Festivals are back on their usual schedules, so that means we're massively excited for Pitchfork Music Festival this weekend! As always, PMF is bringing some of the best acts going today with a nice highlight of local acts, diverse sounds and just an overall fantastic lineup (and let's not forget tumultuous weather if the forecast is accurate)! They've been doing this for 16 years, so they know a thing or two about great festivals.
If we could, we'd love to see every one of the 41 bands performing. However, time is a real bummer and it's surprisingly difficult to plan out these three festival days. There are just too many great acts performing this weekend. Especially with all time conflicts galore! Luckily we're here with some suggestions of what stages to be at this weekend to make it a little easier to navigate through this insanely good lineup!
Tickets for the festival are still available! Single day passes are $99 and three-day passes $200 plus fees. Yo can check out the full lineup and schedule at their website and get ready for one of the better festivals of the summer!
FRIDAY, JULY 15th
SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE on the Green stage at 2:30pm
There’s no better way to kick off the early afternoon on Friday than to catch SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE shredding at the Green stage. Their wide array of alternative sounds will have you both wanting to jump around and sway in the July sun. If that’s not enough, you can also catch their Pitchfork aftershow at Lincoln Hall with Wiki on Saturday night!
- Andrew Lagunas
Indigo De Souza on the Green stage at 4:15pm
Indigo de Sauza's songs tackle love and heartbreak with all the complexity you could hope for. Backed by sometimes dancable, sometimes undeniably raw instrumentation, Indio De Souza's incredible voice shines as she confidently pours out every emotion into her incredible songs. She certainly impressed during her opening set for Lucy Dacus earlier this year (who is also on this list!) and I honestly can't wait to see what she does on a festival stage.
- Julian Ramirez
Tierra Whack on the Red stage at 5:15pm
Tierra Whack is absolutely adored by Chicago and I’m confident she’ll put on a hyped show on Friday. Just take a look at our review of her amazing set at House of Vans earlier this year! Whack put out three single EPs last year (R&B?, Pop?, Rap?) and with most of her music being relatively short, we can anticipate a thorough and energetic set from her on the Red stage!
- Andrew Lagunas
Spiritualized on the Red stage at 7:25pm
In a sea of must-see sets, Spiritualized ranks incredibly high. Fronted by Jason Pierce, aka J Spaceman of Spacemen 3 fame, Spiritualized is every experimental psych rock fan's dream. A mixture of chill-out sounds and mind-bending jams, Spiritualized have all the tools needed for a festival-stealing set. There is just so much history and so many amazing tracks backing Spiritualized that a festival set like this seems like the perfect setting. As the sun starts to set after a full first day of amazing acts, Spiritualized will surely leave the crowd satisfied.
- Julian Ramirez
SATURDAY, JULY 16th
The Linda Lindas on the Green stage at 2:30pm
The Linda Lindas are winding up for an electric set on Saturday at the Green stage and you won’t want to miss it. They’re still “fresh” to the scene having released their debut EP in 2020 and their debut album, Growing Up, this year. They’ve gained a lot of momentum in just the past two short years thanks to their high energy garage-rock tunes. The Linda Lindas are sure to put you in the right mood for the rest of the fest!
- Andrew Lagunas
Magdalena Bay on the Red stage at 5:15pm
If you’re looking for a reason to dance at the festival, Magdalena Bay is your perfect set. Their debut record Mercurial World set the bar high for them, bringing to fruition some of the catchiest and out-of-this-world beats. Their synth-pop grooves and catchy lyrics are the perfect remedy for a midday pick-me-up that will surely have the whole crowd dancing at the Red stage.
- Andrew Lagunas
Lucy Dacus on the Green stage at 6:15pm
Having Lucy Dacus play a show in Chicago is always a treat. Her calming and nurturing voice paired with her emotion-packed songs are sure to bring a breath of fresh air to Pitchfork Saturday evening. Last time she was in town she performed an entire show from a couch due to back pain and still managed to pull off one hell of a show! Catch her set for a relaxing afternoon of beautiful songwriting with both soft and rugged guitars sprinkled throughout!
- Andrew Lagunas
Japanese Breakfast on the Red stage at 7:25pm
Making her much-anticipated return to Pitchfork fest, Japanese Breakfast is set to play the Red stage this year following her highly acclaimed 2021 record Jubilee. The perfect balance between classic alternative-rock sounds mixed with ambient instrumentation, Jubilee won my heart over instantly. Last year they played FIVE sold-out nights at Thalia Hall so the love for Michelle Zauner in Chicago is obviously immense! Her ethereal performances are what makes Japanese Breakfast so good live and you won’t want to miss out!
- Andrew Lagunas
SUNDAY, JULY 17th
L’Rain the Red stage at 1:45pm
L’Rain brings her intricate and layered soundscapes to Pitchfork this year. I caught her opening set for Animal Collective earlier this year and it was quite the ethereal experience. You could get lost in her music, which almost creates a genre clash throughout her sounds. Catch her unique and experimental set early on Sunday and set the perfect tone for this fantastic final day at Pitchfork!
- Andrew Lagunas
Xenia Rubinos on the Blue stage at 5:15pm
Years ago, Xenia Rubinos opened for Son Lux at Constellation and made a deep impression on me. She got the seated audience on their feet and dancing to her amazing songs. Her energy was unparalleled and she knew exactly how to keep the crowd going. She seems like the perfect festival performer as well and this Blue stage set should help keep the crowd lively as they start to wind down for the end of the weekend.
- Julian Ramirez
Toro Y Moi on the Red stage at 7:25pm
What better way to wrap up your Pitchfork Red stage shenanigans than with Toro Y Moi? Chaz Bear’s latest release MAHAL is a literal journey with Chaz in his vehicle. The hype is definitely real to hear these jams come to fruition on stage. Their groovy tunes are sure to have all of Pitchfork dancing one last time before the fest wraps up for the year.
- Andrew Lagunas
Cate Le Bon on the Blue stage 7:45pm
Cate Le Bon is no stranger to Pitchfork stages and with good reason. Cate Le Bon commands a stage like no other, letting her unique and mesmerizing voice lure you so she can astound you with her immaculate guitar work . Having just seen her completely enthrall Thalia hall earlier this year, I know we're going to get a perfect final set at the Blue Stage this year.
- Julian Ramirez
All photos by Julian Ramirez