Pitchfork has had a very interesting year as a music publication. Earlier this year, parent company Condé Nast announced that the infamous music news & reviews site was being folded into GQ, the prominent men’s interest magazine. While Pitchfork & their make-or-break music reviews still stand, the future of their role within music media is still in question. The landmark decision still looms large over the music industry and as their annual musical festival arrives, what does it mean for the festival’s future? For the time being, it’s all good vibes going into the weekend.
Pitchfork Music Festival has been a part of the Chicago festival scene since 2006 (technically 2005, if you count their role in the Intonation Music Festival). Hailing from Union Park at the intersection of Lake Street & Ashland Avenue, Pitchfork Music Festival has been bringing electronic, hip-hop, indie rock, pop & many more different genres to the Near West Side of the city. Although the future of the host publication is unclear, the attendees of the festival were unfazed as they continued to show support for their favorite acts & maybe find something new within the publication’s favorites.
This year’s festivities took place, as always, in mid-July amidst Chicago’s summertime atmosphere. With a few clouds in the sky and the roar of the Chicago Transit Authority trains nearby, the stage was set for Pitchfork’s return, Friday-Sunday, 19th-21st.
This year’s festival opened up with a set from Chicago’s own Black Duck on the Green Stage, who laid out an instrumental soundtrack for the first attendees entering the park. The city’s local spotlight continued as the Red Stage opener, Angry Blackmen, gave the attendees a blast of experimental rap energy that stayed at the stage all afternoon. Backed by only a DJ with a laptop, the duo’s stage presence & charisma brought the most out of the early attendees and set a tone for what the opening day would be.
Back at the Green Stage, Danish musician ML Buch graced the stage with an airy alt-rock/electronic set that could’ve gone along with an A24 movie (in all the best ways). Buch’s vocals sound fantastic live and are not too far off from artists like Caroline Polachek or Phoebe Bridgers. Pitchfork praised Buch’s latest LP Suntub, giving it a score of 8.0, and her vocal performance translated very well to a live setting. North Carolina singer-songwriter Rosali opened up the Blue Stage with a set of folky rock that pleased the small crowd piled around the brush of trees surrounding the area of the festival grounds.
Australian singer-rapper Tkay Maidza took over the Red Stage and after a few technical difficulties (& some miscommunication with her DJ), delivered a mix of catchy pop & hip-hop that caught the eyes & ears of the growing crowds. Following the lead of Angry Blackmen from earlier in the afternoon, Maidza carried over that energy and it was not hard to have a good time with her setlist of club & radio ready bangers that seem very reminiscent of contemporaries Doja Cat & Saweetie. Maidza’s set was the first time people were noticeably dancing & singing along with the words to the songs being played at the fest. A noticeably different energy from the crowd and a welcomed one at that. After a string of critically celebrated EPs & albums within the past couple of years, the time for Maidza’s breakout seems inevitable. A true highlight of the opening day of Pitchfork.
Over at the Green Stage, Pitchfork’s hip-hop affinity continues with Billy Woods & Kenny Segal. The rapper-producer duo have two critically acclaimed albums together, but they also have a very unique sound that may not be entirely accessible for casual fans of the genre. While Woods is a great storyteller and knows how to paint a picture for the listener, his delivery may not have been what the audience at Pitchfork was looking for. Following a revered 2021 set (QRO photos), Yaeji returned to Pitchfork at its Red Stage with her mix of techno/house pop & striking choreography. After her latest album With A Hammer got Pitchfork’s “Best New Music” label, there was much anticipation for this set & it did not disappoint. The vibes were immaculate as Yaeji & her backup dancers provided a show that the Pitchfork faithful were craving for. The only downside was the volume of the backtrack. It was pretty distracting at points, but many different artists use backtracks for performances and it didn’t take too much away from how much fun the crowd was having. Another highlight of Day 1 as the energy kept building and building near the Green & Red Stages.
