Chicago babies The Smith Westerns played to an unexpectedly large crowd. Perhaps it was the fact that the Balance stage was the only place with refuge from the fiery sun, but after touring with “it” band Girls earlier in 2010, they’ve gathered a fair troupe of followers and didn’t disappoint! Their sound perfectly complemented the shady Balance stage, and you could tell that they’ve tightened up significantly in the past year. Just ask Paige (see Day 1) – she’s been listening since before the babies were even legal! Although exuding a somewhat bratty and over-confident stage presence, their boyish charms worked well for them onstage. And apparently singer Cullen Omori has caught the attention of famed photographer Ryan McGinley, who was courting him side stage with video camera in hand. Is a nude video ala Sigur Rós “Gobbledigook” on the way, perhaps? We can only hope!

Next up was WHY?, led by Yoni Wolf donning a plaid shirt and a straw hat to beat the heat. The crowd at the Balance stage was dense yet again for Yoni’s interpretive dance antics throughout the set, which was Alopecia heavy. Yoni did, however, give the crowd a taste of his lyrical flow, which he later told Eleven was something he was going to explore even more heavily in his future work.

We enjoyed Panda Bear from a distance, lounging in the grass and enjoying some much needed sustenance via free Cliff Bars available at the fest. Though Panda Bear, real name: Noah Lennox, has received mediocre reviews for his solo offshoot of Animal Collective, we really loved it. Maybe it’s because we weren’t as cranky and weary as the fans standing out in the hot sun.

By the time LCD Soundsystem came on, the sun had gone down, the air had cooled off, and fans were ready for one of the most anticipated sets of Pitchfork 2010. James Murphy and friends really seemed to enjoy themselves on stage, headbanging and jamming throughout the show. And we really enjoyed it too, Mr. Murphy.

Via our field operative Noah: A great send-off to a city they probably won’t visit until their reunion tour. James Murphy tore the house down with “Drunk Girls” and “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House.” If only, if only.

We’re not really sure what Noah means, but we’ll leave it at that.

Related posts

Josiah Wolf, younger brother of Yoni Wolf and lead drummer in WHY?, proves in his premier solo effort, Jet Lag, that his musical versatility far exceeds bounds previously assumed.  Josiah plays every instrument on the effort, a feat especially remarkable when one considers that every track fits rather well the overall mood of the album.  This mood is rather sublime, but not entirely somber — a bit like the one month anniversary of a serious break-up.

Josiah Wolf – “The Trailer and the Truck”

[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

The album treads almost exclusively within the realm of faulty relationships, and engages the listener in a rather intimate lifetime of failed love.  While Wolf’s vocal range is quite small — lifetime percussionist small — his lyrics are well-crafted, true to life, and perhaps, more than enough to compensate.   The heavily percussion-based tracks hit the mark brilliantly, while those based on string instruments are largely hit or miss.  However, throughout the album, Wolf’s skillfully composed melodic beats ask that listeners hear each track, while his soft vocals and adept lyricism beg that they listen.

Related posts

Photo by Andrew Dowd More on Flickr »

Despite the inquisitive nature of their name, WHY? made it a point not to leave many questions unanswered on Wednesday night at the Firebird. Armed with tambourines, maracas, and a distinct vocal style combining singsong melodies and fast-paced rhymes, lead singer Yoni Wolf swayed with the mic and delivered, compelling the audience standing only a few inches away in the intimate venue.Wolf and the other members of WHY? led the audience on a journey including songs from all three of the band’s full length albums and displaying an impressive range of sounds, from the driving bass and rhythmic vocals of “The Vowels Pt. 2” to the xylophone-heavy and melodic “January Twenty Something.” The band worked their way through the well-sequenced set quickly and skillfully, stopping only to exchange jokes or for Wolf to freestyle and sing several bars from “Meet Me in St. Louis,” which appropriately evoked a loud cheer from the crowd.

Songs from the band’s sophomore effort Alopecia had a particularly galvanizing effect on the audience, but even during tunes from their latest release Eskimo Snow they maintained the same intensity.  Their ability to recreate live the sudden transitions between the soft and melodic and the loud and rhythmic in the studio was displayed notably in “These Few Presidents,” as the soaring guitars dropped out and the crowd sang along with Wolf: “Even though I haven’t seen you in years, yours is a funeral I’d fly to from anywhere.” After an entire performance full of these moments illustrating WHY’s high level of musicianship and energy, the band returned for the encore – an unexpected version of a song from one of Wolf’s old projects.  Having further demonstrated their range of abilities, the group called it an evening, and the crowd was left with only one question: why stop?

Related posts