Chicago.com
The humid air was stifling when I entered the Near West Side’s Union Park for the sixth annual Pitchfork Music Festival on Saturday. The blistering mid-July heat, combined with the crowd of 18,000 within a few city blocks, led festival organizers to take the stage before 2:30 p.m. act Delorean and urge attendees to stay hydrated and watch out for each other.
Though sirens did blare within the festival gates a few times, coming to aid those who had fallen victim to the unfortunate weather circumstances, on the whole festival-goers’ behavior was a reflection of the festival’s vibe itself: smart, forward-thinking, and humane, as bottles of water passed out in the front row reached the very middle of crowds where scorching sun and body heat reached their apex.
Many could forget, as unassuming indie music fans, that the heat notoriously takes its toll most not on attendees, but on performers. Moving rapidly, rocking to the beat furiously, elevated ten feet up under the sun’s rays and stage lights, and often times in garb far more conservative than bikini-clad attendees, several performers made note of the weather, but in some way or another acknowledged that “the show must go on.”
And oh, did it go on! Delorean, a Spanish quartet of summery alternative dance music, opened my day with energetic Animal Collective-esque samples and breezy melodies. I particularly enjoyed the classic drum and bass foghorn sample used in their opening bit, which was layered and textured with several diferent musical pieces. I discovered quite soon that this intricate layering is the trademark of the group, who broke through only this year with album Subiza after nine years in the underground. My eyes stayed on the keyboardist, Unai Lazcano, who threw his whole body into each track–take note, all you veteran bands lacking stage presence and enthusiasm. One thing that was left to be desired, however, was vocal quality; bassist and lead singer Ekhi Lopetegi nailed the cheery lyrics well, but at times his pitch and volume distracted me from the impeccable instrumentals in the background. Nonetheless, I heard other attendees raving about the early afternoon show well into the evening, and I bet that Pitchfork goers who hadn’t heard of Delorean before yesterday consider themselves fans now.
Following Delorean, I headed toward the Balance Stage for a good spot for L.A. modern funk extraordinare Dam-Funk. Signed to Stones Throw Records, he brought the progressive back to funk with his double-album, Toeachizown, released in 2009. Though I was a fan of that work, I was disappointed by his live show–though he made sure to layer each element of his show with long delays and spaced-out sound, his performance still felt more like cheesy karaoke rather than forward-thinking grooves. Perhaps it was the vocals, which seemed far too loud and crooning for fans, or maybe it was the dumbed-down instrumentation that sounded significantly lower and simplified than on record. No matter the cause, I was disappointed by what I expected to be my top show of the day, and left after four tracks to catch Raekwon back at the Aluminum Stage.
I arrived to the biggest crowd I had seen thus far, apparently transfixed by the large Wu-Tang Clan symbol adorning the DJ’s laptop. My first trip to Pitchfork two years ago also led me to see Raekwon, but that time he was accompanid by fellow Clan member Ghostface Killah. Apparently it didn’t mean much to Raekwon, who felt no need to hog the spotlight and brought a large entourage of supporting rappers and friends on stage with him, for a set of what he promised to be old favorites and throwback tracks. What he wasn’t anticipating, however, were recurring technical difficulties that left his DJ’s instrumental backing sputtering and skipping partway through every song he started. Visually agitated, Raekwon assured fans that he would freestyle acapella if it came down to it, and did his best to make it through fan favorites “C.R.E.A.M.” and “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nothin’ to F*** With”. Still, the crowd full of hip-hop fans in a festival with only a few such names was left hanging after the error left them with empty silences for minutes on end, and it was a disappointing problem for the veteran MC’s numerous supporters.
The heat began to get to me after a solid four hours of bouncing from set to set, so I took the next few to peruse the unexpectedly varied and large selection of food, craft and art vendors lining several central areas of the park. I discovered hidden gems like Chicago dance vinyl warehouse Groove Distribution, exquisite porcelain jewelry from independent designer Sofia Masri, and vintage-inspired brass and gold pieces from Austin-based Ornamental Things. Also offered were dozens of music posters in various creative permutations, and several food vendors ranging from soy ice cream by Temptation to deep dish pizza by Chicago favorite Connie’s. Also present was a water fountain station that I witnessed tally up a line of nearly 150–could have used a few more spigots, to say the least.
