Filtering by Tag: Music Festival

Live Recap: Andrew Bird with Nora O'Connor and Uwade at Out of Space

August 04, 2023 / Rachel Zyzda

Out of Space Festival continued on Sunday with Andrew Bird, Nora O’Connor and Uwade.

Evanston’s own Nora O’Connor kicked off the evening, describing herself as the “warmy upy girl”—which, to be fair, is in fact what she was doing, but her boundless talent deserves more credit than that! Most of her set featured songs from her latest album, 2022’s My Heart, but she did throw in some songs from further back in her discography like 2004’s “Nightingale.” O’Connor also shared with the crowd that she used to tour around in a van with Andrew Bird, and (spoiler alert) we got to witness a more collaboration between the two later on in the evening.

Singer songwriter Uwade was up next, and it was nice to see her again after I’d first been introduced to her supporting Fleet Foxes at Salt Shed last year. She started her set out solo before eventually being joined by her bassist. Before playing her touching song “The Man Who Sees Tomorrow,” the singer dedicated it to her late father and shared that he used to call himself “the man who sees tomorrow.” Another highlight of Uwade’s set included her cover of “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” by Fleet Foxes, who she has collaborated with in the past.

Next up, Andrew Bird took the stage for the main event, joined by his bassist and drummer. His set began with an instrumental introduction, which also featured Bird’s signature whistling (I mean, it makes sense if your last name is “Bird” that you’d whistle a lot!) Bird also started on the violin for the first part of his set for songs like “Make a Picture” and “Lone Didion,” but he switched over to playing guitar for other parts of the set.

Before performing a cover of “Harvest” by Neil Young, Bird welcomed Nora O’Connor back to the stage and their vocals meshed incredibly well together. O’Connor leant her vocals to several other songs in the set, including “Lusitania” and fan-favorite “Sisyphus”—which features more melodic whistling. Just before the encore, Bird began to wind down the set with “Armchairs” from the 2007 album Armchair Apocrypha, introducing it by saying, “We’re gonna do a song I haven’t done in quite a while but I thought of it today.” The song transitioned seamlessly into another fan favorite “Pulaski at Night,” which is a hometown anthem for Chicagoans.

See photos from the evening below, and see where you can catch Andrew Bird on tour next here.

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categories / Reviews, Photos, Music, Gigs, Festival
tags / Andrew Bird, Uwade, Nora O'Connor, Out of Space, Space, Music Festival

Live Recap: Regina Spektor with Allison Russell and Elizabeth Moen at Out of Space

August 03, 2023 / Rachel Zyzda

The annual Out of Space festival returned to Canal Shores Golf Course in Evanston, IL and ANCHR attended the third day of the fest with headliner Regina Spektor.

Chicagoan, via Iowa, Elizabeth Moen warmed up the Saturday crowd with a solo set. Moen gave me a little bit of Stevie Nicks vibes. Maybe even Riley Keough as Daisy Jones, who was inspired by Nicks. She dedicated her third song of her set “Songbird” to Allison Russell, who Moen told the crowd inspired her to start writing and performing.

Speaking of Allison Russell, she and her band—or “goddess circle” as she called them, played the second support set. Russell had a very zen, meditative introduction but the pace quickly picked up and Russell got to show off her soulful, powerhouse vocals. Her vocals gave me full body goosebumps, and I was so impressed with the chemistry between her and her bandmates. They truly seemed like they were having the best time on stage, which was infectious and put a smile on my face.

For the main event, Regina Spektor took the stage just as the sun had gone down. The night prior, there had been a torrential downpour, so Regina told the crowd she had an urge from “Jewish grandmothers” to tell the crowd to wear good shoes that day to deal with the mud.

