Indie-rock fest's diversity delights

July 16, 2007
By ROBERT LOERZEL Contributor

Chicago is becoming a summer destination for indie-rock fans from around the country, thanks to events such as the Pitchfork Music Festival this past weekend.

The sold-out, three-day fest in Union Park was packed with Chicagoans, of course, but a substantial number of fans also traveled from other cities to see musical acts ranging from punk godfathers Sonic Youth and avant-garde matriarch Yoko Ono to hip-hop duo Clipse and heavy-metal monsters Mastodon.
The weather was nearly perfect and the festival appeared to come off with few hitches -- other than the long lines for food and bathrooms that one would expect. A show by Canadian singer Dan Deacon got a little bit out of control with fans surfing on top of the audience; the crowded conditions there prompted the festival to end that performance early.

The festival was marred somewhat by sound problems and technical difficulties. Some bands, including Grizzly Bear and Chicago's Ponys, battled with instruments becoming totally inaudible.

Others found themselves fighting feedback. "It's a weird mix, but it's kind of cool. It sounds like 'Sister Ray,'" said Steven Malkmus, referring to a noisy Velvet Underground classic. The sound he was trying to put across, however, was solo acoustic guitar.

Shine on brightly

Most of the audio snafus got worked out reasonably quickly, though, and the quality of the musical performances did shine through the murk.
Run by Chicago's Pitchfork music Web site, the festival also included a special night organized by the British music fest All Tomorrow's Parties. The three artists on Friday played complete albums from their back catalogues: Slint did "Spiderland," Wu Tang Clan rapper GZA performed "Liquid Swords," and Sonic Youth reprised "Daydream Nation," a majestic performance that may have been the festival's high point.

Another highlight was Cat Power's Saturday night show with her new backup band, Dirty Delta Blues. As the group's name suggests, it was a bluesy set, with organ and guitar licks giving Cat Power's music a sound akin to 1960s British-invasion blues rock. Although Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) apologized a few times, apparently unhappy with the sound or her vocals, her voice was in fine form. In addition to her own tunes, she played covers such as "Satisfaction" and "The Dark Side of the Street." Sticking to lead vocals without playing guitar or piano, she kept the show on track, unlike some of her erratic concerts of the past.

Yoko? Oh no!

Revered by many, but also frequently mocked for her music, Ono was the final performer Saturday. By including her in the festival, the Pitchfork folks made the case that she was a big influence on many of today's cutting-edge rockers. Perhaps that's the case, but a good portion of the audience headed for the exits as soon as Ono began her trademark caterwauling. Those who stayed got to hear her duet with a wild guitar solo by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth.

Other moments that stood out from the weekend included Grizzly Bear's quiet and subtle compositions; Battles' smart (if somewhat gimmicky) and mostly instrumental math rock; Deerhunter's freaky psychedelia; Menonmena's intriguing mix of piano, baritone sax, guitar and strong vocals; and the New Pornographers' endless parade of one great pop hook after another.

Closing the fest, De La Soul defined the sort of fan that Pitchfork is designed to attract. One of the group's rappers asked how many "hip-hop heads" were in the crowd. "We're talking about people who don't need radio or TV to tell them what good (stuff) is," he said.