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Pitchfork Music Festival 2024: Friday Highlights
Pitchfork Music Festival 2024 returned to Union Park, kicking off on Friday, July 19th. Although we’ve had storms and heat waves in Chicago in recent weeks, the weather forecast looks great for the entire weekend, and fans were able to start the weekend of festivities with sun and comfortable temperatures to go along with the day-one lineup that included everything from the lofi and laidback Black Duck to amped up electronic acts like 100 gecs and Jai Paul to the soulful rockers Black Pumas.
Around 5:15 PM, DJ and singer Yaeji kicked off the dance party that bounced between the Red and Green stages for the rest of the evening. Flanked by two backup dancers, Yaeji glided across the stage, singing her bilingual lyrics of English and Korean words. A highlight of her set included her most popular song “Raingurl” that features a hypnotic beat and had the whole crowd moving in unison.
Meanwhile over at the Blue Stage, Amen Dunes, which is the musical project of singer-songwriter Damon McMahon, held down the experimental indie rock quota of the festival for the day. The band’s set included a handful of new songs from the album Death Jokes that just came out in May 2024, like “Purple Land” and “Exodus.” Fans also got to hear some familiar favorites like “Miki Dora” from Amen Dunes’ 2018 album Freedom.
Photo by OK Pedersen
Next up, 100 gecs cranked up the energy ten-fold, drawing in a massive crowd to join their rave mosh pit. The duo Dylan Brady and Laura Les kept the crowd smiling and dancing along with their quirky lyrics and outlandish electronic tracks, opening up the show with their song “Dumbest Girl Alive.” Les and Brady also did a great job at setting up their upcoming songs with their witty stage banter—before playing “Frog On The Floor” the duo told the audience to “look to your right, look to your left, now look down and make sure there’s not a frog on the floor!” They also asked the crowd to cheer if they’d ever had a tooth pulled or lost a tooth, adding “let me hear it if you’ve ever gone -1 on a tooth” before they performed “I Got My Tooth Removed.” In addition to all of the dancing I witnessed during 100 gecs, I also spotted my first crowdsurfer of the day during their set.
Photo by Kimberly Ross
Violinist and singer-songwriter Sudan Archives as well as DJ and producer Jai Paul kept the dance parties going at the Blue and Red stages next as we got into some of the final moments of the day one.
Jeff Rosenstock and his band closed out the Blue Stage with my favorite performance of the day, which began with the song “Chop Suey!” by System of a Down playing over the speakers until Rosenstock and his bandmates took their places onstage and finished out playing the song live. From there, the set launched into a feel-good rowdy rock set that was a nice change of pace from the heavily electronic-based music on the lineup. While I spotted one or two crowdsurfers earlier, there were too many to keep track of towards the end of Jeff Rosenstock’s performance— including Jeff himself jumping offstage while playing the saxophone. While the crowd might have been rambunctious, Rosenstock made sure to encourage everyone to remain respectful, asking everyone to say hi to their festival neighbors and keep it a friendly space for others. “Make it a habit throughout the weekend, and if throughout the weekend some fucking dumb dipshit person starts groping the person next to you, and starts getting in their space, just gather the nice people around you and push that person the fuck out of the way so everybody can enjoy the weekend.”
Photo by OK Pedersen
As the sun began to go down, Black Pumas began their soulful rock and roll headlining show over on the main stage to wrap up Friday’s festivities. Their show opened on a high note-literally- as lead vocalist Eric Burton showed off his silky and dynamic vocal range. Burton also took the opportunity to connect and get close to the audience, hopping down from the stage to join the fans on the barricade as he serenaded them. The Black Pumas’ performance made for a great way to ease into some of the more pop-heavy performers that are slated for the rest of Pitchfork Fest.
Photo by Kimberly Ross
Keep an eye out for highlights from Saturday and Sunday of Pitchfork Fest.
Live Recap: Winnetka Bowling League at Lincoln Hall
This past Friday night, Winnetka Bowling League performed a sold out show at Lincoln Hall in Chicago, drawing in one of the largest crowds I’ve seen at this venue.
The band’s current tour is in celebration of their debut album Sha La La, which was just released on May 31st this year, so it was fitting that the setlist opened with the title track of the record. In the song, lead vocalist Matthew Koma sings about a string of past phases and simpler times that he misses like “our feed before it was political” and “the world before it was polluted with space cowboy billionaires,” so it was fitting that the stage was decked out with old box tv sets and nostalgic candy machines.
Before they got too far into the set, Koma took some time to address the crowd, saying how special Chicago is to them. “We don’t say that to all the girls, ok? It’s the first place that we came to on one of our first headlining tours, and it was our first show that we ever sold out. It made us think we should keep doing this,” he said, before dedicating the next song “On The 5” to their OG fans.
