Pitchfork Festival 2023 Preview

The Smile, 8:30 PM – 9:50 PM

Thom Yorke (QRO live review) and Jonny Greenwood have long fronted the biggest alt-rock band in the world, the living icon that is Radiohead (QRO live review). But starting during the COVID lockdown, the two teamed up with drummer Tom Skinner as The Smile (QRO ’22 photos), their own unique super-side-project, putting out debut A Light For Attracting Attention last year, and now headlining Pitchfork Festival (QRO ’23 photos).

Perfume Genius, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM

Seattle’s chamber-pop artist Mike Hadreas (QRO photos) comes back to Pitchfork as Perfume Genius (QRO photos at a festival) behind last year’s acclaimed Ugly Season.

Youth Lagoon, 4:15 PM – 5:10 PM

Even Boise, Idaho’s got some lo-fi in the form of Trevor Powers, a.k.a. Youth Lagoon (QRO photos), who comes back to Pitchfork Festival off of this year’s Heaven Is a Junkyard (QRO photos at a festival). 

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Sen Morimoto, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM

Nourished by Time, 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM

Leikeli47, 7:45 PM – 8:30 PM

The mysterious, balaclava-clad Leikeli47 rapper comes to Pitchfork to Shape Up.

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Ric Wilson, 6:30 PM – 7:15 PM

Jlin, 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM

Axel Boman, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM

Mavi, 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM

Alvvays, 7:25 PM – 8:25 PM

U.K. indie hit Alvvays (QRO live review in the U.K.) comes back to America (QRO photos at a festival) to play at Pitchfork (QRO photos outdoors) after last year’s release of highly acclaimed third record Blue Rev (QRO review).

Nation of Language, 5:15 PM – 6:10 PM

Brooklyn indie-popsters Nation of Language (QRO photos in New York) play Pitchfork in Chicago after doing Pitchfork Festivals in Paris & Berlin last year (QRO photos at a festival), and this year put out Strange Disciple.

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Grace Ives, 3:20 PM – 4:10 PM

Contour, 1:45 PM – 2:45 PM

Big Thief, 8:30 PM – 9:50 PM

It takes a lot for a band to name their album Masterpiece – their debut, in fact. But Brooklyn indie-folksters Big Thief (QRO photos outdoors in Brooklyn) pulled it off, and come back to Pitchfork for a third time (QRO photos at Pitchfork ’21) behind last year’s Grammy-nominated Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You.

King Krule, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM

Arch Marshall – a.k.a. Zoo Kid, a.k.a. King Krule (QRO photos at a festival) – road indie-buzz to success a decade ago (including playing 2012 Pitchfork Festival ­– QRO photos at a ’12 festival), and has kept his punk jazz darkwave going, most recently with this year’s Space Heavy.

Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, 4:15 PM – 5:10 PM

One of the founding members of Baltimore’s ultra-relevant experimental electronic outfit Animal Collective (QRO photos at Pitchfork ’21), Noah Lennox – a.k.a. Panda Bear (QRO photos at a festival) – broke out of the zoo and is now on his own (QRO photos at a festival), with 2011’s Tomboy (QRO review), the follow-up to 2007’s Person Pitch (QRO review). He returns to Pitchfork with Sonic Boom.

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700 Bliss, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM

Deeper, 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM

Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, 7:45 PM – 8:30 PM

Belgian singer Charlotte Adigéry teams up with Bolis Pupul (QRO photos together) at Pitchfork in Chicago, after playing the Paris edition in 2021. Ooh-la-la…

Yaya Bey, 6:30 PM – 7:15 PM

After playing Pitchfork London last year, now Brooklyn’s Yaya Bey brings his R&B to Pitchfork Chicago, behind last year’s Remember Your North Star.

Julia Jacklin, 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM

Sydney, Australia’s alt-country Julia Jacklin (QRO photos at a festival) has been Crushing it with her Pre Pleasure.

Vagabon, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM

Cameroonian-American self-taught multi-instrumentalist Vagabon (QRO photos at a festival) returns to Pitchfork (QRO photos at a festival).

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Black Belt Eagle Scout, 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM

Red Stage

Weyes Blood, 7:25 PM – 8:25 PM

From a Bible Belt upbringing to noise music to chamber pop, it’s been quite a journey for Natalie Laura Mering, a.k.a. Weyes Blood (QRO photos outdoors), who now returns to Pitchfork Festival.

