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.

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.

Acts To Get There Early For: Pitchfork Festival 2022

Pitchfork Festival returns to its usual slot at Union Park this July, after taking place in September last year. The annual music fest will feature some of our favorite acts as headliners, like The National, Mitski, and The Roots—among other performers like Japanese Breakfast, Toro y Moi, Parquet Courts and Lucy Dacus. As always though, the P4k line up is packed with tons of hidden gems that will put on incredible sets. Tune in below to hear some of the acts of the festival that ANCHR will be showing up early to Union Park to catch.

Friday

Ethel Cain

Photo by Helen Kirbo

Singer songwriter Ethel Cain writes about some harrowing and dark themes, but she has mastered the craft of depicting sadness in her music through such a refined and beautiful lens. Cain delivers these stories with reverberated, ethereal vocals and captivating melodies that make it hard not to become instantly enchanted by the songs “A House in Nebraska,” “Hard Times,” and “Crush”—just to name a few.

Cain grew up in a Southern Baptist family in Florida and sang in the choir, but ultimately left the churn as a teen when she came out to her family as gay. On her twentieth birthday, Cain came out publicly as a transgender woman. Cain nods to her religious upbringing with the title of her debut record Preacher’s Daughter, which was just released in May of 2022. The debut album follows up the EPs Golden Age and Inbred, which Cain released in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

If you’re looking for a festival set that will get you feeling all your feelings, while also sounding absolutely stunning, do not miss Ethel Cain at Pitchfork on Friday.

Start With: “American Teenager,” “Gibson Girl” and “Crush”

For Fans Of: Hatchie, MUNA, Zola Jesus

Where to catch her: 1:45-2:25 pm, Red Stage

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SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE

Photo by Peggy Fioretti

Here at ANCHR, we love a good experimental rock band, so naturally, we’re fans of SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE. The Philadelphia-based band has had a history of rotating members, but currently the group is composed of Zack Schwartz, Rivka Ravede, and Corey Wichlin— who all wear multiple hats for the band, contributing everything from vocals, keys, guitar, bass and drums. The shuffling around of band duties likely contributes to the diverse and expansive genre-sphere that the group has created.

The band’s name comes from a 1973 Spanish film with the same title, which is fitting because their sound has a cinematic quality to it. The band describes their song “THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN'T DO” from their 4th album ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH as being one showcases the growth they’ve undergone from their inception to current day. "This song draws on some of the sonic aesthetic of SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE's old records and aligns those sounds with the electronic instrumentation we've been exploring," Wichlin says.

SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE will certainly keep us on our toes during their performance, which makes them a perfect way to kick off the festival on Friday afternoon.

Start With: “There’s Nothing You Can’t Do,” “fell asleep with a vision"" and “Natural Devotion”

For Fans Of: Squid, Dry Cleaning, black midi

Where to catch them: 2:30-3:15 pm, Green Stage

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Saturday

Jeff Parker & the New Breed

Photo by Jim Newberry

At ANCHR, we also love a versatile artist, and with Jeff Parker, there’s not much he hasn’t dabbled in. Parker was born in Bridgeport, CT and has been making music since 1991, pushing boundaries with his guitar playing and composing via an array of collaborations. Parker is a member of the band Tortoise, and has also worked with the likes of Andrew Bird, Yo La Tengo, and George Lewis—just to name a few.

There’s a effortlessly breezy tone to Parker’s style, which incorporates everything from jazz to folk to rock to pop. The bio on Parker’s website says his works “explore and exploit the contrary relationships between tradition and technology, improvisation and composition, and the familiar and the abstract” and that truly comes across as you listen through his catalog of music.

Parker also has local ties to Chicago as a founding member of the groups Isotope 217˚ and Chicago Underground. If you’re looking for a festival set that will be equal parts fascinating and soothing, make sure you catch Jeff Parker & the New Breed. We think it will be the perfect way to kick off the second day of the festival.