Another joy of the show taking place outdoors was that there were lots of trees. Spektor joked about that as well, saying she’d asked for less reverb during sound check and was told it was “treeverb.” Still, her vocals sounded incredible and the golf course had surprisingly good acoustics to show off her expansive vocal range. Spektor’s vocal talent remained on display for the entirety of the show, but she played her song “Baby Jesus” early on in the show, which highlighted her ability to go from deep, low vocals to quippy falsettos in just one song.

Spektor is obviously known for her spectacular talent as a pianist, but she was able to mix in percussive elements for some of her songs as well. For the song “Better,” she used a drumstick and a chair as makeshift drums. From start to finish, Spektor kept us all completely enthralled, which is quite the feat for a fully solo performance. Towards the end of the show, Spektor followed up her hit “Fidelity” with a dedication to the late Sinéad O’Connor and a performance of “One More Time With Feeling” before wrapping up with the song “Samson.”

See photos of the entire show below, and stay tuned for coverage of Andrew Bird at Out of Space the following night.

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categories / Reviews, Photos, Music, Gigs, Festival
tags / Elizabeth Moen, Allison Russell, Regina Spektor, Out of Space, SPACE, Music Festival, Photography, Live Review, Live Recap

Friday Recap: Pitchfork Music Festival 2023

July 22, 2023 / Rachel Zyzda

Pitchfork Music Festival kicked off Friday, July 21st in Union Park, with the day beginning with Nourished By Time on the Green stage and closing with The Smile on that same stage. Check out some highlights of day one of the festival below, as well as the full photo gallery.

Chicago’s own Sen Morimoto performed in the early afternoon on the Green stage. Although he’s a solo artist and typically records all of his own records, his live band had a slew of talented musicians to help bring his songs to life. In addition to playing the saxophone himself during some songs, Morimoto also had more horns with a trombone player and second saxophonist, backing vocals from Chicago artist Kaina, and more traditional live instruments like drums and guitar. Plenty of fans withstood the harsh beaming sun to see Morimoto’s set, and the crowd was having a great time. Morimoto dedicated his song “Woof” to dogs, and asked the audience to give him their best howl (which everyone happily obliged). Another highlight of the set included a cover of Cher’s song “Believe.”

Next up, I caught another solo act, Grace Ives on the Red stage. This time around, the solo artist put on a complete one-person show—as Ives gave us her all with just a microphone and her programmed synthesizer. Ives’ performance kind of felt like she’d invited us all over for a living room dance party—even though she was up there owning the stage, she had a casual, inviting demeanor that made it feel like we were just a massive group on friends dancing and singing along.

Youth Lagoon, the project of musician Trevor Powers, performed on the Green Stage next. It was nice to see Powers back performing as Youth Lagoon, since he had announced his retirement of the project back in 2016. Just last year, Powers announced a comeback was on the way, and he released Youth Lagoon’s latest album Heaven Is a Junkyard in June 2023. Youth Lagoon’s Pitchfork Fest set heavily featured songs from this new record, like “Rabbit” and “Idaho Alien,” but I was happy to also hear a comfort song of mine from 2011, “Afternoon,” from the album The Year of Hibernation. Youth Lagoon’s dreamy soundscape was the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon at a music fest.

Nation of Language put on one of my favorite sets of the day over on the Red stage. The Brooklyn-based trio, featuring Ian Richard Devaney (lead vocals, guitar, synths), Aidan Noell (vocals and synths), and Alex MacKay (bass), already had a large fanbase at the fest, but they quickly won over newcomers in the crowd when they performed their song “I’ve Thought About Chicago” (who doesn’t love a hometown shout out?) The trio had the audience dancing along to their refreshing take on New Wave influences and synth-pop driven melodies, despite the sun that continued to blaze through the afternoon. Noell acknowledged the crowd’s dedication, saying “Thanks for sweating for us.” Nation of Language’s Pitchfork Fest set also featured some new, unreleased material from their upcoming album Strange Disciple.

