And that’s a wrap! Lollapalooza 2011, its 20th anniversary no less, is history. Below is a recap of the the acts that we had a chance to catch on Sunday. Day three winners? The Joy Formidable, The Cool Kids and the Foo Fighters! So sit back, relax and relive on the final day of Lollapalooza 2011.

1:00 p.m.: The Joy Formidable

Sunday was a wet one early on, but thankfully the clouds dispersed and the sun arrived in time for The Joy Formidable. And formidable they were.

This trio form Northern Wales played not as festival openers, but an electric set so engaging that to call it a breakthrough performance would be an understatement. It’s quite remarkable how massive a sound the band is able to get out of one guitar, one bass and drums. But the riffs were hurricane-sized and offered the right amount of bite. Meanwhile, a throttling low-end and rhythm section, in which the double bass pedal was unleashed quite tastefully, made for some breath-taking climaxes.

Add to that, the band acted genuinely excited to be playing to a surprisingly large crowd on the park’s North end. In fact, front woman Ritzy Bryan probably didn’t stop smiling during the entire set.

The set concluded with the fiery “Whirring,” which featured giant blow-up black cats, that may or may not belong to Peter Frampton, on the sides of the stage during the song’s explosive finish.

Here’s betting this isn’t the last time The Joy Formidable take the stage at a Lollapalooza, but probably the last time in the one o’clock time spot.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2:05 p.m.: Little Hurricane

While moody and damp on record, Little Hurricane’s swampy take on White Stripes-esque electric blues did not translate to the live setting.

For one, their sound lacked impact – either the sound man mixed it too low or just their amps needed to be turned up. The guitars were distant and small, while the drums were too weak.

Aside from their really cool looking guitar amp that was made from an old record cabinet, Little Hurricane still need to work on their live approach before they’d even be considered a big rain shower.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3:00 p.m.: The Cool Kids

Who new an oversized tent would be the perfect setting for The Cool Kids to show off the minimal digicisms from their quite anticipated new record, When Fish Ride Bicycles?

But that it was when the Chicago hip-hop duo took the stage on Sunday afternoon. Melding choppy, electronic beats with an old-school, verse-swap mentality, The Cool Kids set the packed white shelter ablaze. Adding to the fun, the duo brought local soul outfit The O’mys on stage as their backing band to give their accompaniment that much more bite.

Chuck Inglish and Sir Michael Rocks first reached backward and thrilled the sweat-drenched crowd with the slow grind of “Gold And A Pager.” Later, new songs such as the synthy march of “Bundle Up” and loose, analog cling-clang of “PennyHardaway” offered the energy of hip hop classics.

It was truly a vibrant performance from an extremely talented local duo – one that will resonate with anyone who was lucky enough to catch it.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4:00 p.m.: The Cars

Looking more like wax figures from Madame Tussauds than rock stars, The Cars lackadaisically played an hour of sloppy hits and a couple new ones no one knew.

Last year’s token new wave nostalgia act, Devo, not only showed evergy but a genuine enthusiasm to be at the festival. The Cars, unfortunately, didn’t show anything – no emotion of any sort.

Obviously, The Cars are quite older, and their are key changes in their sound. The main one being the death of bass played, and vocalist, Benjamin Orr, which caused Ric Ocasek to take over all singing and just forget about the bass altogether.

Sure, it was fun to hear the bouncy ones, “You Might Think” and the throaty-synth driven “Let’s Go.” But even songs the band has played countless times before, “Just What I Needed” and “My Best Friend’s Girl,” were a mess with missed chords and lacked a proper low end.

Despite the effort, at the end of the day, the best way to celebrate the music of The Cars is to listen on your iPod.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6:20 p.m.: Arctic Monkeys

Minutes before the Arctic Monkeys were to take the stage, the ominous dark clouds that were creeping up on Grant Park all afternoon opened up. And, rain happened. Lots of it.

Of course, this delayed the start of Arctic Monkeys set for about 15 minutes. But when the English indie rockers finally started playing the destroyed and muddied ground was shortly filled to the brim again.

And the band did what they do best, tight, downhearted melodies with thick backbeats. Highlights were songs from their catalog that really fit the rainy theme, which included the wiry guitars of “She’s Thunderstorms” from their latest, Suck It And See, and the dastardly creep of “Crying Lightning.”

Arctic Monkeys were able to complete the entire set, which is fortunate because their noir-rock antics were fitting in the post-storm muck.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7:30 p.m.: MUD!!!!

Yes, mud.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

8:00 p.m.: Foo Fighters

Finally, Lollapalooza 2011′s coup de grâce. Foo Fighters promptly hit the stage at 8 p.m. and wasted absolutely no time in pummeling the mud-covered crowd with volcanic riffs and swift dynamics.

But what will becoming the lasting moment of Lollapalooza’s twentieth birthday party occurred in only four songs in. When drummer Taylor Hawkinds began the bombastic drums of “My Hero” a torrential downpour hit. And, yes, it was literally torrential. Buckets of water poured from the sky.

And what followed is a testament to not just what Lollapalooza means but to what music means to the thousands that jam pack Grant Pack every August. The audience continued thrusting their firsts in the air, and Dave Grohl and the rest of the band never missed a beat. The show went on, and fast and furious at that. Do I dare call it magical? Maybe in the rock ‘n’ roll sense of the word, magical might just work.

Eventually the rain let up, but Foo Fighters didn’t. From gritty new takes like the Motorhead-influenced, “White Limo” to the stoner sludge of a particularly jammed out “Stacked Actors” that saw Grohl soloing from the crowd and the power-pop of “Monkey Wrench,” it all sounded pretty fantastic.

And in true headliner style, Foo Fighters sheer power and raw energy was something rarely matched all weekend long.

Lollapalooza 2011 Day Two is in the books. Below is a wrap up of the the acts that we had a chance to catch. Friday’s winners? Disappears, The Black Lips and Death From Above 1979. So sit back, relax and catch up on the Lollapalooza Saturday action. We’re doing it all again in an hour or so. Joy!

12:45 p.m.: Disappears

Early on, Saturday looked like a day to forget with morning rain and dark clouds hovering over Grant Park. But, really, it was the perfect weather for Disappears.

The Chicago outfit, featuring Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley on drums at the moment, unleashed their own sonic storm of hypnotic garage rock.

Led by haunting howls, an uber-tight backbeat, sludge-thick bass lines and extra-crunchy guitars, Disappears were well received by the quaint-sized crowd.

Disappears weren’t extremely active on stage, but instead focused on getstingjagged tones and waves of reverb blaring from their amps. Near the end of the set, the band brought out Chicago psychedelic-noise duo WHITE/LIGHT to help add an extra layer of spaciness to the 10-minute plus, “Revisiting,” from their quite excellent new record Guider.

If anything, Disappears showed that Chicago rock ‘n’ roll isn’t only tied to the grungy and alt-rock riffs of Local H and Smashing Pumpkins, respectively. Disappears have the talent and attitude, and it’s just a matter of time before they take their rightful spot as one of Chicago’s top rock acts.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2:15 p.m.: Maps & Atlases

From one Chicago band to another, Maps & Atlases offer a vastly different approach.

Their debut EP, 2007′s Tree, Swallows, Houses, fit more in the twitchy, math rock genre. But the band’s sound evolved quite a bit into what now could be considered melody-driven indie folk with some fine guitar work.

Songs like “If This Is” from their latest, Perch Patchwork, and older material like “Every Place Is a House” sounded best because they’re powered by the full band. But when the members switched from their primary instrument, such as on “The Charm,” which sees bassist Shiraz Dada take over extra drum duties and guitarist Erin Elders move to keyboard, the band sounds a bit hollow, a bit lacking.

Add to this fact that the sound wasn’t the greatest during their set. The crucial bass line that brings a big dose of funkiness to “Living Decorations,” was far too low in the mix.

However, front man Dave Davison’s deep, scratchy croon carried the band even at the set’s weakest moments. It also grabbed the attention the decent sized audience that packed the front and sides of the Google+ stage as nearly every song was met with a warm ovation at its conclusion.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3:00 p.m.: The Black Lips

When Black Lips guitarist Ian Saint Pé took the stage and immediately shotgunned a beer, it was obvious a rambunctious time was ahead.

And the Black Lips didn’t disappoint for those looking for something more on the unruly side. The band’s brand of rowdy, throwback garage rock sounds like something that would have been banned in bible belt America in the 1950′s. It’s seedy and dirty and, of course, it worked the crowd into a frenzy.

So much so, that the kids who jam packed the front of the stage weren’t merely satisfied with a mosh pit and launched crowd surfer after crowd surfer over the barricade. And the thought of crowd surfing at the Playstation stage is quite bold seeing how it’s actually Petrillo Music Shell, and one drop means face-to-face with hot, unforgiving concrete.