Start With: “Suffolk,” “Cliche” and “Soul Love”

For Fans Of: Anderson .Paak, Tortoise, Ben LaMar Gay

Where to catch them 1:00-1:40pm, Green Stage

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Chubby and the Gang

Photo courtesy of Sonic PR

While Charlie, aka "Chubby,” Manning-Walker of Chubby and the Gang has been involved with different bands in the British scene since 2004, he only formed this variation of an ensemble in 2019. The West London-based group consists of Ethan Stahl, Tom "Razor" Hardwick, Maegan Brooks Mills and Joe McMahon alongside Manning-Walker. The lineup is composed of different members of hardcore punk bands Arms Race, Vile Spirit and Gutter Knife.

Similarly to the bands they came from, Chubby and the Gang’s songs have a classic punk feel to them, full of bright drumbeats and cheeky lyrics—but they also mix in other genres and influences. In the short few years since the group formed, Chubby and the Gang has already released two full-length albums, including their sophomore release The Mutt’s Nuts, which was produced by Jonah Falco of Fucked Up and put out via Partisan Records. Most recently, Chubby and the Gang added an EP to their discography, entitled Labour of Love, and aptly released on Valentine’s Day this year.

I have yet to see the band perform, but I just know they’re going to be great at getting the crowd amped up and ready to take on the second day of Pitchfork Festival.

Start With: “Coming Up Tough,” I Hate The Radio” and “All Along The Uxbridge Road”

For Fans Of: Turnstile, PUP, Fontaines D.C.

Where to catch them: 2:30-3:15pm:, Green Stage

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Sunday

L’Rain

ANCHR’s Sunday picks are all about the vibes and escapism. L’Rain is a Brooklyn-based singer and musician who composes experimental and mesmerizing songs— imagine losing yourself in a soundbath in the rain, and that’s kind of what L’Rain’s “Heavy (But Not In Wait)” feels like to me.

L’Rain is the moniker for Taja Cheek, who grew up around family with a music business background— her dad worked in music marketing and promotion and her grandfather owned a jazz club. Cheek’s moniker is also a tribute to her mother, Lorraine C. Porter, who unfortunately passed away before Cheek released her debut album.

L’Rain’s music has such a glossy fluidity to it, and that’s probably in part due to the ballet and dance that Cheek studied while growing up. In addition to dance, Cheek learned to play a multitude of different instruments— including bass, piano and cello. As if that’s not all, Cheek even studied music and American Studies while attending Yale, no big deal.

To date, L’Rain has put out two albums; 2017’s self-titled debut and 2021’s Fatigue. Be sure to attend her set on Sunday and drift away to a mix of L’Rain’s unique musical stylings.

Start With: “Find It,” “Two Face” and “Heavy (But Not In Wait)”

For Fans Of: Circuit des Yeux, Cassandra Jenkins, Animal Collective

Where to catch them 1:45-2:25pm, Red Stage

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KAINA

Photo by Dennis Larance

Like I said, the Sunday acts are all about the escapism vibes, and Chicago’s own KAINA has the silky smooth vocals and dreamy tunes to help you drift into your personal oasis at Pitchfork.

KAINA is a first-generation Latina and was born and raised in Chicago, and she does an incredible job of composing her songs so that they fuse together Latin-inspired sounds with Chicago soul and blues. You can hear her influences shine through, yet her sound is something completely unique.

In addition to the Chicago influences that we’ll hear in KAINA’s set, there’s a strong chance we’ll see some other hometown artists joining her onstage at the fest— she’s collaborated with Sen Morimoto, Saba, and Nnamdi just to name a few. I’m also looking forward to hearing songs from KAINA’s sophomore album It Was a Home, which was released this year as a follow up to 2019’s debut Next to The Sun.

There’s a lot going wrong in the world right now, but I have no doubt we can all temporarily sway away our problems while watching KAINA.

Start With: “Golden Mirror,” “Could Be a Curse” and “Apple”

For Fans Of: Jamila Woods, Cuco, Wet
Where to catch her: 2:30-3:15pm, Green Stage

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See the full Pitchfork Festival schedule here, and get ready by listening to the playlist below.

