A simple, yet all-encompassing ‘GOOD MORNING PITCHFORK’ was our first exchange of the morning. And what an early morning it was, a 5:30AM departure from Minneapolis, to be exact. After embarking on our 6-hour journey to Chicago, we arrived in Union Park, greeted by the clamor of soundchecks, pre-show setup, and frantic last-minute festival preparations. Before we knew it, the first artist, Nourished By Time, was onstage and starting the festival off on a great note. A while later, we caught Chicago-based artist Sen Morimoto, who put on a fantastic show, complete with a vibrant horn section that livened up the crowd more than I ever thought possible. 

 Then, on the blue stage, the smallest (but often liveliest) of the three stages, came Mavi. Mavi’s energy was contagious, the whole crowd jumped with him, and his expressive behavior and genuine excitement instantly made him a crowd favorite. 

 Another crowd favorite was Nation of Language, who performed later on the red stage. Their synth-heavy groove made for both entertaining viewing and optimal photography. 

 Between sets, we wandered around the grounds of Union Park, noting countless memorable outfits, some of which can be seen on our TikTok! 

Then came a heavily-anticipated performance, none other than Perfume Genius. Joey and I have now had the pleasure of seeing him twice: once, opening for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in Minneapolis, and now at Pitchfork. I (Addy) distinctly remember being in the crowd for his Minneapolis set, turning to Joey and saying “it’s killing me that I’m not in the photo pit right now.” That desire to take photos came into fruition, and I can now confidently say that Perfume Genius is one of my favorite artists to photograph. His facial expressions, choreography, and distinctive red latex gloves made for photos that were both high-quality and fun to capture. 

 Shortly after Perfume Genius began, Ric Wilson launched into an incredibly danceable and lively jazz-funk fusion performance on the blue stage. Everything about this group worked in a cohesive and infectiously groovy way. The audience quickly caught on to Ric Wilsons charismatic crowd work, making him and his group yet another surprise hit on the Blue Stage. 

Making our way back across the park to the Red Stage, we caught one of the biggest performances of the night - Alvvays. Throughout the day we had seen countless attendees dressed in Alvvays merchandise and carrying signed vinyl. The crowd packed in right to the barricades and erupted as this 5 piece indie pop powerhouse made their way onto the stage. Neither of us had previously considered ourselves fans of the band, but after witnessing their performance we both agreed we should have been fans a long time ago. 

 After their performance, it was time for the final act of the night: The Smile. As the sun set, anticipation filled the entire festival. The photographers that had been permitted to photograph The Smile (including us!) lined up next to the photo pit; there was palpable nervous excitement radiating from everyone. At exactly 8:30 PM, all three members of the band as well as a backup saxophone player took to the Green Stage in front of the swelling crowd as endless cheers erupted from the masses. In true Thom Yorke fashion, the set began with an emotionally visceral piano and vocal performance from the frontman before erupting into a musically intricate and overwhelming cacophony of guitar, bass, piano, synth, and saxophone. Constantly switching instruments and playing styles, both Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood emphasized their artistic prowess to an awestruck audience. Several other photographers and concertgoers made comments such as “Oh my god that's really them”, and I, (Joey) myself, took about 30 seconds to stop and look, mouth agape, completely in awe, at some of my personal rock heroes standing mere feet in front of me. 

The first day of Pitchfork Music Festival 2023 gave us great energy for the rest of the weekend, we cannot wait to see what’s in store for us tomorrow. Until then, thanks for reading.