The eighth annual Pitchfork Music Festival took place in Union Park July 19-21.
The Chicago weather continued to be unpredictable, as Bjork was forced to leave her set early because of lightning. Scottish act Belle & Sebastian felt right at home with sprinkles that were Glasgow-worthy. Finally, R. Kelly's fans were all wet as the rain came down even on the last moments of the long weekend cooling things off.
Bjork showed her artistry with a large electrical coil contraption and an Icelandic backup choir of young girl singers. Always picking odd songs from her catalogue that satisfy her diehard fan base, "Army of Me" pleased everyone while still sounding modern.
She also played a secret DJ set at Lincoln Hall later the same evening.
Day two had Beyonce's little sister, Solange Knowles, sporting short hair and impish charm. The peppiness of her tunes worked the big gay following into a frenzy in the front with her past track "T.O.N.Y" never getting old.
The Breeders brought the girl power, playing the entire Last Splash album and then throwing in an arequested song (from the audience) that was a bit awkward but spontaneous. The aimless chatter on the microphone by singer Kim Deal didn't help the situation.
Andy Stott spun the turntables on the Blue side stage but with a lot of feedback from the electronic innovator, his visually slow set seemingly confused the massive turnout.
Belle & Sebastian's sleepy sound did not translate well for an outdoor performance, and the blokes seemed sheepish in response to the vibe in the field. Although lead singer Matt Murdoch is not gay, he supports same-sex marriage and is a vegetarian.
MIA created an energy that fit perfectly in the outdoor space. She hardly stopped moving in front of her brightly lit up stage and colorful dancers. She climbed out to the front of the crowd where the front row held her skinny body up over the barricade.
R. Kelly sold out his evening closing set with more than 19,000 attendees. He brought the crowds to church with a gospel choir clapping hands and belting hymns to introduce him. The sheer diversity of people that were there to support the hometown hip hopper was astounding.
He ended with an encore of "I Believe I Can Fly," covering as much of his lengthy career as humanly possible and proving him a worthy headliner.
With three stages of music, vinyl for sale and booths of food, this annual affair is only getting better year after year.
Visit pitchforkmusicfestival.com for up-to-date information when available. Text and photos by Jerry Nunn
