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LIVE REVIEW: INNERVIEW AT PITCHFORK FEST, DAY THREE

In many ways, the day three opening slot is the worst place to be in a festival. So respect to Porches for managing to draw a decent crowd in the early afternoon hangover hours. As Sun Ra Arkestra began to fill the festival air with their stardust-and-salvia blend of cosmic jazz, Pitchfork Fest rubbed its eyes, wiped the toothpaste from the corners of its lips and caught its second wind. Kamasi Washington kept the momentum going with a rich, full sound accompanied by a roaring trombone and a squealing sax. He even brought his dad up for a cover of Ray Noble’s “Cherokee” and the way the wind kicked up just in time for the song’s finale was one of those one-in-a-million perfect concert moments. Holy Ghost!’s funky and loose beat-driven set kept the fest’s blood flowing before Neon Indian delivered what was easily one of the best sets of the festival. Although it’s debatable whether Alan Palomo is technically a “good” dancer, hearing “Deadbeat Summer” back to back with “Polish Girl” for the closer was an absolute thrill that seemed impossible to top. Then a miracle happened. You can’t imagine the unbridled joy that overtook the entire park when Chance The Rapper got onstage with Jeremih. Chance only stayed for a few songs (“No Problem” and “Angels”), but the mere presence of the rising Chicago icon was enough to almost double the size of the crowd clustered around the Green Stage. The sun set before FKA Twigs took the stage, silhouetted against a background of twisting hands and curling fingers. Watching the tight, hypnotic choreography mesh perfectly with the tripped-out music was like weaving in and out of a dream. BY WILLIAM LENNON–PHOTO BY MATT LIEF ANDERSON
Previous: Pitchfork Fest Day Two

LIVE REVIEW: INNERVIEW AT PITCHFORK FEST, DAY TWO

At 1:45 Saturday afternoon, Girl Band took the Red Stage in an electrical storm of frustration and confusion. Meanwhile, it was hard to tell whether RP Boo was really good at pulling people to the Blue Stage or if the crowd was just trying to get a bit of shade. Saying that one has “commanding stage presence” is admittedly sort of a cop-out, but goddammit, the second Savages’ Jehnny Beth stepped onto the Green Stage she owned the place. Within minutes she was soaked with sweat, flinging her hair out of her face and alternating between a wail and a whisper with their set highlighted by one seriously breathtaking moment when she waded out into the crowd to finish a song like some biblical prophet preaching among the people. After that it was almost time for Blood Orange, whose set got crazy whenever Dev Hynes got ahold of a guitar or spun around in circles like the needle of a compass dropped down the shaft of an iron mine. Brian Wilson needed a little help on vocals here and there (he’s in his ‘70s), but it was still great to stand among the strollers and lawn chairs watching a legend in motion. As he finished with Beach Boys classics like “Barbara Ann” and “Surfin’ U.S.A.”, things started to get weird on the Blue Stage. About 20 minutes before her set was scheduled to end, Holly Herndon and her team started to set up. Then, just when it finally looked like we were almost ready to begin, technical difficulties torpedoed their set and they had to exit the stage, offering the crowd little more than a few tracks played from a computer and an apology. BY WILLIAM LENNON–PHOTO BY MATT LIEF ANDERSON
Next: Pitchfork Fest Day Three—Previous: Pitchfork Fest Day One

LIVE REVIEW: INNERVIEW AT PITCHFORK FEST, DAY ONE

In defiance of Friday’s dreary weather, Whitney drew an unusually large crowd to the Blue Stage to kick off Pitchfork 2016 but it wasn’t until Twin Peaks took the stage that things really started clicking into high gear. If there were a contest that ranked bands by how many people showed up in their t-shirts, Twin Peaks would have won handily. Their hearty brand of throwback stoner rock was like a beam of sunlight igniting the whole park for the duration of their set, keeping the storm comfortably at bay. But if Union Park had a roof, Carly Rae Jepson would have torn it off as she effortlessly interwove her pop star persona with a more Pitchfork-friendly edge, highlighted by a killer song with Dev Hynes. Mick Jenkins’ so-so set ended up starting a little late due to a minor hiccup (which, happily, gave us time to enjoy more Carly Rae). By the time heavy hitters like Broken Social Scene, Shamir and Beach House had their turn, it was clear that Pitchfork Fest was off to a stellar start. Their sets were predictably fantastic, but day one of this year’s festival wasn’t about the big names. Instead it was about cult favorites blossoming into something more, their hardcore fans intermingling with the wanderers killing time between the shows. Here’s to sunny skies on Saturday…BY WILLIAM KOSH–PHOTO BY JLY
Next: Pitchfork Fest Day Two

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