Snail Mail, 5:15 PM – 6:10 PM

Lindsey Jordan has been getting a lot of attention for her indie slowcore work as Snail Mail (QRO photos) – including a feature article in none other than the New York Times! No wonder she’s returning to Pitchfork Festival (QRO ’23 photos) – Pitchfork knew her when…

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MJ Lenderman, 3:20 PM – 4:10 PM

Palm, 1:45 PM – 2:45 PM

Bon Iver, 8:30 PM – 9:50 PM

Man, have things ever blown up for Justin Vernon – a.k.a. Bon Iver (QRO photos). QRO can remember when he was just the touring guitarist (QRO photos) for The Rosebuds, but after a well-received appearance at CMJ 2007 (QRO recap), he signed to Jagjaguwar and released his stripped solo debut For Emma, Forever Ago (QRO review) – and the rest was history. He appeared on just about every TV show you can throw a stick at, including being interviewed by Stephen Colbert & being mock-portrayed by Justin Timberlake on Saturday Night Live. He’s even worked with Kanye (back when that was a good thing…)!

After playing to massive crowds (QRO live review) while touring 2011’s self-titled follow-up (QRO review), which earned him the Grammy for Best Alternative Album and Best New Artist (and leading legions of J. Cole twitter fans to ask, “Who the fuck is ‘Bunny Bear’?”…), Vernon set aside the ‘Bon Iver’ moniker for other work/names, like Volcano Choir (QRO live review), The Shouting Matches (QRO album review), and GAYNGS (QRO album review). But in 2016 he returned, with 22, A Million (QRO review), plus his own festival, Eaux Claires (QRO photos at Eaux Claires) – and even more acclaim.

Then came another hiatus for side projects like Big Red Machine (QRO photos at Eaux Claires) with The National’s Aaron Dessner, only to come back again in 2019 with another critical darling, i, i (QRO review). During the COVID lockdown, Vernon contributed to Taylor Swift’s two Dessner-produced album, folklore & evermore, but now returns as Bon Iver to Pitchfork – after having last played fifteen years ago (way lower on the bill…)!

Koffee, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM

Mikayla Victoria Simpson came up in the reggae dancehall scene of Jamaica’s Spanish Town as Koffee. Her 2019 Rapture EP won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album, making her both the youngest ever winner of that award, and the first woman, mon.

JPEGMAFIA, 4:15 PM – 5:10 PM

From Flatbush to the Air Force to rap stardom for Barrington DeVaughn Hendricks, a.k.a. JPEGMAFIA (QRO photos). He’s a Veteran (QRO photos in Chicago), and to him, All My Heroes Are Cornballs. He returns to Pitchfork Festival.

Lucrecia Dalt, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM

Soft-singer Lucrecia Dalt creates an atmospheric mix of lumbering drums and drawling guitar to an atmospheric mix. ¡Ay!

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Ariel Zetina, 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM

Mdou Moctar, 7:45 PM – 8:30 PM

Niger’s Mdou Moctar (QRO photos) plays modern rock music inspired by Tuareg guitar music, in his Tamasheq tongue and the takamba & assouf guitar styles. He comes to Pitchfork (QRO photos at a ’22 festival) behind 2021’s Afrique Victime.

Hurray For the Riff Raff, 6:30 PM – 7:15 PM

New Orleans’ Hurray For the Riff Raff (QRO photos at a festival) bring their folk-blues to Pitchfork Festival (QRO photos at a ’22 festival) off of last year’s Life on Earth.

Illuminati Hotties, 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM

Sarah Tudzin’s indie-rock Illuminati Hotties (QRO ’22 photos) have been getting serious notice the last few years, so Let Me Do One More.

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Soul Glo, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM

Florist, 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM

Kelela, 7:25 PM – 8:25 PM

Cut 4 Me, the 2013 mixtape from Kelela (QRO ‘23 photos), earned her praise from Beyoncé to Björk. And in 2017 she lived up to it with her acclaimed debut studio album Take Me Apart and last year’s follow-up  Raven, now coming to Pitchfork (QRO photos at a festival).

Killer Mike, 5:15 PM – 6:10 PM

Michael Render made his debut as Killer Mike (QRO photos at a festival) on “Snappin’ and Trappin’ from OutKast’s Stankonia way back in 2000, going on to make his own solo career (QRO photos) before teaming up with El-P as the current rap juggernaut duo Run the Jewels (they’ve even got their own pilsner – QRO release party recap). He’s also been outspoken politically, one of Bernie Sanders’ strongest supporters. But this year’s he’s gone back to the solo lane with Michael and Pitchfork.

Also:

Jockstrap, 3:20 PM – 4:10 PM

Rachika Nayar, 1:45 PM – 2:45 PM