Speaking of the energy at the Green Stage, 100 gecs drew the biggest crowd up to that point as they began to show how no one can put this duo in a musical box. Their setlist included elements of hyper-pop, electro-rock, pop-punk & ska (?). Many 100 gecs fans showed up for an hour of dancing (including some skanking for the ska fans who may be reading this) and singing along to almost every song the duo played. A notable highlight was the performance of their song “I Got My Tooth Removed” (it was truly astonishing seeing a bunch of kids & 20-somethings skank like it was 1997). If there was a “you just had to be there” moment from Day 1 of Pitchfork, it may have to be that. While 100 gecs may not be the most accessible musical act out there, their fans are incredibly loyal and they wear their joy on their faces. It was a sight to see, in multiple different ways. Meanwhile at the Blue Stage, singer-songwriter-violinist Sudan Archives put on a one-of-a-kind set that showcased her electro-R&B sound while also playing live violin. Sudan Archives might’ve been the most underrated/slept-on artist of the whole day.
Closing out the Red Stage on Day 1 of the festival was the mysterious Jai Paul, who was performing in Chicago for the first time ever. Although being active within the music industry for almost 20 years, Paul had remained behind the scenes until he was announced to perform at Coachella in 2023. After a string of shows from New York to Australia, the excitement for Paul’s Chicago debut filled the north side of the park. Backed by some pretty groovy & synthy production, the crowd was in it from the moment the music started. While there were people dancing & taking in the presence of Paul (who’s aura was felt from the second he stepped onto the stage), his vocals, or lack thereof, did not live up to the extensive hype leading up to the fest. Early on, Paul was almost inaudible by attendees of the festival. As the performance progressed, Paul’s charisma had the crowd in the palm of his hand. The set had the energy of a small club show, but the Pitchfork faithful made it feel grand. With only a little over a year of live performances under his belt, Paul will only get better from here. Further adding to his internet legend status.
Closing out the Blue Stage was the ever-so fun Jeff Rosenstock. The DIY rockstar finished up a packed stage on the south end of the festival to an ovation from the many of moshing attendees, many of whom were no stranger to Rosenstock, and belted out every word from the jean short-wearing singer. Pitchfork gave Rosenstock’s last LP HELLMODE an 8.0 review and he has been a recurring favorite for the music publication. Not only is he a favorite to Pitchfork writers & curators, but he is adored by his many fans. Preaching nothing but good vibes in between songs, Rosenstock’s mix of indie rock, pop punk, ska & more bring together an incredible collection of songs that kept the energy up for many festival goers who were looking to end their night on a high note before the headliner at the Green Stage.
Black Pumas, the psychedelic soul band from Austin, Texas, closed out Day 1 of Pitchfork and they lived up the task. The “Ice Cream (Pay Phone)” outfit immediately came out swinging as the sun set on Union Park. Lead singer & co-founder Eric Burton let the crowd know exactly what they should expect from the band as he leapt off the stage within the first ten minutes of their headlining set, letting everyone know exactly who they came to see. Although the band has only been around for five years, the combined experience between Burton & producer/co-founder Arian Quesada make the outfit sound like they’ve been ahead of the pack for decades. Their critically acclaimed 2023 LP Chronicles of a Diamond helps soundtrack their headlining set full of soul, funk, rock & an overall good time. A helluva way to end Day 1 of Pitchfork Music Festival.
Our coverage of Day 2 started with L’Rain, a composer/multi-instrumentalist/vocalist who opened up the Red Stage with a mix of dream-like compositions that gave an intense yet sweet feeling to the growing crowds entering Union Park. L’Rain’s third studio album I Killed Your Dog garnered a review of 8.7 (which is a big deal to those familiar with Pitchfork’s rating system), a “Best New Music” label and made it onto Pitchfork’s “Best Albums of 2023” list. L’Rain may still be on the rise, but critics are already shining a spotlight onto the band’s experimental sound.
