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Pitchfork Festival 2021: Saturday Recap and Photos
Saturday afternoon at Pitchfork Festival 2021 began with more incredible performances and beautiful weather. Read up on our highlights from the festival’s second day below, and revisit our favorite moments from the first day here.
Bartees Strange
Bartees Strange is an artist I (very) regretfully had been sleeping on until catching his powerful performance at Pitchfork Festival this year. After playing in other projects, Bartees Strange began as a new solo endeavor for musician Bartees Leon Cox Jr. in 2017. Strange’s music refuses to be pigeonholed into one genre, and instead pulls in slices of rock, jazz, and hip hop. In 2020, he released a diverse debut album called Live Forever, as well as an EP of covers of songs by The National. The festival set included his take on the popular The National song “Lemonworld.”
Bartees Strange played his set with such a sense of conviction, pouring his entire heart and soul into his vocal performance and overall stage presence. I had the chance to see him play a festival after-show on Monday night to a packed crowd at the Empty Bottle, and it felt like we were all witnessing his dreams come true in front our eyes. Strange put on such a polished, yet raw and humble show that it was impossible not to become an instant fan.
Divino Niño
If you read our recommendations on must-see acts at the festival, you’ll know that Divino Niño was already at the top of the list for this weekend. Even though I had high expectations and I’ve seen them many times before, Divino Niño’s Pitchfork set exceeded those expectations by a landslide.
Thanks to the strong chemistry between band members Camilo Medina, Javier Forero, Guillermo Rodriguez-Torres, Pierce Codina, and Justin Vitorri, the group had an unwavering air of confidence and ease surrounding their festival performance on Saturday afternoon. Divino Niño is a project founded on happenstance, as Medina and Forero met as children in Columbia and reconnected in Miami as teenagers, before ultimately beginning to make music together in Chicago during college. From the poise and commanding stage presence that Medina, Forero and their bandmates demonstrated during this show, it truly felt like everything was as it should be during those moments.
With so much turmoil happening in the outside world, Divino Niño’s set provided a much needed escape and a chance to dance away our worries to the sound of their dreamy, psychedelic pop tunes.
Waxahatchee
The soothing escapism continued later on Saturday evening with a stunning set from Waxahatchee, the project of singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield.
Crutchfield and her bandmates took their places on a stage decked out in roses, in front of a dreamy, cloud-filled backdrop that donned the name of Waxahatchee’s newest album, Saint Cloud.
Waxahatchee is one of those tried and true artists who consistently delivers incredible performances, and their Pitchfork set was no different. Like many artists at the fest, Waxahatchee was performing new songs from their 2020 album to this audience for the first time, so the set relied heavily on Saint Cloud songs, like “Fire” and “Lilacs.” Crutchfield and her band also sprinkled in some older gems from 2017’s Out in the Storm, like the crowd favorite “Recite Remorse.” The show wrapped up with a cover of “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” by the great Dolly Parton.
Ty Segall & Freedom Band
Before Ty Segall and his bandmates began officially playing, they had to wrap up some last minute soundchecks. Even with the minimal and quick riffs they ran through during this final soundcheck, the anticipation and eagerness already palpitated throughout the crowd.
When Segall and the band began shredding through their psychedelic, garage rock songs for the full show, the energy from the crowd became even more electrifying and added to the overall experience. Segall’s extensive catalog of records are great to listen to at home or in the car, but nothing compares to the magnitude of the live show. Throughout the set, we got to hear some newer tunes from the 2021 album Harmonizer amongst other classics like “Squealer” and “Finger” from earlier albums.
Angel Olsen
One of the best aspects of concerts and festivals is the sense of community behind them. While most of those community vibes happen among festival attendees, there’s also the collaborative element between the artists that you can only fully experience in a live setting.
Angel Olsen’s set that took place just after sunset had one of those moments, when Sharon Van Etten made a surprise appearance to join Olsen in performing their 2021 duet “Like I Used To” and close out the set. Prior to the special closing moment, Olsen kept the large crowd hooked with her ethereal vocals and witty stage banter. Before playing her hit “Shut Up Kiss Me,” Olsen joked with the audience that she was going to be trying out a brand new song she and the band had never played before-- which only piled on the excitement from the crowd when they recognized the opening lyrics of the tune.