Ian Richard Devaney of Nation of Language

The project of musician and songwriter Michael Alden Hadreas, better known as Perfume Genius, kept the dancing and high energy going during his performance. Hadreas was joined by a full band, but he really stole the show with his commanding stage presence and impeccable style. Donning full arm’s length red gloves, Hadreas glided around the stage performing songs like “Slip Away” and “Otherside.” Perfume Genius’s evening set wrapped up with the epic fan favorite “Queen.” Hadreas asks the question “Don’t you know you queen?” in the song and the crowd royally adored the performance.

Michael Alden Hadreas AKA Perfume Genius

Next, I went over to the Blue stage for the first time on Friday to catch another beloved Chicago act, Ric Wilson. Living up to his Instagram handle “Disco Ric,” Wilson brought all the great disco vibes to his Pitchfork performance. Not only did his music elicit pure happiness, but Wilson also made sure his set felt like a safe place for all when he asked everyone to put their fist up and repeat an inclusive chant after him, including “no racist, no sexist, no homophobic, and no transphobic!” Wilson shined with his vocal performance and charismatic dance moves, and he also had an incredible live band to help bring his music to life. Every time I’ve seen Ric Wilson, his shows have been an instant serotonin boost, and this time was no different.

Alvvays closed out the Red Stage on Friday, bringing their cheerful and dreamy music to an adoring crowd. As the band opened their set with the song “Pharmacist” from their 2022 album Blue Rev, I noticed so many fans in the front smiling and singing along—one fan even held up a signed copy of Alvvays’ album Antisocialites. Alvvays’ setlist contained many songs from their latest album, but they also mixed in plenty of their older material, including the fan favorite “Archie, Marry Me”—which had everyone belting the anthemic chorus along. Alvvays’ Pitchfork Fest performance made the best soundtrack to the Friday sunset.

You can see more photos of all of these performances below, also including interviews with Alvvays, Perfume Genius and The Smile’s Jonny Greenwood done at the Door Dash Backstage DashPass experience. Stay tuned for coverage of days 2 and 3!

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categories / Gigs, Festival, Photos, Reviews
tags / Pitchfork Music Festival, Pitchfork, Music Festival, Sen Morimoto, Grace Ives, Youth Lagoon, Perfume Genius, Alvvays, The Smile, Nation of Language, Ric Wilson, KAINA, Chicago, Concert Photography, Photo Set, Live Review, Live Recap

Pitchfork Festival 2023: 7 Acts to Get There Early For

July 07, 2023 / Rachel Zyzda

2023’s Pitchfork Music Festival lineup is stacked with many incredible artists— including The Smile, Bon Iver, and Big Thief as this year’s headliners. However, we all know that some of the best moments of festivals can be getting there early and stumbling upon a new artist for an in-the-wild festival discovery. If you need guidance on which bands you should be arriving early for this year, tune into some of ANCHR’s top picks below. See you at Union Park on July 21, 22, and 23!

SEN MORIMOTO

You’ve likely heard the music of Chicago-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (and I mean all the instruments) Sen Morimoto, even if you didn’t know it because he’s collaborated with so many artists, including KAINA, Lala Lala, Ric Wilson, and Joseph Chilliams—just to name a few. Aside from his collaborative features, Morimoto has released much of his own music that journeys through a spectrum of different genres, including his 2018 debut entitled Cannonball! and his sophomore, self-titled record in 2020. Both releases were done with Sooper Records, a record label that Morimoto co-owns with fellow artists NNAMDÏ and Glenn Curran. Most recently, Morimoto released a single of the title-track from his upcoming album Diagnosis, which will be released November 3rd.

On his song “People Watching,” Morimoto raps “I write songs everywhere I go/everywhere I land/I don’t have a band, I don’t need a band” because he arranges and performs all of the instruments on his recorded music, but his Pitchfork set is bound to feature some familiar Chicago faces in his live band, making it a set you don’t want to miss.

