Chicago – The second day of Pitchfork Music Festival kicked off with plenty of sun and sweat, with the humidity causing temps to rise and deodorant to fail. Though, given that Pitchfork weekend tends to bring with it a heatwave, having temps linger in the 70s and 80s was an absolute delight! The crowds didn’t seem all that bothered, except for the few who sought shelter in the shade, which honestly was hard to find near the Red and Green stages. Never matter because Saturday brought two legendary acts, with reunited hip hop group Digable Planets and Brian Wilson performing at the packed Red Stage. But let’s talk about the newer acts, shall we?
Kevin Morby
In 2013, this Texas crooner and former Woods bassist ventured out on his own, leaving behind his band The Babies, starting his solo career with debut album Harlem River. Just a few months ago, the indie-folk rocker released his third album Singing Saw, featuring the catchy single “Dorothy.” Kevin Morby’s relaxed set was perfect for taking in a late lunch. It seemed everyone’s hangovers had subsided, as people bobbed their heads, while eating pizza, drinking beer, and grooving to the 28 year-old’s set. Most people caught refuge under trees on the further edges of the field, as the sun blared down. From atop the Green Stage, Kevin Morby joked, “It’s very hot. It’s like playing in Bikram Yoga.” Fans chuckled. Morby was joined on stage by someone used to performing in the sticky, Chicago humidity: trumpet player Will Miller. The Chicago native – who has made the rounds at Pitchfork performing with his band Whitney and joining Twin Peaks on Friday – joined Kevin Morby, adding his talents to “I Have Been To The Mountain.” It was delightful.
Savages
As expected, U.K. post-punk band Savages knocked it out of the park! The baseball field in Union Park filled with excited fans who fed off the band’s energy. It was evident frontwoman Jehnny Beth was also feeding off the crowd’s energy. She smiled, pointed, and cheered at particular fans who were thrashing and moshing, while half singing, half shouting, “Put me on my knees like a dirty little dog.” Of course, guitarist Gemma Thompson, bassist Ayse Hassan, and drummer Fay Milton were just as wild and wicked as Jehnny Beth. Though, the band and the audience calmed for the beautiful “Adore Life.” The one complaint of the set, which was echoed by many, was Savages’ placement on the Green Stage, being so far removed from fans. Had the band been on the Red Stage, Jehnny Beth would have been all over the place. But it’s okay because these four are perfection no matter where they are, and Jehnny Beth still managed to come down from the massive, towering stage, where she hovered over fans along the barricade. Her beige high heels were a sure sign she wouldn’t be crowd surfing or walking the rails, but we’ll take what we can get.
Blood Orange
It seemed Blood Orange had the early evening set not to be missed. Everyone and their moms were over at the Red Stage to see Dev Hynes aka Blood Orange. Shamir was again spied watching from the crowd, which at that point had been the biggest crowd of the day, even putting the Digable Planets’ crowd to shame. Members of Twin Peaks and Whitney could been seen watching side stage, and throughout the lawn, drunken couples were spotted dancing and grinding to Hynes’ sultry sounds. The set started out with “By Ourselves.” The voice of Chicago poet Ashlee Haze thundered though the speakers, as a snippet of For Colored Girls (The Missy Elliott Poem) opened the set before Hynes came out to play the keys. Fans cheered, and then quickly found themselves moving and grooving to “Augustine.” Seeing as Carly Rae Jepsen performed Friday, the question was would she join Blood Orange on stage for “Better Than Me” – the song the two collaborated on for Blood Orange’s recent release Freetown Sound – and the answer turned out to be yes. Twitter blew up. Screams of approval could be heard from the audience. While the Canadian pop singer was a lovely additional, truth be told, being such a strong performer, Blood Orange could have easily performed by himself, but in keeping with the female perspective of Freetown Sound, it was fitting that Jepsen, Ava Raiin, and Empress Of joined Hynes on stage. And we love him for it. Here’s a champagne toast to you, Mr. Hynes!
Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals
Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals should have been a headliner, but the hip hop group fronted by Brandon Park Anderson was second to last at the Blue Stage. Though, given that headliner Holly Herndon experienced computer problems, leaving the San Fran sound artist unable to perform, technically Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals did close out the night on the south end of the park. Anderson .Paak and his pack of talented musicians did so with the largest crowd the Blue Stage had seen so far this weekend. Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals put on the best performance of Saturday. While many festivalgoers were watching Brian Wilson perform Pet Sounds, those in the know, were ready for some Malibu sessions. Mick Jenkins and theMIND, who both performed yesterday, could been seen watching side stage. In the pit, Chicago hip hop artists Noname and Joey Purp – who recently released the phenomenal mixtape iiiDrops - were seen enjoying the show. Comedian Hannibal Buress also watched from the crowd, having returned to his hometown for the festival. No matter who you were – celebrity or average Joe – one thing was certain: Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals had you moving! The crowd danced and jumped and when .Paak said, ”I want everyone from the front to the very back to do like me,” everyone got low. Truth be told, I had never seen Anderson .Paak live, but man, now do I see why so many music lovers and hip hop heads have fallen head over heals. To quote my friend Victoria Ford, “Welcome to Team .Paak!”
There’s one more day left of Pitchfork Music Festival. Stayed tuned for our Sunday coverage, and be sure to follow Best New Bands on Facebook and Twitter. Sunday tickets for Pitchfork Music Festival can be purchased HERE. If you missed it, check out our Friday Pitchfork coverage.
Photography by Sarah Hess for Best New Bands.
Sarah Hess
After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.
You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.
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