St Vincent
Saturday night at Pitchfork closed out with a full-blown theatrical production from St. Vincent. The headlining set began with backup dancers and singers gracing the stage in 1970’s disco style garb, with Annie Clark (AKA St. Vincent) making her grand entrance shortly afterwards.
The entire stage setup and groovy costumes of Clark and her band truly felt like a trip back in time, continuing the theme of escapism during the festival’s second day. St. Vincent’s beautiful and charismatic performance of course included songs from the 2021 album Daddy’s Home, but the earlier half of the set called back to a lot of earlier material like “Birth in Reverse” and “New York.”
View more photos of the festival’s second day, including Horsegirl, Bartees Strange, Divino Niño, Amaarae, Waxahatchee, Ty Segall, Kim Gordon, Angel Olsen, Jamila Woods, and St. Vincent below, and stay tuned for Day 3 coverage.
7 Pitchfork Fest 2021 Acts To Get There Early For
After a Summer of no music festivals in 2020, we’re thrilled that we’re getting to experience Pitchfork Festival in 2021. While the fest usually takes place in July, we might actually get a break from the usual sweltering humidity with its move to September this year. Pitchfork is giving us some incredible headliners for 2021—including Phoebe Bridgers, St. Vincent and Erykah Badu— but make sure you don’t snooze on the rest of the line up. To help you out, we’ve compiled our recommendations of must-see acts who are worth getting to Union Park early for next weekend. Grab your tickets here if you haven’t yet, and keep reading on for ANCHR’s top picks below.
Dehd
Photo By Alexa Viscius
We’ve got to start this list off with some hometown heroes; Dehd. Composed of Jason Balla on guitar and vocals, Emily Kempf on bass and vocals, and Eric McGrady on drums, the Chicago trio crafts tunes that are a boisterous blend of post-punk and surf rock. By utilizing both Kempf and Balla’s vocals, Dehd lends a playful and dynamic nature to their music. That dynamic spans across three albums, including 2020’s Flower of Devotion. Dehd’s extensive catalog of songs are sure to have you grooving along to their Pitchfork set.
If you don’t want to take our word on it, The FADER, Pitchfork, Paste, NPR Music, UPROXX, and Vice were all among publications to showcase Flower of Devotion on their best of 2020 lists. Dehd recently announced the 2020 album will be getting a reboot in September, when they’ll be releasing an album full of remixes to the original songs, including Pitchfork Fest alum Lala Lala’s remix of “Desire.”
For Fans Of: Mac DeMarco, Omni, Priests
Start With: “Flood” and “Loner”
Where to catch them: Friday 9/10, at the Green Stage from 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM.
Pitchfork Aftershow on Saturday, 9/11, at The Empty Bottle
Divino Niño
Photo by Alexa Viscius
The list continues on with another Chicago classic. Divino Niño is a five piece rock band based in Chicago composed of Camilo Medina, Javier Forero, Guillermo Rodriguez-Torres, Pierce Codina, and Justin Vitorri. Forero and Medina formed the band in Chicago when they moved here for college, after initially having met in Bogota, Columbia as children and reconnecting later in life in Miami.
Blending together dreamy psych and funk vibes with bilingual lyrics, there are fewer bands better suited for an outdoor music festival than Divino Niño. Their 2019 album Foam flows from bop to bop, so be sure to bring your dancing shoes to their set.
For Fans Of: Post Animal, The Marías, Mild High Club
Start With: “Foam” and “Coca Cola”
Where to catch them: Saturday, 9/11 at the Green Stage from 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM
Pitchfork Aftershow on Friday, 9/10, at The Empty Bottle
Dogleg
Photo courtesy of Dogleg
If you’re looking to start your Pitchfork weekend off on the right foot, look no further than Detroit, Michigan’s Dogleg. Originating as a solo bedroom project from guitarist and songwriter Alex Stoitsiadis as a way to concretize his mantra of “Play fast,” Dogleg has since expanded to include Chase Macinski on bass, Parker Grissom on guitar, and Jacob Hanlon on drums. Since the initial inception and release of the debut self-titled EP in 2016, Dogleg released a handful of follow up singles leading up to their critically acclaimed 2020 debut album Melee.
