Chicago – The final day of Pitchfork 2015 was hands down the best of the three. The weather was almost perfect, with no rain and temps in the 80s. Yes, we could’ve done without the humidity, but it’s Chicago, so who are we kidding! More importantly, Chicago’s very own Chance the Rapper and The Social Experiment put on – dare I say  – one of the strongest performances I’ve ever seen at Pitchfork. They definitely had their work cut of for them because Run The Jewels , who played before them, killed it. I mean nailed it! But you know how us Chicagoans do, always working hard, playing hard, and blowing ‘em away every damn time. Now, Chance and his squad can’t get all the talk. There were several new bands that made Sunday great.

MOURN

The Barcelona teens of Mourn let loose on the Blue Stage Sunday afternoon. At first they seemed stiff. But after a few songs the shock began to wear off, and  they seemed more relaxed. Guitarist Carla Pérez took a deep breath and said, “Okay, this is crazy, but it’s cool.” It was cool. Cool that so many people got up early to see Mourn. Cool that so many people were visibly excited, enjoying the Catalonian band’s garage rock. The foursome played the songs that put them on the radar, like “Misery Factory,” but they also played some new tunes, such as “The Unexpected.” Their new material was beyond impressive, especially the closing song, which they introduced as “a new, new, new one.” It featured a wonderful jazzy bass solo by Leia Rodríguez Bueno and a more matured sound. Can’t wait to see what else Mourn‘s new album has in store!

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Waxahatchee

Katie Crutchfield, the mastermind behind Waxahatchee, gave festivalgoers exactly what they needed Sunday afternoon: a chance to sit down and relax. As more and more people entered the festival gates, the grass in front of the Green Stage filled with blankets. People stretched out, half awake, taking in the refreshing breeze and the sentimental tunes of Waxahatchee, including  “<” and “Coast to Coast.”

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Courtney Barnett

By late afternoon, the baseball field was packed with fans excited to see Australian indie sensation Courtney Barnett do her thing on the Green Stage. Having recently seen her at Bonnaroo, I understood the enthusiasm. This time around, I reveled in watching those experiencing all that is a Courtney Barnett performance for the first time. Smiles filled the faces of some, while others stood in disbelief with mouths hung open, as the guitarist rocked “Depreston” and “Pedestrian at Best.”

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Run The Jewels

Sunday presented the quite the conundrum for most. Do you stake out a spot close to the Red Stage for Run The Jewels or one near the Green Stage for Chance the Rapper? By half past six, it appeared many were in it for RTJ. It began to pack tight, despite the remaining mud and “quick sand” near the baseball mound. By the time Killer Mike and El-P took the stage, there was little green to be seen. The duo promised to put on a show filled with plenty of extras. Those extras were surprise appearances. Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine joined RTJ for “Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck).” Boots came out for “Early,” and Gangsta Boo showed up for “Love Again (Akinyele Back).” Fans up front crowd surfed and moshed wildly. Arms waved in the air, and hands went up saluting the two rappers with the Run The Jewels hand gesture, like rebels from the district saluting Katniss Everdeen.

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 Chance the Rapper and The Social Experiment

First I need to put this out there: Chance the Rapper did not headline Pitchfork; Chance the Rapper and The Social Experiment headlined the last night of Pitchfork on the Green Stage. I saw Chance last year at Lolla. This performance was beyond Chance doing his solo thing. Yes, he did perform songs of his mixtapes 10 Day and Acid Rap, but he was also joined on stage by his crew – Donnie Trumpet, Nate Fox, Petter Cottontale, and Greg Landfair Jr. Much of the night was dedicated to The Social Experiment’s album Surf. It was brilliant. When Chance decided not to jump straight into his solo career after the success of Acid Rap, some called him crazy, but in actuality, he was demonstrating pure genius. The Social Experiment mixes sounds of Motown gospel, disco, jazz, and funk with marvelous showmanship. Fans ate it all up, from the lights and video, to the choreography and candid moments. One such candid moment was when Chance told the audience he had the live feed shut off, so that only those in attendance could been in on it, like we were all chillin’ at the crib. Chano had fans scream “This my show!” Later Kirk Franklin came out for “Sunday Candy” and “Brighter Day,” before Chance ended the night with “Chain Smoker.” Chance the Rapper and The Social Experiment are on to something big, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for my fellow Chicagoans!

Pitchfork Festival 2015 was magnificent. Let’s see if 2016 tops it… till then, Pitchfork, till then.

All photos by Sarah Hess

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Sarah Hess

At the age of six, Sarah Hess discovered True Blue by Madonna. This resulted in her spending hours in front of the bathroom mirror with a hairbrush microphone, belting out "La Isla Bonita" off key. Her love for music only intensified over the years thanks to her parents; her mother exposed Sarah to The Jackson Five and had her hustling to the Bee Gees, while her father would play her albums like 'Pet Sounds' and 'Some Girls' from start to finish, during which he'd lecture on and on about the history of rock & roll. Sarah would eventually stumble upon rap and hip-hop, then punk and alternative, and fall madly in love with Jeff Buckley and film photography.

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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