No band at the fest better validated the Return of the ’90s theme our music writers observed in our current issue more than the Thermals did Sunday. Did we pay them off? Not that we know of, but we will say nice things about the band here. It wasn’t enough that the trio has the grungiest sound of anyone on the bill—Hutch Harris’s guitar has various settings but all fill out the full sonic distortion spectrum–and coupled with powerfully poppy songs—the band ends up on the good side of grunge. Harris’s look might have been slim Euro, pink and trendy, but his choice of tunes paid tribute to the tartan-friendly alternative fests of the past. Points for kicking off the set with a cover of Sonic Youth’s “100%,” more points for playing Green Day’s “Basket Case.” Between the band’s own peppy and pogo-worthy ditties, it banged out songs from Nirvana and the Breeders, reminding those of us (perhaps Pitchfork writers, too?) that most of us just wanna have fun and not be taken so goshdarn seriously all the time.

Time Out Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival 2009 gallery