But the three o’clock party raged on as the band ripped through their most well-known tunes including the winding guitar jangle of “Hippie, Hippie, Hoorah” and bouncy, anthemic punk of “Bad Kids.”

Near the end of the set, Saint Pé tossed out beers to the crowd that may or may not be full of kids under 21 years old. He joked about checking ID’s then simply said for everyone to take a drink and pass it on. It’s proof that the Black Lips might be the weekend’s wildest band as they not only sing about illegal activities, they encourage them too.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4:00 p.m.: Death From Above 1979

The newly reunited Death From Above 1979 wasted no time in pummeling the crowd with their apocalyptic assault.

After the some foreboding piano strikes, the Toronto drum-n-bass duo erupted in to blazing low end that drives the wicked “Turn it Out.”

The band, which officially broke up in 2006, showed no signs of tension between members. Bassist Jesse F. Keeler spent most of the set wailing on his beautiful white bass, and only took breaks to switch to keyboard or smoke a cigarette during drawn out noise jams.

Meanwhile, drummer Sebastien Grainger, wearing all white to contrast with Keeler’s Johnny Cash-inspired attire, kept the rhythms fast and furious. Additionally, his raspy yells echoed throughout Grant Park’s North side, and sometimes recalled the vocal style of Scott Lucas from Chicago favorites, Local H.

But it should be mentioned that Death From Above 1979 are not in the same category of other bass-n-drum duo Lightning Bolt, who played Pitchfork Fest last year. No, the band is much more concerned with tight structure and occasionally dance-y beats. And this pleased the fans – both those looking to head bang and those looking to go crazy to some fast, punky material.

Though its billed as a reunion, here’s hoping DFA 1979 can make their return permanent as their abrasive groove-rock is quite a ride.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5:00 p.m.: Deftones

At first the Deftones seemed like a fish out of water. One that seemed like a better fit for a Q101 (RIP) jamboree or the like.

However, following the scorched earth assault of Death From Above 1979, the Deftones’ guttural riffage actually fit in quite well. And a massive crowd packed the front of the Playstation crowd to get a glimpse of front man Chino Moreno & Co.

It must be said it’s probably unfair that the band was grouped into many of the nu-metal acts (Korn, Limp Bizkit) that dominated the MTV Total Request Live landscape in the early 2000′s. The Deftones actually offers a more dynamic metallic blast – one that occasionally breaks down into slow-burning numbers.

And the Deftones delivered the goods. Moreno was a madman on stage, which helped thoroughly excite the audience. The band rolled through a number of heavy hitters, but really showed off their chops with the nearly industrial-tinged, “My Own Summer [Shove It].” Later, the crowd belted out every lyric to the melancholy hit, “Change [In The House of Flies]” from the band’s best known record, 2000′s White Pony.

While maybe not suited for Lollapalooza’s earlier alt-rock focused fests, in 2011 the Deftones not only completely fit in, but surprised a few who had written them off years ago.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6:00 p.m.: Ween

“Thank you, Bonnaroo…I mean Lollpalooza,” said Ween frontman Gene Ween early in the band’s set.

Sure, it was a bit of unintentional comedy, but Ween being booked after Deftones and before My Morning Jacket played out like an episode of Punked to the fans in attendance under 25. “Who are these old dudes?” asked a young girl to her group of friends.

The thing is that Ween are an extreme-talented band that has a rich history. Melding almost every rock genre under the sun (including experimental, blues, space and yacht rock), Ween showed off their talent, especially Dean Ween who often ripped into face-melting solos. The band’s music is quite eclectic and they illustrated that point with floating synths of “The Mollusk” before the dense, pro-rock journey “Buckingham Green,” both from 1997′s The Mollusk, and even showcased their oddball humor with the Jimmy Buffet-esque number, “Bananas and Blow.”

But as 6:30 p.m. neared and Cee Lo was about to take the stage across the park – Ween’s audience thinned out drastically. Those who wanted a good spot midway through could nearly walk up all the way to the railing.

Still, Ween pressed on and, despite a few minor screw-ups (even though the Bonnaroo thing was hilarious), they performed with an undeniable classic rock swagger.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

8:00 p.m.: My Morning Jacket

While word that an enormous crowd had gather on the South side of the park for Eminem, My Morning Jacket headlined Saturday night to a sizable but enthusiastic bunch on Grant Park’s North side.

My Morning Jacket are actually Lollapalooza veterans having opened for Pearl Jam in 2007. That opening spot must have done some good for the band as they have definitely picked up a few pointers on headliner etiquette and delivery.

The band swung fists of big, southern rock fueled anthems that hit the crowd directly in the jaw with its joyous melodies and edgy riffs. Even front man Jim James resembled Eddie Vedder’s 1990′s look with long, curly brown locks often hiding his face. But most impressive was how his powerful, country croon enveloped everything near the Bud Light stage.

From the shuffling “Circuital” that builds into an riveting solo to the low-key riff that powers crowd sing-a-long “I’m Amazed” to the chunky guitars of “Lay Low,” My Morning Jacket delighted fans who chose comfort and warm-heated rock ‘n’ roll.

With their performance, My Morning Jacket not only won over the curious, but definitely confirmed to the doubters that they’re headliner worthy.

Lollapalooza 2011 Day One is in the books. Below is a wrap up of the the acts that we had a chance to catch. Friday’s winners? Le Butcherettes, The Kills and Ratatat. So sit back, relax and catch up on the Lollapalooza Friday action. We’re doing it all again in a few hours. Joy!

2:30 p.m.: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

Lollapalooza 2011 started off fast and furious. By early afternoon, Grant Park saw massive crowds at the main stages, many of whom were enthralled by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

The Vermont (really.) outfit plays the kind of southern-tinged roots rock that’s completely harmless but powerful. And the crowd felt it’s power as most latched onto every twangy riff, trembling organ line and sultry vocals. It was a Rock ‘n’ Roll revival of pleasantness.

But it wasn’t just the music, the band had presence. They performed with a ton of arena rock energy, and Potter, well, she played the part of steamy-front-woman-with-huge-vocals to a tee with her short white dress and voice that’s unstoppable.

In that sense, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals played a high energy set of good ol’ power-blues that had the crowd wrapped in a warm, familiar blanket.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3:30 p.m.: Le Butcherettes

While it’s a tough truth to swallow for unwavering Perry Farrell supporters, not many bands on the schedule for this current edition of Lollapalooza really embody the spirit that made its 1990′s verion such a success.

However, one band that proved it truly does is Le Butcherettes.

Hailing from Guadalajara, Mexico, Le Butcherettes goes for a kind of twisted, arty punk rock. And as odd as it sounds, it totally works, and mainly because of the incomparable energy from front woman Teri Gender Bender.

Teri took command of the crowd early on with her wild antics. She transformed into a demented rambling lunatic when she rattles off “Bang!” from their latest Sin Sin Sin, and later she would cartwheel and tumble around the stage as the band rolled on like an unwieldy avalanche of noise.

With one song remaining on the setlist, drummer Gabe Serbian announces he has to puke. Then wasting approximately 0.00010 seconds, he stands up and hurls a good three or four times into an empty photographer pit below the stage – literally a few inches from fans in the front row. Then quietly sits back behind his kit and barrels through the final song.

So after 20 years, Le Butcherettes have created a new memorable moment that will become a part of the festival’s rich lore. But the fact that this incident still doesn’t outshine their incredible set no doubt makes Le Butcherettes one of the weekend’s top winners.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4:30 p.m.: The Kills

For a duo with no drummer, The Kills hit hard and heavy.

Members Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince tortured their guitars into stoner blues riffs while dark, mechanical grooves are held by the piped-in beats. The riffs are bold, but the songs float bye on crooked rhythms that are quite intoxicating.

Then there’s Mosshart whose commanding stage presence with no only The Kills but Dead Weather make her rock’s top front women.

To match her wild side, Jamie Hince plays cool, collected guitar player. He rarely addressed the crowd and didn’t do much else besides squeezing tight, dark melodies from his axe.

Who knew that a guy and girl with electric guitars with no drummer could be such a force? But The Kills showed that it’s quite possibly to have a Zeppelin-like swagger without a John Bonham of any sort.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5:30 p.m.: The Mountain Goats

After a vivacious afternoon, The Mountain Goats offer more laid-back, acoustic sounds.

Dressed in dapper black suits and led by John Darnielle, The Mountain Goats performed lyrically-driven indie folk that was sometimes bouncy or sometimes quirky.

But Darnielle seemed to have fond memories of Chicago and told the crowd, “The first time we played in Chicago, there were about 30 people at the Empty Bottle. So, thank you for being here.” Then he launched into “Cubs In Five,” which features the line, “and the chicago cubs will beat every team in the league.”