After resting up, I headed towards the Connector Stage to get a good spot for Panda Bear, the elusive founding member of Animal Collective who notoriously avoids performing solo due to his stage fright. Perhaps this stage fright is due to an apparent disconnect between the unusual, soundscape musical perspective of Panda and the outside universe; while at times textured spotlessly and fitting echoing guitar and synths seamlessly into the mood of the summer evening, his mumbles and occasional yelps with minimalist bell ringing and drum patterns still came off unapproachable. He gets extra points for the well-coordinated trippy visuals, but lost me before his set to get a good spot in the already massive crowd awaiting LCD Soundsystem.
And as the sun set on Union Park and all of the near 20,000 attendees gathered around the main stage, James Murphy led LCD Soundsystem under an enormous disco ball for their first Pitchfork appearance. A darling of the indie music scene since the self-titled album was released five years ago, it was surprising that he had never graced the stage until 2010–but the performance made up for lost time. The setlist covered both new releases from 2010’s This is Happening and older fan favorites like “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House” and “All My Friends”. In lieu of Murphy’s recent announcement that the group will retire after this tour–after three nearly universally acclaimed albums and attracting dance-happy fans across the globe–his spot-on vocals and energetic band backing were a bittersweet farewell as the group closed out Saturday night at Pitchfork.
As I stepped off of the Montrose Brown Line El platform, it was immediately visible to me where the Old Town School of Folk Music’s 13th annual Folk and Roots Festival was happening. Though it was four or five blocks west of the station, dozens of people clad in breezy ethnic prints and holding fresh mango and watermelon bouquets were headed home from the fest with contented grins on their multi-generational faces.
As I walked toward their origin, the sound of hand drums and Spanish guitar wafted through the humid July air, and it was then that without a doubt I had arrived at the most varied and well-respected collection of internationally and folk-influenced music at a Chicago festival this summer. After paying the $10 donation for entrance, I was greeted pleasantly by six music stages, thousands of generally free-spirited families and single attendees, and a multitude of vendors straying outside of the traditional street festival box.
Such booths included personal favorites Bigbite Catering, who offered vegan and vegetarian-friendly options in eco-friendly packaging, and internationally influenced goods like Haitian steel drum sculpture and free trade clothing from India.
Moving beyond the immediately visible vendor booths, each of the festival’s six stages offered a fresh and unique perspective on the Old Town School, ranging from local Latino musicians in the Nuestra Musica tent to the School’s staff performing traditional Japanese music on the Staff Stage. Kids’ entertainment featured musicians who I caught singing songs about butterfly metamorphosis, and the Dance Tent instructed couples, families and curious singles alike how to groove to everything from Brazilian beats to traditional Argentine tango.
At the end of my few hours perusing the Lincoln Square festival grounds—with the help of free bike carriages for a cool breeze and sightseeing—I, too, left the festival with a contented grin and fruit bouquet, a sweet ending to a midsummer glimpse of what Chicago and the Old Town School have to offer.
The Old Town School of Folk Music, at more than 50 years strong, is nothing less than a Chicago legend. Its annual festival, now in its thirteenth year, is making a case to be the same.
Spanning just two days over the July 10th & 11th weekend, the festival makes sure to pack the most programming it can between noon and 9:30 p.m. each day. Featuring entertainment on six stages–internationally influenced music on the Main Stage, fun for children at the Kids Tent, eclectic beats at the Dance Tent, talented faculty showing off on the Staff Stage, open jams and sing-a-longs at the Gazebo, and Chicago-area Latino artists in the Nuestra Musica Tent–the festival makes sure to draw from a wide array of musical perspectives. Welles Park, on Lincoln Ave. between Sunnyside and Montrose, is the center of all the stages and vendors.
Occidental Brothers Dance Band International
The upcoming weekend is bursting with Chicago events, from perennial favorites like the Taste of Chicago and Pride Fest to lesser-known gems Chicago Arabesque and Chicago Summerfest. But one environmentally-minded event, the Green Music Fest, is taking over West Town on Saturday and Sunday, hoping to bring Chicagoans all the festival favorites with a slightly “greener” flair.
