To me, and to many other people, Pitchfork Music Festival is a lot more than three days of non-stop indie music. Indeed, while the festival often reflects indie culture to the point of absurdity, it remains perhaps the most anticipated and highly regarded festival of the summer. More than just a presentation of hot new bands alongside mainstays with popularity beyond the “indie” realm, Pitchfork serves as a meeting ground for those hungry for a sub-culture, safely away from the Top 40 music that swallows all the media attention.
What differentiates Pitchfork Music Festival from the other, larger festivals such as Lollapalooza or Rothbury is the foundation it sits on. Pitchfork Media, the company that hosts Pitchfork Music Festival, was essentially founded on the idea that there is more to music than the stuff constantly heard on popular radio stations. That there is more to music than simply a beat to nod your head to, and that music can actually be an experience that can move you; not just physically, but mentally as well.
Many of the artists that will play at Pitchfork this weekend come from “regular” backgrounds. All of them started local at some point; and through their talent (and sheer luck oftentimes), these artists became well-known, most times based on a hot review from said website, to the extent that Pitchfork chose them for the lineup.
Pitchfork heavily utilizes its website to publicize “up and coming bands” to the general public, something that was not possible even 10 years ago. And as a consequence of such media hosts like Last.fm and Myspace, the term ‘indie’ has essentially become a staple word used not in just the music industry, but in society as well.
So what defines “indie?”
No one can really describe it. It’s an enigma, a puzzle, a riddle that no one can really figure out. We know it is derived from word “independent”; the word is defined by Webster’s online dictionary as being “free from outside control” and “not depending on anothers authority.” But isn’t that what all music should truly be? At the end of the day, the musician decides what to compose and is not held by such outside control. Generally, this can’t be followed by the musicians chained to stringent contracts, and an all-too-demanding fan base.
Now don’t get me wrong, independent musicians can learn something from those popular 15+ million-Myspace-page-views artists: tenacity. One must look at the circumstances of these tremendously popular artists. Many of these mainstream artists ‘fit’ into a certain group; they eventually transcend all corners of the music world. Such persistence of rising to the top is a concept I think all indie musicians should keep in mind when starting out in the music world.
Yet it is those who diverge from the path of popular appeal who truly make unique, stunning, and wonderful music. The “not depending on anothers authority” aspect of independence is put to the test in indie music; and I think Pitchfork sincerely recognizes that.
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So what about that lineup?
On Friday night, to commemorate the start of the three day affair, Pitchfork decided to devote the night to some veterans of indie rock:
Yo La Tengo (headlined Pygmalion last year)
… And, yes, The Jesus Lizard
I think The Jesus Lizard is the most anticipated band for Friday night. Their style of music deviates from virtually every other band at that will play at Pitchfork. The name itself invokes dark, holy, and maybe some slimy thoughts — and that’s precisely how the band wants you to think. The four member noise rock band from Chicago might turn off some Beirut and Grizzly Bear enthusiasts looking for a moody, folksy, and cozy three days, but their influence is something that should not be looked over. So please, if you’re going, rock some JL. You’ll feel refreshed, that’s for darn sure.
Here is my list of the top 16 bands that I am most excited to see — in no particular order:
Grizzly Bear – You’ve probably heard of them. They recently put out an album that is impossible to pronounce: Veckataurdmist?
Matt & Kim – Any duo that strips down to nothing and runs around Times Square during winter gets an automatic spot on this list.
POBPAH – aka The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Sick music, even sicker acronym.
Bowerbirds – Holy Bajeezus. They are incredible. It must be something in the North Carolina water.
Fucked Up – Yes, they actually go by Fucked Up, which just screams “you’re gonna get fucked up if you witness us perform.” And you might: they’re big, burly, and Canadian.
DOOM – This is true hip-hop. I call him the “haunting soloist.” His lyrics will move you to start freestylin’ in front of your bathroom mirror after taking a shower. It happened to me.
The Thermals – Yes, they actually have songs other than that one song “A Pillar of Salt” which was overplayed on WPGU a year and a half ago.
Black Lips – I discovered this band last summer. Their lyrics are mindless as much as they are telling. From their song “Bad Kids:” Off all of grandmas schnaps. Got caught. Runnin from the cops. Toilet. Paper on the yard. Six f’s On my report card. Smoke cigs In the bathroom stall. Spray paint. Penis on the wall.”
Wavves – One of these guys, Nathan Williams, ‘broke down’ in Barcelona, Spain – one of my favorite cities on Earth. Who knows, he might explain to me why he did such a thing. He also broke a wrist and will still be playing, apparently. Go him! Psst! They’re playing at Pygmalion, too!