For Fans Of: KAINA, NNAMDÏ, Mac Miller

Where/When: Friday, Green Stage, 2:30PM

DEEPER

Deeper is another integral Chicago act and an ANCHR favorite that will be performing at Pitchfork this year. Composed of Nic Gohl, Shiraz Bhatti, Drew McBride, and Kevin Fairbairn, Deeper’s signature sound over the years could be described as reimagined post-punk, but they have continued to evolve and expand their sonic depth across their two albums; 2018’s self-titled record and 2020’s Auto-Pain.

Most recently, Deeper has signed to Sub Pop and announced their third record, entitled Careful! and slated to be released in September this year. Deeper fans have gotten a taste of the third album with singles “Sub” and “Build a Bridge.” The former starts out with a frenzied crescendo of guitars and a quick drumbeat that’ll immediately energize you and get your body moving in time to the melody, which is something the band set out to do with this new album. Gohl says he and the band asked themselves “Does it feel good when you’re listening to this song? Does your body want to move with it?” when writing these songs. “Build a Bridge” starts off a little slower but quickly kicks in with a jangly guitar riff and hypnotizing synths, which makes me answer yes to both of the above questions. On both singles, Gohl’s distinctive vocals are still recognizable from the records of Deeper’s past, but there’s a crisper quality to them.

Make sure you catch Deeper’s set at Pitchfork to get a first glimpse at some of their newer songs.

For Fans Of: Omni, Dehd, Current Joys

Where/When: Saturday, Green Stage, 1:00PM

GRACE IVES

Another artist sure to make you feel good and want to move your body is Grace Ives, and who doesn’t want to feel that way when watching a festival performance? Grace Ives is a Brooklyn-based singer, songwriter and musician. Her catalog, which includes 2019’s 2nd and 2022’s Janky Star is jam-packed with bouncy drumbeats and dreamy synthesizers that meld with her silky vocals. Ives’ music has elements that have flashes of similarity to so many of favorites artists, from Caroline Polachek to Florence + The Machine, but there’s a quirky distinctiveness to her sound that sets her apart.

While Ives hasn’t released any new music since Janky Star, I’m looking forward to hearing many of those songs performed live. Stand outs from the record include “Angel Of Business” and “Lullaby.” The latter starts off with a reverb-drenched synthesizer melody before a traditional drumbeat kicks in and Ives sings lyrics about the comfort of routine and repetition, including “I watch that movie ten times a day/I can recite, you press replay.” She describes the song’s theme, saying, “This song is about the comfort and anxiety that comes with isolating yourself. Homebody’s anthem.“ It’ll be nice to hear the song at Pitchfork Fest as a celebration that we all switched up our usual routine for a day at a festival.

For Fans Of: Ethel Cain, Caroline Rose, Barrie

Where/When: Friday, Red Stage, 3:20PM

BLACK BELT EAGLE SCOUT

I first got the chance to see the Swinomish singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Katherine Paul, better known as Black Belt Eagle Scout, at SXSW Festival in 2019, and I can still recall being blown away by her live performance. If that’s not enough to convince you to catch her at Pitchfork Festival, you can tune into her expansive discography across her three albums—including 2018’s Mother of My Children, 2019’s At the Party With My Brown Friends and the most recent, 2023’s The Land, The Water, The Sky.

Black Belt Eagle Scout’s music often features a contrast of falsetto, gentle vocals against gritty, emotive guitar riffs. Paul’s single “Spaces” focuses on a sense of community and inclusion, sung in her signature gentle vocals over guitar and violin. The track not only features vocal contributions from her own parents, but Paul says, “I wrote ‘Spaces’ for an audience as a way to sing melodies of healing and care for them. Since starting Black Belt Eagle Scout, I have moved through many spaces, playing shows for crowds of people. I can’t always connect one on one with everyone and so this song is an attempt to bring my feelings of appreciation I have for everyone who supports my music to life.” This song will definitely be a special one to hear during Black Belt Eagle Scout’s Pitchfork set.

