emusic a+r debrief: pitchfork fest

This past weekend, eMusic’s Access + Rewards program flew eMusic member John and his fiancee Foy to Chicago, with VIP passes to the Pitchfork Music Festival. Not only did they to enjoy thrilling sets by LCD Soundsystem and the reunited Pavement, but their VIP access allowed them skip the crowds and get up close to the action.

Near the end of the weekend, we interviewed John and Foy about their Pitchfork experience. See what they had to say after the jump — and check out eMusic’s Access + Rewards page for your chance to win!

eMusic: So, who was your favorite act of the weekend?

John: LCD really had tons of great energy and just rocked – they were awesome. Here We Go Magic — I really didn’t know anything about them, we just kind of wandered over to the stage, and they rocked.

eMusic: Any bands you saw this weekend that, if they came through your hometown, you’d go see again?

John: Here We Go Magic, for sure.

Foy: I thought St. Vincent was great.

eMusic: Were there any bands that you weren’t crazy about before the festival, but that changed your mind with their performance?

John: There were so many bands, honestly, that I wasn’t familiar with. I knew the big ones, but there were a lot of bands I was really into. I liked Surfer Blood — I thought they were very, very good.

Foy: Major Lazer is a good example. I’m sort of singular in the whole “indie” thing — I like my Pavement, I like Arcade Fire, but now I see Major Lazer, and this is fun, too. He gets the crowd going, he has elements of hip-hop and reggae — it’s great. It was new for me, and it’s a lot of fun.

John: It’s just about wandering around, stage to stage, catching a few songs and then moving on to another one.

eMusic: Any bands you thought would be cool to hang out with?

John: James Murphy, for sure.

Foy: Yeah. We’re a little older than the median age here, and we’ve been listening to music for a while, and it’s nice to see performers who are a little closer to your age. James Murphy, for instance, is 41. He’d be someone you could hang with. And that band Here We Go Magic, same thing – they’re tight as a group, but you get the sense that they’d be sort of fun to hang with as well.

eMusic: Any up-and-coming bands that you recommend be booked on the festival next year?

John: Surfer Blood — I don’t know if they’re up-and-coming, they’ve kind of arrived.

Foy: I like Beirut a lot, I think his music is beautiful, and that’s a sound I don’t think I would have sought out until a friend of mine introduced me to them. I know this year Wolf Parade played, but I like his other project, too, Sunset Rubdown. I think there are a lot of different in those two groups.

John: Los Campesinos! would fucking rock this place! I saw them at a tiny club in Atlanta, and they are something else. They would translate so well to this venue.