The summer heat finally made it to Chicago, just in time for this weekend’s Pitchfork Music Festival at Union Park. The festival staple will return from July 19th through the 21st and will host a diverse line-up of fan-favorites, up-and-comers, and local talent ranging from twee indie pop to rap to Japanese disco-punk. What we’re trying to say is that there’s a lot to take in over the course of Pitchfork 2019‘s three days. To help sort through an incredible line-up, we’re sharing some of our Midwest-centric favorites day-by-day.
Don’t miss the following performances on Saturday:
Lala Lala | 1:00PM at the Green Stage
The chorus of “Destroyer” will be exactly what I need to kick off an awesome Saturday at Pitchfork. Lala Lala will be performing in advance the re-release of her debut album, Sleepyhead, so it makes sense to assume we’ll be hearing a healthy mix of old and new music from the Chicago-based singer-songwriter.
Ric Wilson | 1:45PM at the Red Stage
Self-described “nouveau disco inspired rap superstar” and “community goofball” Ric Wilson has a ton of material to cover during his time on the Red Stage. Wilson has dropped three EPs–Soul Bounce (2016), Negrow Disco (2017), and BANBA (2018)–and released two brand new songs this past March. He’s currently working on a debut studio album, which means we might bear witness to some unreleased tracks of his. Cross your fingers, and get ready to groove.
Stereolab | 6:15PM at the Green Stage
Among this year’s legendary bookings are quite possibly the most influential band to come out of the ’90s. Stereolab paved the way for much of the genre-bending music that would come decades after they formed. The band effortlessly combined krautrock beats with ’60s lounge music and heavenly vocal melodies to form a style all their own. Hot off the release of a slough of Expanded Edition reissues of some of their finest studio offerings we’re hoping to see a lot of Stereolab classics make their way into their set Saturday evening on the green stage. Oh yeah, this is their first time playing in the US in 11 years, don’t miss it.
Belle & Sebastian | 7:25PM at the Red Stage
Gracing the Pitchfork stage for the second time are chamber pop all-stars Belle & Sebastian. This time around they are performing their sophomore album If You’re Feeling Sinister from front to back. The 1996 release cemented B&S as a whimsical folk pop standout amongst the grunge and alternative albums of the era. We’re excited to see tracks like “The Stars of Track and Field”, “Judy and the Dream of Horses”, and “Get Me Away from Here, I’m Dying” but the entire album has a special place in our hearts.
Jeremih | 7:45PM at the Blue Stage
We’re all familiar with “Brithday Sex,” Jeremih’s breakout hit from 2009 that cemented him as a standout in the R&B genre. Since then, he’s collaborated with Chance the Rapper and Ty Dolla $ign (among others), released three more studio albums, and agreed to play Pitchfork 2019.
Stay tuned throughout the week for more of our “Pitchfork Must-Sees” and be sure to keep up with us this weekend as we post photos and other goodies from the festival grounds. And of course, visit us as we table at the CHIRP Record Fair!
Pitchfork Music Festival Official | Full Lineup & Schedule | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram