Pitchfork 2016

Chicago

By Ellie Pritts

July 24^th, 2016

via chicago

It’s always a great time shooting Pitchfork Fest and this year was no exception. I was really looking forward to covering FKA Twigs again in particular. The first time I saw her was while shooting Pitchfork a few years ago, back then she was playing the smallest stage. This year she headlined the largest stage and it was spectacular.

max chill

This was my 7th year attending the festival, and I think the first year I actually did it right. I didn’t over extend myself with work, didn’t drink my weight in free beer and I actually slept periodically! It was also one of the first years when my birthday didn’t coincide with the fest. That helped.

The fabulous Sun Ra Arkestra

The most visually interesting group I got to photograph was hands down the Sun Ra Arkestra. Sun Ra was “a big-band innovator, a pioneer of recording and playing with electronics, a poet, a cosmic philosopher, a bandleader and a keyboard innovator who claimed to be from Saturn.” He passed away in 1993 but the Sun Ra Arkestra continues to play and tour worldwide.

all hail fka twigs

FKA Twigs has crazy stage presence. She hardly speaks between songs and only flirts with smiling, yet she is indescribably connected with her audience. You just can’t pry your eyes away from her. She’s intense, sexual, and almost alien. It’s no wonder she’s blown up since I first saw her two years ago. This year there were flocks of girls dressed in impeccable FKA outfits. She’s become an icon, and it’s awesome. I took more pictures of her than anyone else which is no surprise. The photos I took of her when she played in 2014 are still some of my favorite photos I’ve ever taken!

feel the illinoise

Sufjan Stevens headlined the festival Saturday night. His set was quite the spectacle, much more than I anticipated. I’d never seen him live before but for some reason I was expecting something subdued. His set was a lot of things, and subdued was not one of them. He had the craziest costumes, coolest lighting and highest concentration of neon I saw the whole weekend. Also, he smashed his banjo to pieces after his first song. That was oddly cathartic to watch.

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savages, tho

There were a few repeat bands for me this year; Beach House, FKA Twigs, Savages. But I feel compelled to point out how damn awesome Savages are. I’m not even the biggest fan of their music, I have to be in the right mood for it. But whenever I see them live I come away just so, inspired. These women are so talented, so badass. I want to be them all.

Girl you know I-I-I

The award for most Chicago moment at Pitchfork goes to when Jeremih brought out Chance The Rapper during his set. Everyone lost their collective minds when that happened. And of course this happened after the first three songs of his performance, which meant I didn’t get any pics. But that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.