Pitchfork Music Festival 2008: Day 1 (Pitchfork/ATP Don’t Look Back…)

Thankfully the afternoon’s rain showers ended before the gates to the Pitchfork Music Festival opened at Chicago’s Union Park, allowing Boston post-punk legends Mission of Burma began to play Vs. both dry and right on time.Thankfully the afternoon’s rain showers ended before the gates to the Pitchfork Music Festival opened at Chicago’s Union Park, allowing Boston post-punk legends Mission of Burma began to play Vs. both dry and right on time. Although the first few minutes of their set were compromised by some minor sound issues, once the kinks got ironed out, the rest of the set was carried off seamlessly. The band plowed through their groundbreaking album, their roaring guitars complemented by tape-loops and added sound effects. Although the ATP series has had it’s ups and downs, with as many critics embracing the full-album format as dismissing it as a gimmick, Mission of Burma’s participation in the event speaks to the essence of what Don’t Look Back…should be about. There are plenty of innovative artists that have made a lasting impact on modern music, but not as many who also continue to kick ass.

Sebadoh took the stage commenting that it felt “weird” that they were scheduled to play after Mission of Burma, as growing up in Boston, they pretty much worshipped the guys. Lou Barlow, Jason Lowenstein and Eric Gaffney launched into a track by track rendition of Bubble and Scrape, delighting their die-hard fans, while making many other listeners wonder why, with the original line-up of Dinosaur Jr. scheduled to play on Sunday evening, had Sebadoh been asked to play ATP night, rather than the other way around. Fun and entertaining, yes. Groundbreaking and unforgettable…maybe not.

Towards the end of B&S, the CHIRP Record Tent on the other side of the park seemed to beckon. With a number of fantastic independent labels and vendors from across the country setting up shop, the record tent is always one of the highlights for the weekend. Not only do you have a chance to buy the new releases and back-catalog items that even the best independent records stores may not carry, not to mention the incredible selection of collector quality vinyl, but all of the record people in these parts are super friendly and generous. The guys at Graveface Records handed out chocolate, the Stop Smiling guys (ok, they’re a magazine, not a label) shared their all-natural granola bars.

Heading out of the tent and onto the Aluminum Stage, tales of a Sebadoh/Bomb Squad playoff abounded. Depending on who you talked to, the former played too long and deserved to be cut off, or the later rudely distracted listeners from the end of the previous set. Regardless, excitement in the air was high as the crowd awaited Public Enemy, who were slated to play their seminal album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.

Public Enemy’s Chuck D., remains a commanding presence on stage, although this is slightly offset by the antics of his attention-magnet cohort, Flavor Flav. Although Flav could be heard throughout their first song, he was nowhere to be seen. Appearing once Chuck D. called for him, Flav promptly turned the opportunity to shamelessly plug his new television series, Under One Roof. This did not bode well with the indie rock set who proceeded to boo him.  Flav’s comeback: “You motherfuckers boo me? Boo is what you call your spouses.”Although slighted, Flav didnt let it get him down for long, and the group proceeded to wow their audience, many of whom sang along with the songs word-for-word.

– Jamie Ludwig