the grounds for a few hours for everyone’s safety. At that time I wrote that their rock instrumentation riled up the crowd as if “challenging the gods themselves”, so naturally I was worried that this was going to become a rematch. The storm was still bad but fortunately, no thunder came so we continued to get soaked while watching the set. They play songs like “Freebird II”, but all with a jazzier feel this time. That seemed to please the winds as the rain eased to a halt allowing people could dry off.

You know that old saying “save the best for last?” Well, that was certainly the truth with the final day lineup. The first day was a wash (literally!), but the last day of the festival had more of a hip-hop feel with some solid artists like NoName, Earl Sweatshirt, and The Roots. They too had to deal with the woes of technical issues due to the stormy weather.

Local rapper Noname stepped out on stage adorned in a beautiful spotted blouse spreading positive energy with her infectious smile, the crowd greeted her by cheering loudly. She wasted no time performing “Song 32” – ‘Gave my body to Adam, he told me to lie for him. Apple wasn’t the apple, the truest sin was the pussy’. She tried to get the crowd to sing along with the chorus, but sadly it was hard to hear her pass the photo pit. The crowd chanted demanding the tech personnel to “fix the mic,” which confused Noname mid-track, the sound engineer obliged the crowd applauded. “Can you hear me now?” Noname asked, and fans cheered in collective testament. She rewarded them, with “Diddy Bop” to keep the mood going.

Once Noname wrapped up we all migrated to the opposite stage for Earl Sweatshirt. As the soggy theme continued his set was delayed for several minutes but soon enough it was safe to come out from hiding under trees so we dragged our feet through mud and gathered in the humid air. Earl’s DJ got people moving right away warming up the crowd with “Rain”, a song from Kanye West’s gospel album Sunday Service. It was the perfect song to play after everything we’ve endured. When Earl finally came out on stage fans were excited but were so beat from being wet most of the day it was hard to muster up much interaction. Earl caught onto this quickly, “What’s up with ya’ll Chicago? I know I don’t have many songs for crowd participation but damn”, he noted.

Similar to 2019, Earl made funny comments to an exhausted crowd in Pitchfork inspiring laughs. This time around the energy was different Earl used a more monotone voice chatting with the deflated fans, “Okay that was one song. Now I’m going to do another song” or “Did ya’ll open up the pit to mosh, or is that just mud?” It felt like Earl was simply going through the motions at times rapping “Earl” and “Top Off.” He doesn’t have many hype tracks so his laid-back vibes made it hard for the audience to rev up their energy levels.

Luckily, The Roots were there to save the day. The legendary band was whom most people stayed to see. Blackthought and Questlove are the most recognizable member of the band but like a sure orchestra, it takes an entire team to make the performance outstanding. The Roots lived up to the name by performing a plethora of funky renditions of old-school songs like Kool & TheGang’s “Jungle Boogie” to throwbacks from their own catalog like The Next Movement. Blackthought is a verbal assassin and easily one of the highlights of the entire festival. Performing songs such as “Magnificent” proved that pure hip-hop lyricism still exists when in the hands of a wordsmith. People may have been too tired to dance, but The Roots is such a vibrant force that you couldn’t help but move at least a little. The combination of talented musicians to form this collective was the right way to close out the show.

Overall Pitchfork was a mixed bag but a lot can be attributed to the unfortunate weather conditions. The festival is a staple in the Chicago music scene because it prides itself on bringing together artists from all genres and stature. On top of the bleak weather, artists seemed to struggle with technical difficulties or were tired themselves which made the sets feel a bit flat at times. Regardless of all that, however, fans made the best of the situation and enjoyed the event to the fullest.

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To cool down early attendees, Chicago-based artists Lala Lala and Ric Wilson opened the show. Locals love artists that proudly represent the city, so large crowds gathered to show support, under the sun and in the shade of the trees. Lala Lala’s Lillie West (guitar and vocals) has a rather mellow voice that sounds like a serenade for your ears, especially during “Destroyer.” Her wavy vibes fused beautifully as the cool breeze swirled by. Closing your eyes, beer in hand, you could almost imagine lying on the beach instead of woodchips on the park ground. If you needed something with more boogie to it, however, Ric Wilson had you covered. The Southside rapper continuously asked the crowd throughout his performance to give him a “Hell Yeah!” like he was Stone Cold Steve Austin. Accompanied by a marching band, Wilson had everyone dancing with the vibrant track “Hang Loose.”