For Fans Of: Bully, Snail Mail, Slow Pulp

Where/When: Saturday, Blue Stage, 2:45PM

JOCKSTRAP

Jockstrap is another Pitchfork act that will be sure to energize you for the day ahead on the last day of the festival, while also giving you the chance to zen out with their entrancing music. Jockstrap is the duo of London-based musicians Georgia Ellery and Taylor Sky, which sees Ellery take on the roles of vocals, violin, and guitar, with Sky wearing the production hat and mixing in synthesizers, drum machines and additional vocals.

The duo has a sound that incorporates glitch, electro-pop and experimental genres across their range of EPs, singles, and first record. Their 2022 debut album I Love You Jennifer B explores a vast sonic landscape that is mellow and cinematic at times but will make you want to dance in other moments. If you’re looking for a set that will have a little bit of everything, make sure to catch Jockstrap.

For Fans Of: The xx, Zola Jesus, Black Country, New Road

Where/When: Sunday, Red Stage, 3:20PM

MJ LENDERMAN

You might recognize MJ Lenderman from his work with the Asheville-based band Wednesday, but he’ll be performing at Pitchfork Fest this year under his solo project.

Lenderman’s material will vibe perfectly with the mood on a second day of a festival; his music is full of fuzzed out guitars, lofi vocals, narrative-style lyrics and a twinge of twang. His songs like “Hangover Game,” “TV Dinners,” and “You Have Bought Yourself a Boat” will be the perfect tunes for a laid-back summer day, allowing you to ease into Saturday at Pitchfork.

Lenderman has released three solo albums, including a self-titled debut, 2021’s Ghost of Your Guitar Solo and 2022’s Boat Songs, so there will be no shortage of songs he could play during his set.

For Fans Of: Pinegrove, Wednesday, Rookie

Where/When: Saturday, Red Stage, 3:20PM

FLORIST

Florist is another act that will make for the perfect final-day-of-the-fest vibes with their mellow, chilled out catalog of indie folk songs. Florist is based in Brooklyn and composed of Emily Sprague, Rick Spataro, Jonnie Baker, and Felix Walworth.

The group began making music back in 2013, before releasing their debut album The Bird Outside Sang. Since then, they’ve put out another three albums, including an album in 2019 called Emily Alone which Emily Sprague wrote and recorded entirely solo. Their 2019 album If Blue Could Be Happiness includes some of my favorites of their songs, such as “The Fear of Losing This,” “Blue Mountain Road,” and “Instrumental 3”—the latter of which is a soothing and meditative (you guessed it) instrumental track. While there are some beautiful instrumental moments in their music, Sprague’s soft and airy vocals are often a highlight of Florist’s material.

Most recently, Florist released their self-titled fourth album last summer, so we can expect to hear plenty of that record during their Pitchfork set.

For Fans Of: Novo Amor, Phoebe Bridgers, Fenne Lily

Where/When: Sunday, Blue Stage, 2:45PM

View the full and most current schedule for the festival here, and stay tuned for our coverage of the full festival.

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categories / Festival, Gigs, Reviews
tags / Sen Morimoto, Deeper, Grace Ives, Black Belt Eagle Scout, Florist, Jockstrap, MJ Lenderman, Pitchfork Music Festival, Pitchfork, Music Festival, Preview, Union Park

PHOTO RECAP: Riot Fest 2022- Sunday

September 25, 2022 / Rachel Zyzda

ANCHR spent the last weekend at Riot Fest checking out a mix of old favorites and new discoveries. Check out the Sunday photo gallery recap, featuring Chastity, Concrete Castles, Coolio, Ice Cube, Jimmy Eat World, Kid Sistr, Moon Kissed, Real Friends, Renforshort, Save Face, The Academy Is, Weathers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Zola Jesus.

Be sure to also check out the recaps of Day 1 and Day 2.