Chicago’s own Kara Jackson followed at the festival’s Green Stage, fresh off of playing at Glastonbury last month. Jackson’s background is in poetry (she was the youth poet laureate of Chicago in 2018 and the U.S. national youth poet laureate the following year) and that ability to tell a story shines through with her lyrics. The folksy singer-songwriter carries such a somber tone and while Jackson is only 25 years old, there is so much maturity through her voice & song-writing. Pitchfork gave her debut LP Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? a score of 8.2 & “Best New Music” distinction. She will be an artist to keep an eye on as her career continues to take off.
Shoegaze became a trend throughout the Saturday afternoon at the festival, starting as Hotline TNT opened up the Blue Stage for Day 2. Another Pitchfork favorite (their latest LP, 2023’s Cartwheel, was given an 8.4 by the publication), they brought an energy that riled up the noticeably bigger crowds that were surrounding the south stage. A mix of shoegaze & indie rock filled the band’s runtime and judging by the reactions of attendees nearby, new fans were made that afternoon. The shoegaze vibes continued with a performance by feeble little horse at the Red Stage. They powered through some technical difficulties at the beginning of their set to give a beautifully messy set that showcased lead singer Lydia Slocum’s vocals powering through some aggressive guitar & bass. Slocum was a bit hard to hear at certain points, by design, but it may have taken a little away from the performance.
Water From Your Eyes followed Hotline TNT at the Blue Stage. The shoegaze/indie pop outfit’s performance at the park was hindered, due to an illness affecting lead singer Rachel Brown. Brown mentioned that it may have been karma after “sneaking into Pitchfork all three days” about ten years ago. They gave it their best to sing through the performances, but a redo for the band at this stage may be in order. Hopefully Pitchfork doesn’t take Brown’s “sneaking in” to heart when planning future festivals.
As the cicadas buzzed throughout the park, Wednesday took the Green Stage with a mix of shoegaze & country rock that captivated the droves of attendees flocking the stage. Lead singer Karly Hartzman’s vocals, especially the wails on closing song “Bull Believer”, was a highlight of the entire afternoon. Not only incredibly hard hitting, but caused many heads to turn as they caught the ears of passersby attendees.
Legendary hip-hop group De La Soul took their turn on the Red Stage to bring a celebration of the genre to Pitchfork 2024. After the passing of David “Trugoy the Dove” Jolicoeur in February of 2023, the group has been hard at work honoring his legacy & celebrating their roots during this 25th anniversary run of the debut album 3 Feet High and Rising. Remaining members Kelvin “Posdnuos” Mercer and Vincent “Maseo” Mason were running through hit after hit while engaging with the audience & keeping spirits up. They were joined by Talib Kweli not too far into their set, to the surprise of the crowd. After running through more classics from the group’s catalog, another surprise rapper joined the fray. Pharoahe Monch hit the ground running, with the group performing his hit song “Simon Says”. Posdnuos, jokingly, even had to apologize to some children in the crowd for the amount of swearing they had heard. The entire De La Soul set felt like a celebration of the past 25 years of hip-hop from some of the most underrated rappers in the genre. It was all about love & positivity. They did mention that “De La Soul means ‘From the Soul’”, which feels very appropriate. RIP Trugoy.
If the party hadn’t already started with De La Soul, then Jessie Ware’s set at the Green Stage truly kicked off what would become a night of sing-alongs & dance at Union Park. The British singer opened her set with “That! Feels Good!” and those three words summed up how the next hour of the festival would go for those taking in the disco & electro-pop stylings of Ms. Ware. Ware took the time to declare her love for the city of Chicago, even saying that it was her favorite city in the United States. She also took the time to thank Pitchfork for all of the love they had given her over her career. While she thought she didn’t deserve the love, Pitchfork said that her latest LP That! Feels Good! is “classic disco revival done right”. The sparkly clad singer covered the great Cher song “Believe” before going into the set closer “Free Yourself” to end her set on a high note. Looking for a new flavor of pop music to hit your playlists? Look no further than the body of work from Jessie Ware.