What makes Pitchfork Music Festival unique is its ability to showcase a large array of talent across different genres. Over the years, you expect to see the hottest rappers or indie bands. But what about a Japanese pop-punk band? Why not! Chai was the best surprise overall. Many weren’t sure what to expect as the four ladies in pink stepped onto the Green stage. They certainly gained new followers once it was all said and done. Chai did an outstanding job introducing themselves with tracks like “N.E.O,” “Family Member,” and “Sayonara Complex.” The adorable chipmunk sounding harmonies mixed with punk flare and distortion effects were crowd-pleasing. It doesn’t matter if you couldn’t understand the lyrics, music is universal. Chai swayed their hands side to side as they held their latest album Punk and sang Culture Club’s “Karma Chameleon” in Japanese. During the breakdown of “Choose Go” the audio accidentally cut out, prompting the crowd to clap along to keep the tempo going before erupting once the sound came back. Lastly, the women did a synchronized dance routine dressed in blue onesies dancing off stage with our hearts.

The Parquet Courts took over rock duties. Their sound jolted the crowd alive with “Freebird II”, “Dust,” and “She’s Rolling.” Parquet Courts put on one of the best performances for “Almost Had To Start A Fight.” As the music got louder, the small clouds grew larger with a grayish hue. The wind went from a whisper to a thrust. The madness made a mosh pit break out as if the crowd was challenging the gods themselves. The sky looked as if doomsday was upon us and Parquet Courts were playing the anthem. Seeing the storm coming our way, Pitchfork officials cautiously evacuated the premises for everyone’s safety. Not two steps outside the gate, thunder crackled causing a fierce storm. People ran for Uber rides or hopped on the “L” train. Plenty of us took shelter under the tracks trying to keep our valuables safe. (Clinging on to my backpack in fear my laptop would get soaked, I withered the storm for you dear readers!) Funny how we cursed the sun for burning us, only to beg for its return so that the festival may reopen. After an hour delay, the sky cleared up and we were back in business.

Unfortunately, artists Kurt Vile and Amber Mark were cut completely. Luckily though Freddie Gibbs was there to rally the crowd back. Fans eagerly marched through swampy grass to see the Gary, Indiana native. Dressed in all black and rocking a fat gold chain with a “G” medallion, Gibbs dropped bangers like “The Real G Money” and “My Boy.” He boasted how his collaborative project with producer Madlib, Bandana, is currently the #1 rap album in the country even signing a fans vinyl copy. Gibbs tested the crowd’s knowledge to see who were true fans with “Real.” The ever so gully rapper consistently chanting “Fuck Police” as he waved his middle finger and splash the audience with water to make sure they were awake. Though he’s a gangsta, Freddie is all about a good time as he has his entourage on stage for “Harold’s.” He ended his set with an encore performance of “Crime Pays” and “Westside Gunn.”

The honors of closing out the evening went to the legendary group The Isley Brothers. Their soulful sound has stood the test of time as both younger and older generations came together to celebrate. They showcased a plethora of classic hits such as “Fight The Power,” “Twist & Shout,” and “For the Love of You.” If you grew up listening to 90’s hip-hop then The Isley Brothers should be instantly recognizable. They inspired Biggie Small’s “Big Poppa” (Between the Sheets), Bone Thug’s “Buddah Lovaz” (Choosey Lover) and Ice Cube’s “It Was A Good Day” (Footsteps in the Dark). Of course, being pioneers in the music industry, they have worked with some of the biggest names ever. Throughout their set, Ronald Isley paid homage to The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, and Whitney Houston before dedicating “Summer Breeze” to Prince. Ernie Isley played melting riffs with the guitar behind his back as they finished with party favorite “Shout.”

