Pitchfork Music Festival 2007

This past weekend I, along with sweltering hordes of people with something called "fashion sense," witnessed three days of music and some other stuff that was passing itself off as music, but was a little more of the aforementioned fashion sense than... well, than actually bringing it.

But it was brought! Friday night didn't have a bad moment, with Slint performing Spiderland, GZA performing Liquid Swords, and Sonic Youth performing Daydream Nation. There was really no way to lose.

Stephen Malkmus was another performer that couldn't really fail. His set (just him, all by his lonesome, and an acoustic guitar through most of it) was intimate and the perfect summer soundtrack.

But there were other, newer acts that rose to the occasion and just absolutely blew my mind. They were few in number, but they left a lasting impression. They were Battles (who, though pretty thoroughly different in sound, reminded me of seeing Brainiac in southern Ohio when I was sixteen), Clipse (watch out GZA: these guys got the blanket dwelling crowd to their feet and didn't let them down through the entire set), and Jamie Lidell (soul to spare, and who's going to blame him for having a song in a commercial? It's still a great song, right? Right).

The only other band really worth mentioning is Mastodon. I don't lump them in with those other three because in full honesty it's not really the type of thing I'd buy and listen to on a regular basis. But while they don't make music that I would necessarily purchase, I would go to one of their shows again without hesitation. These no irony metal giants put a roof on the outdoors just to rip it back off again. I think I saw some stray body parts being tossed from the frenzied crowd. These guys were everything you want out of a summer rock festival, but all too often don't seem to get.

Don't get me wrong, there were other decent acts that put on interesting theatrics, but they weren't anywhere near as compelling, completely raw, and inventive as these acts. There were bands I missed, so I'm open to being corrected, but no matter what, I walked away getting more than my money's worth after hearing the bands Friday night and just those three other acts.

Also, I got some veggie quesadillas that were great, especially with root beer. Jonathan Messinger advised against them. Messinger, I challenge you to a rumble in the mosh pit next time Mastodon's in town. First one to lose a duodenum pays for dinner.