If you ask any chronically online pop music fan about who you should be listening to, Carly Rae Jepsen’s name will be towards the top of that list. Jepsen closed out the Red Stage to one of the largest crowds of the day and the attendees were ready to dance, squeal & belt the words to every song Jepsen prepared for Chicago. The crowd, and Jepsen, brought the goods. The set opener “Psychedelic Switch” definitely flipped a switch for the festival fans, as the party had officially carried over from Jessie Ware to Jepsen & her backing band. Moving through hits like “Run Away With Me”, “I Really Like You” & “Call Me Maybe”, Jepsen’s discography & stage presence are unlike many acts within pop music today. Even though Jepsen has essentially been on tour since September of 2022 (in support of her last two LPs The Loneliest Time & The Loveliest Time), her live shows remain as vibrant & full of life as the music she makes. Why she is not as big as some of her pop contemporaries who may be filling arenas or stadiums still remains a mystery, but her star continues to illuminate any stage she is on. Jepsen may be one of the most underrated pop stars of her era, but her live shows prove to be some of the most fun a person could have at a show.
Closing out the festival’s Green Stage was headliner Jaime xx, the DJ & remixer who is partially known for his work in the indie rock group The xx. While there was a party on the north side of Union Park, it quickly turned into a rave when Jaime hit the stage. Backed by a massive video screen of festival goers dancing with a trippy filter splattered on, the ambiance went from music festival to open-air nightclub. The festival closed out with many people dancing to remixes of familiar songs or hits from Jaime’s solo catalog and with the full moon out on Pitchfork’s Saturday night, many smiling faces & sweaty t-shirts put an exclamation point on the night. Onto Pitchfork Sunday…
Noticeably, the crowd of Pitchfork Day 3 started off on the lighter side. Maybe the excitement & performances from Day 2 made attendees want to show later in the day, but Union Park took longer than it had the previous two days to fill up past the new VIP viewing towers that were eyesores throughout the weekend.
Chicago native Akenya started the day on the Green Stage with a mix of soul, jazz & hip-hop! Although she has yet to release her debut album, its lead single “Hades Moon” shows us all we need to see from the future of this multi-genre performer. Singer-songwriter Joana Sternberg hit the Red Stage next with only their voice & an acoustic guitar, but had a hold on all within an earshot with such somber & mature lyrics. Their most recent LP I’ve Got Me received rave reviews, even garnering a “Best New Music” label from the music publication.
Rapper Maxo took the Green Stage next after about a ten minute delay (followed shortly by an early exit), but showcased some decent lyricism with the production stealing the spotlight at Pitchfork live show. Nala Sinephro brought her pedal harp & backing band to open up the Blue Stage with some beautiful ambient jazz. Compared to the rest of the Blue Stage’s showings for the day, Sinepho’s sound sticks out from the lineup.
Noise rock outfit Model/Actriz stole the entire show at the Red Stage on Sunday. If there were people who were not familiar with the New York band, they for sure left as fans after their 50 minute set. Vocalist Cole Haden absolutely commanded the stage with a charisma that rivaled many established acts that performed in the later time slots on bigger stages. With manic-like vocal deliveries & raucous instrumentals, the entire performance was almost hypnotizing. Haden even spent a majority of the set amongst the Pitchfork attendees (a trend that we would see with other artists later in the day as well). If you are unfamiliar with Model/Actriz & are into post-punk/noise rock, do yourself a favor and give them a listen.
Folk singer-songwriter Jessica Pratt took the mic at the Green Stage and at this point, the crowd began to grow noticeably larger compared to Akenya at the same stage earlier in the afternoon. Her latest album Here in the Pitch scored an 8.8 (!!) from Pitchfork, along with the publication naming it one of the “Best Albums of 2024…So Far”. Rapper, producer & certified legend Grandmaster Flash took the Red Stage for an hour-long DJ set that included a mix of hip-hop classics and songs that, as he put it, “I want to play.” This is where things took a turn. GMF decided to take a look into the crowd at Union Park and play music that he thought they would enjoy. Flash’s set included songs from the Bee Gees, Frankie Valli & the Red Hot Chili Peppers. For those expecting a set of purely hip-hop, there may have been some disappointment. Although he is the innovator behind the slipmat (it’s true, google it!), Flash’s mix at the Red Stage left people wanting more from an OG MC.