The second day of Pitchfork was even better than the first. Part of that had to do with the fact that people were better prepared to face the heat. Sure the hour delay was a bummer right when the festival started revving up. But that gave everyone a moment to regroup and come back with high energy. Once the gates reopened the artists were able to pick things up where we left off. You got a little taste of everything: indie rock, Japanese pop, gritty rhymes and it all culminated in a jubilee of soul that everyone could get down with.

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Friday was kicked off for me with Mac Demarco. I first saw Mac play about two years ago and what originally drew me to his music was his hilarity. He definitely still has the frivolity that makes him Mac Demarco but there is more seriousness to his work. He’s becoming an accomplished musician. He is also a breath of fresh air in this era of mundane, factory created pop music. Right before ripping into Viceroy, the song that first gained him attention he said, “ My new albums out and go ahead and download, and I don’t give a shit.” For Mac it is still solely about making truly great and interesting music. Next on my agenda was Chvrches; Lauren Mayberry was looking adorable as ever with a halo of jewels around her eyes. She made a few jabs about the heat but was able to emit great energy and keep the crowd moving.

The closer of the evening was Wilco. The day before they had dropped a new album. I suspect that this revealing of a new album was planned at least in part by Pitchfork. Pitchfork has always been a projector of the underdog and has definitely made some ballsy moves promotionally speaking and I have to say it’s pretty ballsy to debut a brand new album the day before a festival. The name of the album by the way is Star Wars and it’s great. During their set, heat lighting penetrated the clouds and it was just so wonderfully Midwestern. Wilco was a very deliberate choice. It was a way for Pitchfork to remind their readers, they are still the same people they’ve been from the beginning. Music journalists striving their best to bring you true talent in all its forms.

Saturday had a bit of a rocky start. It was supposed to rain the day before and that just intensified the humidity. It was unbearably hot. While trying to quench our thirst between 312’s and water we waited for Ex Hex to take the stage. It had started to rain but the ladies came out anyways. Unfortunately the storm got the best of Ex Hex. Lighting began to strike and Pitchfork actually had to close down. They began to evacuate the festival but not even an hour later, thankfully they reopened. It was a bit of a bummer for the Ex Hex fans but hey, the show must go on right? The next band I’m going to give reverence to is Parquet Courts. They actually have more albums than people give them credit for. They’ve done a lot of compilations and a live record at Third Man Records. Their playing was impressive and noisy and just continued to intensify as their set progressed. They were also the only set I saw that had original visuals projected onto the screen. A sort of overlapping of their own distorted images. New Pornographers followed. Absolutely killer set, they remind me of Broken Social Scene in a lot of ways. A troop of talented soloists who come together. I guess they do have a lot more structure than BSS though. It was a bummer that Dan Bejar and Neko Case couldn’t make it but the girl who stood in for Neko sounded eerie similar and Newman did a great job leading the band. The played an array of hits from multiple albums and their sound was impeccable.

Future Islands also played on Saturday but I never got on that train. Also every single song required a preamble from their front man, which I feel is something less talented musicians tend to do because their music isn’t good enough to speak for itself.

The last set of the day was also one of my personal favorites. Sleater Kinney sent the crowd into an incredible frenzy with long low howls from Corwin and battle-axe guitar holds by Carrie. (Along with three different telecaster switch ups.) Right before going into “No Cities to Love” Carrie let the crowd know that this song is NOT about Chicago. She also dedicated New Wave to Tina Belcher. Those girls know their demographic well. During one song Carrie flips the crowd off and throws down her microphone knowing full well she has a second verse coming up. She’s still a Riot Grrl at heart! She also reminds the crowd that their music isn’t pretty and it’s not meant to be. It’s about getting the ugliness out.  Girls all around me are screaming for SK like our mother’s screamed for the Beatles. I love every minute of it and I feel totally united with all my sisters in our quest to overthrow the Patriarch. For the encore the came out and gave us a choice between “Your No Rock” and “Roll Fun and Little Babies”. Of course, they gave us both, in fact they gave us everything.

More images from the festival can be found here.

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