Chicagoist: Pitchfork Day 2: Through a Newb's Eyes

guest

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:10:30 -0600

Doing my part to talk about anything but the music: Temptation's soy mint chocolate chip ice cream washed down our meal with efficacy, though we wondered what the vegan chips were made of. Oh, I know! I know! Milk chocolate is make with milk, but many other kinds of chocolate--including popular varieties like dark chocolate and semisweet chocolate--are often, usually, or always made without milk or other dairy. Wikipedia has my back on this. So, in answer to your question, the vegan chips were made of... chocolate. Sorry if that takes some of the magic out of it.

guest

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 14:34:21 -0600

the vinyl was pretty decently priced, music direct didn't mark up at all.

guest

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 12:43:10 -0600

This is probably too late to be read, but the "Pitchfork" in "Pitchfork Music Festival" comes from "Pitchfork Media", the website, and the "Pitchfork" in the website is a reference to the movie Scarface. S no, not medieval Europe. Your premise is incorrect. You are right, to some extent, about indie being the new alternative, but it might be better to think of it as the new documentary films. Documentaries are loved by a small and fanatic audience, so marketing to them is a guaranteed success. Indie rock, in case you hadn't noticed, is still generally not played on radio stations like XRT and Q101, There are some breakout success stories, but this is more like a tightly controlled microcosm, not a large-scale sea change like alternative. (Of couse, with the success of the Arcade Fire, who knows- it could be another Nirvana phenomenon.) Pitchfork Media's success is undeniable grass roots in its origins; the question is whether or not, now that they have their own (expanding) music festival and are focusing more attention on the mainstream, they're going through a Rolling Stone-ization. (And, curiously, in the mainstream, entrenched indie community they've already got more power than RS ever did.)

guest

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:53:04 -0600

"Pitch Fork,(a Pitch Fork denotes the symbol of revolt in the European county side),seems on the surface to be about “alternative” and “Independent” culture in the face of Corporate Board Room." Funny, I thought Pitchfork was a concert that people went to because they wanted to listen to music.

guest

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:37:00 -0600

Spook: No shit. Thanks for today's reminder that alternative isn't really alternative. What's next, the irony of suburban "hippies" wearing expensive sandals? Or a rant against the Baby Boomers for wearing ties? Fight the power, whatever that means anymore. Guest #6: So locally produced stuff, whether purses or earrings, never comes with an outrageous mark-up? Uh, OK. What fantasy land do you live in, and how can I join? I am sure plenty of Chicago crafters, good or not, are talented capitalists. I mean, do you really think a small wooden weed-holding box with a glue-on and faded picture of Bob Marley or Che or Jim Morrison really is worth $30? I call that ballsy, if overly optimistic, mark-up activity. (See, local crafters can produce crappy stuff just like the Chinese slave kids can.)

JoeM500

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:35:24 -0600

Have you ever been to ANY concert? Jeez...

guest

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:26:27 -0600

Wow. You sound like a lot fun. NOT!

Spook

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:25:31 -0600

See I was(honestly) gonna hold my tongue because clearly Chicagoist has placed a high premium on this event- with so many postings, - which would mean that to question it, would be like threatening the relevance of other sacred cultural cows like "da Cubs". But as this one post( hopefully the last) seemed to possibly suggest some deeper meaning,I think, earns a spook the right to comment. The thing that irks me about this whole cultural “happening” is that Pitch Fork,(a Pitch Fork denotes the symbol of revolt in the European county side),seems on the surface to be about “alternative” and “Independent” culture in the face of Corporate Board Room Hegemony imposed on the intellectually weak vapid masses. But in fact is just another clear dose of strong mind numbing market tested consumer culture designed and force feed( like ducks) down the dumbed down Red Eye reading thoats of my ironic T shit wearing generation and the next, so that they will continue to be the “foie gras” of corporate America from the Gap, to Urban outfitter, Shell Mobil, Exxon, AT &T to Prada products. I think about WoodStock and wonder what are they gonna say about us 50 years from now?

Bill V

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:59:23 -0600

Yeah, I was there for the music myself. I don't go to festivals for the food, I make sure I bring some cash, and don't spend any time shopping (though I did look at some of the cool stuff that was available). I understand that some folks are not into the whole music and crowd thing, and it confuses me as to why these folks show up in the first place. Hope you had a least a little fun!

Navin

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:50:39 -0600

Along with the prerequisite oversized plastic sunglasses and neckerchiefs Unngh, Yeah no kidding it's becomming laughable how many young women you see with the same glasses and same haircut. Hopefully these unwitting victims of fashion marketing will realize it soon. I wonder what fashion statement they'll be sold next and how long until these things go the way of the Castro hat.

guest

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:20:50 -0600

Despite our disgust at most tables' markups, we came away with two CDs for ourselves and some gifts for friends. Now this shit really bothers me -- it's local, limited and handmade stuff. There's hardly a markup, dude. But if you prefer your art cheap, mass-produced and with no soul, so be it.

guest

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:11:46 -0600

finally a pitchfork commentary that focuses on what really matters: ATMS, pizza lines, and shopping. thanks chicagoist!

martin

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 09:44:39 -0600

The "we" thing I'd expect really digs under people's skin here, considering Chicagoist has obviously been to Pfork before (and is more like blatant lying, regardless of your Chicagoist's writing style). Too bad nobody seems to see the festival just for what it is - great way to spend a day in a park meeting new and old friends while listening to some good bands (who can sometimes sound like shite - or sometimes sound amazing).

wordsnrhymes

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 09:29:18 -0600

...Shoulda chilled at home and saved up your energy for Gogol Bordello on Sunday night. That show was easily the highlight of my concert-packed year!

guest

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 09:25:43 -0600

Too bad you didn't wait for Girl Talk, even getting cut off short, it was the best show of the day. Course I'm the kind of guy who was weened on the mosh pits of the early 90s so maybe a packed crowd puts me off less than the average person.