Pitchfork Music Festival 2023 - Day Three Highlights

Bon Iver - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Bon Iver - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Sunday 7/23/23

Day Three from the Pitchfork grounds had so many highlights along with surprises.
A fine surprise-
The band Palm, who's set was cancelled from Saturday, because of pending storms, was a disappointment.

But lo and behold upon entering the grounds on Sunday, it came as a nice surprise to find out they were added to Sunday's lineup, opening up the Blue Stage to start the day.
It also speaks volumes that Palm decided to stick around, considering they're also breaking up, following a slew of farewell shows.

Their art rock / pop music speaks volumes in independent thought, with discorded time changes, dueling melodies that counter react, let alone wicked and unconventional song structures- all n' all, couldn't pass up this opportunity to witness them live.
A great set from the Philadelphia based band Palm, before they are no more.
And now for all things headliner Bon Iver-
Opening with scratched and distorted auto tune, followed by silence.
And then repeated.
Elegantly.

The hush from the crowd, through that sophisticated PA that Pitchfork provided- such a memorable and downright unforgettable take on all things that's Bon Iver.
Opening then with "Yi".
Then followed by "iMi", and into "Lump Sum".
Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), surrounded by a band that dissolves and evolves, disappears and strikes like a well oiled machine.
Over and over again- a wall and wash of melodies, and strung from the heart and soulful singing.

Combined, all of this is remarkable when presented live, along with the added luster of how Justin's voice just aches and aches, the pain of melody, harmony, let alone lyric, let alone surviving.

All the songs come off as confessionals, sincere honesty in attempts to break away from past pains, past wrongs, let alone isolation, no community.
Tough living equals morbid reflection.

To come out the other end, with bits and pieces- everyone walks this earth with a million questions, most of them remaining unanswered, some not knowing any path whatsoever to relieve the pain of the mind.
They talk the talk, they don't walk the walk.

There's no action and more action, finding a place to resolve and evolve.
But you get blindsided by Bon Iver, because again and again he delivers in painstaking detail the travails of failure, feeling wounded, and yet finding some modicum of recovery with his intimate songwriting.

Hard to describe the overall feel of things, especially when people attempt to label him, as "Indie Folk", and such.
Not that I think Justin cares- I do know he's not the kind of guy that enjoys solo acoustic, or at least a full set of that thereof.

His set and rig are more than anything vertically displayed, all the more easier for him to twist and turn his sounds, add distortion and abrasive hues, followed by samples and occasional electric and acoustic guitar, followed by sincere vocal.
He's a bit buried on stage behind his rig, a vertical comfort zone to proceed with the hallowed dread, followed by light.

And as for light- vertical strobes, horizontal strobes, on cue, leave their mark depending on song selection.

Bottom line, all of this is well thought out, both musically and visually.
The whole set, breathtaking in scope, incorporating the many sides of Bon Iver, showing just how versatile he is, how essential he is.

Nothing like a guy who reckons his feelings of heartbreak, pen to paper, and composition matters of the utmost.
Stuff like that never gets old, never gets outdated.

It sticks with you like glue, especially when completely honest and ugly, nothing added later to soften the mood, or articulate through outside influences and the like.
They're your own -
And you make and made it so.

Another Pitchfork nugget that will definitely make the year end lists as far as live performance.

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Bon Iver - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Bon Iver - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Bon Iver - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Bon Iver - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

As for the other 12 notable acts that appeared throughout the day-
Standouts after shoutouts-

How about Killer Mike?

All gospel related, mostly presenting his latest release, titled "Michael",  which was perfect for a Sunday, everything set wise and costume attire wise, bathed in white, like right out of an Atlanta Georgia chapel.

That his latest release is bathed in all things gospel, with a mix of soul and funk, followed by intelligent rap musings, and a bit of preaching here and there- all of it was sermon uplift, positive vibes, with a mix of good and orderly direction.

Killer Mike - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Mdou Moctar - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Kelela - Bobby Talamine (c) 2023

Mdou Moctar, who headlined the Blue Stage on Sunday as well-
A guy who trailblazed throughout his set, upping the ante time and time again with intricate and downright captivating shred modality, all the while forcing his band to comply, and add on strikingly in tone and feel.
Another significant highlight from Pitchfork Day Three, from a guy who's doing his best in transmitting messages from a higher power and electrified throughout for the whole world to see.
I'm not kidding when I say that.
Mdou Moctar's music is life changing, life affirming, on a higher and spiritual level.

Same with JPEGMAFIA, even with fighting though hiccups that were sample and music related, the heat of the western sun making things not positive for the poor guy, to the point where they had to move his setup completely stage left, to get a bit of shade on the rig, so that it didn't melt completely away.

But JPEGMAFIA, still found a way to deliver, onslaught style, mixing it up with the crowd, mixing it up in the pit through the photographers, just mixing it up everything.
And Kelela, who headlined the red stage- a completely barren red stage.
All the more room to roam about, and convey crafty and sexy singing / songwriting.
Philadelphia's Soul Glo brought the intense onslaught as well, non- conforming and brazen, delivering a brashness and angst that brought out some serious moshpit action, with a major moshpit dust cloud to boot.

Florist- delicate as all get out, "lo- fi" the order of the day, the hushed crowd in complete observance.

Locals Areil Zetina, a fixture in Chicago's underground dance scene, brought the party to the masses, incorporating dance themes with her regulars, like it was 2am at night, not necessarily 1 to 1:45 in the afternoon, blazing sun be damned.

A pleasure to witness the likes of Jockstrap and their all over the map music leanings, along with Hooray for the Riff Raff.

Rachika Nayar, as delicate as ever, Lucretia Dalt as well, with her sophisticated samples and incorporating an exotic sounding percussionist to up the ante on dancing in place to the groove.

Pitchfork Day Three- always delivers year in year out, with an eclectic mix of memorable experiences.
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Makes you long for all things Pitchfork 2024.

Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago

Pitchfork Music Festival, Bon Iver, JPEGMafia, Killer Mike, JBTV Music Television, 2023, Bobby Talamine, Fiza Javid, Chicago