And like the actual Cubs games, the the middle of their set, the audience seemed to thin out significantly. It’s not that The Mountain Goats sounded bad, it’s that for many, it was bathroom and food time before staking out a spot for Coldplay and/or Muse.

Still, The Mountain Goats played with their hearts on their sleeves to the interested fans that remained.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6:30 p.m.: Bright Eyes

After Bright Eyes released their 2002 record, Lifted, Conor O’Berst became a hero every shy indie kid away at college.

Since then, the band’s sound has evolved from album to album, and the live incarnation became something more rooted in edgy alt-rock than their indie-folk past. “Lover I Don’t Have To Love” became less of the doomed lover’s lament and more a melancholy anthem featuring, of all things, a trumpet driven jam during the song’s bridge.

But it was still O’Berst’s narrative-driven lyrics that the crowd truly enjoyed. His voice quivered during the opening of “Landlock Blues” until the song reached its apex before evolving into a noise-filled jam. And later, fans sang every up and down note on the “Ode To Joy”-borrowing opus from 2005′s I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning, “Road To Joy.”

What was thought to be an introspective, folk-laden hour from Bright Eyes turned out to be one of Friday’s more rambunctious displays in melodic rock.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7:30 p.m.: OK Go

Like a fellow Illinois band in Cheap Trick, Chicago’s OK Go play unabashed power pop. However, they do so in style.

Known for their highly creative music videos, featuring treadmills and dogs among other stuff, OK Go bring a quirkiness to their live show. Each band member dressed in a different color suit, they played a song with hand bells and were generally the ball of fun that you’d imagine them to be.

And even those not exactly bowled over by their head-boppin’ jukebox riffs might have eased up with their high-level delivery. Yes, the band lives up to those riffs with a highly entertaining stage personality.

Near the set’s conclusion, lead singer Damian Kulash got the audience to sing the hook of “This Too Shall Pass” by riling up them with comments that Glastonberry and Coachella crowds sounded better. But it was said in such a light hearted tone and in between uber-catchy pop tunes that it was down right cute.

OK Go proved that classic Midwestern power pop lives on and shows no signs on slowing down.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

8:45 p.m.: Ratatat

Yes, out of the headliner packed – Coldplay, Muse and Girl Talk – I went with possibly the least known of the three, Ratatat.

A Brooklyn duo, Ratatat fuses electronic dance rock with guitar virtuosity. Their guitar lines weave in and out over thumping drum machines and dense atmospherics to create something equally as danceable as it is technically proficient.

It’s obvious that their songs take cues from the movements of classical music. The projection screen backdrop occasionally would flash images of a chamber orchestra or a Ludwig Van Beethoven bust. But the foundation of Ratatat’s music is more electronic and sample-based. This gives their pieces a very club-ready appeal but without the pop music fat.

And the crowd, which was very substantial when noting the other headlining options, danced and crowd-surfed like Ratatat were the only band there. Even though they started nearly 10 minutes late, the cool evening breeze made the North side of Grant Park very enjoyable and was enough to keep the crowd dancing minutes passed the band’s end time.

Some reports of stage bleed into the Coldplay surfaced later in the evening, but if any band could maybe use a remix from some the best electro-rockers around, it’s probably Chris Martin and Co.

Lollapalooza is back with a line-up that’s full of up-and-coming local acts, legitimate buzz bands, arena rockers and a few head scratchers. So, we here at Loud Loop figured you might need some help deciding which bands to check out and which to avoid. And of course you know the headliners, so we won’t waste your time on those. Instead, these are our picks for can’t-miss acts those other eight hours this Friday, Saturday and Sunday…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bxwB_a37co

The most impressive thing about Le Butcherettes’ latest, Sin Sin Sin, is how their brand of crooked art-rock is completely accessible. While the Guadalajara, Mexico, trio do toss off crunchy power chords (“Bang!”), they also dabble in minimal synth play (“Tonight”). And it works because the band is concise in their experimental side as few songs make it to the four-minute mark. Le Butcherettes are a little twisted but a lot focused on kicking your ass. (Richard Giraldi)

THE KILLS Bud Light stage, 4:30 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hniPVDz12bc

Moody garage rocking duo Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince create some heavy, full-bodied rock compositions that are anchored by Mosshart’s sultry blues vocals. The Kills latest album Blood Pressures is far removed from the group’s gritty, lo-fi debut Keep on Your Mean Side, but the heartbeat behind it remains underneath Blood Pressures’s slick production. The Kills are still doing what they do, only fancier these days. (Audrey Leon)

CULTS Google+, 4:45 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i1MXHGB8g0

Sometimes a band just comes out of nowhere and everyone’s falling in line to promote them as something of a no-brainer. Cults, the New York-based indie pop duo consisting of Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin, had that kind of instant popular adoption. Forming in 2010, their single “Go Outside” was simply posted to a Bandcamp page and suddenly they were darlings of Pitchfork and playing every relevant music festival. By the time their self-titled LP was released in June it was virtually guaranteed to be a smash. For me, they entered the popular sphere at a good juncture. With Broadcast no longer in commission (RIP Trish Keenan), Cults have stepped in to filter the sounds of 60s, psychedelic pop through modern distortions. Hopefully, their trajectory will mirror Broadcast and Stereolab with darker twists in the future. (Joseph Montes)

CRYSTAL CASTLES Sony stage, 7:15 p.m

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vO6eehIPIs

We’ve had a while now to let Crystal Castles gestate. Since 2008 when we danced our ass off to “Crimewave” and their self-titled debut to last year’s deeper “Crystal Castles II,” the band has shown us that they are plenty capable of continuing to deliver compelling music. Whether they’ll be any good at Lolla, however, is a different story. I saw Crystal Castles at the Congress Theater on Halloween in 2009 and they blew it. Glass drunkenly screamed nonsense over a wall of equally disjointed electronic sounds — it was a bad performance parading as performance art. I’d probably never pay to see this band again but if you knocked me out and dragged me to Lolla this year, they’d be a must-see act for me. Yes, I know that makes no sense but such is the strange magnetism of Crystal Castles. (Joseph Montes)

RATATAT Google+ stage, 8:45 p.m

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk8qcGOtBFw

Like if Daft Punk were a couple of stoners from New York City with guitars and a sampler, Ratatat excel at finding the tightest groove and the sharpest tones. It goes without saying that pulling off intriguing instrumental pieces is difficult, but Ratatat honestly succeed. Sometimes their slowly evolving rhythms are powered by jagged riffs (“Desert Eagle”), while at others dense melodies are balanced by off-kilter dynamics (“Mirando”). Add to the equation that it’s just dance-y as hell? That’s a winner. (Richard Giraldi)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTQTszb51BI

Experimental Chicago rockers Disappears have had quite a year. The quartet released a powerful, droning jam of a rocker entitled Guider in early January. After absorbing the magic power structure that is Sonic Youth percussionist Steve Shelley, and then whisking him away on tour, the group has garnered considerable praise and buzz from the music community at home and abroad. Disappears uses distortion much like bakers use frosting on cakes, it’s just another element the band can utilize to warp a song into submission and make it their own. And it’s priceless. (Audrey Leon)

MAPS & ATLASES Google+ stage, 2:15 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrvOXjFiD7k

While not as frenzied as their 2006 EP, Trees, Swallows, Houses, Maps & Atlases have developed a keen ability to piece melodies together. The result is last year’s Perch Patchwork, which has a more organic feel that is mostly grounded in melancholy folk-pop. It shows that these Chicago rockers are both technically proficient and clever composers. (Richard Giraldi)

DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 Bud Light stage, 4:00 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Bo4h7kuUpo

For a band that simultaneously bashed-in the doors of dance and metal music with earth-shattering results, news about the reunion of Death From Above 1979, which first appeared in blurbs about this year’s Coachella’s lineup, was remarkably understated. After a no-bones announcement about not getting along when they broke up 5 years ago, only a short blog post marked their return: “Why not say yes? Why not say yes to Coachella?” DFA was back, but why? It’s all I could think about before they took the stage at Camp Bisco X in Albany, NY in July. But when the opening chords of “Dead Womb” kicked in, it didn’t matter anymore. DFA was back and, yeah, why the fuck not? Maybe its all just a money-grab (zero new songs) but who cares? When it’s good, it’s good. Just slam your head and try not to think so much. (Joseph Montes)

DEFTONES Playstation stage, 5:00 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLqsfwRvYtU

