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

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

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

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

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

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

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