Faces in the Crowd: Portraits of the 2013 Pitchfork Music Festival

Jul 23, 2013

For almost a decade, the Pitchfork Music Festival has become a unique part of Chicago music culture. To some, it's an excuse for annoying outsiders to come into a city and stake claim to foreign grounds, bringing their cutoff jean shorts and ironic moustaches with them. To others, it's a chance to bring together fans of all colors, shapes, and sizes in the name of good music, interesting people, and a Whole Foods tent. But to pigeonhole Pitchfork Music Festival is a misstep—this year alone the three-day festival brought together Björk, Belle and Sebastian, and R. Kelly for what has to be one of the most diverse music experiences of 2013. Here's a look at some of the faces in the crowd.

1.

For almost a decade, the Pitchfork Music Festival has become a unique part of Chicago music culture. To some, it's an excuse for annoying outsiders to come into a city and stake claim to foreign grounds, bringing their cutoff jean shorts and ironic moustaches with them. To others, it's a chance to bring together fans of all colors, shapes, and sizes in the name of good music, interesting people, and a Whole Foods tent. But to pigeonhole Pitchfork Music Festival is a misstep—this year alone the three-day festival brought together Björk, Belle and Sebastian, and R. Kelly for what has to be one of the most diverse music experiences of 2013. Here's a look at some of the faces in the crowd.

2.

Name: The Polowy family

From: Chicago

Here for: Belle & Sebastian

Baby's first concert: Do Division Street Fest

3.

Name: Laurie

From: Lawrence, KS

Most excited for: Björk

Ever been arrested: No. Once I slashed someone's tires but I didn't get caught.

4.

Name: Natalie

From: Tinley Park

Most excited for: Solange

Thoughts on country music: It depends. I like some of it. I just like whatever sounds good.

5.

Name: John (@IrishAce11)

From: Chicago

Most excited for: Belle and Sebastian, Björk

Best rap show you've ever been to: Kendrick Lamar last year. He was really great.

6.

Name: Jana (@janarama)

From: Chicago

Most excited for: Lil B

Would you ever shoot an animal: My instinct is to say no, but under certain circumstances, yes.

7.

Name: Sharon (@shaykwon)

From: Los Angeles

Most excited to see: Björk and R. Kelly

Tupac or Biggie: Tupac

8.

Name: Vincent

From: Chicago

Most excited for: Savages

Best concert you've ever been to: Grinderman at The Riviera

9.

Name: Oliver

From: New Zealand

Most excited for: R. Kelly

Favorite animal: [Answers immediately and confidently] Otter

10.

Name: Grace

From: Michigan

Most excited for: Sky Ferreira

Thoughts on heavy metal: Not my thing

11.

Name: Chase

From: Southern California

Most excited for: R.Kelly

Soda or water: Soda. Diet Mountain Dew, definitely.

12.

Name: Angie Kisling

From: St. Paul, Minnesota

Most excited for: Björk (obviously)

Which Björk song she hoped to hear: "5 Years"

13.

Name: Jermaine Collins

From: Chicago, Illinois

Most excited for: R. Kelly because I'm from Chicago and I've been listening to him since I was a baby.

Biggie or Tupac: Biggie, he was a rawer rapper and he made songs that were more in with the streets.

14.

Name: Josue Segura

Most excited for: TNGHT

First album ever bought: The Offspring's Americana

15.

Names: Aisha Yousaf and Kyle Woods

Most excited for: Björk

Why Björk: Never seen her live, but I have wanted to ever since high school.

16.

Name: Jace Neely

Favorite thing about today: Water!

[Side note: Kids can attend Pitchfork festival for free!]

17.

Name: Angelique Gall

From: Chicago, Illinois

Most excited for: Björk

First concert ever: Nine Inch Nails in 1994.

18.

Name: Jason Magicks

From: Chicago, Illinois

How many years have you attended the festival: Five years total, three years promoting my music. [His music is available here with the code "9fes-ynbj"]

Are there any kittens in that box you're holding: Not actually any kittens.

19.

kittens

20.

Name: Will Guzzardi

From: Chicago, Illinois

Most excited to see: Phosphorescent, because I know two of his albums —Prides and Here's to Taking it Easy—they're so different and I like them for very different reasons.

What he came here for: The Book Fair on behalf of Wags Revue.

21.

Name: David Snydacker

From: Chicago, Illinois

Years at the festival: My first time at Pitchfork.

Most excited for: Phosphorescent

Where are you going right now: I'm about to go see Savages, who I haven't heard live yet.

22.

Name: Jessica Howard

Most excited for: ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead

Why: I just really like their sound.

23.

Name: Cloud Sky

From: Chicago, Illinois

Most excited for: Blood Orange or TNGHT

How many times attending Pitchfork: I've been four times.

Guilty pleasure songs: '90s music or Taking Back Sunday is my guilt-free pleasure.

[Side note: He's flipping off the surveillance camera, not me. I spotted him mid-bird and couldn't resist a photo.]

24.