As someone who loves to ‘OD on 90s nostalgia as much as I do, it’s a no brainer that I’d highlight Deftones. The group’s first three albums 1995’s Adrenaline, 1997’s Around the Fur and 1999’s White Pony taught me all I need to know about the sweet, but deadly dynamic of raw power vocals that rush from hushed, beautiful tones and moans to excited guttural screams. Vocalist Chino Moreno’s voice set that exquisite high standard of tension building and breaking. There is no doubt in my mind, Deftones will bring plenty of precision hard rock style to the Lolla stage this weekend. (Audrey Leon)

CEE LO Music Unlimited stage, 6:30 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAV0XrbEwNc

So, Cee Lo Green is one talented singer, game show host, etc. But, yes, he’s not the best tweeter. Still, the man has brought us some of the most soulful, funky tunes in the last couple of years. His Gnarls Barkley hit, “Crazy,” which took the summer of 2006 by storm, and his latest solo LP, 2010′s The Lady Killer, has the irresistible “Fuck You” (“Forget You” for radio listeners), which is possibly the catchiest song about a miserable break-up ever. Yeah, Cee Lo’s not perfect, but who is? All I know is that throngs of people singing, “See you driving ’round town with the girl I love / I’m like Fuck You” in unison should be damn cool. (Richard Giraldi)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgSsL0Gz874

If Lollapalooza wasn’t taking place during the height of summer, I would dare to say that Chicago pop darlings Gold Motel would bring plenty of sunlight and warmth just by being there. The quintet fronted by The Hush Sound’s Greta Morgan aren’t shiny happy people, but a group of people who came together to create infectiously perky pop jams that defy you to stay moping in a dark corner. Come out and play, screams Gold Motel’s album Summer House. Morgan’s smoky vocals take us to good vibes island and we never want to look back. (Audrey Leon)

THE JOY FORMIDABLE Bud Light stage, 1:00 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kNQeDlgBoc

When you really think about it, The Joy Formidable is the absolute perfect name for this English trio. Their sound is a intense one with it’s chugging fuzz riffs, but the music is played with a joyful energy. “Whirring,” from their 2010′ LP The Big Roar, grabs the listener with its uber-melodic, sweeping hook, and then scrambles minds with a spacey shoegaze jam. It’s the just the right amount of edge and energy needed to jump start Lollapalooza 2011′s final day. (Richard Giraldi)

THE COOL KIDS Perry’s stage, 3:05 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH_TaZ5n8gA

What separates The Cool Kids from many other “indie” hip-hop acts is that their sound is very recognizable. The Chicago duo have seemingly cornered the market with jams powered by minimal, digitized beats. Granted, while their latest and much anticipated debut LP, When Fish Ride Bicycles lacks energy in a couple of spots, it does perfectly meld eccentric beats with Chuck Inglish and Mickey Rocks’ old-school style. And expect the beats to hit especially hard in the tented, and enlarged Perry’s stage. (Richard Giraldi)

THE CARS Music Unlimited stage, 4:00 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpJQWGA1O8s

In the grand tradition of breaking up, reunited years later with a different singer (at least it was Todd Rundgren and not a Cars tribute band singer), having that not work too well, then actually reuniting, hey look it’s The Cars. Odds are you like The Cars whether you know it or not. I’d like to think I’m too cool to like them. Eighties pop music is not my bag but there’s something about their a little new wave-y and slight icy coldness that works for me. They wrote good tunes and merely dressed them up in 80′s Well, there’s a new album, Move Like This, so you’ll hear songs from that. But mostly, you’ll just hear hit after frickin’ hit. (Ross Meyerson)

EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY Sony stage, 7:00 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UNj5Oqs29g

I had an inner debate with myself on whether Explosions in the Sky is the kind of band you want to see at an outdoor festival in the middle of the summer. On the one hand, the group’s lush instrumentals would be perfect for a more intimate and darkened club, but on the other hand, look at that set time. Explosions in the Sky takes the Lolla stage around 7 p.m., which means the sun will set and the sky will fill with crazy hues of purple and orange. I can’t think of any better setting to witness the Austin, Texas quartet finger pick some gorgeous, yet booming post-rock melodies. (Audrey Leon)

AND DON’T FORGET:

Loud Loop Press will have festival coverage all weekend long! We’ll have a daily recap of Friday, Saturday and Sunday the morning after so if you just want to find out about what you missed or can’t make it and want to check out what’s going on, we’ll have video, words and possibly more.

For the full schedule and for more information about Lollapalooza, visit: Lollapalooza.com.

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. You didn’t think I was done talking about Pitchfork 2011, did you? No way. I have one, er, a couple final words to say about the fest. In fact, it’s something brand new: The Rundown.

Here’s my two cents on the best, worst and most intriguing things at Pitchfork Music Festival 2011…

BEST BAND: OFF!

WORST BAND: (TIE) Destroyer & Ariel Pink

BEST BET TO BECOME A FESTIVAL STAPLE: Cut Copy

BAND THAT NEEDS SOME WORK: (TIE) Yuck & Thurston Moore solo

BAND MOST LIKELY TO BE PLAYING LOLLAPALOOZA 2012: Pitchfork 2011 Schedule

BEST SLOGAN ON AN OLD DUDE’S TSHIRT:

BEST OFFENSIVE, CAST-WEARING HIP-HOP GROUP: Odd Future

BEST IMPRESSION OF HELL ON EARTH: Pitchfork Fest 2011 Porta Potties on Sunday afternoon

BAND PITCHFORK CAN ALWAYS FALL BACK ON WHEN THEY CAN’T BOOK JEFF MANGUM: Animal Collective

BAND MOST LIKELY TO DIE OF HEATSTROKE: Cold Cave

BEST USE OF A THEREMIN:

BEST DANCERS IN THE VIP SECTION: White Mystery

BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT WITH YOUR BROS: Heineken tent

BEST VEGAN CORN DOG: Chicago Diner

WORST AREA FOR BOTTLE NECKS: Entry way to Blue stage

MOST INDIE ROCK SODA:

WORST STAGE PROP FAIL: DJ Shadow’s white sphere

BEST DJ SET: DJ Shadow

BEST EXCUSE FOR OLD DUDES TO SMOKE JOINTS IN PUBLIC: Superchunk

BAND MOST LIKELY TO TEACH THESE DARN KIDS A THING OR TWO ABOUT ROCK ‘N’ ROLL: Guided By Voices

BEST GUEST APPEARANCE:

Photo Credit: Craig Shimala - craigshimala.com

And that’s a wrap on Pitchfork Music Festival 2011! Below is a recap of the day three acts we had a chance to catch. Sunday’s winners? Definitely Kylesa, Cut Copy and TV On The Radio. So sit back, relax and catch up on what went down on the third and final day of Pitchfork Musical Festival 2011.

1:00 p.m.: The Fresh & Onlys

It took until the third and final day for Pitchfork to open with some zest thanks to San Francisco’s The Fresh & Onlys. While their jangly, reverbed guitar rock wasn’t original in the least, it was peppy and very uptempo. And it got the early arrivers to move and sway in the harsh summer sun – which is an accomplishment in itself.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1:45 p.m.: Yuck

Possibly the biggest disappointment of the weekend, guitar-heavy alt-rockers Yuck could never seem to match the energy of the crunchy melodies that saturate their buzz worthy debut. Their set started with volume at an annoyingly low level.

When the third song rolled around, the sound was slightly adjusted for the better, but the band decided to focus more on their slow-burning ballads than the chugging rockers. Add to it that the heat really started to bare down on Union Park, and it was hard for Yuck to rebound. In the last few minutes, it finally seemed as though Yuck had caught their stride and would leave on a high-note. However, lead guitarist Max Bloom had equipment problems that caused them to abort their riffy romp “Operation” after only a minute or so.

The band did end strong with the quicksand fuzz of “Rubber,” but it wasn’t enough to save the set. Yuck’s set proved that while many bands these days get propelled very high and very quickly, some aren’t ready for the festival circuit. As a fan of their latest LP, here’s hoping Yuck just needs a bit more seasoning on the club circuit (and a better sound guy).
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2:30 p.m.: Kurt Vile and the Violators

My topsy turvey relationship with Kurt Vile took another unexpected turn on Sunday afternoon.

Before his set, I told a colleague to prepare for disappointment. Then Kurt and his Violators tore through their set with the reckless abandon that the day’s previous guitar worshipers, Yuck, lacked. The flowing hair and shredding solos made Vile’s average songwriting really flourish. Go figure, I’m back on the bandwagon. (Ross Meyerson)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3:20 p.m.: OFWGKTA

For months a lot had been said and written about Los Angeles hip-hop outfit OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolfgang Kill Them All), and their violent, misogynistic and homophobic lyrics.

So, it was quite humorous when the group blasted Bob Marley’s “One Love” and Black Eyed Peas’ “Where is the Love” before they took the stage. The band knew of the local commotion (the group rarely receives this type of reaction and publicity when they play other cities), which is also why they presented cupcakes to the anti-violence society who were at Pitchfork to raise awareness of their often hate-filled attitude.