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categories / Music, Festival, Gigs, Photos
tags / Riot Fest, Chastity, Concrete Castles, Coolio, Ice Cube, Jimmy Eat World, Kid Sistr, Moon Kissed, Real Friends, Renforshort, Save Face, The Academy Is, Weathers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Zola Jesus, Music Festival, Live shows, Photo Set, Photo recap, Photo Gallery

PHOTO RECAP: Riot Fest 2022- Saturday

September 24, 2022 / Rachel Zyzda

ANCHR spent the last weekend at Riot Fest checking out a mix of old favorites and new discoveries. Check out the Saturday photo gallery recap, featuring Bridge City Sinners, Bully, Cumgirl8, Gwar, Madball, Mannequin Pussy, No Trigger, Surfbort, Thick, War on Women, Yungblud, and Yellowcard.

Stay tuned for more coverage of the rest of the weekend.

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categories / Festival, Gigs, Music, Photos
tags / Bridge City Sinners, Bully, Cumgirl8, Gwar, Madball, Mannequin Pussy, No Trigger, Surfbort, Thick, War on Women, Yungblud, Yellowcard, Riot Fest, Live Music, Chicago, Fesitval, Music Festival, Photo Set, Photo Gallery, Photo recap

PHOTO RECAP: Riot Fest 2022- Friday

September 23, 2022 / Rachel Zyzda

ANCHR spent the last weekend at Riot Fest checking out a mix of old favorites and new discoveries. Check out the Friday photo gallery recap, featuring Algiers, Alkaline Trio, Bob Vylan, Cloud Nothings, Destroy Boys, Foxy Shazam, Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg, and Wargasm. Stay tuned for more coverage of the rest of the weekend.

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categories / Festival, Gigs, Photos
tags / Algiers, Alkaline Trio, Bob Vylan, Cloud Nothings, Destroy Boys, Foxy Shazam, Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg, Wargasm, Riot Fest, Music Festival, Live Show, Chicago, Chicago Festival, Photo Set, Photo Gallery

PHOTOS: Here and There Festival with Courtney Barnett, Alvvays, and The Beths

August 17, 2022 / Rachel Zyzda

This week the Courtney Barnett-curated music festival, Here and There, stopped in Chicago with Alvvays and The Beths for an unforgettable night at the city’s newest venue, The Salt Shed. See photos of the evening below, and see where you can catch the tour next here.

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categories / Photos, Festival, Gigs
tags / Courtney Barnett, Photo Gallery, Photo Set, The Beths, Alvvays, Salt Shed, Live Review, Live Music, Music Festival, Here and There

Live Recap: 80/35 Festival

July 19, 2022 / Scott Teresi

Back after a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus, Greater Des Moines Music Coalition’s annual 80/35 Festival (named for interstates I-80 and I-35) returned to Western Gateway Park in “downtown-ish” (as one festival tee-shirt put it) Des Moines for two days on Friday, July 8th and Saturday July 9th. The festival, which includes numerous free stages for local and smaller acts sponsored as well as a larger ticketed headliner stage sponsored by Hy-Vee, is a non-profit festival which is 100% volunteer run committed to strengthening the live music scene in greater Des Moines.

The diverse line-up began on Friday afternoon with Guided by Voices taking the Hy-Vee stage first and getting the sun-drenched crowd roaring to life which powered through the hour set. The stage, with a viewing area split down the middle between general and VIP admission sections, filled up as GBV presented “21 of their over 1,600” songs, as Robert Pollard pointed out between numbers. Next up was Japanese Breakfast, who thundered onto the stage with a gong which prominently features on their Jubilee track “Paprika.” The tempo continued with the energetic “Be Sweet” and the summer dreamy and breezy “Kokomo, IN” rounding out the first three tracks on the LP before bringing in earlier favorites from the discography all performed while bathed in the hues of a gorgeous Iowa golden hour.