Taking place on Chicago Ave. between Ashland and Noble, the fest will run from noon to 10 p.m. on both the 25th and 26th, featuring live music, vendors, family activities and beer booths. Sounds like just another street festival, right? But when West Town’s Chamber of Commerce and the Chicago Center for Green Technology collaborated on planning and sponsoring the event, they made sure to throw in very uniquely environmentally-conscious features. The vendor village will feature solely eco-friendly products for the urban dweller craving organic cotton tees and recycled tote bags for all those trips to Whole Foods. The beer booth will feature several craft beers in addition to big-name brews, with Magic Hat Wacko and Pyramid Haywire joining the likes of Sierra Nevada, Fat Tire and Sam Adams–all served in biodegradable plastic cups. Organizers are also offering a free bike valet, surely a clue for attendees to “go green” outside of the festival gates. Other behind-the-scenes eco-friendly features include bio-diesel fuel operated generators and increased recycling and compost options–and many more to be discovered inside the fest, I’m sure.
Not to be forgotten–”music” is in the festival’s name, after all–is programming on the fest’s two stages [Live Stage and DJ Stage], coordinated by Chicago live music venue Subterranean. Consistently booking forward-thinking talent, the venue provided this year’s festivals with 24 acts over the span of the event. I would head for The Wailers at 8 p.m. Saturday night, sharing reggae riddims 47 years strong, and to math rock Chicagoans Maps & Atlases at 5:45 p.m. on Sunday. If dancing to heavy beats is more of your style, don’t miss Klever headlining the Saturday night DJ Stage and Proper Villains spitting grimey New York hip-hop on Sunday night.
The $5 suggested donation will benefit the West Town Chicago Chamber of Commerce and encourage more eco-friendly events and improvements in the neighborhood–so while you’re sipping your summer ale and jamming any of 24 music acts, rest assured that your green is benefitting more green.
You can count on a few things at most Chicago festivals. The first is a blocked off portion of a picturesque Chicago neighborhood, suddenly alive in the summertime, with fairly well-off shops and restaurants lining the streets for similarly well-off festival-goers. The second is a somewhat standardized group of alcohol and food vendors, charging fairly elevated prices for beer and burgers/Asian fare/ribs. And the third is a stage or two of Chicago musicians, usually including festival favorite groups Sixteen Candles, Too White Crew, and the like.
So when I took the hour-and-a-half trek to Chicago’s Marquette Park neighborhood for the 2010 edition of the Takin’ It to the Streets festival on June 19, imagine my surprise when I encountered a very atypical Chicago summer festival experience. Gone were the beautiful city blocks that festivals usually make their homes in–Marquette Park is by no means one of Chicago’s pretty and gentrified neighborhoods, and the festival itself took place in a muddied grassy park spotted with live graffiti art. Replacing the beer and burgers were healthy smoothies and vegetarian-friendly cuisine, mostly Middle Eastern-influenced [think falafel, hummus, and rice]. And rather than Chicago bands covering Journey or the Sugar Hill Gang, the festival’s four stages were graced by influential rappers Mos Def and Brother Ali, world music legends and ex-rebels Tinariwen, and instruction in yoga, tai chi and capoeira.
Takin’ It to the Streets’ take on what it means to throw a Chicago festival was refreshing and thought-provoking as a religionless white girl from the North Side–yet I didn’t feel out of place in the slightest. Among a group that included Marquette Park residents, a huge turnout from Chicago’s Muslim community, and hip-hop fans from around the city, I was just another face in the crowd who earned respect like everyone else. Rather than the dirty looks and shoves from people as I made my way toward the front of the crowd for Tinariwen and Mos Def, I instead encountered those who would gracefully move aside and smile when I accidentally bumped into them. I munched on the affordably priced $5 falafel and pita sandwich, grateful that cheap and healthy vegetarian food was not the exception, but the norm. And although I am not religious or particularly activism-minded, the forum on faith and justice and overriding message of social consciousness was a thought-provoking experience that left me more moved than I’ve felt leaving any other summer festival.
At the conclusion of Mos Def’s disappointingly short set [about twenty-five minutes] closing out the festival on Saturday night, event organizers from the Inner-City Muslim Action Network came on stage to urge festival attendees to leave the festival peacefully, in the same way they hoped the event was conducted. They concluded hoping that festival-goers would text a donation line, at $10 a text, aiding the group in planning a festival for an eleventh year in 2011. My guess is that, if others experienced the same revolutionary Chicago festival experience, IMAN had a flood of texts speaking for themselves.