Pitchfork Music Festival 2007: Day 1

Slint: Interesting that they picked the most low-keyed (so far) band to kick off Pitchfork. Slint singer/guitarist Brian McMahan has an odd posture: for the songs where he's just singing, he stands turned to the side, like keyboard players do, rather than facing the crowd straight-on. But there was no keyboard in front of him, and his guitar was off to the side. Slint's entire show, which was a straight-up recreation of their epochal 1991 album, Spiderland was a testament to casualness. No MC'ed intro (or outro); watching the band laboriously concentrate on their music was like sitting in on an open band rehearsal; and considering their music is marked by slashing power chords, the murmuring audience was louder than the band itself. - James Porter

Slow burn - Pitchfork 2007 takes a while to spark any real excitement, perhaps due to the often-quiet performance of Slint, which those on the east side of Union Park were surprised to discover was still happening past 7pm. But perhaps it's because - like any early Friday night party - most folks are still trickling in from day jobs. Even a solid set by The GZA doesn't unite the entire crowd, many of whom are swarming over the WLUW Record Fair. In any case, most of the evening feels like an opening act, with hints of what's to come. - Scott Smith The GZA - "I flew in all way from Europe to be here!" the Genius calls out to the crowd. "Wu-Tang is in Amsterdam, but I'm here to rock the Pitchfork!" As soon as he and his crew hits the stage, a cloud of ganja rises above the crowd: It was if Liquid Swords wasn't the only thing coming out of the speakers. It was striking how the album, arguably the best of the Wu-Tang solo releases, holds up after all these years. But it's also a touchstone of its era, an iconic piece of mid-'90s hip-hop, with stark, simple beats that seem alien to the ultra-production we expect from the Neptunes or Timbaland today. Oh yeah, and seeing a bunch of skinny white kids throw up the Wu-hands? Priceless.—Antonia Simigis

Same name, different feel - While the same laid-back vibe dominates this year's fest (you'd be rich if you had a nickel for every person who apologetically says "excuse me" as they move past you in the crowd), little changes are noticeable. More beer cups are seen in the hands of more people, thanks to cooler temps. The large video screens offer better views, of both the acts, and the names of the corporate sponsors. Yes, they have a presence here, and no fest this size comes off without them. But if the corporate presence at Lollapalooza is a bear hug, at Pitchfork it feels like a gentle squeeze. The Boost Mobile recharge tent - so named for both the couches and the multi-brand cell chargers there - along with all the food and beverage vendors are all relegated to the outer edge of the park so as not to interfere with sight lines. Thax Douglas is nowhere to be found, but The Hideout's Tim Tuten is back to introduce Sonic Youth, though even he finds that his presence is trimmed down to a brief thirty seconds. - SS

Sonic Youth - Tuten introduces Sonic Youth with a quip about a "middle-aged riot," which says something about the appeal of tonight's Don't Look Back series acts. Sonic Youth goes on to recreate its album Daydream Nation with little of its vitality lost–even improvising many of the song's middle-eights. The album could easily have been interpreted as a look back in itself when it came out, a touchstone for the hardcore and experimental rock eras with the kind of memorable songs that opened the doors to the mid-90s grunge hits. In Union Park, Lee Ranaldo swings his Fender guitar toward his amp at the end of "Teenage Riot." Kim Gordon, in Jackie-O-worthy mini stalks the stage and sings tunes like "Kissability" with proto-Riot Grrl spunk. Though the stage sound system was woefully underpowering the band that brought its 20-plus guitars, the noise-loving New Yorkers had the exponentially more visual appeal than the preceding bands. They wrap with an encore featuring "Incinerate" off their previous album, and some new songs with Mark Ibold from Pavement on bass. Late breaking news of the night? Thurston Moore will guest with Yoko Ono on Saturday night. —John Dugan