The band’s intense punk riffs blend with a touch of nostalgia-drenched emo to create a fast-paced ferocity that will get the Pitchfork crowd amped and ready for the rest of the weekend.
For Fans Of: PUP, The Frights, Jeff Rosenstock
Start With: “Kawasaki Backflip” and “Fox”
Where to catch them: Friday 9/10, at the Red Stage from 1:45 PM – 2:25 PM
Pitchfork Aftershow on Saturday, 9/11 at Subterranean
Horsegirl
Photo by Sun Picture Music
Another Chicago act you can’t miss if you want to support local? Horesegirl. Composed of Penelope Lowenstein (she/her), Nora Cheng (she/her), and Gigi Reece (they/them), Horsegirl formed about two years ago after the group had performed together as a Sonic Youth cover band. Lowenstein and Cheng had originally met when their similar taste in music bonded them as attendees of a local music program. Lowenstein and Cheng often create a dual vocal effect, joined by Reece’s backbone of drum beats, to create music that makes a statement.
While they only have three singles released so far, I’m excited to see them live for the first time at Pitchfork and discover what else their set has in store.
For Fans Of: Porridge Radio, Lala Lala, Snail Mail
Start With: “Ballroom Dance Scene” and “Sea Life Sandwich Boy”
Where to catch them: Saturday, 9/11 at the Green Stage from 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM
Oso Oso
Photo courtesy of Oso Oso
The brainchild of musician and songwriter Jade Lilitri, Oso Oso began in 2014 as a side project from Lilitri’s former band State Lines. Following the initial release, Lilitri has now released three albums under the Oso Oso project, the most recent being 2019’s basking in the glow.
Most of Oso Oso’s catalog is full of lyrics that can rouse reflective pondering from listeners, while simultaneously delivering upbeat melodies you can get lost in. In similar fashion, the third album showcases Lilitri’s introspective musings fused with a pop punk soundtrack. If you’re looking for a set at Pitchfork where you can belt along to some heartfelt lyrics while dancing around, make sure you’re there to hear Oso Oso play “basking in the glow.”
For Fans Of: The Front Bottoms, The Hotelier, Remo Drive
Start With: “gb/ol h/nf” and “Track 1, Side A”
Where to catch them: Sunday, 9/12 at the Blue Stage from 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM
Pitchfork Aftershow on Saturday, 9/11 at Subterranean
Tomberlin
Photo Credit: Ebru Yildiz
While Cassandra Jenkins unfortunately had to cancel her upcoming tour (including her slot at Pitchfork Fest), we now have Tomberlin filling in for her. I first had the pleasure of seeing Tomberlin perform at The Hideout in Chicago alongside Hand Habits back in 2019, where she completely mesmerized the audience and kept us all hooked on her every word. Sarah Beth Tomberlin (better known solely by her last name) is a singer-songwriter currently based out of Los Angeles with roots in Louisville, Kentucky. She followed up her stunning debut record At Weddings with an EP entitled Projections in October 2020, and I’m excited for the chance to hear some of the newer songs performed live.
The combination of Tomberlin’s ethereal vocals and delicate melodies gives me the sensation of wrapping myself in a cocoon of blankets. The sense of comfort and coziness that songs like “Hours” and “You Are Here” evoke makes Tomberlin the perfect soundtrack to transition from Summer into Fall. It will also make for a great laid-back way to start the final day of the festival.
For Fans Of: Hand Habits, Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker
Start With: “Hours” and “Wasted”
Where to catch her: Sunday, 9/12 at the Green Stage from 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM
Special Interest
I haven’t yet had the honor of seeing Special Interest perform live, but I just know they’re going to be one of the best sets at the fest. If you’re looking for a completely unique experience, you can’t miss this group from New Orleans, Louisiana.
