We gathered virtually to discuss the happenings of Pitchfork Festival 2011, which was expectedly hot and unexpectedly bro-y. The following is the collected musings of Tyler Trykowski, Steve Scap and Blake Gillespie.
Blake: First topic: Are the bros winning?
Steve: The bros may not be winning, but they are definitely gaining footing. I blame those shoes with seperate compartments for each toe. They can keep up with the barefoot hippies without worrying about spilling free samples of Axe body spray on their feet.
Blake: While waiting for Animal Collective to go on I saw a muscle bound bro in a Panda Bear v-neck and a running back-size black dude in a cut-off Bulls t-shirt who knew all the words to “Summertime Clothes”. I obtained a new perspective on the places that Merriweather Post Pavilion has gone… like locker rooms.
Tyler: Definite upticks in Bro and Cool Dad counts (probably aided by Odd Future, GBV and Superchunk) but I'd say it was a good crowd overall. As bro-y as it was I gotta say I got hilarious pictures out of that Axe booth, as well as about 900 free samples of Axe, which I plan to prank my friends with prodigiously.
Blake: I was really disappointed in the youth for not thinking to use those Axe samples to make mini-flame throwers. Next topic: Did anyone see any of the hardcore/metal stuff?
Steve: Kylesa, the only metal band. 2 drummers. Hot chick guitarist/singer. Theremin. 'Nuff said.
Blake: Who had the best set at the Fest?
Tyler: Best of what I saw could go to Cut Copy, Deerhunter or Fleet Foxes. I would've loved to see Cut Copy close out the fest, they had the entire festival jumping at points and a light show made for dark spaces (same problem with DJ Shadow.) Deerhunter just killed it.
Blake: Indeed, Deerhunter killed it. The extended jam of “Nothing Ever Happened” gave me chills and was a rare moment were I felt overwhelmed by a performance. I don't get Fleet Foxes. It just sounds like Roger Daltry fronting CSN. My favorite set was Guided By Voices. Robert Pollard taking tugs of scotch, smoking cigarettes and doing air toe-touches like the 90's never ended reminded me that the “rockstar” can still exist without being an intolerable douchebag. Pretty sure every record store owner from the state of Ohio was there to see Guided By Voices, luckily Dismemberment Plan was the following day so the clerks could get off work too.
Tyler: Thoughts on Odd Future? At least Tyler got to stage-dive once, cast or no. “If someone finds that black boot thing, throw it back, I need that.”
Blake: Those Rape Victim Advocates fans read “COOL IT with the rape rap” right? OFWGKTA needs to figure out a way to organize its set to maximize the spectacle, although the tame set could just be attributed Tyler's broken foot. Definitely saw their manager stage dive during “Sandwitches”, which was mighty swag of him. What was the deal with Hodgy Beats shouting “soup”?
Steve: Was Hodgy placing an order from the Whole Foods tent? We all know how much rappers love soup. …C.R.E.A.M. of mushroom? [Ed. Sad trombone!]
Blake: Weirdest thing you saw…
Tyler: Weirdest thing was definitely the dude running around in the American flag thong. Don't think I've ever seen a thong at Pitchfork before. What about worst of the Fest?
Blake: I think we can all agree the worst of Pitchfork goes to Heineken for being the only beer.
Tyler: Definitely. Would it kill anyone to get a craft beer tent up in there? I'd rather see that than a Heineken “bro-canopy” igloo. I wanna say I was disappointed with Shabazz Palaces, his set was delayed with sound problems and he seemed a bit out of it when they started. He's more something you'd see in a venue anyway, but I had high hopes. Battles were prretttyy prretttyy good. Fresh and Onlys didn't play my favorite song so now I hate them forever. There were a lot of forgettable rock acts. There were a lot of Odd Future bros. (That Supreme company owes them a very fat check.) There was a lot of sound bleed between stages. But all said and done it was great, this festival almost never disappoints.
