The time has come, once again, for the latest and greatest of the music biz to take over Chicago’s Union Park. Hipsters, rockers and rollers will flock to the festival grounds this Friday-Sunday, and you better already have your ticket because it’s too late now! Pitchfork tickets for all three days are officially sold-out!
Pitchfork will be hosting its usual Record fair and Flatstock poster series, featuring the work of many of the most popular concert poster artists working today, but this year there are a few other opportunities definitely worth a break from the main stages. Toyota Antics is sponsoring a silk screening station where concert-goers can customize tote bags and t-shirts, a Prius Sweepstakes, a photo booth offering free festival “close ups,” and even a classic ‘80s gaming arcade. Perhaps even more entertaining will be another 2010 addition: The Pitchfork Comedy Stage. Comedy at Pitchfork?!? While taking a break from crowd-surfing and rowdy music fans is an obvious appeal to this new Pitchfork tradition, for those of you worried that the jokes will ruin the Pitchfork vibe, funny guy David Cross explains why he thinks music and comedy belong in the same space: "There's quite an overlap between musicians who have an affection towards comedy and comedians who fantasize about being in a band," he said. "The two worlds have more similarities than they do differences." All the jokes are going down on Friday on the Balance Stage, where the comedy acts will be hosted by Les Savy Fay front man Tim Harrington. Featuring atcs by stand-up artist Eugene Mirman, "The State"/Wet Hot American Summer star Michael Showalter, "Daily Show" correspondent Wyatt Cenac, and "Saturday Night Live" writer Hannibal Buress, I think it’s safe to say that the Comedy Stage line-up will not disappoint.
Besides changing up the festival experience, Pitchfork is doing what it can this year to change how the festival itself impacts the environment. In an effort to “go green,” Pitchfork is encouraging everyone to take public transportation or ride their bikes to the festival. A Chicago Reader’s Biker Village Presented by CLIF Bar’s 2 Mile Challenge will be located at the southwest corner of the festival grounds (Ashland & Warren) and will provide 9,500 square feet of secure and guarded bicycle parking for festival attendees. Those who ride their bikes can enjoy snacks provided by CLIF plus free air for tires and lubrication for chains. If the distance is too great to bike, Pitchfork encourages all road tripping attendees to buy carbon offsets, and is setting an example of responsible traveling by buying carbon offsets to cover the travel of all their musicians. On the festival website, Pitchfork calls attention to the fact that the nature of an international music festival creates the need for a lot of travel and that all the plane, train, van, and car miles that bring bands and fans from around the globe to the festival contribute significantly to the pressing problem of climate change. By encouraging fans to purchase "carbon offsets," Pitchfork is hopeful that funding will be given to projects which reduce emissions causing climate change. Every environmentally-conscious act counts!
Enjoy Pitchfork 2010 - cleaner, greener, funnier, and just as rockin' as always!
No comments:
Post a Comment