And when they finally took the stage? No riots, no murders, no swarm of locusts. Instead, Odd Future (including leader Tyler, The Creator in a foot cast) put on a lackluster hip-hop performance that featured obnoxious and forgettable backing beats.

The group seemed harmless as they paced back and forth across the stage spouting obscenities. Sure, they did the occasional stage dive, but all-in-all Odd Future didn’t seem to be doing that much different than their earlier hip-hop luminaries (in this case: Wu-Tang Clan, N.W.A). Well, actually, they just did it worse.

But a great deal of the crowd loved every minute of it. Drenched in sweat, they latched on to every snarling “F*ck,” “Sh*t” and “B*itch” in “Tron Cat” and shouted the chorus of “Radical,” “Kill People / Burn Sh*t / F*ck School,” in unison as if it were a Bears game.

Then, just as the set began, it ended. No, Odd Future did not bring about the end of the world and the death of modern society. But now the group might become targets due to their weak beats and lazy live show.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4:15 p.m.: Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti

Photo Credit: Craig Shimala

Honestly, I’m a bit upset I wasted a lovely Futurama YouTube clip on Destroyer’s god awful yacht rock set on Saturday. Because Ariel Pink’s set might have been worse. Scratch that, it was worse.

The set was a disheveled mess of crooked, synthy indie-pop. During this, Ariel Pink (born Ariel Marcus Rosenberg, who for some reason is sometimes referred to as the “godfather of chillwave,” would sing through a tiny microphone that would constantly crackle and cut out.

Well, the heat must have gotten to Pink because at one point he simply sat down in the middle of the stage and let out obnoxious hoots, hollers and howls.

And, with over 15 minutes left in the set, Pink got up and walked off stage. The band tried to coax him into coming back to play more songs, but instead he berated them and went backstage. A band member had to tell the crowd, “I think we’re done here. Thanks” to which a smattering of boos erupted from the crowd.

This isn’t the first time Ariel Pink has had an onstage, for lack of a better word, meltdown, but it should be his last.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5:15 p.m.: Superchunk

Comparing Superchunk to Odd Future, who performed on the very same stage about an hour earlier, would be like comparing any single-A affiliate to the New York Yankees.

Seasoned indie rock vets, North Carolina’s Superchunk wasted no time showing kids and nostalgic non-kids how it’s done. Their uber-melodic power-pop was a non-stop ball of energy from the get go as lead singer and guitarist Mac McCaughan literally pogoed around the stage. Literally.

It was the anti-Odd Future. Good-natured, non-stop fun that grabbed ahold with the first jumpy power chord of “My Gap Feels Weird.”

Speaking of said song, the band started fast and furious with a number of tunes from their most recent, 2010′s Majesty Shredding. But though the tempo slightly dropped, an instant highlight was the opening notes to “Like A Fool,” off ’94s Foolish, as a thick breeze rolled in.

It sounded as poignant as it did it did 17 years ago. And so did Superchunk, whose sound (and faces) are as tight as ever.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6:00 p.m.: Kylesa

It’s difficult to really rate Kylesa in the Pitchfork festival context. Not only were the Georgia metal outfit the heaviest, most brutal sounding band of the entire weekend, but their live show is hard rock catnip.

Anyone who loves menacing, orange-powered riff couldn’t possibly get enough of it. Add to that the band’s ridiculously unnecessary but unbelievably cool double drummer attack. It’s especially mesmerizing when a solid groove would get locked-in such as on the prog-metal opus, “Spiral Shadow.”

It’s not only the fact Kylesa was heavy and abrasive, it’s that it was different. Quite different in a festival setting that is littered with synths, saxes and mandolins.

From my vantage point, the crowd seemed to be enjoying themselves without getting too out of hand and rowdy. Maybe Pitchfork will get the message and sprinkle some additional metal and heavy rock in next year – something the Fest desperately needs.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7:25 p.m.: Cut Copy

Photo Credit: Craig Shimala

As the sun finally dipped behind the Union Park trees, Cut Copy heated things right back up.

A club-worthy dance party erupted as they delighted with elastic, disco-wave romps. Plus, the Australian dance-rockers do it with gusto.

The band, possibly the most clean cut of the weekend decked out in collared shirts and dress slacks, had the moxie of festival veterans.

Lead singer Dan Whitford played the role of not only frontman, but hypeman as he lead the crowd in singalongs, clap-a-longs and booty-shaking madness. Meanwhile, Tim Hoey twisted tones out of his guitar and took to using a mic stand as a drumstick on a defenseless cymbal. Plus, their hooks were ever so catchy: “With hearts on fire, I reach out to you tonight.” In addition to the Euro-flavored beats and swirling melodies.

If they keep this up they could make the leap…to an hour later and headline the festival next year. But for now, expect them in a late afternoon early evening slot at Lollapalooza 2012.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8:30 p.m.: TV On The Radio

Photo Credit: Craig Shimala

TV On The Radio’s set began on a rather odd note. Frontman Tunde Adebimpe asked the crowd if everyone was having fun, and if they had a good day. To which he responded with, “That’s good to hear. It was a pretty bad day from my point of view.”

Uh, what? If this was TV On The Radio on a bad day, then a good day might be too much to handle.

Playing by far one of the tightest, most efficient sets of their careers, the band rattled ribs and massaged ear drums with their funk-ified, digitized art rock.

Things started off with a bang via a two-song, Dear Science-punch of “Halfway Home” and “Dancing Choose.” Later, it was newer songs, Nine Types of Light, that demanded attention. “New Cannonball Blues” delivered a electro-sex low end and “Repetition” was played with a punk-like urgency.

Most of the activity on stage came from Tunde Adebimpe, whose body twitched and arms waved wildly. Meanwhile, guitarist Kyp Malone played straight man – standing firm rarely moving other than back and forth from the microphone. And lead guitarist and sound guru Dave Sitek worked the tones in the background while the breeze worked the wind chimes hanging from the head of his telecaster.

TV On The Radio was so impressive, their cover of Fugazi’s “Waiting Room” is easily forgivable.

In a fest that lacked big names – bands had to rise to the occasion. And TV On The Radio might have risen even further.

Pitchfork Music Festival Day Two is in the books. Below is a recap of the the acts that we had a chance to catch. Saturday’s winners? Definitely No Age, OFF! and DJ Shadow. So sit back, relax and catch up on the Pitchfork Day Two action. We’re doing it all again in a few hours. Joy!

1:00 p.m.: Juliana Barwick

On any other afternoon, the looped siren chants of Juliana Barwick might have been quite enchanting. But definitely not early Saturday at Pitchfork Fest as stinging heat and humidity descended upon Union Park. For a few fleeting moments, it was captivating. But most of the time, songs would build and build before fading into nothingness.

Not to mention Chrissy Muderbot’s boomy low end was quite audible during the first few minutes of Barwick’s set. Still, her vocal talents were enough to capture the attention of a quite a few early arrivers.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1:45 p.m.: Woods

When Brooklyn’s Woods (accompanied by New Jersey noise musician Ducktails) took the stage, they opened with a couple of sunny, folk tunes. How deceiving that was.

Only a few songs later the steamy crowd was knee-deep in spacey, echo-filled folk jams. There were melodies and some hypnotic bass grooves, but they were played mostly at a sleepy pace. Yet the crowd, which by this time has grown substantially, were seemingly latched onto every tape loop gurgle and sullen guitar riff. And Woods rewarded near the conclusion of their set by unleashing some uptempo garage rockers.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2:30 p.m.: Cold Cave

When the members of Cold Cave waltzed out on stage wearing leather jackets and long dark jeans in what had to have been near 90-degree heat, you knew this was going to be a memorable set.

Cold Cave clearly take a page from gothy new wave and industrial acts -- bands that would have been found on historic Chicago label Wax Trax! Records. But it wasn’t just the melodic double synth attack or rock-steady beats. The trio showed the energy of a band that is ready to make an impression. The combination of frontman Wesley Eisold’s dark crooning and secondary synth player Dominick Fernow’s jerky dance moves enthralled the crowd and kept many distracted during what was probably the hottest portion of the day.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3:20 p.m.: No Age

“Fuck Electronics. Fuck Technology.,” said No Age’s Randy Randall after a brief delay due to technical difficulties. Moments later, the Los Angeles duo ripped into their bulldozer-punk assault and pummeled everything within earshot.

Dean Allen Spunt handled the manic rhythms and snotty shouts while Randy Randall’s guitar traveled between a sludge thick clean and a jet engine fuzz. The set got especially rowdy when No Age broke into the hyperactive “Fever Dreaming” from their latest, Everything In Between, which spawned the weekend’s first mosh pit.

