Pitchfork 2010: WHY? and Panda Bear drone on while LCD Soundsystem lights up the night with a glow stick dance party

Day 2 Part 2, July 17, in Chicago

By Selena Fragassi & Sarah Collins
Published: July 18th, 2010 | 10:25am

Smith Westerns should have more enthusiasm given that they're all under 21, but the old-school rock 'n' roll they're working with requires a more subdued energy. And, apparently, questionable sartorial choices to complete the blast from the past vibe. But the songs are good enough to look past a paisley print shirt here or there. "Girl in Love" and "Gimme Some Time" only needed the crackle and pop of a worn record to sound like takes off of Nuggets. They even ventured into '50s girl group sounds—while they're still young enough to hit the high notes. Smith Westerns' songs aren’t new, but they are very well done, and very charming.

The charm put them well above WHY?, who spent the first 10 minutes of their set soundchecking. I get the OCD and appreciate the attention to detail, but there are better things to watch at a fest than the members of WHY? running vocal scales in every microphone. Even if the resulting sound was perfect for the rest of the set. WHY? had the benefit of being unlike anything else on the lineup, which drew them a plenty big crowd, but there were only a few moments of true connection between fans and band—most of them created by Yoni Wolf’s dancing skills. Much of the audience was using the trippy tunes as an excuse to pull out pipes, but “Song of the Sad Assassin” drew a big response for the chorus, and “The Vowel Part 2” and “Rubber Traits” turned into minor sing-a-longs. But the chill kind of sing-a-long, because even an excited WHY? audience is still relaxed.

Which is nothing compared to Panda Bear. While droning experimental electronic noise can be great in a small room, or as a pre-sleep soundtrack, it is not meant for large festivals. The bulk of the audience was waiting to turn to their right for LCD Soundsystem, with varying levels of patience. Panda Bear was also competing with the bass from Freddie Gibbs’ set, an instrument that is notably not present in Noah Lennox’s music. It’s a strange thing to watch one small man standing over a keyboard and wearing a guitar. He alleviated some of that by providing videos, which played on the monitors. But those videos included pregnant bellies being cut open with Grateful Dead–style lighting—one of the few images more off-putting than a lone musician standing still on a great big stage. Lennox came out for an encore, but wisely nixed it and said thanks before leaving the stage. [Sarah Collins]

“We’re not going to say much, we’re just going to play as much as we can,” said Wolf Parade singer Spencer Krug to the throngs of people painted out like George Seurat dots before him. And that’s just how the audience liked it, as the gag order made way for a balanced and career spanning set that seemed as self-made for the crowd as it was self-serving for the band. Wolf Parade began the set with “Cloud Shadow on the Mountain,” to the delight of their diehard cubs who let out howls of approval for the nouveau riche meets New Wave track from the Montreal band’s latest effort, Expo 86 (Sub Pop).

Like Delorean before them, Wolf Parade’s music was an unconditional celebration although it came as quite the surprise dance party for the foot traffic unfamiliar with the band’s new prog-heavy direction. While still maintaining the compositional intensity of its predecessors, Expo 86 might just as well refer to its year of inception, rooted in two-decades-old electro lessons aced by modern grades of rock. Chronology aside, the crowd relished in every moment of the two-years-past-due performance with uproarious affection that proved they could win a round of the Wolf Parade edition of “Name That Tune.”

LCD Soundsystem was the shot heard 'round the park as thousands diverged upon the main stage field to watch the final cannonball fired from the rounds of dance music that overtook Saturday’s overall entertaining lineup. While some just did the Charlie Brown hop to songs like “Us Vs. Them” and new single “Drunk Girls,” others ran berserk through the field, perhaps to catch the confetti of glow sticks that littered the field or maybe to haphazardly start a conga line.

Although rumors swirled that this would be LCD’s last-ever show in Chicago on a suggested unannounced farewell tour—by the looks from the stage, there was too much fun to be had to call it quits by the 10:30 wrap time. In full form were the ubiquitous cowbell and a glowing disco ball that almost met its Studio 54 demise from the thunderous output by fully engaged musicians who rattled its hinges.

Although certain areas of the park were more hard of hearing than others who were in direct line of the sensitive speakers, James Murphy and company ensured everyone went home happy by playing a setlist that could just as well been handpicked by the audience as Pitchfork has done for the main acts in years past. Included were “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House” and “Pow Pow,” both of which were heavy on the drill sergeant style repetition that has made LCD Soundsystem a popular choice for walloped sing-a-longs that, you know, could still find their way into karaoke nights and jukeboxes should the gossip hold true. But really, could anyone ever do it better than Murphy? Nope, we don’t think so either. [Selena Fragassi]

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Read up on Pitchfork Day 1: Part 1 and Part 2

Read up on Pitchfork Day 2: Part 1 and Part 2

Read up on Pitchfork Day 3: Part 1 and Part 2