The setlist featured a lot of the material from their debut record, but similar to “On The 5,” the band sprinkled in plenty of other songs from the full WBL discography. In addition to plenty of music, the band also delivered a lot of laughs between songs, which was fitting because one of the opening acts was actually a stand up comedian named Caroline Baniewicz.
Ahead of playing “Come to the Beach” Koma told the audience about his experience with his BetterHelp therapist while he’s on the road. “We’ve been working on communication because I can communicate pretty well through songs, but in real life when it comes to confrontation I kind of take side streets, so we’ve been working on that. You wait for an opportunity in real life where you can apply what you’re talking about on BetterHelp. So a couple of weeks ago, there was this guy on Instagram who kept commenting on all our videos and kept kind of saying ‘fuck you.’ He said other stuff but every time I read it, it just said ‘fuck you.’ I thought I’m gonna come back with a quippy reply, and then I thought about my BetterHelp guy and how he wants me to be more direct. So Sam [Beresford] and I were driving to the airport and Sam found his home address and his phone number, and I said I’m just gonna call him and be like why ‘fuck you’? Then I fell back into the old habit and I signed him up for the US Army. Anyways, I think there’s a misconception that if you go to therapy, you have to stop being an asshole and I’m just here to say you can still be a piece of shit. That has absolutely nothing to do with this next song.”
The show continued with more great tunes and quips from Koma, including another story about a recent trip to CVS ahead of playing their song by the same name. After both of those stories, I definitely think that BetterHelp and CVS should sponsor the next WBL tour!
As the show began to wind down, the band played one of their newer singles called “This is Life,” which was a collaboration with Medium Build and Dawes that they released only a few weeks after Sha La La came out. Koma continues to be one of my favorite lyricists and the band flawlessly brought Winnetka Bowling League’s songs to life during the show at Lincoln Hall, so I hope they continue to consistently deliver new material and bring it to the stage.
If you get a chance to see the tour, don’t miss it. You can check out photos of the Chicago gig below, and see where you can catch the tour next here.
Pitchfork Music Festival Kicks Off in Two Weeks
In just two weeks, Pitchfork Music Festival will return to Chicago’s Union Park for three full days on music. Highlights of Friday, July 19th include 100 gecs, Jai Paul, Jeff Rosenstock, and Black Pumas. On Saturday, we’ll dance along to acts like Jessie Ware, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Jamie xx. Sunday closes out the fest with icons like Alanis Morissette, Brittany Howard and MUNA.
You can still grab tickets here, and view the full schedule here.
Get a preview of the festival with the official playlist from Pitchfork below.
Live Recap: Michael Marcagi and Lily Fitts at Lincoln Hall
Singer-songwriter Michael Marcagi headlined a sold-out show at Schubas on Monday, June 3rd with support from Lily Fitts.
Lily Fitts warmed up the crowd with her vulnerable and relatable narratives, accompanied by another guitarist to color her songs with additional depth while still having a minimalist set up that was perfect for the intimacy of the Schubas stage. Fitts’ set included a handful of her popular singles like “Hurts Like Hell” and “Boston to Barcelona” as well as her latest release “Lose You Now.” She also sang some brand new, unreleased material, including “What They Say” that she introduced by sharing with the crowd that it was about her struggles with anxiety. Fitts also shared that Noah Kahan’s song “Stick Season” gave her the courage to start performing her own music, so she fittingly performed a cover of it.
With the room at Schubas fully packed and buzzing with anticipation, Michael Marcagi and his full band took the stage next to make his headlining debut in Chicago. As I’m sure is the case with many of his fans, I first heard Marcagi’s single “Scared To Start” earlier this year and became instantly hooked by the illustrative storytelling of his lyrics combined with his earworms of melodies.
While he has yet to release a full-length album, Marcagi’s singles and his debut EP, entitled “American Romance” have garnered him nearly 18 Million monthly listeners on Spotify and had him selling out shows months in advance—and for good reason. His songs have an emotional conviction about them and that “it factor” that makes you feel rejuvenated and reminds you of the power behind a great damn tune. For that reason, Marcagi’s music has remained stuck in my head and on repeat on my playlists, but it was even more special to experience that effect in person.
The set opened with the title track from Marcagi’s EP, and weaved through all of his released material, but the show also included a lot of new, unreleased songs as well. Marcagi promised the crowd that he’d have new music coming out in a few weeks, and based on how it sounded live, I know his fanbase is going to love the forthcoming songs. Between his original material, Marcagi also sprinkled in a couple of cover songs, including “Deja Vu” by Oliva Rodrigo, which the band made their own by including a banjo on it.