Beirut – Why is it that I associate Mr. Condon’s songs to geographical locations in the LOTR trilogy? I’m not sure, but I “The white whale” with Rohan. “Nantes” with Rivendell. “scenic world” with Gondor. And “my life with the prostitute from Marseilles” with Mirkwood.
M83 – Just when you think ‘crap, I need to turn this synthesized music off,’ you hear “Kim & Jessie” and you immediately feel the urge to host a space-themed dance party with this song on repeat. I’ll be a nebula.
Vivian Girls – Low-fi goodness yall!! And even better, this is a trio of insanely good-looking gals from Brooklyn. Go figure.
Flaming Lips – I met them when I was like, two. I have a signed poster from Wayne that brilliantly reads: “Hey Cody, what’s goin’ on?” Tickets to look at the poster are running at about 10 dollars. So hurry!
The National – They helped Obama get elected (I still get the chills!)
Ponytail – I think this is the kind of music Christopher Columbus would have listened to right before decimating a Native American village. Re: “big waves.”
Frightened Rabbit – The voice just gets to you. It digs into the parts of your soul that want to remain buried. Listen to “The Modern Leper,” and you’ll understand what I mean.
Top 5 Brooklyn Area Bands you need to see slash know about:
(Because apparently, Brooklyn is like what Chicago / Minneapolis was 15 years ago.)
Some bands I wish were playing at Pitchfork:
To make for a “fair and balanced” article, I interviewed two local youth who will be going to the festival this weekend.
I asked them the following questions, respectively:
Why are you going to pitchfork? For how long?
What bands are you most excited to see? If you could pick one band, who would it be?
Why do you like pitchfork? What is it that makes you drawn to independent music?
Allegra Wentworth:
1. I knew about Pitchfork years ago when my siblings first started attending. But as of last year I have also been going. I mainly have interest in Pitchfork because it always has a great lineup and I just truly love the atmosphere of the festival. It is also nice that it is a very reasonable price for a kick ass time. I am only going Friday and Saturday of Pitchfork this year, for I find more interest in the bands of those days.
2. One of the first bands listed made me decide right away that I was going to Pitchfork and that was The National! I’m extremely excited to see them as well as The Thermals, The Walkmen, Yeasayer, Frightened Rabbit, Matt & Kim, Black Lips, The Very Best, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and Japandroids. Though if I could only see one band it would have to be The Thermals, for they are a band I have been listening to for years and I have always been destined to see them and I can not think of one song off the albums (The Body, The Blood, The Machine or Now We Can See) that I do not enjoy.
3. I mainly love Pitchfork because it is just a lot of fun and it’s a place where i can see multiple bands that I love and have been waiting to see. Also, when I’m there I feel like I am around people who have sense and a good taste in music. Independent music I feel has much more meaning and just sounds way better. I felt like I became a smarter person when I switched from radio station 96.1 to 107.1.
Natalya Carrico:
1. I started going to Pitchfork when it was still the Intonation Music Fest. When I went with my cousins for my first time, I had a VIP pass, which gave me the opportunity to take some awesome shots. The atmosphere of the festival was awesome; although fairly intimate, it was still incredibly energetic. Beyond that, I also found myself exploring and enjoying all the bands with which I was unfamiliar. Ever since my first time at P4k, I have tried to go every year, and by now I know (and love) a fair amount of the bands that play.
2. I am really excited for The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Yeasayer, Doom, Matt & Kim, The Thermals, The Walkmen, Grizzly Bear, Mew, and The Flaming Lips. If I had to pick only one to see, I’d probably pick Doom or The Thermals. I am not a big fan of Doom, but I love his style, humor, and lyricism. The Thermals I think are pretty awesome, and I’m familiar with a lot of their songs, so I am just looking forward to see them in general.
3. I like Pitchfork for the atmosphere, the feeling that I am with a bunch of people who are into bands that take some searching, and perhaps patience, to discover. The great thing is that Pitchfork itself is one unforgettable way to do that! As I said, I love that Pitchfork is relatively small, yet still can draw in a lot of great bands that have definite notoriety. Sometimes independent music groups try too hard to be “independent” (i.e. radically different to the point of ridiculousness or blatant imitation), but there is an obvious and wonderful difference between those kinds of bands and the Independent bands who have skillfully crafted their own sounds and identities. Knowing I’m listening to fresh, original, and often influential music is what is so much fun about Pitchfork and the bands they elect to feature.
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