To say that the second day of Pitchfork was eventful would be a massive understatement. Our day began with a trip to Froth Cafe to meet some lovely fellow college radio people from WSUM (Wisconsin-Madison) and University of Illinois Chicago. We shared experiences, stories, and ideas over refreshing cold brew before caravaning our way over a short walk to the festival to prep for the first performance of the day: Deeper. Bringing a blistering post-punk sound to the start of the series of performances, they riled up the crowd for an exciting beginning to day two of Pitchfork music fest. 

 Their high energy set was cut short, however, as lightning struck nearby and festival officials postponed any further music until the all-clear was given. Unfortunately, performers were not cleared to begin music again until after art-rock band, Palm’s, set time had ended, meaning they were unable to perform and were rescheduled for Sunday. Luckily, both Black Belt Eagle Scout and 700 Bliss were able to begin shortly after their set times had been scheduled. Both delivered raw and powerful sounds that fans were glad to witness after the previous cancellation. 

 Up next was southern indie rock artist and crowd favorite MJ Lenderman, with a backing band sporting two full drum sets and a lapsteel. 

 Shortly after, the ever-ethereal Vagabon began her set on the blue stage, however this, too, was cut short after the third song due to lightning once again. 

 I (Joey) made my way over to the Doordash area to catch the exclusive Weyes Blood interview while Addy rested off a major caffeine crash and prepared for interviews in the press tent, but this was also canceled mere minutes after beginning due to the same circumstances. Murmurings swept through both the press tent and general audience as winds picked up and rain began to fall. Eventually an announcement was made - festival grounds were to be evacuated by everyone until further notice, leading many to believe that day two of Pitchfork was completely over. Press and vendor staff, including ourselves, were ushered to the Bottom Lounge, a bar close in proximity to Union Park. For what seemed like an eternity (but in reality was probably 30-45 minutes) we awaited news of what was to happen. Finally, we got wind that press would be allowed back into the ground in 10 minutes; Pitchfork Day 2 was back on! This didn’t come without a cost though, as Panda Bear/Sonic Boom and Snail Mail both were scheduled for almost exactly the times that the Festival had been shut down. As King Krule began his set, we found ourselves scrambling to reschedule an interview with Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul. Once we were finally able to meet up, they gave a wonderful interview and seemed absolutely thrilled to be at Pitchfork and talking about their craft. 

 Around 8 PM, halfway through Weyes Blood’s beautiful set, several photographers (including me, Joey) were escorted behind the stage and around into the photo pit to catch the last 3 songs of her set. As the crescendo of emotion built through tracks like God Turn Me Into a Flower, so did the rain. If any artist were to perform in the rain in such a stunning fashion, Weyes Blood was the perfect storm (pun intended). As rain drenched the crowd, performers, and photographers alike, Weyes Blood delivered an unforgettable and truly cinematic show that left both of us teary-eyed and speechless. 

 I (Addy) ran between Weyes Blood’s set on the red stage, and Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul’s set on the blue stage; the chaos was absolutely worth it to see both performances. 

 After both Weyes Blood and Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul wrapped up, it was time for Saturday’s headliner: Big Thief. With all of the delays and chaos of the day, this performance was so fulfilling and made the hardships of the day all worth it. In fact, this was the case for all performances, not just Big Thief. 

 Seeing the crowd excited for every artist, showing their love and appreciation through dance, or even just a simple sway, gave a palpable feeling of warmth and love for music. In all, this day was incredibly fun and gave the both of us incredible on-the-job learning experiences. To say that we are grateful is an understatement!