Panorama’s Saturday lineup promised some big names and a refreshing variety of artists to choose from. Tame Impala was headlining—they’ve seemingly kept up their major popularity streak since their release of Currents in 2015—and from Mitski to Vince Staples to Breakbot to Belle & Sebastian, Panorama brought a diverse and action-packed Saturday.
Pitchfork Fest was a remarkably relaxed and fun festival. The only difficult part was—as cheesy as it sounds—choosing which sets from the vast and diverse array of options to watch. Luckily, Pitchfork happens to be the rare festival that allows you to bounce from set to set with relative ease: the stages are close together which means you don’t have to walk far; the Chicago weather made for an almost too-good-to-be-true forecast to move between outdoor stages; despite the overlapping sets, the times were strategically planned such that you could catch at least a little bit of all your favorites. It seemed, in short, designed to facilitate your having your best time.
The last day of Pitchfork Fest, I’d assert, was the day that had the highest concentration of crowd-pleasing favorites: in just sheer numbers, today’s lineup was the highest up in terms of hitting on almost every conceivable niche of possible audience interest all across the obscurity-to-popularity spectrum. And with Solange—Solange!—headlining, there was nothing to possibly complain about.
After an eventful day one, Pitchfork Fest day two promised an even more saturated schedule. And it certainly delivered on that promise: first of all, with A Tribe Called Quest headlining, all the other bands could have tanked and this day still would have been certifiably historical. Fortunately, however, we were lucky enough that not a single one of the other acts disappointed.
Forecastle provided a fantastic weekend of music. Once I arrived, I quickly wandered waterfront park to the different stages, before settling in–luckily, I happened to catch one of the best acts I hadn’t been aware of beforehand: Joseph.
Friday’s lineup promised an electric start to an action-packed festival weekend. Nashville’s own William Tyler played at 4 PM on Friday, followed immediately by Frankie Cosmos and Thurston Moore. The three of these provided a perfectly well-rounded, balanced trio of acts to precede the contrastingly high-energy Danny Brown, who flawlessly delivered intensity and famously rapid rap. Dirty Projectors’ intimidating, otherworldly sounds set a new kind of mood, one that held the audience rapt for a night that culminated in an impossibly fantastic performance by LCD Soundsystem.
Pitchfork Music Festival boasts an impressive lineup that is as eclectic and genre-spanning a collection as it is all-encompassing. Just as it has in past years, Pitchfork delivered a list that truly has something for everyone without relying on superfluous bill-filling bands or kitsch or campiness. Here’s what to look forward to…
Emerging from a seven-year musical coma, Nana Grizol is back and better than ever with Ursa Minor, another chill indie-folk album offering songs that serve as disillusioned social commentary with compact narratives discussing various personal and societal issues. As their first two albums have demonstrated, Nana Grizol is all about making the world a place more full of love and appreciation; with a message so wholesome, chords so wistful, and lyrics so earnest, this band is damn near impossible to dislike.
(via Youtube)
Shep Gordon might be an unknown name to you, but to the likes of Alice Cooper, Blondie, and Emeril Lagasse, he’s a hero. Supermensch: The Legend of Shem Gordon sees Mike Meyers step behind the camera to direct a cathartic documentary all about a guy who started his career in California as a parole officer.
The artistic narrative surrounding Frank Ocean often frames him as an enigmatic, reclusive musician whose notoriously secretive (and infamously long) recording processes result in fully-formed projects being dropped seemingly out of the ether. What does this approach to making music produce? For Ocean, the answer seems to be an oeuvre that is limited but critically unimpeachable.
Formal weekend is upon on us! Frats are descending on beaches, drinks are being poured (and spilled), and everyone wants #bangers. So I’m gonna get the party going with a few of those. Each song is linked to the next through the features or producer to ensure a truly cohesive playlist experience.
The relationship between celebrities (especially musicians) and small planes is well documented, even legendary. However, it seems as though musicians have had some unfortunate run-ins with all sorts of transportation. Let’s explore:
(via “Legend Has It” music video by Run the Jewels)
Politics! We all love (or love to hate) talking about it. Undeniably, we are living in a time where almost everyone is paying attention to our political climate. Which, in turn, also brings out a lot of opinions. Run the Jewels are no stranger to politics. Killer Mike was a strong endorser of Senator Bernie Sanders in the presidential primaries, even speaking at rallies. Tracks like “Talk to Me” are laden with political talk (“went to war with the Devil and Shaytan/He wore a bad toupee and a spray tan”). Their music videos have even embraced this talk wholeheartedly.
Two momentous things occurred on Friday, March 24: the first was that Paul Ryan’s dream of repealing Obamacare likely died forever; the second, almost equally exciting event, was the birth of #RoachGate, an Internet rumor alleging that Paul Ryan is secretly an angsty emo kid who still listens to Papa Roach.
So perhaps you’ve seen the pink guitar album, or at the very least seen praise heaped upon Bullet For My Valentine and thought it odd that not only have they been a band since the late ’80s but that they’ve also done anything worth mentioning in the same sentence as the words “critical acclaim.”
2007: a great year for heavy eyeliner, lip piercings, Myspace, and alternative music that nowadays we pretend to be embarrassed of ever liking. Just to make everyone’s hearts feel a nostalgic pang, I’ve decided to compile a list of albums that will be turning 10 this year.
On Valentine’s Day, a few weeks back, I had the privilege of meeting up with one of WRVU’s most articulate (I think you’ll agree) new DJs. Christopher Augustinos, a sophomore student from the Northeast, is rocking the Nashville airwaves with the likes of Kanye West, Hot Chip, and Röyksopp. When we sat down for the interview, I had never met Chris before. The first thing he said to me was “I hope I’ve prepared to answer your questions eloquently.” I knew we’d get along. Who doesn’t love it when DJs take their shows seriously?
When you think of Rock ‘n Roll, you think of an American phenomenon exemplified in its prime by jukeboxes and American Bandstand and later by Woodstock and Ziggy Stardust. Yet, before it was a way of life, it was an experiment in a little studio in Memphis, Tennessee.
This song is VALID, and there’s really not much else to say. I threw it on, and suddenly I was wearing Aldo shoes (you know, like, the loafers) and I was two stepping with a truly unfathomable degree of proficiency.
(via Beyoncé’s Instagram)
Due to her doctor’s recommendation, Goldenvoice announced on February 23rd that Beyoncé would not perform at this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Instead, she would headline in 2018 when she is not in the third trimester of twin pregnancy. Despite being replaced by her “Telephone” partner, Lady Gaga, ticket buyers are angry and want refunds. Do these ticket buyers deserve a refund?
The passing of a new year for most signifies a time of change– well-intentioned resolutions are made as we wave goodbye to the previous 365 days and undergo the ritualistic purging of meticulously catalogued year-end movie, music, and video game lists for a fresh start with a blank slate come January 1st