As evening turned to night, Father John Misty took the stage with his band for one of their first North American tour dates in support of the new album, Chloe and the Next 20th Century. Several songs from the new “obsolete Jazz” album (Tillman’s own words) were played along with favorites across the catalogue by Tillman’s 12-member band which sprawled out comfortably across the stage. Tillman and company seemed confident with the new material and in wonderful spirits with a buoyant energy that never eased up across the 19 tracks presented, closing out the night with a spectacular rendition of “I Love You, Honeybear,” which saw Josh Tillman maneuvering his way into and throughout the crowd.

Saturday, which started earlier (and hotter) than Friday, featured a full schedule of local and touring bands stretched across several city blocks that surrounded the main grounds. Among the street vendors, beer tents and food trucks that scattered the avenues, the sounds from the un-ticketed acts served as breadcrumbs to festival gems with not only the sounds of their music but also that of audience reactions. These tempting echoes, cascading down streets, between buildings and around blocks, worked to pull in and reward those that decided to venture away from the main stage and ticketed grounds. There, discoveries abounded, such as the post-punk Brooklyn-based quintet Geese and the Sydney and Melbourne-based dance pop group, Haiku Hands, which both commanded the attention of those present at the Kum & Go stage. Several blocks away, at the Local 5 Emerging Artist stage, Kelsie James (singer songwriter from Des Moines) pulled in an amble crowd of admirers with her tender and sturdy songwriting under the late-afternoon sun.

Back on the Hy-Vee Main Stage, 80/35 favorites Envy Corps fired up the afternoon crowd for the Chicago-based Jamila Woods who laid down several tracks from 2017’s HEAVN and 2019’s LEGACY! LEGACY!—including some unreleased music that set perfectly against the sunny, crisp summer afternoon. Following Woods came the bombastic and unstoppable Future Islands which saw Samuel Herring thundering across and on top of the stage in his usual exuberant, characteristic way, as they performed songs from latest LP As Long As You Are which is accepted gladly by a firecracker audience whose feet were often grass as often as their hands were in the air. Topping off the night and entire festival was headliner Charli XCX, bringing 21 songs from across the discography to an excited and buzzing main stage with every demographic of festival goer represented, including plenty of wide-eyed children starstruck watching from their parents’ shoulders, concluding a weekend that they will likely long remember and the greater Des Moines area’s return to live summer festivals.

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categories / Festival, Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Live Recap, Live Music, Music Festival, 80/35, Des Moines, Guided By Voices, Japanese Breakfast, Father John Misty, Geese, Envy Corps, Jamila Woods, Future Islands, Chari XCX

Live Recap: Pitchfork Festival 2022 Day 1

July 16, 2022 / Rachel Zyzda

Pitchfork Music Festival kicked off Friday, July 15th in Union Park, returning to its usual timeslot after a move to September in 2021.

The forecast for Friday predicted rain and cloudy conditions all day, but fortunately no immediate threat of lightning or thunder delays– so the show continued on! Festival-goers donned ponchos and rain boots and rallied to make it through the weather.

ANCHR kicked the day off with singer-songwriter Ethel Cain on the Red Stage, whose moody and mellow music made the perfect soundtrack for the gloomy skies. Cain’s production and stage presence were both very minimal and stripped back, but she still captivated the early crowd with her hypnotizing vocals. As her set continued on, the pace picked up and the set ended with the single “Crush.”

Next up, Spirit of the Beehive took the Green Stage as the audience got a temporary pause from the rain. The band members Zack Schwartz, Rivka Ravede, and Corey Wichlin took the stage to a sweeping soundscape of samples that lended a cinematic quality to their introduction. Their set heavily featured songs from their 2021 album Entertainment, Death, and the band members all played multiple instruments to be able to create the depth and dynamics of their songs.

Houston rapper Monaleo kicked off the music for the Blue Stage next, replacing Tkay Maidza’s spot, who unfortunately had to cancel due to Visa issues. Despite the last minute change, fans still flocked to see Monaleo, who even got a little emotional at the show of support from the crowd. “I had a tough week, but feeling this energy has really shifted my mood,” she told the crowd. Everyone loved her energy, especially during the performance of her single "Beating Down Yo Block,” which went viral on TikTok.

