The final day of Pitchfork Music Fest 2022 started with a lull and ended with a roar. While Sunday saw some lower key sets and another rain shower, Union Park was packed by days end with fans dancing and jumping on their feet to Toro y Moi and headliners The Roots.
KAINA
I booked it to Union Park on Sunday—thankfully avoiding any flat tires—to catch Kaina’s set on the Green Stage. I arrived as the Chicago native asked the crowd to sing along with her, “Sometimes I get a good feeling.” Her soulful R&B was a lovely way to ease into day three, with good feelings all around.
She dazzled fans with the upbeat, pop-forward “Apple.” Chicago multi-instrumentalist Sen Morimoto joined her on keys and vocals for “Golden Mirror.” Before closing with Green, with Morimoto on saxophone, Kaina thanked the crowd, “It feels so good to be here with my friends and you.”
Sofia Kourtesis
I was planning to eat my burger under the shade of a tree, when the distant beats of Sofia Kourtesis drew me to the Blue Stage like a siren song. The Lima-born, Berlin-based house artist poured everything into her set, running between her deck and the other side of the stage to leap up and down with abandon. Her buoyant spirit was palpable both in her performance and in her music. Arguably the best part of music festivals is discovering an artist that’s new to you, and Kourtesis found a new fan in me on Saturday!
Natural Information Society
Shotgunned into a mid-afternoon set on the main stage with hardly 24 hours’ notice, this avant-garde jazz collective was not exactly set up to succeed. Originally-scheduled Montreal trio BADBADNOTGOOD were primed to cash in on the hype, but (much like their particularly doomed Pitchfork 2020 booking) they were forced to cancel.
In came Joshua Abrams and associates for a set of labyrinthine jazz that surely delighted music dweebs and confused anyone who only bought a ticket because they know The Roots from The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon… There were no breaks in the set, just a repetitive, winding loop of a “song” that would feel claustrophobic if not for the musical virtuosity of the band. While the performance wasn’t for everybody (most people, really), Natural Information Society certainly rose to the occasion, to mixed results. – Pat Daul
Noname
It hardly mattered that Noname’s vocals were low at the start of her set, her diehard fans sang along to every lyric. Bronzeville native Fatimah Warner was visibly moved at the homecoming reception. Hearing her ode to Chicago summers, “Diddy Bop,” on a Chicago summer afternoon felt extra special.
Despite having to stop a few times to request medical assistance for the crowd, Noname kept the set flowing including bringing guests to the stage. After joining Noname on a song, Chicago vocalist Akenya presented her with bouquet giving Noname her flowers for what she does for “the collective.”
Showers appeared out of nowhere after Noname’s set. Attendees took cover under trees and made makeshift ponchos out of garbage bags. While it blew over quickly, it may have dampened the spirits of a crowd who battled rain and mud all weekend.
Earl Sweatshirt
Whether it was the intermittent rain or the natural malaise that permeates any festival crowd on its final day, the response to Earl Sweatshirt’s early-evening set was muted, to say the least. The inventive production that makes his music so vital was hard to hear clearly, and his enigmatic lyrics are hardly anthemic when large swaths of the crowd aren’t familiar.
The Odd Future-adjacent artist makes moody hip-hop for moody hip-hop fans. So, while his output is beloved amongst Pitchfork editorial and its readership, the live show didn’t quite translate to a festival setting. Still, there were plenty of bright spots that kept the crowd engaged as the weekend entered its final stretch. “2010” finally provoked a crowd response worthy of Earl’s top-line billing, and seemed to propel the rest of the set toward its lively conclusion. – Pat Daul
Toro y Moi
The Sunday Red Stage closer has the unenviable task of helping the crowd overcome sore feet, lurking Monday morning inbox anxieties, and depleted stamina to have a great time. Toro y Moi were overachievers in this regard, because Chaz Bear and his backing band seemed to flip an on-switch with the crowd the moment they began playing.
The first third of the set featured tracks off of the band’s superb 2022 LP Mahal, which the crowd treated like classics. The psych-tinged funk of the newer songs really showcased the band’s musicianship, especially the delicious bass lines of “Postman” and heady riffs on opener “Déjà Vu.” The oft-overused term “dance party” would not be an exaggeration. The now-dry crowd latched onto every beat, especially when Toro y Moi launched into hits like “Ordinary Pleasure.” One of the show’s best moments was the slow-builder “Say That,” which laid out a groove and let the crowd follow.
Like most of his chillwave contemporaries, Toro y Moi takes a vibe-first approach to crafting songs, but Bear has seriously underrated chops as a frontman. With instrumental duties relieved during certain cuts, Chaz (dressed as crisp as ever) was able to roam around the stage and demonstrate his charisma. If not for his genre-hopping across albums, Bear could have a legitimate shot as an R&B singer.
As the crowd began to prepare for Sunday-scaries-obliterating headliner The Roots, Toro y Moi dropped a final dance track. “Freelance” has one of the catchiest hooks of any Toro y Moi song, distracting from the lyrics’ pessimism. There’s a metaphor in there somewhere, or it’s just another danceable song from one of the most compelling sets of the weekend.
– Pat Daul
The Roots
Leave it to the legendary Roots to deliver the best headlining set of the weekend and likely among the best in the fest’s history. The hip-hop veterans pinballed back and forth across the stage wielding every imaginable instrument (sometimes in step), from sousaphone to keytar.
From emcee Black Thought opening with “Here I Come” to perennial favorites at the end of the set “You Got Me” and “The Seed (2.0),” the collective showed why even after years as a TV house band, they are still the best in the game. Chicago native Hannibal Burress,who goes by the rap alter ego of Eshu Tune, joined them to drop a few lines on “1-3 Pocket.” The set was interspersed with funky covers including “Jungle Boogie, “Rock Creek Park” (my favorite), and the closer “Move on Up.”
It was an explosive ending to a sometimes damp weekend. Fans jumped on their feet throughout the set and afterwards when Questlove threw his drumsticks into the audience. The Roots reminded us just how fun a festival experience can be and how good it is to experience art, music, and community once again.
The Roots at Pitchfork 
The Roots at Pitchfork 
The Roots at Pitchfork
Jessica Mlinaric founded Urban Explorer in 2010 to inspire curious travelers by highlighting history, culture, and hidden gems in Chicago and beyond. She is the author of ‘Secret Chicago’ and ‘Chicago Scavenger.’ Jessica has visited 20+ countries and 30+ U.S. states. She has more than 16 years of experience as a marketing strategist and works as a freelance writer and photographer.
