It magically became March without giving people enough time to take notice and summer already seems palpable. What does that mean? FESTIVALS. The music industry is definitely embracing the cash cow that is the summer indie music festival — Coachella has evolved (devolved?) into a clusterfuck with Sasquatch!, Bonnaroo, Outside Lands and Lollapalooza in tow. So many choices, such expensive tickets, increasingly questionable headliners…
Well, at least you know what to expect from the Pitchfork Music Festival, going down July 15-17 at Union Park in Chicago. They haven’t announced the lineup yet, but browse their “Best New Music” page to get a general idea.
Best Coast, Destroyer, Girls, Joanna Newsom, The Radio Dept., Wavves, OFF!, Smith Westerns, Cut Copy, Das Racist, Walkmen, Curren$y, Ariel Pink, Flying Lotus, Tame Impala, Robyn, and James Blake will most likely all be there; throw in some classic post-punk acts like Mission of Burma, Gang of Four, and Wire and you have the initial lineup for the most predictable festival on the circuit. But the best part is, this mock lineup fucking delivers. And tickets are only $45 for single-day passes and $110 for three-day passes. Throw in delicious food from local eateries, a full record store, and various local art, clothes, and trinkets for a well-rounded Chicago experience. Tickets go on sale this Friday, so if this all sounds appealing, schedule! transfer funds! make travel plans!
The Radio Dept. don’t use their songs for specific political protests often but when they do, they make sure they don’t go unnoticed. After 2008’s “Freddie And The Trojan Horse,” about the Swedish Right-wing givernment, they are back this week with with “The New Improved Yypocrisy,” released only a few days before the next general election to the Swedish parliament, to be held on September 19th.
Modern Mystery 