WELCOME TO THE SPECIAL PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL ISSUE OF THE MISCREANT! I had a wonderful time at Pithfork Music Festival this year. I ate copious amounts of vegan ice cream (courtesey of TEMPTATIONS ICE CREAM), danced my little heart out to Superchunk, and talked to some great people from all over. There’s nothing like good music to bring people together. This is why I’ve decided to publish this here Pitchfork issue of THE MISCREANT. This issue is dedicated to the people who attended the festival and enjoyed the good spirits surrounding them. The following pages are filled with thoughts from friends, new and old, who I got the chance to talk to while warndering around Union Park. Enjoy! - the miscreant, herself it should be noted that Andrew’s Little Sebastian shirt was given 21 compliments in one day. this is because Little Sebastian is a saint.
MC Zulu is a true miscreant.
p4k 2011 sch3dul3 FRIDAY, JULY 15 – gates at 3pm 3:20 (BLUE) Gatekeeper 3:30 (RED) EMA ***4:30 (BLUE) tUnE-yArDs 4:35 (GREEN) Battles 5:30 (RED) Thurston Moore 5:30 (BLUE) Curren$y 6:25 (GREEN) Guided By Voices 6:30 (BLUE) Das Racist ***7:20 (RED) Neko Case 7:30 (BLUE) James Blake 8:30 (GREEN) Animal Collective
SATURDAY, JULY 16 – gates at 12pm 1:00 (GREEN) Julianna Barwick ***1:00 (BLUE) Chrissy Murderbot Feat MC ZULU ***1:45 (RED) Woods 1:55 (BLUE) Sun Airway 2:30 (GREEN) Cold Cave 2:50 (BLUE) G-Side 3:20 (RED) Gang Gang Dance ***3:45 (BLUE) Wild Nothing 4:15 (GREEN) No Age 4:45 (BLUE) OFF! 5:15 (RED) Destroyer ***5:45 (BLUE) The Radio Dept. 6:15 (GREEN) The Dismemberment Plan ***6:45 (BLUE) Twin Shadow 7:25 (RED) DJ Shadow 7:40 (BLUE) Zola Jesus 8:30 (GREEN) Fleet Foxes
SUNDAY, JULY 17 – gates at 12pm 1:00 (GREEN) The Fresh & Onlys 1:00 (BLUE) Darkstar ***1:45 (RED) Yuck 1:55 (BLUE) How to Dress Well 2:30 (GREEN) Kurt Vile & the Violators ***2:50 (BLUE) Twin Sister 3:20 (RED) OFWGKTA 3:45 (BLUE) Shabazz Palaces 4:15 (GREEN) Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti ***4:45 (BLUE) Baths ***5:15 (RED) Superchunk 5:45 (BLUE) Kylesa 6:15 (GREEN) Deerhunter ***6:45 (BLUE) Toro Y Moi 7:25 (RED) Cut Copy 7:40 (BLUE) HEALTH ***8:30 (GREEN) TV on the Radio
(witnessed) *** (swooning)
ERIN UTTICH MCHENRY, IL
Is this your first Pitchfork? “No, I went last year. It’s growing every year. I’m not as crazy about the lineup, but it’s fun every year.” Who are you most excited to see? Kurt Vile and Odd Future Who did you come with? My friends Mikey and Joe Who is one artist you would have added to the lineup? Yeasayer Favorite festival food? Vegan gyro from Chicago Diner Going to any cool after parties? some sort of dubstep Kill/Fuck/Marry: TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes Kill TVOTR, fuck AnCo if I were high, and marry Fleet Foxes Who are you off to see next? Curren$y
TERAH NOLL
TOULOUSE, FRANCE Is this your first Pitchfork? Yes! Who are you most excited to see? Animal Collective Who did you come with? By myself Who is one artist you would have added to the lineup? Foals Which act are you going to miss and not feel sad about it? James Blake, but I might see him just to see what he’s like live How many days are you attending? Only here for Friday Kill/Fuck/Marry: TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes Kill TVOTR, fuck AnCo, marry Fleet Foxes Who are you off to see next? Das Racist
ADAM ROBINSON & ERIN WEARTZ CHICAGO, IL
Is this your first Pitchfork? AR: 4th EW: 2nd Who are you most excited to see? AR: Animal Collective EW: Neko Case Who did you come with? each other Who is one artist you would have added to the lineup? AR: Xiu Xiu EW: I know WHY? played last year, but I’d have them back again. Favorite festival food? Vegan gyro from Chicago Diner Kill/Fuck/Marry: TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes Well, we’d both kill Fleet Foxes, but... AR: I’d marry AnCo and bang TV on the Radio EW: But I’d bang AnCO and marry TV on the Radio Who are you off to see next? Animal Collective
JASON STOFF ST. LOUIS, MO