But No Age aren’t all noisy riffs and speedy beats. Their brand of speedy hardcore is littered with grimy pop melodies.

The result was no doubt one of the weekend’s top highlights -- no-holds-barred rock fueling a rambunctious, enthusiastic crowd.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4:45 p.m.: OFF!

Those who wanted more ferocious energy after No Age’s set concluded didn’t have to wait long. A few minutes later, OFF! let loose a barrage of short, intense hardcore numbers.

Led by former Black Flag/Circle Jerk singer Keith Morris, OFF! is comprised of a few rock and punk notables including Burning Brides’ Dimitri Coats, Redd Kross’ Steven Shane McDonald and Rocket From The Crypt/Hot Snakes’ Mario Rubalcaba.

After Morris introduced the band sounding more like your chatty uncle than a hardcore punk front man, OFF! launched into minute long ragers. While the riffs flew and drums rumbled, the lyrics dealt with important topics like those in the grocery store express lane who have more than 10 items and people who talk on their cellphone while driving.

The premise may be silly, but the songs are pure old-school hardcore in sound and attitude. In fact, OFF! rocked so hard that McDonald blew his amp head before the final song, which was funny seeing how it took longer for the stage crew to replace it than to perform the set’s closing song.

Still, midday’s one-two punch of No Age followed by OFF! gave Pitchfork Fest a much needed shot of adrenaline.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5:35 p.m.: Destroyer

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG2KMkQLZmI

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6:15 p.m.: Dismemberment Plan

Though the Dismemberment Plan reunion had already made its way through Chicago back in February, fans packed the front of the Green Stage for Washington D.C.’s dance-punkers.

And those fans were probably glad they did as the band rattled off their best known songs one after another -- many coming from their popular 1999 record Emergency & I, which was recently reissued.

What’s most noticeable about the Dismemberment Plan’s usually bright, always melodic rock is just how solid their rhythm section is -- bassist Eric Axelson lets bouncy grooves fly while drummer Joe Easley’s hard-hitting beats hold everything together like glue.

Also, something has to be said of lead singer Travis Morrison’s stage presence. He’s the goofy indie rock frontman archetype. He was in good spirits while spouting off clever quips and engaging in plain silliness, such as introducing the crooked singalong “You Are Invited” with a Ukrainian accent.

In the end, Dismemberment Plan’s catchines takes over. No matter how nonsensical the hooks become or how frantic the songs are, they’re irresistibly fun and energized the crowd after Destroyers’ muzac-flavored, train wreck of a set.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7:25 p.m.: DJ Shadow

Before beginning his set, DJ Shadow, born Joshua Paul Davis, took to the mic and explained that he’s not a wedding DJ who plays top 40. I’m going to say quite a few fans could gather that fact from the giant white sphere in the center of the Red Stage.

Not only was there a giant white sphere on stage, but DJ Shadow actually played the first half of his set inside said sphere. The idea was for the ball to be used as a projector screen for what was supposed to be an epic light show. However, festival planners made a major miscalculation on this one as it was still far too light outside for the graphics and lights to be seen properly.

Twenty minutes in, Shadow realized the error and rotated the sphere so the opening faced the crowd.

It was for the best as the audience now had a better view of what Shadow was doing, which was substantially more than what’d you expect from your average DJ. Shadow didn’t only scratch records or stay glued to a laptop. He used a variety of gear to obtain varied sounds including electronic drum pads used to trigger samples.

It’s also was important to differentiate Shadow with other well-known DJ acts like Girl Talk. While Shadow does sample various rappers -- at one point he used a munchkin-pitched version of Lil Wayne’s “A Milli” -- he’s doesn’t mash-up pop songs. Instead, he does a very fine job combining pulsating dance beats and melodic passages into well-crafted, original compositions.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8:30 p.m.: Fleet Foxes

Despite seemingly a bit too delicate for a festival headliner, Fleet Foxes attempted to disprove that notion on Saturday evening.

The Seattle indie folk outfit let loose acoustic guitar and harmony-powered mountain campfire jams. The songs were mostly laid-back, but bright tones and steady percussion captivate the thousands that filled the park.

Frontman Robin Pecknold commented on the last time they were at Pitchfork Festival in 2008. Dizzy Rascal immediately followed them on the schedule. After their set, Pecknold said the band was psyched to see Rascal live, only to over hear him tell the crowd, “Fuck that folk shit.”

This time, however, Fleet Foxes were headliners, and exuded that type of confidence. The slow-building, ultra-melodic “Helplessness Blues,” pleasantly hovered over what was then a calm, cool evening.

While the band did sound bigger and bolder than past festival appearances, they still lack the true command of a major festival headliner. One slot earlier in the evening opening for a more established group would have been perfect for Fleet Foxes. But, admittedly, Foxes did well with the slot they had and proved that mellow can truly rock hard.

Pitchfork Music Festival Day One is in the books. Below is a wrap up of the the acts that we had a chance to catch. Friday’s winners? I’d say EMA, Guided By Voices and, yes, Animal Collective. So sit back, relax and catch up on the Pitchfork Friday action. We’re doing it all again in a few hours. Joy!

3:30 p.m.: EMA

Where as last year Pitchfork opened with a couple of subdued acoustic acts, that was not the case this year. EMA, better known as Erika M. Anderson of former drone-folk duo Gowns, hit the stage early in the sun soaked afternoon.

Joined by two multi-instrumentalists and her little sister on drums, Anderson’s vocals were filled with a Kim Gordon-meets-Karen O raspiness and worked especially well during the heavy-hitting “”Milkman”. Much of the time, however, EMA’s jams rested in the melancholy spectrum but weren’t tired, They brought an edgy bite to the quaint crowd that had gathered in front of the newly minted Red Stage (all stages this year are color-coded with Red, Green or Blue flags making navigation exceptionally easy).

However, the music was occasionally a bit on the hollow, unfocused side – not quite fully cooked for a major festival. Yet the crowd, obviously excited that Pitchfork fest has just begun, gave Anderson cheers of encouragement, which helped carry the set to a snarling finish with the angsty, spoken word of “California.”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4:35 p.m.: Battles

One had to wonder if Battles could still rock as hard now only standing on three legs (founding member Tyondai Braxton left the group last August).

Well, you certainly have to hand it to Battles because rock they did. There’s no denying that the now trio (Don Caballero’s Ian Williams, Lynx’s Dave Konopka and Helmet’s John Stanier) are three extremely talented musicians. When they get locked in a groove, it would take a crowbar to get them out of it. Their shape-shifting barrage of keyboards, guitars, basses, drums and synths makes for one intense festival experience.

However, there were times when their show fell flat. Particularly when they relied on prerecorded backing tracks, which was a major portion of their set including the bouncy, popcorn synth single “Ice Cream”. But for that song, it wasn’t only the vocal track being piped in, the lively keyboards that act as the song’s foundation were prerecorded. Early versions of the song, including this one from 2008 when Braxton was still in the band, shows Williams playing the part live. It’s a shame that Battles has to scale back their musical delivery seeing how their live show relies on watching three humans create some of the most mechanical, expansive, alien prog-rock out there.

Still, the trio of Battles can captivate a crowd. Unlike their stop at Lincoln Hall earlier this year, they broke out a tune from their impressive 2007 debut Mirrored. The band unleashed “Atlas” and festival goers heads nodded almost violently to the song’s tribal drum attack. But tonally the track missed Braxton’s elfish vocals, which were replaced by a backing track of a children’s choir. Thankfully, their most aggressive song from their latest LP, “Futura,” brought the set to an exhilarating end.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5:30 p.m.: Thurston Moore

“You guys wanna hear some songs about rape, incest and carnage? We’ll do our best,” joked Thurston Moore at the start of his late afternoon set in reference to the controversial LA hip-hop collective Odd Future. However, if that joke were a reality, perhaps his set would have been far more memorable.

Maybe in a medium-sized theatre Moore’s sweeping acoustic and chamber orchestra-propelled solo album, Demolished Thoughts, would come off sounding lush and vibrant. But at a music festival smack dab between Battles and Guided By Voices? Not so much.

Quite the mellow affair, not even a harpist could save Moore’s set from becoming a talk-amongst-yourselves, beer and bathroom break. Yes, much of the guitar work still featured those oddly voiced riffs that have made Sonic Youth so alluring for nearly thirty years. But Moore desperately lacked the punch of his primary vehicle. Instead, songs wafted through the humid air to an inattentive crowd. Note to Moore: Don’t quit your day job.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6:25 p.m.: Guided By Voices

Picking up, although much less abrasively, where Jesus Lizard left off in 2008, Guided By Voices once again proved that dudes with gray hair often rock the hardest.