It’s difficult to assign a genre to Special Interest, but their song “Street Pulse Beat” swirls together moody synths with a pulsing drum machine and a punk bass line. Throughout their three albums, they tackle reimagining dark electronic and punk music, creating an eccentric vibe that’s entirely their own. Interestingly enough, the group began in 2015 as a duo who only planned to play one show. When they started out, Alli Logout and Maria Elena played guitars and power tools over the beat of a 70’s Univox drum machine— before ultimately being joined by Ruth Mascelli on electronics and Nathan Cassiani on bass. They’ve since garnered a reputation for the intensity of their live shows, so don’t miss out on their festival set or after show.
For Fans Of: Idles, Boy Harsher, Squid
Start With: “Street Pulse Beat” and “Disco II”
Where to catch them: Sunday, 9/12 at the Red Stage from 1:45 PM – 2:25 PM
Pitchfork Aftershow on Saturday, 9/11 at Smart Bar
Keep an eye out for more Pitchfork Fest coverage all next weekend, and take a trip down memory lane below.
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PHOTOS: Winspear Review 2020
This past Friday, we kicked off our weekend in style at the 2020 Winspear Review, featuring performances from Divino Niño, Barrie, Major Murphy and Amy O. If you missed out on the sold out party at Lincoln Hall, check out photos of the evening below!
PHOTOS: Durand Jones & The Indications and Divino Niño at Thalia Hall
On Thursday Night last week, Durand Jones & The Indications returned to Chicago for their third show at Thalia Hall— this time headlining to a sold out crowd. Check out photos of the night, including Divino Niño’s set, below.
Live Recap: Deeper's Sold Out Tour Send Off Show with Divino Niño, The Hecks, and Mia Joy
Last Friday night, Deeper topped off a stacked bill for their winter tour kick off show at Sleeping Village, which included Mia Joy, The Hecks, and Divino Niño. Just as the music was about to kick off, friends and fans of all of the bands flocked to the Avondale venue to catch the show, creating a line out the door that signified tonight’s show would be a good one.
As everyone in the venue’s packed bar eventually filed into the music room, Mia Joy had just taken the stage with her full band, who assisted her in bringing her atmospheric indie pop tracks to life. Mia Joy’s delicate and dreamy vocals enticed the full audience, providing a comforting oasis from the chaotic scene of the crowded bar we had all just passed through. This opening set was the perfect way to reset after a long week and get ready for a full night of music.
Next up The Hecks were set to take the stage, and before they even began, the show had officially reached capacity, giving Deeper a sold out send-off show. When The Hecks started playing, it felt as if we had all been transported back to the 80’s with their throwback sound that swirls together post-punk and new wave genres and nods to influences from the likes of Talking Heads and Sonic Youth. With their bright and punchy guitar melodies, The Hecks got the energy picked up and had people dancing along to every song. During their set, the band also played some new material, which still had their signature tone of nostalgia mixed with a refreshing and unique energy.
Next up, Divino Niño delivered a sweet set packed with their Latin-tinged dreamy, indie rock tunes. The entire band exuded a relaxed and breezy vibe that enchanted the room as they played through a bunch of new material. Lead vocalist and guitarist Camilo Medina informed the audience that these new songs will be included on the band’s new album coming out this summer, and that one of the new songs would be the first single released in just a couple of weeks. The best thing about Divino Niño’s 45 minute set was that each of their songs had its own distinct and diverse stamp on it, but still flowed seamlessly with the rest of the setlist.
Closing out the night, Deeper finally made their return, playing their first headline set in Chicago since their sold out, album release show at The Empty Bottle. The set began with the lights still dimmed as the band played songs like “Should Be” and “Pink Showers” from their self-titled debut album, which was released last May via Fire Talk Records. Like The Hecks, Deeper’s post punk sound has a sense of nostalgia about it, but they put a rejuvenating spin on it to make it their own. The band members poured their energy into their playing, and the crowd reciprocated the same level of energy as they danced along throughout the set. Deeper also continued the night’s trend of playing new music and tested out some new tunes, which were well received by everyone.
If you weren’t able to make it to the show Friday, you can catch Deeper on the rest of their tour dates with the Districts, at Lincoln Hall on Valentine’s Day, or at SXSW!