Is this your first Pitchfork? No, it’s my fourth Who are you most excited to see? James Blake Who did you come with? My friends Tyler, Duretti and Mandy Who is one artist you would have added to the lineup? Pixies. Last year, Pitchfork caught Pavement on a reunion tour, so I think it would be a cool tradition to keep, getting some old-timers to come through. Favorite festival food? Corn on a stick How many days are you attending? Just Friday and Saturday. Kill/Fuck/Marry: TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes Kill AnCo, bang TV on the Radio, marry Fleet Foxes Who are you off to see next? Cold Cave, then No Age
MARC SOLLINGER WORLD TRAVELER
Is this your first Pitchfork? Yes, and my first big outdoor concert! Who are you most excited to see? Superchunk and Cut Copy Who did you come with? WBEZ, Chicago Public Radio - I’m interning with them and helping work their booth. Which act are you going to miss and not feel sad about it? Fleet Foxes, Animal Collective and TV on the Radio How many days are you attending? Saturday and Sunday Kill/Fuck/Marry: TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes Kill AnCo, bonk Fleet Foxes, marry TV on the Radio Best free swag? WBEZ mini radio Who are you off to see next? DJ Shadow
JACKIE GARCIA & KETTIA ST. PAUL CHICAGO, IL
Is this your first Pitchfork? Yes! Who are you most excited to see? JG: DJ Shadow KSP: Fleet Foxes and Cold Cave Who did you come with? Each other! Who is one artist you would have added to the lineup? Tallest Man on Earth, Beach House, Rural Alberta Advantage How many days are you attending? Just Saturday Going to any cool after parties? We’re going to see Titus Andronicus at Schuba’s Best free swag? Bag from Free People Who are you off to see next? Twin Shadow
BRITT JULIOUS CHICAGO, IL
Is this your first Pitchfork? I’ve been to all of them. Who are you most excited to see? Cut Copy Who did you come with? My friends, Arianna and Tyler. Who is one artist you would have added to the lineup? Matthew Dear. I’m obsessed with him, so I’d add him to anything - a festival, a mix CD... my bed. Favorite festival food? Corn muffins from Wishbone Which act are you going to miss and not feel sad about it? Fleet Foxes Kill/Fuck/Marry: TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes Kill Fleet Foxes, bang AnCo, marry TV on the Radio Who are you off to see next? DJ Shadow
JAY SMITH
VALPARAISO, IN Is this your first Pitchfork? Yes! Who are you most excited to see? Animal Collective Who did you come with? My friends, Quinn and Chad Who is one artist you would have added to the lineup? Grizzly Bear Which act are you going to miss and not feel sad about it? Odd Future How many days are you attending? All three Kill/Fuck/Marry: TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes Kill Fleet Foxes, bang TV on the Radio, marry AnCo Who are you off to see next? Darkstar
EVELYN LEE
TORONTO, ONTARIO Is this your first Pitchfork? Yes, absolutely enjoying myself Who are you most excited to see? tUnE-yArDs, Fleet Foxes, Odd Future, James Blake, AnCo, and Deerhunter Who did you come with? Roadtripped with some friends from school Who is one artist you would have added to the lineup and why? Beach House and Beirut Favorite festival food? Beer! Going to any cool after parties? Beauty Bar on Saturday, Martini + Manicures Kill/Fuck/Marry: TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes Kill TVOTR, bang AnCo, marry Fleet Foxes Who are you off to see next? Kurt Vile
CHRISSY MURDERBOT CHICAGO, IL
Is this your first Pitchfork? Yes! Who are you most excited to see and why? Gang Gang Dance, Odd Future Who did you come with? Friends, family and crew came to see me and MC Zulu perform Who is one artist you would have added to the lineup and why? Machinedrum, Tropics Favorite festival food? Funnel cakes Going to any cool after parties? We had an after party on Friday (mpshows.com) Kill/Fuck/Marry: TV on the Radio, Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes Have them all marry each other! Who are you off to see next? Odd Future
FIRST TIME FAVORITES by dearest quinn donnell