Their songs took on a nearly punk energy as guitars chugged along with distortion and grit – something that never made it to their popular, lo-fi recordings. “Game of Pricks” from 1995′s Alien Lanes had its mid-tempo revved up to a steep pace, and the warm reflection “I Am a Scientist” became quite a crunchy affair.

Like the music, the band showed no sign of slowing down. Front man Robert Pollard took swigs from a bottle of Tequila through out the set, and, similarly, guitarist Mitch Mitchell ripped away while a cigarette dangled precariously from his lower lip. And it must be mentioned that this was the only set of the evening where the crowd out shouted the singer.

If anything, Guided By Voices’ set educated some on how indie rock used to be.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7:20 p.m.: Neko Case

To be honest, I missed a bit of Neko Case’s set while in the press tent recording and attempting to upload a late afternoon audio update. It took a few tries and a few minutes to charge my battery-eating iPhone before I finally succeeded.

Thankfully, I did make it to see a few songs. Case is undeniably soulful and certainly lovely. Her songs are mostly bluegrass-inspired, roots-y hymns, but wrapped in a blanket of warm melody and tone. “People Got A Lotta Nerve” and its Fleetwood Mac-ian charm had the audience hooked on every winding guitar line.

But near the end of her set, every lull between songs was filled with bleed from across the park where dub-step darling James Blake played to shrieking fans. While his thumping bass didn’t outduel Case, it grabbed the crowds attention and enticed many to investigate the smaller Blue Stage.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8:30 p.m.: Animal Collective

When Animal Collective headlined Pitchfork Music Festival in 2008, their set was unmemorable, to say the least. Synths twirled, drums pulsated, lights flickered. That was about it.

Things were clearly different this time around. For starters, the band seem to have found a few items from the Flaming Lips’ stage set-up because multi-colored decorations dangled from all sides of the stage. Also, members were visible this time rather than hidden in darkness.

The biggest difference was the music. The first three “songs,” for the lack of a better word, were more structured and popped with energy. It was electro-psychedelic dancehall music, and the crowd seemed relatively satisfied.

Even older material was played with more focus. “Did You See the Words” from 2005′s Feels became a rambunctious romp, and the plodding synths of “Brother Sport” seemed to have more burn. Though, admittedly, the song did meander near end. Still, much of the audience rushed the stage with joy upon its open notes.

Animal Collective would benefit from an editor at times, but this, especially after Pitchfork 2008 and their dreadful, aimless Lollapalooza 2009 performance, shows that a real band lives behind all those loopy loops. A talented one at that.

Photo Credit: Craig Shimala - craigshimala.com

Tomorrow begins another Pitchfork Music Festival at Chicago’s Union Park. And once again, Loud Loop Press will be on-site all weekend long bringing you the best coverage we possibly can.

What can you expect? Updates throughout the day on our Twitter feed and our Facebook page. Then on 10 a.m. the day after (Saturday, Sunday and Monday), we’ll have a full recap of the previous day’s happenings complete with blurbs on the acts we caught, photos and more!

Of course, like every Pitchfork Fest, there’s a ton of music everyday, some of which you have no clue about, so the ol’ Loud Loop staff has decided to help out and clue you in on some of our much anticipated P4K 2011 acts. Anywho, let’s not waste anymore time. This is your Loud Loop Press Pitchfork Fest 2011 Preview.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqV5KzbNYIQ

There are those indie bands that leave you thinking, “Hm, well that was an interesting musical experience.” Then there’s the small percentage of indie bands that rock your auditory cortex so hard, they leave you in near-comatose state from complete awe. tUnE-yArDs is one of those bands. The lo-fi, indie noise-pop project of Merrill Garbus (Sister Suvi), tUnE-yArDs combines a patchwork of aural flavors including jazz, R&B, Afro-pop, folk and most everything else out there. These intricate melodies and playful beats offset Garbus’ eccentric vocals that range from child-like humming to unbridled, soulful wailing. Garbus is the master of multi-tasking on stage, playing drums, recording loops, harmonizing with herself, all while keeping the show frisky for the audience. Garbus seriously is a force to reckon with on stage. (Britni Day)

BATTLES Green Stage, 4:35 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-rvJsH_WcU

Battles had a pretty difficult time recording the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2007 loop-prog near masterpiece Mirrored. After completing much of the record, founding guitarist and “singer” Tyondai Braxton left the band. This left the remaining members (Ian Williams, John Stanier, Dave Konopka) in quite a bind. They pressed on, however, and rerecorded the majority of their 2011 release, Gloss Drop, as a trio with a slew of guest vocalists, including Gary Numan and Matias Aguayo, the latter of which adds some odd reggae-esque croons to single, “Ice Cream.” While not as immediate and epic as their full-length debut, Gloss Drop is full of enough mathy riffs and machine-like drum work to get crowds moving. (Richard Giraldi)

THURSTON MOORE Red Stage, 5:30 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LzUUTPFRrQ

Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore is widely-known for his experimental noise-riffic guitar skills, but on Moore’s recently released solo album Demolished Thoughts, the rocker gets downright romantic. The Beck-produced Demolished Thoughts is swimming with sweet, sweeping melodies, sharp acoustic guitar strums and poignant strings. It will be interesting to see how Moore pulls it all off inside Union Park. (Audrey Leon)

GUIDED BY VOICES Green Stage, 6:25 p.m

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqmcINr4JKA

I just asked my friend three words to describe Guided By Voices, and he immediately came back with “drunk, happy, 90s.” My three words that immediately came to mind were “drunk, rock, awesome.” I’m not sure this preview needs any more information than that. (Andy Kondrat)

DAS RACIST Blue Stage, 6:30 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzCukmO4fhg

Possibly best known for that transcendent piece of existential crisis, “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell,” Das Racist is, in fact, an extremely smart hip-hop group that use humor and playful rhymes to dance around deeper commentary. These guys are smart enough to know that substance has to underline each joke, and are talented enough to pull it off. That being said, they’re still the group that recorded “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell,” so you can expect a hell of a lot of fun dancing along to their performance. (Andy Kondrat)

JAMES BLAKE Blue Stage, 7:30 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVgEaDemxjc

So James Blake is the next new thing, a wunderkind out of England that takes dub and samples and piano and loops and crazy shit like that to make music that makes smartypants music critics cream their jeans. But this guy is the real deal. His debut album is as good as you’ve heard it is, and none other than David Byrne of Talking Heads was quoted as saying Blake’s live show is an “emotional incantation.” I’m pretty sure this is not a performance to be missed. This is going to be the show Panda Bear should have put on last year. (Andy Kondrat)

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE Green Stage, 8:30 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuLdCWnuTa8

The quintessential psychedelic, experimental indie pop/rock band. Animal Collective combines possible seizure-inducing electronic beats with layers of swirling keyboard flourishes and lead vocalist Panda Bear’s high tenor voice and exotic word pronunciation. The band has been compared to Flaming Lips, Polyphonic Spree, or Beach Boys (on crack, really) but have inspired musical giants like Grizzly Bear and Four Tet. Once you get past all the insanity, the band is nothing but pure rhythm and soul. (Britni Day)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2mXIfA2xNs

Simply put, I would not be going to Pitchfork if it weren’t for Wild Nothing. I had already given my money and limited-capacity to handle crowds to another summer fest when a friend handed me their debut LP “Gemini.” My. God. What a record. The dream pop band from Blacksburg, VA take from the best — The Smiths, The Cure, Kate Bush — and do what’s neigh impossible amongst the surfeit of imitators: They get you not to notice. Wild Nothing hasn’t reinvent the genre but they have made a record (all of which is good) that reinvigorates my love for it. And what sweeter a situation to be in, as a music lover, than to hear your freshly minted favorite new band playing all your new favorite songs? Envy me. (Joseph Montes)

NO AGE Green Stage, 4:15 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn84clPVbG4

Los Angeles nu-punkers No Age certainly turned a corner with their latest release, 2010′s Everything In Between. The record brimmed with the guitar-n-drum assault of their earlier material but added an intriguing sonic layer with electronic samples. And perhaps the best news is that the band have managed to not lose that important new piece of their sound in their live show as they’ve enlisted William Kai Strangeland-Menchaca to help out. The result is an experience both aurally exciting and mosh pit-ready. (Richard Giraldi)

THE RADIO DEPT. Blue Stage, 5:45 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0FoVuUYh4w

Sweden’s chief exports include, particleboard furniture, lingonberries, and stellar pop music. No joke. The country that gave us ABBA is the third-largest music exporter in the world and amongst their ilk is the wildly underrated Radio Dept. Although the dream pop band has been supplying lynchpin tracks in Sofia Coppola soundtracks for years, it wasn’t until 2010′s “Cling to a Scheme” that they earned kudos from Pitchfork and wider acclaim. Justly so, their downbeat, dance single “Heaven’s On Fire” was one of last year’s best tracks. Still, it’s just the breadcrumb on a trail of delicious pop candy stretched over three LPs and numerous singles. This band slayed when I saw them at The Empty Bottle. Don’t miss them. (Joseph Montes)

