ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY CHRIS ALVAREZ
The 2017 edition of the Pitchfork Music Festival at Union Park in Chicago added a few wrinkles to what could be seen as a well-oiled machine. VIP tickets and amenities were offered to the public for the first time. Also, lockers and cellphone charging stations were implemented into the festival infrastructure. Such things are standard at other larger festivals, but Pitchfork has tried to keep the DIY spirit alive as much as possible (despite numerous sponsorship partners). With a deep lineup, arguably the best weather of the whole summer, and an almost sold-out weekend, it seemed that the festival was set up to go flawlessly. Barring issues regarding entry into the festival on Friday, which were alleviated the next day, it all went according to plan. But with a literal 11th hour cancellation by The Avalanches on Sunday afternoon, the festival scrambled to avoid keeping attendees at the Green Stage in total silence while awaiting headliner Solange. Chicago native Jamila Woods was moved from her Blue Stage slot and was greeted by a buoyant crowd, with whom she responded in kind with an elegant performance. Despite those hiccups, a fantastic weekend of music took place. Below are five highlights of the three-day festival.
A Tribe Called Quest
The last year and change has been a roller coaster for A Tribe Called Quest. After secretly recording a new album, the New York-based hip-hop group was ready for a comeback. But key member Phife Dawg's death in 2016 seemingly halted all of this work. However, the surviving members persevered, and Saturday night in Chicago was A Tribe Called Quest's first official headlining performance without Phife. In an era when many notable hip-hop acts rely on a big production, Q-Tip's first words before the set were, "We don't need no disco balls or lasers. Let's see if we can squeeze out 25 joints. Y'all ready?!" It was a statement that would not be forgotten all night. What came after was in essence the purest expression of the art form. A lone mic stand was placed on the stage to honor Phife, and rapper Consequence filled in for him as a de facto fourth member. Performing songs from their back catalog and live debuting a handful of tracks from latest album We Got It From Here … Thank You for Your Service, everything was interwoven to perfection. As the set reached a fever pitch during "We the People," one of their most vital new tracks, Q Tip and Jarobi White jumped into the crowd, and everyone from the front to the back of Union Park was a part of this very unforgettable moment.
Francis and the Lights
"Chicago is one of my favorite places," said Francis Starlite as he took a quick break from the frenetic set on Saturday afternoon on the Blue Stage. "But enough of that, let's get back to some music," and so he did. Spinning around and seemingly gliding back and forth across the stage, his stage presence would make James Brown smile. This one-man dance party eventually evolved into climbing up anything within sight, from scaling the stage scaffolding to a nearby tree, all while not missing a single beat. This kind of earnest energy is very hard to deny when the audience knows a performer is giving them his all. An opportunity was missed though, as Chance the Rapper, who was present at the festival, did not join in on Francis's set closer, "May I Have This Dance." Regardless, audience members had plenty to buzz about.
Kilo Kish
Avant garde self-expression seems to be the best way to describe Kilo Kish's performance. Themes of self-discovery and shining a light on societies' addiction to materialism and online interaction are strewn throughout her songs. She started her set by sitting on a folding chair and reading a copy of the New Yorker, then progressing to other objects, such as an old rotary telephone and a briefcase, which she pressed tightly against her body. Almost out of nowhere, Kilo seemingly spazzed out and proceeded to destroy her briefcase and all of its contents. It all fit into a sort of elevated dramatization of her own life, with equal parts musical and ballet. This all points to a promising future for the young artist as she moves forward in her craft.
Dawn Richard
The former member of pop group Danity Kane, Dawn Richard has sculpted a name for herself since she began her solo career. Having recently completed an ambitious album trilogy, with the release of Redemption, a mixture of R&B, pop, and EDM, Dawn Richard is beyond her prior pop aspirations. With such dynamic music, the live performance does not fail to deliver. Joined by two dancers dressed in all white, Dawn and her bandmates proceed to make you feel every beat and note. Her command with the audience was undeniable as the crowd swayed back and forth with smiles on their faces. This was especially true when she jumped down from the stage during her final song, "LA," and even gave fans a chance to sing into the microphone. The adage of giving as much as you take never felt truer at the moment.
Cherry Glazerr
In the midst of a giant swath of noise, Los Angeles band Cherry Glazerr began their fun and raucous set. Lead vocalist Clementine Creevy emerged from backstage by crawling on hands and knees toward the front of the stage like a jungle creature on the prowl. The quartet's set focused on songs from recent release Apocalypstick. Opening song "Sip O' Poison" showcased their bouncy and rollicking energy, while "Instagratification" pointed to a more refined, but still fiery rock 'n' roll attitude. The crowd ate up every ounce of the band's spirit, and Cherry Glazerr showed no qualms about it—they were all grins.
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