Photos of Mia Joy, The Hecks, Divino Niño and Deeper
More on Deeper:
PHOTOS: Post Animal with Divino Niño and Paul Cherry at Metro 12.15.18
2018 has been an incredible year for Chicago’s Post Animal; From releasing their official debut album on Polyvinyl Records to playing festivals like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, they’ve had no shortage of Special Moments this year. On Saturday, December 15th, Post Animal played their final show of the year with the help of Paul Cherry and Divino Niño, celebrating the supportive community in the Chicago music scene. If you weren’t among the packed crowd at the Wrigleyville venue this weekend, check out photos from the show below.
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PHOTOS: Half Acre's Big North Festival with Post Animal, DEHD, and Divino Niño
Half Acre's annual Big North festival returned for its third year at the brewery's Balmoral location. In addition to endless beer and burgers, the fest also highlighted three of the city's best bands: Post Animal, DEHD, and Divino Niño. Check out our photo gallery of the musical portion of the fest below.
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LIVE: Homeshake, Divino Niño, and Pixel Grip Incite Déjà Vu to Past Generations of Music at The Empty Bottle
The Empty Bottle was a low-fi circus of sound Thursday night that showcased energy plucked from the musical influence of past eras — and a little of the future.
Pixel Grip’s debut at The Empty Bottle lived up to the darkwave disco hype with a sound crystallized somewhere between Sylvan Esso and LCD Soundsystem. Lead singer Rita Lukea gained confidence as the set progressed, doing away with the mic stand and commanding the space in towering white platform boots with razor-sharp black eyeliner and undercut to match. At her side, John Freund steered the synth ship through waves of 80s bubble-pop and sinister crunch, and Tyler Ommen joined the duo to hammer out drums.
Lukea’s syrupy sweet vocals and doll-like movements offset the sassy, backhanded lyrics of songs like new single “Right Side"; “You’re always so right, right /Always on the right, on the right side /I’m on the wrong side then, feeling left-minded.” And when the singer started quasi-rapping in French, the already-writhing crowd lost its shit. For their first show at the Bottle, Pixel Grip did more than hold their own in a star-studded lineup.
It was the second set, though, that stole the damn show. A Chicago favorite, Divino Niño lingers between the pop sound of a hip, Latino version of The Four Seasons and a seductive, psychedelic garage band.
The entire set felt like a dreamy island vacation, perhaps a wink at lead singer and guitarist Camilo Medina’s thigh tattoo, a little line-drawing of a sunset/palm tree on the ocean, that peeked out from his tiny, denim cutoffs. Medina’s a whammy master with a warm honey voice who romanced the crowd by pairing some seriously sexed-up hip manipulation with a quick thumb’s up and thank you after each song. Not to mention the English to Spanish and back again lyrics that oozed heartache and nostalgia.
The swaying harmonies from Medina, bassist Javier Forero and guitarist Guillermo Rodriguez on songs like “Uruguay” and “Tell Me” could heat up the prom slow-dance scenes of any cult classic in the best way. And the percussion was intricate to say the least, with the quartet’s drummer, Pierce Codina, flanked by two guests — one of which was Paul Cherry. Divino Niño’s sonic nod to the 60's that they refer to on their Facebook as “bootleg-ass-pop” felt more like floating on a cloud.
Just before midnight, the lights went down and the crowd fell in love all over again when Homeshake took the stage. As a bucket-hatted Peter Sagar began his synthy serenade of “Every Single Thing”, the packed space took on a collective groove. The former guitarist for Mac DeMarco definitely shares a sound with the artist, but adds his own low-fi spin with effects like warping his voice — even when talking to the crowd he sounded like a cartoon kitten or an anonymous source on Gangland. Sagar’s playful this way in his interaction with the crowd between songs, jumping from thanking to shushing them and met with laughter.
The Montreal-based quartet poured a thick molasses over the crowd with the R&B tropes found in latest release Fresh Air and stoner synths of previous works “Midnight Snack” and “In the Shower”. The sensual energy only intensified as what seemed like the entire crowd sang lyrics “kissing hugging making love and waking up and getting high” while head-bobbing in unison.
While each act incited definite déjà vu to past generations of music, they successfully — and seamlessly — spun exciting new webs of sound to encapsulate the crowd.
Thumbnail Photo Credit: Salina Ladha