Pat Duffy, formerly of Pop Tarts Suck Toasted (RIP), checks in for us! Let’s just skip right on past the lackluster Panda Bear performance and put the focus where the focus is due – on LCD Soundsystem – who turned Union Park into a massive dance party last night, absolutely tearing the roof off of a roofless, outdoor venue. As day turned into night, and the mid-90s temperatures that had dominated the day cooled to high-80s temps, people were at a fever pitch for Saturday’s headline act. For hours, people camped out at the main stage, trying to inch their way closer to the creator of two of the best albums in the last five years. James Murphy and company would prove worthy of the devotion that left people wilting in the the heat, but still ready to dance like maniacs once the strains of “Pow Pow”, “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House” and “Dance Yrself Clean” came pouring out of the speakers. As the music blared, people who had spent the day sweating danced to a frenzy, sweating all over again and not giving a damn the slightest. It was a release unlike anything else we saw at the festival and LCD Soundsystem truly earned their headlining status throughout their hour long set. For the encore the band came out and tore the place down with an passionate rendition of “New York I Love You”. It didn’t matter that it was being played with the famed Willis Tower hanging in the background, because let’s face it – the same sentiments Murphy bestows on New York could be translated to Chicago effortlessly. LCD Soundsystem simply out performed everyone else that has taken the stage thus far at Pitchfork. As the headliner it’s what they were supposed to do, but following the lackluster Modest Mouse set it wouldn’t have been unexpected for LCD to simply sink under the pressure of wrapping the night. They didn’t and they were carried into the night in the memories of the thousands of people who waited patiently for them and then danced like they didn’t have a care in the world as the band played. Now if Pavement can bring some of that to Sunday’s festival closing set it will have been a very good weekend of music. Slutty Pop Tarts Rating: 9.2.

View more photos & download an LCD selection AFTER THE JUMP…

MP3: LCD Soundsystem Vs. MIMS – Clean Yrself Like This