At this point in the afternoon, light rain turned to full on downpour right as Spelling took the Blue Stage around 4PM. Fans still persevered to see her set, but I unfortunately only saw a few minutes of it. Spelling is the musical alias of Tia Cabral, and I had really been looking forward to her performance of her experimental pop tunes. The few minutes I did catch were full of magnetizing energy, and she had a great stage set up featuring back up singers and dancers.

Another set I had been highly anticipating on Friday was Indigo De Souza, but I spent all of her set taking shelter from the downpour, so I unfortunately don’t have any photos from her performance. On the bright side, I did get to hear most of her set and she sounded stunning.

The rain started to slow down, so I trekked back to the Blue Stage for another one of my highly-anticipated bands— Camp Cope. The Australian trio composed of Georgia "Georgia Maq" McDonald, Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich, and Sarah "Thomo" Thompson are self-described “power emo” (according to their Instagram bio), and honestly that description is pretty fitting to their sound. Georgia sings with such a powerful sense of conviction and performs with such an emotive energy, and the front row at Pitchfork Fest matched the band’s enthusiasm by eagerly echoing the lyrics back to them. Some highlights of their setlist included “Running with the Hurricane,” which is the title track from their latest album and a deeper cut called “How to Socialise and Make Friends.”

Camp Cope played at the same time as Tierra Whack, so I unfortunately missed most of Tierra’s set, but I heard that she brought a fan from the front of the crowd onstage to rap with her—which I’m sure made that fan’s entire festival experience.

The rain continued to be touch and go the rest of the evening, but we hit another clear patch just in time for Parquet Courts back at the Green Stage. The New York band has played Pitchfork Festival a few times, and they always draw a big crowd to dance and mosh along with their set. This year’s set from Parquet Courts included some new music, like the 2022 single “Plant Life.”

At the same time, Dawn Richard took the Blue Stage, and brought all the pizazz and persona to the audience, performing in a beautiful, sparkly outfit that coordinated to her backing dancers. Her set featured a rearranged cover of “Don’t Speak” by No Doubt, which the audience loved.

While Spiritualized closed things down on the Red Stage, Amber Mark brought her soulful pop to the Blue Stage to close it down for the night. Amber Mark glided around the stage, performing songs from her debut record Three Dimensions Deep and the crowd intently appreciated the performance.

Finally, the time came for the evening’s headliners The National to perform, and they had the perfect conditions for it. The sky had cleared up, and a subtle breeze passed through Union Park as the largest crowd of the day gathered for the final act. The lead singer of The National Matt Berninger told the audience “we’ve missed you” before the band began the show with “Don't Swallow the Cap” from their 2013 album Trouble Will Find Me. Throughout the day, I witnessed many fans excitedly watching artists they admire perform songs that they love, but nothing compared to the admiration I witnessed from the audience during The National’s set. The same appreciation echoed back from the band too, as Berninger told the crowd “It’s so good to be back here. We missed this park, it’s such a cool vibe” before they performed “Light Years.” The majority of The National’s show ventured through their discography, pulling in songs from albums like High Violet and Sleep Well Beast, in addition to performing new songs like “Tropic Morning News,” which Berninger introduced as one they’ve been trying out. Before the show wrapped up, Berninger left his post on stage and ventured out into the audience to sing along next to the fans, reiterating the strong bond between the band’s fanbase and himself.

See the full photo recap of Day 1 below, and stay tuned for coverage of the rest of the fest all weekend!

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categories / Festival, Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Parquet Courts, Ethel Cain, Camp Cope, The National, Spirit of the Beehive, Tierra Whack, Monaleo, Spiritualized, Amber Mark, Dawn Richard, Spelling, Music Festival, Live Review, Live Music, Live Recap, Pitchfork Music Festival, Pitchfork, Union Park