The 14th annual Pitchfork Music Festival will take place at Chicago’s Union Park July 19th to the 21st. As domestic festivals are now showcasing more and more talent from abroad, Pitchfork has assembled a strong contingent of artists from around the globe. Swedish songstress Robyn, Scottish indie royalty Belle And Sebastian, Japanese punks CHAI and Cuban sisters Ibeyi are among those who will showcase their global influences. As the festival has always prided itself on representing the city of Chicago, another strong group of local artists makes up part of this year's lineup. Whitney, JPEGMAFIA, Mavis Staples, Valee, and Ric Wilson are just a few of the flavors to take in over the weekend. Here are 4 must-see acts over the weekend at Union Park this year.
Avant Pop purveyors Stereolab will make their first live performance in North America in over a decade at the Pitchfork Music Festival. Treading the line of experimentation, noise, pop, and love of synthesizers, Stereolab’s sound is unmistakable The influence they have had on other indie artists while on hiatus reaches far and wide, too. The impact of it can be heard from the likes of Deerhunter, Animal Collective, !!!, Battles, Blonde Redhead, and Caribou to name a few. The groups lyrical content might even be more vital than ever in the current political climate. Ever the innovators, Stereolab's words might ring truest, even when they were written so long ago. And they will be heard loud and clear at Union Park on Saturday, with a few loud guitars behind them.
Most bands that want attention will go to any lengths to make their presence known in the online community. London’s Black Midi has made a name for themselves by doing the complete opposite. Essentially shrouding themselves in mystery due to practically zero social media presence, while barely releasing a handful of songs, they became a true word of mouth buzz act just from their bombastic live shows. Mixing Math Rock, Electronic, Noise and Jazz, Black Midi’s debut album is set to be released in June, and a month later they will descend onto Union Park to show everyone how they became your favorite band's new favorite band.
If there was one act every performer at the Pitchfork Festival should take notes from, it’s the Isley Brothers. Having the ability to say your musical career spans 6 decades and over 30 albums should make anyone notice. The impact the group has had over that time is the true testament to their legacy. Pushing the boundaries of what R & B, Funk, and Soul could be and has become, their music resonates with countless artists that strive to replicate what brothers from Cincinnati have done. Saturday night at Union Park will very much be a celebration of what the Isley Brothers have accomplished, and the audience will get to experience a grand history lesson in music.
World music by definition has gone from a small corner in record stores (or Starbucks counter) to the forefront of modern music. It would take a proverbial United Nations to describe Houston trio Khruangbin. Guitarist Mark Speer, bassist Laura Lee, and drummer DJ Johnson craft all of those worlds together with lush atmospheres and unwavering precision. With flavors from West Africa, France, Vietnam, and Thailand, it only scratches the surface of samplings Khurangbin will throw at you during their hypnotic live performances. Speaking of samples, the peak of their show is showcased during a medley of jams which you will have to see for yourself at Pitchfork. (Hint: your favorite hip hop songs)
Three-day passes are on sale now via EventBrite for $175 each plus service fees. There also are three-day Pitchfork Plus VIP passes for $375 each plus service fees, and single-day tickets are $75 each plus service fees. Click below to attend the 2019 Pitchfork Music Festival!
BUY PASSES: July 19th - 21st: Pitchfork Music Festival 2019 at Union Park (CHICAGO, IL)
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