Pitchfork Fest Day 1 Highlights

Pitchfork Festival returned to its rightful place in Union Park yesterday on Friday, July 14th, and so begins one of the best festivals of the summer. Each year, Pitchfork Festival curators do an excellent job of placing some of the best up and coming acts on the Red, Green, and Blue stages at the three day event, but this year they also wrangled in massive headliners LCD Soundsystem, Solange, and A Tribe Called Quest. This year's line up also feels more diverse and wide-reaching with genre, drawing in a large crowd early on Friday afternoon. If you weren't among the masses last night, here's what you missed at P4K Day 1. 

Priests Put On A Bright and Bold Performance

Prior to the festival, we compiled seven of our most anticipated acts, and of course it included Washington DC punk band Priests. Although they got stuck with the second performance of the festival at 1:45PM on Friday, a surprisingly large number of festival attendees managed to get out of work and to The Green Stage just in time. Lead singer Katie Alice Greer had the crowd instantly wrapped around her finger with her roaring vocals and magnetic stage presence. In addition to singing back the words of popular Priests songs like "JJ" and "Appropriate," the crowd also went wild when drummer Daniele Daniele multitasked on the drums and vocals during one of the songs. If you missed their wild and captivating performance yesterday, catch them tonight at Schubas! Tickets will still be available at the door, and show starts at 8:45 with Espejos. 

Frontwoman Katie Alice Greer in her bright and bold Pitchfork getup 

Phil Cook Rocked The Harmonica with Hiss Golden Messenger 

Based in Durham, North Carolina, Hiss Golden Messenger is the brainchild of M.C Taylor, but on his records and live performances, you never know who will show up to lend a hand. In fact, on the Facebook page for Hiss Golden Messenger, under band members it just says "M.C Taylor + pals," and on Friday afternoon, Taylor's definitely brought his pals out to play. The collaborative set of folk and alt-country music featured the likes of Ryan Gustafson on guitar, Scott Hirsch on bass, and Phil Cook on the keys. Cook brought some character into the afternoon set, multitasking on the harmonica and keys at one point, which had the crowd going wild. 

Frontman M.C Taylor

Vince Staples Promoted #WearOrange

This year, Pitchfork Festival has partnered up with organizations Everytown for Gun Safety and Mothers Against Senseless Killings to promote the campaign Wear Orange, to raise awareness of the senseless gun violence that plagues Chicago. Vince Staples took the stage at 4PM Friday and performed his entire set in front of an orange backdrop with orange stage lights, lending a hand to the campaign. In addition to his powerful backdrop, Staples had the crowd screaming back his lyrics and moving nonstop during his rowdy performance. 

Vince Staples rapping to a packed crowd 

Frankie Cosmos Overflowed The Blue Stage

Another act on our list of can't miss performances this weekend, Frankie Cosmos and her band completely overpacked the area in front of The Blue Stage for their 5:15 PM show. As the smallest stage at the festival, The Blue Stage often gets crowded, but folks showed up early to soak in Frankie Cosmos' indie pop narratives, and the band gave it their all during each song. Keyboardist Lauren Martin danced while playing the keys and Frankie Cosmos (Greta Kline) enthusiastically played guitar, at one point dropping to the stage floor to ground all her energy into playing. If you missed their mesmerizing set, catch the band at SPACE in Evanston on September 30th!

Great Kline, AKA Frankie Cosmos playing her heart out

LCD Soundsystem Made It Smell Like Middle-Aged Sprit

Hands down the best set of the day, the seasoned musicians of LCD Soundsystem had the crowd grooving the whole time. Although they've been around for a while, the band still gave an incredibly enthusiastic performance, completely entrancing the audience. Lead singer James Murphy acknowledged their veteran status early on in the set joking "it smells like middle-aged spirit up here." In addition to the high-quality tunes, LCD Soundsystem's performance also featured topnotch production, with trippy effects added to their video projections on the big screen and of course--their trademark disco ball. 

The LCD Disco Ball in Full Effect 

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That's all for Day 1, but don't forget to follow along on our social media for some real time updates, and check back for day 2 highlights, as well as a photo gallery of the whole weekend!