This weekend I attended Pitchfork Music Festival. It was my first time at the festival, and to say the least, it was rather enjoyable. I had the pleasure of seeing some of my favorite artists, and spending time with some of my favorite people. Throughout the weekend, many different characteristics of Pitchfork contributed to my experience, and here are some of the best: Chicago In my opinion, Chicago is an ideal location for Pitchfork. Midwesterners know their music. Also, there’s something about Chicago in the summer time. If you have the means of experiencing Chicago in the summer, I highly recommend it. tUnE-YaRdS killin’ it The tUnE-YaRdS show was quite possibly my favorite of the weekend. The talent exhibited by Merrill was amazing. Other notable “killin’ its” were: Toro y Moi, Das Racist, Yuck, Superchunk, TV on the Radio. (Note: Saturday shows were not taken into consideration due to my unfortunate absence.) Hand Fans raising awareness about violence On Sunday, free hand fans were given out not only to cool off festival-goers, but to also to educate them on violence. Thank you, Odd Future. Curren$y’s humor Although I’m not a huge fan of Curren$y’s music, I will give him credit for making me laugh. Most of the humor came from comments in between songs, usually concerning his promotion of illegal activites. Oh Curren$y, maybe you should change your name to $tand Up. Ariel Pink getting mad at his band and walking off stage I’m not entirely sure what happened here, but it was interesting to watch. People playing Go Fish during TV on the Radio This really happened. People Other than the kid that plowed his way through almost the entire crowd and parked the back of his head directly in front of my face five minutes before the Toro y Moi show, and of course, the clowns who were playing Go Fish while TVOTR was playing, I found everyone at Pitchfork to be quite pleasant. I also appreciated the diversity in musical taste within the festival. Going from Neko Case to Animal Collective felt like going from dinner with my parents to… a music festival.
REVISITING PITCHFORK by my man, mcclain
Music festivals offer us a vacation from real life. Everyone slips into a slightly affected reality when they enter the gates of a festival like Pitchfork. Everyone is forced to deal with their own notions of individuality as they join a mass of people who are dressed exactly like them and having exactly the same concert experience as them. I think this makes a lot of people uncomfortable and standoffish. But the people who are able to disentangle their identity from their taste in music and manner of dress, these people are the ones who really enjoy themselves; those of us who can spot the other guy in the Daniel Johnston t-shirt and chuckle at each other like two men dressed as Santa Claus in the same subway car on their morning commute to different malls during Christmas time. You have to make a choice to be fascinated by this bizarre square mile of distilled subculture, because it can be off-putting. It’s one of very few public places where you wouldn’t know that marijuana was an illegal substance, the way I saw one guy standing, thoughtfully gripping his glass piece the way a scholarly gentleman might grasp his cherrywood tobacco pipe. And there was this girl named Molly who clearly overbooked her social schedule, because she has a lot of friends who keep asking about her whereabouts. Festival life bears little resemblance to real life; chewing gum and kefir are free, hamburgers are $7, and semi-famous people like Hannibal Buress just walk around aimlessly. 2/8 of The New Pornographers play sets on different days, and Danny Pudi from Community shows up for them. Everything is sweaty and water is a precious commodity, though people still apparently get huge kicks from throwing bottles of it up in the air. I stood up against the rail for Chrissy Murderbot and MC Zulu’s set, and listened to Zulu talk, which was entrancing. He began speaking about Chrissy’s music, which is sample-based dance music. He addressed the audience: “This is your shit. Don’t make the mistake to think this type of music come from Europe. The guys who make this live right down the street. This is your shit, don’t give it up.” I’ve never seen a crowd go nuts like that at a show at 1:45 in the afternoon. I watched as a little boy in a soccer jersey behind the rail dragged a large cardboard box to the side and began reaching in and grabbing cheap multicolored plastic noisemakers shaped like large, cartoonish lips, and started handing them to those of us against the railing. It became obvious that the little boy, about six years old, belonged to Zulu, who picked him up and set him on a pair of speakers, and encouraged him to dance. “It cha world, now,” said Zulu, as the boy, bashful at first, began to dance.
photos by the miscreant