After wrapping the main set with the breakout hit “Scared To Start,” Marcagi and his band left and returned to the stage for a highly-demanded encore. The encore performance included the second cover of his set, “You’re Still the One I Want” by the legend Shania Twain, and Lily Fitts joined in on the duet.
If you missed out on the Schubas show, check out photos from the evening below, and be sure to snag a ticket to one of Michael Marcagi’s upcoming gigs here…that is, if it isn’t already sold out.
Live Recap: Say Anything at Aragon Ballroom
On Friday, May 17th, Say Anything returned to Chicago to perform their landmark album ...Is a Real Boy in full to honor the 20th anniversary of the record.
Lead vocalist and songwriter Max Bemis, alongside the full band, had reunited to perform at Riot Fest in Chicago last September, but this show at Aragon Ballroom was Say Anything’s first headline show here since playing The Metro in 2017. While Aragon Ballroom is a significantly larger venue, fans came out in droves to experience the nostalgia of these twenty-year-old songs and completely packed the room even before it was time for the headline event.
The concert setlist stayed true to the album’s tracklist, and the show kicked off with the introductory track “Belt.” The live performance even included the spoken word introduction from Bemis saying “And the record begins, with a song of rebellion!” The audience immediately launched into fervent dancing and singing along with Bemis, that continued throughout the show.
Before playing the third track “The Writhing South,” Bemis took some time to address the crowd and mention the 20th anniversary celebration. "The weirdest part about that, it’s not the nostalgia, it’s not surreal— it’s that I’m only turning 20 myself this year, and I just don’t understand physically how that happened,” he joked. I have to say as someone who listened to these songs on repeat in high school, it definitely felt a little surreal to be hearing them performed all these years later.
For me and for so many of the audience members, every single song on the tracklist has specific memories tied to them, and they’re all so iconic in their own ways, but there were a couple of moments when the crowd amplified the energy they’d been exhibiting all night. During "An Orgy of Critics" I spotted my first crowdsurfer of the night, which was particularly impressive for this concert—considering the audience was made up mostly of millennials and Gen X. Just before playing track 9, "Every Man Has a Molly,” Bemis told the crowd “I wanna hear you guys sing as loud as humanly possible” and the audience obliged by singing the entire first verse before the band fully kicked in. The fans showed off their chorus-like singing again for “I Want To Know Your Plans,” which Bemis performed as a solo acoustic number at the start of the evening’s encore. Bemis introduced the set’s final song “Admit It!!” by telling the audience “We’re gonna put everything we’ve got into this last one” and the band definitely fulfilled that promise to send the evening off on a high note.
Relive the glory of the concert by checking out photos of the Chicago show below, and see where you can catch Say Anything next here.
Live Recap: Alice Merton at Lincoln Hall
Singer-songwriter Alice Merton returned to Chicago for the first time in five years to headline Lincoln Hall on Tuesday, May 14th.
The highly-anticipated return felt like both a concert and therapy session, thanks to Merton’s deeply insightful lyrics and the vulnerable anecdotes she shared with the audience between songs. And of course, there was also plenty of dancing opportunities during the hour and a half setlist.
The setlist started off with immediate intensity as the band played the introductory track “run away girl” from the singer’s 2024 EP entitled “Heron.” From there, the set ventured through a mix of the brand new EP and other favorites like “Vertigo” and “Homesick” from her albums S.I.D.E.S. and Mint, respectively.
Ahead of performing “how well do you know your feelings?” from “Heron,” Alice took some time to connect with the audience about the importance of listening to your own heart and gut when making decisions. “This song came from a conversation with a friend of mine. This friend always put other people’s happiness in front of theirs and every time I spoke to them, I felt so sad that they couldn’t voice their own opinions and say this is how I feel because they were always worried about what everyone else would think. There were so many people that said ‘next time we play a show it’s gonna be this place or that place’ and I was like but what about if that’s not what makes me happy. What if I want to have really beautiful, intimate shows where I can come out after to say hi to everyone and get to know the people that want to come to the show,” Merton told the audience. That choice to play an intimate venue like Lincoln Hall really helped create a sense of connection and camaraderie amongst the audience and with the band throughout the rest of the show.
The setlist ended on a lighthearted and optimistic note, with Alice and her band closing the main set with “Why So Serious,” which the singer confessed is a catchphrase she stole from The Joker. Merton came back for an encore of “The Other Side,” which describes the feeling of healing from a rough time. In that song, Alice sings “I'm seeing happy, I'm seeing dancin'“ and that’s exactly what I saw during her gig.
Check out photos from the Chicago show below and see where you can catch Alice Merton on the road next here.
Live Recap: Craig David at The Chicago Theatre
On May 13th, British artist Craig David made a long-awaited return to Chicago to headline The Chicago Theatre.
