Weather delays cut Pitchfork Music Festival short on day two as the grounds were evacuated due to “dangerous weather conditions.” While acts like Vagabon, Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, Snail Mail, Palm, and Julia Jacklin had their sets cut short or cancelled, the gates reopened about 90 minutes later.
Back in the park, the crowd grooved to King Krule and Weyes Blood. Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul won the day with a rainy dance party and Big Thief rounded out Saturday’s bill with a mellow set.
Rain Check
Festival officials halted music due to lightning strikes in the area. After briefly resuming, they evacuated the park and asked attendees to find shelter around 4:30 p.m. The grounds reopened around 6 p.m. and Julia Jacklin squeezed in an intimate 15-minute set on the Blue Stage before the festival programming resumed as scheduled.
King Krule
Crowds were back in full force for King Krule’s set on the Red Stage. Archy Marshall took to the Green Stage with a full band, including saxophonist Galgo (Ignacio Salvadores).
For anyone who was around in 2012 for King Krule’s first Pitchfork performance on the Blue Stage, it was delightful to see Marshall’s evolution as an artist and performer over the past decade. At that set, he was an eighteen-year-old with a buzzworthy EP under his belt offering chill afternoon vibes with a growl. He’s still growling, but with a full discography to pull from and the command of a seasoned pro.
The band took the audience on a sonic journey of that catalogue contrasting mellow serenades like “Flimsier” with bangers like “Rock Bottom” that amped up the crowd. When the flame-haired Brit introduced tracks from latest album Space Heavy, released last month, the crowd didn’t miss a beat singing along.
Weyes Blood
Weyes Blood cast a spell on the crowd Saturday evening, setting the mood for her powerful folk-pop vocals on a stage lit with candelabras. Opening with “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody,” Natalie Mering sang of wanting to connect with others. It was clear that she succeeded as the audience adored every note, guitar strum, and twirl around the stage. When the rain came, she embraced it dancing to “Do You Need My Love.” The crowd would have followed her through any thunderstorm.
Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul
While Weyes Blood had the audience swooning on their feet, Belgian duo Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul had them jumping and gyrating at the Blue Stage. Their exhilarating electronic pop set was the shot in the arm that Pitchfork needed after the afternoon’s delays. The duo addressed xenophobia on “Blenda” and sexual objectification on “It Hit Me” with wit and charm. Another highlight was seeing Adigéry’s maniacal laughter on “HAHA” performed live. Adigéry was a dancing cyclone on stage and Bolis Pupul added some comedically-timed gestures of his own.
“We’re doing a rain dance!” Adigéry exclaimed as showers began falling. The crowd responded to the rain by dancing harder, the stage’s flashing strobe lights as good as any lightning. It was the most exciting set of the weekend, and I won’t miss a future opportunity to dance along with this duo.
Big Thief
The massive Green Stage felt more like an intimate folk club as headliners Big Thief got settled on stage. I’ve never heard that absolute silence at a show, let alone a festival. Adrianne Lenker and the band cover some poignant themes, but they’re not all serious. Bassist Max Oleartchik was carried onstage shirtless wearing a pink mermaid tail and drummer James Krivchenia donned an orange ensemble adorned with lace and sequins.
Big Thief are Pitchfork veterans, having performed at the 2018 and 2021 festivals. Lenker steered the set with her acoustic guitar and moving, poetic vocals. Fans sang along to quiet ballads like “Dried Roses” and grooved to the buoyant “Simulation Swarm” from the quartet’s 2022 double album, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You. Their subdued style may not be what’s expected of festival headliners, but after a hectic day it may have been the reflective, soothing set that attendees needed.
