The second day of Pitchfork Music Festival was a whirlwind. Stray lightning strikes cut several early sets short. Widespread storms later forced an evacuation from Union Park for nearly an hour and a half in the late afternoon.
The crowd came back in just before 6 p.m., everyone scrambled back through the gates with fury and excitement to see their favorite rock, pop and hip-hop groups.
The energy was electric–and it created one of the most awe-inspiring live music moments of 2023. The most beautiful thing in the world happened Saturday night in Chicago, IL.
It rained when Weyes Blood played.
With every pitter-patter that splashed on stage, the moment grew bigger. Every one packed in the humidity-baked crowd sang. For a moment, it poured. Weyes Blood belted “Something to Believe” while she played an acoustic guitar strapped along her trademark white dress and water fell from the sky. She made thousands of hearts aglow brighter than anything in the universe. There was nothing more incredible happening anywhere in a million galaxies. It was magical.
She laid down the guitar and danced in the rain to “Do You Need My Love,” one of many special songs she played for the festival. She requed multiple songs that anyone who was at Pitchfork in 2017 would have seen her play. She reached for droplets as they smacked down on the stage from the sky.
Then her heart lit up as she waltzed on to the beat-filled and powerful track “Twin Flame” from her newest album And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow.
For one hour, the most surreal moment taking place on Earth went down in Union Park. Nobody should ever forget: it rained when Weyes Blood played.
In the hours leading up to that magical moment, things were more hectic.
Palm, who is disbanding after a stretch of east coast shows in September, had their set canceled by stray lightning at 2 p.m. Luckily, they are playing Sunday at the small and intimate Blue Stage. That set begins at 1:15 CT. It will be Palm’s final-ever Chicago show.
Vagabon’s set was also cut short by lightning, but she posted to Instagram to say she’ll be back in Chicago to play soon.
At 2:45, Black Belt Eagle Scout played a really tight and ripping rock set. It absolutely shredded.
Black Belt Eagle Scout won the heart’s of critics this winter with The Land, The Water, The Sky.
As soon as the sky cleared up, it got dark again. Fans across the festival grounds anxiously checked the radar on their phones, hoping a big cell gliding down Lake Michigan wasn’t headed straight towards Union Park. But it did. Everyone had to evacuate.
Snail Mail’s set was canned, and Julia Jacklin’s was hanging in the balance.
Closing in on 90 minutes later, fans parked a few blocks away, others under the nearby “L” station and brave ones who got soaked standing outside the festival gates were all given the green light to return.
Everyone was trying to figure out what was happening. What happened was very intimate. Julia Jacklin was given 15-25 minutes to play a solo set instead of showcasing songs with her backing band. She played on the small Blue Stage. Jacklin brought out Mimi Glibert to sing one song with her. Gilbert is opening for Jacklin on tour across North America right now. Jacklin expressed sadness about what happened with the set. A hug from Gilbert after their song softened the blow. Everyone felt the same as she did, and they all showed unity by singing every word of her set back at her while standing under soaked trees with dripping green leaves.
Once the majority of people were back in and ready to hear live music, a very great energy was building bigger by the second.
King Krule was about to play the Red Stage, the festival’s largest. It was packed to the gills. Frontman Archy Marshall’s stage persona just dropped his newest album Space Heavy in June. Fans were ready for it and ate it up.
People were pushing on the barricade and it smelled like weed. Some people were undoubtedly having the moment of their weekend. The energy could not be duplicated.
That force carried over to when the rain came back a few hours later. You know what happened next. It rained when Weyes Blood played.
There were a number of after shows scattered throughout Chicago after the festival let out for the night. 700 Bliss performed at Golden Dagger. Philadelphia’s favorite Black punks Soul Glo threw down at the Empty Bottle. You’d have to believe someone got absolutely destroyed in the pit.
The most talked about after show was happening in Lincoln Park.
Jockstrap made everyone at the sold-out Lincoln Hall dance for an hour and a half.
Georgia Ellery versed hardcore rap, played the electric violin and soothed souls with her voice. Taylor Skye moved the room by bumping effects, distortions and beats. A fan handed Ellery two neon jockstraps. She hung one on her microphone for the whole set.
She’s 50/50!
Pitchfork Music Festival ends with day 3 Sunday afternoon and night. JPEGMAFIA, Mdou Moctar, Illuminati Hotties and Killer Mike are among the performers.
You can watch the live stream of Pitchfork Music Festival day 3 on YouTube here.
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