Following the release of this year’s LP I Got Heaven, Mannequin Pussy took the Blue Stage by storm. While MP has been steadily growing within the indie/punk rock scene for the past decade, they absolutely brought their all into the cigarette smoke-filled brush that surrounded the stage. Unfortunately, technical issues ruined the first half of this set before festivalgoers could become accustomed to poorly mixed instruments & a constantly unplugging microphone. This is not the way to see a band like Mannequin Pussy. It’s a shame. Go listen to I Got Heaven if you already haven’t.
MUNA brought their indie/synth pop set to the Green Stage and proved why they not only have one of the most energetic live shows in pop (thanks in part to their impassioned fanbase), but also have one of the better discographies within the genre of the past decade. From hits like “What I Want” to “Silk Chiffon”, Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson have the entire crowd encapsulated in their burst of queer pop energy. A highlight of Pitchfork Day 3, without question. The future of pop music is in a better place with MUNA in it.
Former Alabama Shakes frontwoman Brittany Howard closed the Red Stage during its golden hour with a fusion of soul, jazz, rock & funk that kept the Pitchfork attendees dancing as the sun began to set. Howard’s second solo LP What Now garnered rave reviews from critics and another “Best Albums of 2024…So Far” placement from the music review site. Howard not only brings the soulful rock from her work with the Alabama Shakes to her live shows, but her exuberant belts of joy rippled throughout Union Park and showed that Howard continues to bend genres and transformed a festival set into something more.
Hardcore/Punk band Les Savy Fav closed the Blue Stage with the most enthusiastically reckless set of the entire weekend. Lead vocalist Tim Harrington was a ball of fire on & off stage. Moving around the crowd of people without a care of who or what was in his way. Whether it was entering the area on a LIME scooter or covering himself with dirt & a tarp, this set oozed energy from the onset and did not let up.
Canadian alt-rock icon (and Dogma star) Alanis Morissette closed out the 2024 Pitchfork Music Festival with an absolute banger of a set, which not only showed how extensive & painfully good her discography is, but how she can still put on an incredible show over 30 years into her musical career. Starting her set off with a montage of career highlights & artists of today praising her and saying how much she influenced them was such a flex (even though it went on for a bit too long and began to sound like an in-memoriam). “Hand in My Pocket” was the opener for the set and after hearing a few attendees say “she’s starting with THIS?”, you knew that this was going to be a wonderful time. Morrissette put on quite the show for the masses that gathered around the stage to watch this living legend play her harmonica & belt the words to her catalog of hits. “You Oughta Know” that Alanis Morissette absolutely rocks.
Pitchfork Music Festival 2024 was a great showcase of the past, present & future of what music looks & sounds like. Whether it’s rock, hip-hop, folk, pop, ambient jazz or anything in-between, Pitchfork had a little something for everyone. The CHIRP Record Fair & Craft Tent saw many people walk about with various vinyl, articles of clothing (chainmail included!) & trinkets that supported local artists and small businesses. Although changes to the fest may have put a damper on things, like the VIP towers in the middle of the North end of the park, the laid back vibe of this festival gave people the opportunity to bring their blankets & vibe to whoever was playing at the nearest stage. With the changes to the publication over the course of the past eight months, the future of the festival is possibly up in the air. Hopefully, the masses have already seen the worst of it. Pitchfork Music Festival belongs in Chicago and needs to stay right there just off of the Green & Pink Line CTA train stops. Cheers to everyone’s favorite hipster review site. Now go listen to that new artist that Pitchfork put you onto!
-words: Chris Anthony Lopez
-photos: Amelia Baird
