Day 99: Flaming Lips party at Pitchfork!

DAY 99: Chicago, Illinois
Miles traveled: 13,640
States visited: 33
Weather: 70, cloudy & sprinkles

This weekend I hit up the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago’s Union Park.

My favorite band on Saturday was The Duchess & The Duke, a duo that combines folk sensibility with an indie rock sound. Their soothing harmonies were gorgeous. This was the first time I’d heard any of their music – the opportunity to discover new bands is one reason I love music festivals!

One of my favorite bands was there – Matt & Kim. They’re a ridiculously cheerful pop duo from Brooklyn, and they were as fun as usual. Because they’re so active and energetic, the photos I take of them usually come out like this:

On Sunday, Grizzly Bear played their old-timey pop music, and afterwards I got a setlist from one of the roadies. This is only the second setlist I’ve ever gotten. More fodder for the walls of my music room of my future house… if I should I ever buy one, that is.

The headlining act was the Flaming Lips, who are famous for their legendary, wild shows. I’ve been wanting to see them forever so this was a treat. I managed to get down front near the left side of the stage, so I was able to get pictures of Wayne Coyne walking over the audience in the giant ball, a trademark of Lips shows.

They also shot off confetti and giant balloons. It was such a sensory overload to have all this stuff flying through the air while the Lips played their best songs. What an amazing show – the best I’ve seen this year so far.

I ended up spending 5 days in Chicago. My couchsurfing hosts Kim & Jeremy were very fun and accommodating. There were 5 other couchsurfers also staying there so it was a good opportunity to share travel stories and socialize with folks. And they lived in Pilsen so I got a great chance to experience the neighborhood.

I look forward to returning to Chicago soon, which could be as early as mid-August to look for apartments.