Name: Sara Wenokur

From: Chicago, Illinois

Most excited for: The Breeders

How many times attending Pitchfork Festival: I've been four times but the best year was 2007 because no one was here.

25.

Name: Joel Vejemdla

How many years attending Pitchfork: Four times

Most excited for: Belle & Sebastian

Why: I've been listening to them forever and it was super surprising I never thought I'd see them

26.

Name: Bryce Parsons-Twesten

What are you here for: I'm working for the Chicago Diner

Pros and cons of working a festival: The worst thing is I don't get to enjoy walking around. The best thing is seeing a bunch of people having a great time.

Most excited for: Joanna Newsom

27.

Name: Scott Spitzer

How many years attending Pitchfork: It's my first Pitchfork Festival.

Most excited for: Swans

Why: Because they've been my favorite band for nine years.

28.

Name: Heather Evans

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Most excited for: Björk, Solange and Blood Orange.

Were you sad that Björk's set ended early: I'm here with my little sister so I had to take her home early anyway.

How many years attending: My first Pitchfork Festival, but I'm moving to Chicago.

29.

Name: Lily Benson

From: Boston, Massachusetts

Most excited for: R. Kelly

Guilty pleasure songs: I don't really feel guilty about anything.

How many years attending Pitchfork: It's my first time!

30.

Name: Jake Savage

From: Cincinnati, Ohio

Most excited for: Waxahatchee

What's your favorite Waxahatchee song: "Dixie Cups and Jars"

Guilty pleasure songs: Jimmy Eat World

31.

Name: Bailey Wall

Most excited for: Toro Y Moi and Blood Orange

What are you here for: Working at the Claire Ashley tent for Chicago Artists Coalition, I started working for the organization a couple months ago.

32.

Name: Montgomery Mitchell

From: Cleveland, Ohio

Most excited for: The Breeders

First cd you ever bought: Soundgarden's Down the Upside

[Side note: The full text of his shirt reads "Taylor Swift or Die."]

33.

Names: Mary Gale Tan and Patrick Rork

Most excited for: Solange - Mary, Blood Orange - Patrick

Guilty pleasure songs: "Bipp" by Sophie - Patrick, "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke - Mary

Mary, why do you like "Blurred Lines": Robin Thicke is so degrading, but I want him to talk to me like that!

34.

Name: Dom Wordlaw

Most excited for: R. Kelly

Why: He's been in the game for so long and he's so ridiculous—it's like now or never to see him.

First CD you ever bought: A jazz CD by Wayne Shorter

35.

Name: Beth Read

Most excited for: Mac DeMarco, he's gorgeous and makes beautiful music.

How many years attending Pitchfork: This is my fourth year.

First CD you ever bought: No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom

36.

Name: Coy Wentworth

Most excited for: Phosphorescent, that band is the best.

Guilty pleasure song: Selena Gomez's new song "Come and Get It."

37.

Name: Jeremy Lombardo

What are you doing here: Painting portraits of the performing artists [Check out his Facebook page for more art/info here.]

Who were you most excited to paint: El-P and Killer Mike

Most excited for: El-P


killer

38.

Name: Britt Julious

From: Chicago, Illinois

Most excited for: Savages and Solange

First CD ever bought: Spice Girls debut album Spice

39.

Name: Katie Diebold

Most excited for: Björk and Savages

Why Savages: My friend went to Coachella and saw that band and recommended them to me.

40.

Name: 2 Cups

From: Pitchfork Fest 2013

Here to see: Belle & Sebastian

Favorite liquid you've ever held: Goose Island Run The Jewels brew

41.

Name: Chris Juby

Most excited for: Yo La Tengo

First CD ever bought: Radiohead's Pablo Honey

42.

Name: John Paul Mallari

Tupac or Biggie: I fucked with East Coast movement more, because I was born and raised there, so Biggie.

43.

Name: Bradley Smith

How many years attending Pitchfork: It's my second one.

Most excited for: R. Kelly

Biggie or Tupac: Biggie, he's just the best.

44.

Name: Kyle Baker

Most excited for: The Breeders

First CD ever bought: Does cassette count? The Blues Brothers' soundtrack.

45.

Name: Hannah Hayse

How many years attending Pitchfork: My first Pitchfork festival.

Most excited for: Pissed Jeans and Swans.

Thoughts on the Pissed Jeans set: It was the most religious experience of my life.

Favorite Pissed Jeans song: "Bathroom Laughter."

46.

Name: Steven Gilpin

Most excited for: Chairlift

First CD ever bought: Pearl Jam's second album Vs.

47.

Name: Kristin Nason

Most excited for: Autre Ne Veut

Did you enjoy the set: Yes, but I felt bad for the people who had to hold up the frames for him.

[Side note: Autre Ne Veut re-created his album art by employing two dudes to hold up huge picture frames during his set.]

48.

Name: Leah Van Horn

Most excited for: M.I.A., Chairlift and Yo La Tengo

Biggest bummer: I missed Blood Orange.

First CD ever bought: The Grease soundtrack.

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