Despite it being a rainy Monday night, fans flocked to the historic venue to see the singer perform here for the first time since 2001. As the crowd filed into their seats, a DJ warmed up them up and got the good vibes flowing. The DJ even shared with the crowd that he first got into Craig David after hearing “Fill Me In” for the first time in the early 2000’s, which I’m sure was a common thread with some of the fans in the audience.
When it was time for the main event, Craig David’s live band and backing vocalists took their places on stage first, before he eventually made his grand entrance. Immediately, the seated show-goers got to their feet and began singing and dancing.
After performing a few songs, including “What’s Your Flava?,” “Ain't Giving Up” and the aforementioned hit “Fill Me In,” Craig took some time to address the crowd and let them know he’d be journeying through a catalog of old favorites and new material throughout the show.
Craig delivered on that promise and even threw in a cover of “Show Me Love” by Robin S for good measure, as well as songs he featured on like “Abracadabra” with Wes Nelson and “Got It Good” with Kaytranada. No matter what he was singing, Craig delivered flawless vocals throughout the show, which were often complemented by his backing singers and accompanying musicians, who added a rich texture to the show’s production. The band members all got introductions and quick showcases of their talents during the song “Time to Party,” which had everyone dancing along and in good spirits.
The main set concluded with “16,” where Craig sings and raps about “doing this since I was sixteen” and it’s clear from the seamless and smooth performance that he’s mastered the craft of being an excellent performer.
The full band took a bow before leaving the stage and returning to demands for an encore. The journey concluded with “Insomnia” from 2008 and the iconic hit “7 Days.”
Check out photos from the Chicago performance below, and see where you can catch Craig David on the road next here.
Photos: Wild Party and Cousin Simple at Lincoln Hall
On Friday, May 10th, Wild Party headlined Lincoln Hall in honor of the 10th anniversary of their album Phantom Pop. Check out photos of the evening, including support from Cousin Simple below.
Live Recap: Jesse McCartney at The Vic Theatre
Jesse McCartney fans in Chicago got to kick off their weekend with a sold-out, nostalgia-packed performance from the singer-songwriter at The Vic on Friday, May 3rd.
Following a set from support act Just Seconds Apart, the stage lights dimmed in preparation for the main act. McCartney’s band members took their places first and began to play introductory music while the stage lights flashed to welcome Jesse to the stage. Starting off with “Silver Spoon” from his latest “All’s Well” EP (which is also the namesake of the current tour), McCartney donned a dazzling black sequin suit. He began the show atop a platform, but Jesse quickly ran down the stairs of the platform to come closer to the front of the stage and serenade the fans at the barricade while singing a mix of familiar favorites, like “She’s No You” from his 2004 debut album and the title track “Right Where You Want Me” from his 2006 record, intertwined with some of his newer material. The first part of the set finished with “Tie The Knot,” which McCartney dedicated to all the married people in the audience.
The show then transitioned into an acoustic section, where Jesse and his guitar player took the opportunity to strip down some of his songs while they sat on the stairs of the stage’s platform. The acoustic segment included a cover of “More Than Words” by Extreme, and it wrapped up with a performance of “Just So You Know",” which McCartney introduced saying “In 2006, I wrote this song on a tour bus in London.”
The full band rejoined Jesse onstage after the stripped-back break in the set, and they went full-speed ahead with “Wasted,” which had the crowd dancing along. Before playing “Party For Two,” Jesse took a few minutes to address the crowd about what would happen next in the show. “I want to tell you guys about the song I wrote for my engagement. It’s a very special song that I only got to write once, but thankfully, I get to perform it for the rest of my life. I thought tonight, maybe I’d sing it for one of you guys,” he said. The house lights turned on to illuminate the crowd, and McCartney ended up selecting a lucky fan named Nancy to serenade for the performance.
After the serenade, Jesse left the stage for a quick outfit change, returning in a more casual outfit than his sparkling suit. He performed a couple of songs at the piano next, including the song “Bleeding Love” that he actually wrote, but was performed and popularized by Leona Lewis. “This is a song I wrote back in 2007. This is a song that almost didn’t get written. We were feeling lazy and decided to put one hour in at the studio to see where it went. This didn’t end up on my album, but thankfully it was pitched to a female artist. And I’m so so happy she recorded it because it would become the biggest song of my writing career,” he shared with the crowd.
The show concluded on a high energy note, with hit after hit like “Body Language,” “Leavin’” and “Beautiful Soul” all stacked towards the end of the set. Prior to performing the latter, the band had left the stage, only to be quickly summoned back for an encore with chants of “Jesse!”
If you get the chance to see Jesse McCartney on the All’s Well Tour, don’t miss out on the opportunity to experience some of your favorite songs from your teen years live. You can check out photos from the Chicago concert below, and see where you can catch the tour next here.
