TVD Live: Pitchfork Music Festival, 9/11

2:54 PM: There are many reasons to love Pitchfork Music Festival, but one area they excel at compared to other fests is performer diversity. You will not see only male musicians or only white bands headlining Pitchfork. In fact, this year’s headliners are all females—and powerhouses, I might add. It brings me immense joy to see such a female-heavy lineup, and today’s one in particular has me giddy. St. Vincent, Jamila Woods, Kim Gordon, Angel Olsen, Waxahatchee and more are all performing today. It’s the coolest Lilith Fair I’ve ever attended.

3:12 PM: “I’ve been wanting to play this festival for a decade!” Divino Niño exclaims. “Dream mother fucking come true!”

3:42 PM: It’s Amaarae’s first time on stage in two years, but she’s in prime form. People are grooving to her particular brand of Afro-soul and currently singing along to her cover of Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name.”

3:45 PM: Bartees Strange quit his job a year ago yesterday to pursue music, he tells the audience during his interview in the DoorDash members area. I would say he made a good choice.

4:43 PM: Well, I’ve been not-so-patiently waiting to hear St. Cloud live since its release last year and the moment has finally arrived. Waxahatchee looks radiant, like a poster child for CottageCore, as she strums her acoustic.

5:28 PM: Faye Webster is worthy of the hype. The sun is dancing through the trees by the Blue Stage, adding to the overall dreaminess of the music and the moment.

5:43 PM: “So how’s Prada?” (Questions you overhear at Pitchfork.)

5:58 PM: Ty Segall is doing what he does best: wailing on the guitar. It’s awesome! In between capturing a few crowd surfers, I hear a “We’re not worthy” from the crowd.

6:10 PM: Today I wore a shirt that says “Thom Bjork” because it’s the most Pitchfork shirt I own. It’s a real hit. I’ve already received 20 compliments, had my photo taken twice, and am definitely walking with an inflated sense of ego right now because of it.

6:55 PM: The legendary Kim Gordon took a minute to overcome some nerves, but she’s found her footing. Her gaze is as intense as her music.

7:56 PM: Jamila Woods has this uncanny ability to exude pure, powerful joy. She creates the aura and we just get to bask in it for the next hour. Chicago is lucky to have such a homegrown talent at its fingertips.

8:22 PM: As if today wasn’t stacked enough, Angel Olsen brings out Sharon Van Etten to sing their duet “Like I Used To.” “She’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in the music industry,” Angel tells the crowd before hugging Sharon. It’s a perfect ending to an emotionally cathartic set.

9:43 PM: All I wrote down during St. Vincent was “best set of the fest by a fucking mile.” Yep, sure was. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: she’s our Bowie, which is the highest compliment I think I’ve ever paid anyone. I appreciate her for always successfully exploring and reinventing her sound and persona.

AMAARAE