A Tribe Called Quest
When you have the godfather of funk, a larger than life “Queenie” and a hauntingly beautiful Angel all slated to perform on the same day at the same festival – as Pitchfork did for Day 2 of its 2017 edition – it is a recipe for pure magic to happen. Now add A Tribe Called Quest to the equation and the result is a truly profound festival-going experience.
Tribe took the stage with no fanfare and simply walked towards a single spotlight with peace signs on their hands and smiles on their faces. The hip-hop legends started their headlining set the same way they began their incredible 2016 release, We Got It from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service, with the igniting protest song, “The Space Program.” Q-Tip commanded the crowd with his sage lyrics and cool vibe while often trading fiery versus with Jarobi White and Consequence as Ali Shaheed Muhammad held things down on the decks.
A Tribe Called Quest
The set was, of course, dedicated to the memory of founding member, Phife Dawg, who passed away in 2016, and his presence permeated every aspect of the performance. A lone microphone stand was placed center stage and Phife’s ATCQ bandmates and longtime friends stepped aside to celebrate his many talents each time his verses were played.
Classic tracks like “Oh My God” seamlessly flowed with modern masterpieces including “Dis Generation” and “Mobius” as the group blended social consciousness with effortlessly chill grooves, subtle humor and unmatched insight at every turn. An eruption of cheers broke out when Q-Tip announced, “Low End Theory, let’s go.” The iconic bass riff of “Excursions” only further fueled fans’ excitement as Q-Tip once again proved why he is known as “The Abstract Poet” and one of the best rappers of all time.
A Tribe Called Quest
A brief rendition of “Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check” gave the hip-hop legends the opportunity to give props to their frequent collaborator, Busta Rhymes, and Consequence later gave a hat tip to the Windy City by taking centerstage to drop his verse from Kanye West’s “Spaceship.” Time will tell whether or not this will have been the final opportunity for Chicago concert-goers to see ATCQ live, but the encore of “Can I Kick It?,” “Award Tour” and “We the People…” filled fans’ memory banks with fond recollections – that will last a lifetime – of the moment they witnessed the greatest hip-hop group perform live on stage.
Francis and the Lights
Earlier in the day, the multi-faceted performer known as Francis and the Lights brought his infectious joy to the Blue Stage. Happiness exuded from the delighted crowd as his melancholy yet optimistic pop-fueled tracks including “See Her Out” and “Comeback” sent the producer into fits of dancing.
Punk rocker Jeff Rosenstock – who brought out a papier mache Donald Trump which was quickly torn to shreds by the crowd – was also a Saturday stand-out with his spot-on corporate criticisms and scouring, catchy melodies. Cherry Glazerr’s spontaneous and spastic energy set the tone for a compelling day of concerts on the Blue Stage and Vagabon – supported by a full band – provided a beautifully understated sonic experience on the north side of the grounds.
Jeff Rosenstock
All of Union Park came together as “One Nation Under a Groove” during George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic’s early afternoon set. Even the relentless P-Funk party pooper, Sir Nose D’Voidoffunk, couldn’t prevent Pitchfork fans from vibing to the funky fresh grooves of “Get Off Your Ass and Jam” and “Flashlight.”
Angel Olsen
“The Community of Hope,” “The Words That Maketh Murder,” “Down by the Water” and basically every other song on PJ Harvey’s setlist transfixed the audience at the Red Stage and Angel Olsen was in full femme fatale mode across the park making demands to “Shut Up Kiss Me” and “Give It Up” throughout her breathtaking performance. Arab Strap, The Feelies and Weyes Blood also helped to make the second day of Pitchfork 2017 an experience to treasure.
The Pitchfork Music Festival takes place in Chicago’s Union Park July 14 –16. Click here to check out our Day 1 highlights and head over to www.pitchfork.com/festival/chicago for more information about the festivities.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)