Pitchfork

The days just keep getting hotter around here, and so does the flurry of activity surrounding the 2008 Pitchfork Music Festival. Fresh on the heels of our announcement last week about the nine-week free lunchtime concert series comes word of two more awesome Pitchfork Fest satellite events: a panel discussion of Public Enemy's landmark album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, and a festival preview night showcase in downtown Chicago. Both free events go down Thursday, July 17, the day before the Pitchfork Music Festival begins its three-day residency at Chicago's Union Park.

Presented in conjunction with the Future of Music Coalition, the Nation of Millions panel will feature Hank and Keith Shocklee of Public Enemy's legendary Bomb Squad production crew, along with journalist and PE "Media Assassin" Harry Allen. Host and activist/scholar/filmmaker Kembrew McLeod will lead an in-depth discussion of PE's seminal 1988 LP and how the Squad created the record's world of sound. That sound will of course come to life the following night as Public Enemy storms through It Takes a Nation of Millions at Union Park as part of the "Don't Look Back" portion of the festival.

The discussion will take place at the Chicago Cultural Center's Claudia Cassidy Theatre, beginning at 3 p.m. Admission to the event is free, but those interested in attending must reserve spots by emailing rsvp@pitchforkmusicfestival.com.

After your lesson in PE history, why not cross the street to Millennium Park's Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion for the Pitchfork Music Festival Preview Night? Co-presented by the park's Music Without Borders series, the free gig starts at 6:30 p.m. and will feature Fleet Foxes, Extra Golden, A Hawk and a Hacksaw, and Boban Markovic, all of whom will perform at the festival proper as well. Hence the "preview" bit.

The Pritzker Pavilion will also, of course, play host to "Audible Architecture: Chicago Nightclubs at Noon". The previously reported free lunchtime concert series brings Tortoise, Bill Callahan, the Ex (with special guest Getatchew Mekuria), Le Loup, Gary Higgins, Bird Names, Habib Koité & Bamada, and Killer Whales to the unique venue thanks to P4k Festival, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, and the city's finest clubs and promoters. The series of Monday afternoon gigs begins June 16 with Chicago's own Bird Names.

And let's not forget the Pitchfork Music Festival itself, hitting Chicago's Union Park July 18-20. Not to put too fine a point on it, but, uh, TICKETS ARE NEARLY GONE! Get them while you can via Ticketweb for the low, low price of $50 for a two-day Saturday/Sunday pass, or $30 for individual day tickets (Three-day passes are, alas, sold out).

For a recap of today's just-announced events, the lunchtime series, and the complete Pitchfork Music Festival lineup, click this link right here:

Thursday, July 17:

3 p.m. It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back panel discussion at Claudia Cassidy Theatre, Chicago Cultural Center

6:30 p.m. Music Without Borders: Pitchfork Music Festival Preview Night at Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, featuring:

Fleet Foxes
Extra Golden
Boban Markovic
A Hawk and a Hacksaw

Pitchfork Music Festival 2008 at Union Park:

Friday, July 18:

Pitchfork Music Festival and All Tomorrow's Parties present "Don't Look Back"

Public Enemy performing It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Sebadoh performing Bubble and Scrape
Mission of Burma performing Vs.

Saturday, July 19:

Animal Collective
Jarvis Cocker
The Hold Steady
!!!
Vampire Weekend
Dizzee Rascal
Fleet Foxes
Caribou
Jay Reatard
Titus Andronicus
No Age
Atlas Sound
Extra Golden
Fuck Buttons
Elf Power
The Ruby Suns
Icy Demons
A Hawk and a Hacksaw
Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar

Sunday, July 20:

Spoon
Dinosaur Jr.
Spiritualized
M. Ward
Ghostface and Raekwon
Les Savy Fav
The Apples in Stereo
Boris
Dirty Projectors
Times New Viking
Cut Copy
Bon Iver
The Dodos
Occidental Brothers Dance Band International
King Khan & His Shrines
El Guincho
HEALTH
High Places
Mahjongg

Audible Architecture: Chicago Nightclubs at Noon at Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park:

06-16 Bird Names (presented by Bottom Lounge)
06-23 Gary Higgins (presented by The Abbey)
06-30 Killer Whales (presented by mP Productions)
07-07 Le Loup (presented by Schubas)
07-28 Bill Callahan (presented by JAM Productions)
08-04 Tortoise (presented by The Hideout)
08-11 TBA
08-18 The Ex with Getatchew Mekuria (presented by Empty Bottle)
08-25 Habib Koité & Bamada (presented by Martyrs')