TWIN SHADOW Blue Stage, 6:45 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaVeApg9k-w

George Lewis, otherwise known as Twin Shadow, hit the indie rock scene in a major way in 2010 with the release of his debut Forget. Sounding like a gloomy 80s new-wave throwback, the Dominican-born Lewis stacks his sound deep with rich synths and faster beats to match his haunting vocals. Not to mention that fabulous head of hair. Somewhere Tears For Fears are weeping tears of joy. (Audrey Leon)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz7vyrFhFE8

Listening to Yuck’s self-titled debut is like getting reacquainted with a dear old friend. In Yuck’s case, that friend is the electric guitar. The band has been gaining much buzz this year thanks to their blatant early ’90s alt-rock influence. But maybe even more impressive is how damn melodic Yuck’s double guitar attack just is. They managed to perfectly work the fine line between abrasive and poppy -- a combination that is practically addictive. (Richard Giraldi)

BATHS Blue Stage, 4:45 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHvWURUzj3Q

Will Weisenfeld (Baths) is just one man with a few choice electronic instruments, but he has the uncanny ability to convey his emotions through all the little foibles he carefully creates in each of his quirky, glitch-hop songs. From the layers of simple, organic forest sounds mixed with a stumbling beat to the magic found in the playful samples and joyful keyboards, Weisenfeld musically puts his heart on his sleeve with each infinite, stunning soundscape. (Britni Day)

SUPERCHUNK Red Stage, 5:15 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lxw6A6scvU

What can I say, Superchunk are back, sort of, and what a welcome “welcome back”. Not only are they just rocking it live like they’ve always done, but Majesty Shredding was good old ‘Chunk being good old ‘Chunk. It was all quite the triumph and a well deserved victory lap that might be wrapping up. Who knows when they will re-emerge again so don’t be a damned fool and wander away to catch whoever is playing on the li’l stage. No, plant yourself firmly in front of the Red Stage and soak it all in. This was the way indie used to be, kids. Superchunk are just hear to remind you. (Ross Meyerson)

KYLESA Blue Stage, 5:45 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0HM958kCpQ

Speaking of the li’l stage (Blue Stage, that is), that is where the token metal band, Kylesa will be playing. I guess token is better than none, but again I admonish Pitchfork for its lack of metal. If ever there was a truly underground and independent scene, it would be the metal one. Whatever. Kylesa will rock your sweaty, pale asses off and that’s a fact. Pitchfork gave their latest, Spiral Shadow, an 8.4 for what it’s worth. And deservedly so as Kylesa have turned into a tight and massive force. Still, I must digress. With so much great local metal, it would be nice to see at least the Blue Stage littered with the likes of Indian or Nachtmystium or Bloodiest. Plus, Kylesa’s set bumps up against Superchunk’s so you’ll have to make a Sophie’s choice here. (Ross Meyerson)

TORO Y MOI Blue Stage, 6:45 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJPOl5onkVI

When the chillwave invasion hit hard in ’09, Toro Y Moi was there in the top tier, riding the crest. Many critics wondered about shelf life of the genre, which was lampooned for its laptop-hollow compositions and weak vocal deliveries. As time passed and interest washed out (no pun intended), somehow my appreciation of Toro Y Moi only grew. For me, he’s evolved into an incredibly talented pop artist, a creator of subdued hits that get your girlfriend dancing. I can’t explain what sets him apart, but maybe that’s the way of all new musical movements? You’ll always have your Monkeys and your Beatles. For chillwave, Toro Y Moi represents the latter. Here’s to hoping he can avoid the genre’s performance curse and deliver on a compelling live show. (Joseph Montes)

CUT COPY Red Stage, 7:25 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI3tstEeY7g

When this Australian dance-pop-awesomeness group popped up a couple years ago with their excellent album In Ghost Colours, I spent most of the summer playing “Out There On The Ice” and “Hearts On Fire” on repeat, because, well, those are exactly the songs you want to hear over and over during the summer. It made me worried, though, that their follow-up record wouldn’t be able to match the pure ecstasy of the first. Luckily for all of us, Zonoscope rules, too, and from all accounts, a Cut Copy show is nothing short of pure joy. Perfect for the 90 degrees it’s supposed to be on Sunday. (Andy Kondrat)

TV ON THE RADIO Green Stage, 8:30 p.m.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXLpXu9T7j0

Brooklyn’s experimental art rockers TV on the Radio grace Chicago yet again in support of its latest album Nine Types of Light. The album is definitive TV on the Radio. There’s groovy, danceable beats backed by a solid horn section and plenty of the a capella and soulful harmonies that we’ve come to expect from the decade-old group. If there’s a more perfect way to end a long, hot, dusty night at Union Park, I’d like to hear it. (Audrey Leon)

COMPLETE SCHEDULE

XXX = Loud Loop Pick

Friday, July 15 (gates at 3 p.m.):
XXX 8:30 Animal Collective (GREEN)
XXX 7:30 James Blake (BLUE)
7:20 Neko Case (RED)
XXX 6:30 Das Racist (BLUE)
XXX 6:25 Guided By Voices (GREEN)
5:30 Curren$y (BLUE)
XXX 5:30 Thurston Moore (RED)
XXX 4:35 Battles (GREEN)
XXX 4:30 tUnE-yArDs (BLUE)
3:30 EMA (RED)
3:20 Gatekeeper (BLUE)

Saturday, July 16 (gates at 12 p.m.):

8:30 Fleet Foxes (GREEN)
7:40 Zola Jesus (BLUE)
7:25 DJ Shadow (RED)
XXX 6:45 Twin Shadow (BLUE)
6:15 The Dismemberment Plan (GREEN)
XXX 5:45 The Radio Dept. (BLUE)
5:15 Destroyer (RED)
4:45 OFF! (BLUE)
XXX 4:15 No Age (GREEN)
XXX 3:45 Wild Nothing (BLUE)
3:20 Gang Gang Dance (RED)
2:50 G-Side (BLUE)
2:30 Cold Cave (GREEN)
1:55 Sun Airway (BLUE)
1:45 Woods (RED)
1:00 Chrissy Murderbot ft. MC Zulu (BLUE)
1:00 Julianna Barwick (GREEN)

Sunday, July 17 (gates at 12 p.m.):

XXX 8:30 TV on the Radio (GREEN)
7:40 HEALTH (BLUE)
XXX 7:25 Cut Copy (RED)
XXX 6:45 Toro Y Moi (BLUE)
6:15 Deerhunter (GREEN)
XXX 5:45 Kylesa (BLUE)
XXX 5:15 Superchunk (RED)
XXX 4:45 Baths (BLUE)
4:15 Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti (GREEN)
3:45 Shabazz Palaces (BLUE)
3:20 OFWGKTA (RED)
2:50 Twin Sister (BLUE)
2:30 Kurt Vile & the Violators (GREEN)
1:55 How to Dress Well (BLUE)
XXX 1:45 Yuck (RED)
1:00 Darkstar (BLUE)
1:00 The Fresh & Onlys (GREEN)

For More information about the Pitchfork Music Festival, visit: Pitchforkmusicfestival.com.

Launched as a staunchly underground alternative to the buzziness of Pitchfork’s Pitchfork Music Festival, Bitchpork is now in its third year and looks to bigger than ever. In the past, Bitchpork has hosted some of Chicago’s top rock, experimental and prog acts including White Mystery, CAVE, Ga’an in addition to quite a few touring bands

This year is no different as the three-day fest once again coincides with the start of Pitchfork Music Festival and kicks off this Friday. The lineup includes quite a few well known names including, but definitely not limited to, a reunited English Softhearts and Lazer Crystal on Friday, July 15, Mahjongg and Chandeliers on Saturday, July 16, and Running and Radar Eyes on Sunday, July 17.

Additionally, Bitchpork is looking for a few good men and women to volunteer their time. They’re looking for a Cleanup Crew, Security and Food-makers. If interested in helping out, shoot an e-mail with your availability, phone number and which task is right for you to april@whamcity.com.

Get all your Bitchpork Music Festival deets including the complete lineup/schedule at Biiitchpork.tumblr.com. And once again, the fest kicks off this Friday, July 15, and runs through Sunday, July 17, at Mortville with a daily admission of $10 (or something).

Finally, we couldn’t end a Bitchfork post without their annual mind-fuck of a trailer. Here it is, in all its mind-fucked-ness glory:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV__RHPX6pM