Pitchfork Festival 2016 Preview

Pitchfork is the standard by which indie music publications are judged these days (even we admit that…), and once again they put together an eclectic mix of artists, from commercial appeal to critical acclaim, at Chicago’s Union Park, Friday to Sunday, July 15th to 17th:

FRIDAY, JULY 15th

Green Stage Beach House, 8:30 PM The guitar-and-keys pair of Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally (QRO photos at a festival) may hail from Baltimore, but there’s a Francophile expanse to Beach House (QRO photos). 2008’s Devotion (QRO review) earned them many fans that felt that way (QRO live review), and 2010’s Teen Dream (QRO review) was shortlisted for ‘albums of the year’. In 2012 they came out with Bloom (QRO review), and they’ve since been working the festivals, coming back to Pitchfork for a fourth time (QRO photos at a festival). And the sweet sounds work in the bright sunlight (QRO photos outdoors) or the dark of the evening (QRO photos at a festival). And last year the band (QRO photos) released not one, but two new full-lengths, Depression Cherry (QRO review) and Thank Your Lucky Stars (QRO review).

Carly Rae Jepsen, 6:25 PM Three words: “Call Me Maybe”. With that song, the third-place finisher of the 2007 season of Canadian Idol (the version where even the Simon Cowell clone is polite) reached massive fame, with what became the best-selling single worldwide in 2012. Carly Rae Jepsen is still a pop star, but one of those alt-Canadian ones – the kind who’d play Pitchfork.

Julia Holter, 4:35 PM Presenting her latest work, Have You In My Wilderness, an unconventional yet precious mix of tunes and images, Pitchfork is the ideal place to once again enjoy the dreamy nature of the American songwriter Julia Holter (QRO photos).

Blue Stage Shamir, 8:15 PM Shamir Bailey (QRO photos) only last year became old enough to drink, but the countertenor has already garnered tons of praise with every release, and plays Pitchfork for a second time in a row.

The Range, 7:15 PM James Hinton, a.k.a. producer/DJ known as The Range, comes to Pitchfork for his second time in three years.

Also: Mick Jenkins, 6:15 PM Moses Sumney, 5:15 PM Whitney, 4:15 PM

Red Stage Broken Social Scene, 7:20 PM Since being part of the indie-rock ‘Canadian Invasion’ a decade ago, Toronto’s Broken Social Scene (QRO live review outdoors) have also become one of the most sought-after festival bands (QRO photos at a festival) in the alternative music arena (QRO spotlight on), whether indoors at industry showcases (QRO photos at a festival) – including Arts & Crafts’ own (QRO photos) or outdoors at more traditional fests (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), to the point where they’re headlining (QRO photos headlining a festival). Fronted by singer/guitarists Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning (QRO interview), this giant collective includes The Apostle of Hustle (QRO spotlight on), Andrew Whiteman (QRO interview), musical mad scientist Charles Spearin (QRO interview) of Do Make Say Think (QRO photos at a festival), Justin Peroff of Eight and a Half (QRO live review), and a rotating female vocalist spot that’s included Emily Haines (QRO solo album review) of Metric (QRO live review), Leslie Feist (QRO live review), Elizabeth Powell (QRO interview) of Land of Talk (QRO spotlight on), and most recently Lisa Lobsinger of Reverie Sound Revue. While the previous releases were ‘BSS Presents:’ albums focused on Drew (Spirit If. – QRO review) and Canning (Something For All of Us. – QRO review), 2010’s Forgiveness Rock Record (QRO review) was a return to the Broken Social Scene (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), and their live show (QRO live review outdoors) has included everything from Forgiveness songs like “Meet Me In the Basement” (QRO video) Spearin’s fascinating Happiness Project (QRO review) to the old ‘hits’ like “K.C. Accidental” (QRO video) and “Fire Eyed Boy” (QRO video) – as well as numerous guest stars (QRO photos), especially as it’s a near-hometown festival (QRO photos outdoors at a Toronto festival). One of their only shows of 2016, Broken Social Scene return to Pitchfork (QRO photos at Pitchfork ’10).

Twin Peaks, 5:30 PM Of course there’s a band named Twin Peaks (QRO photos at a festival) – even before the recent announcement of new episodes. Their power-pop and wild stage antics (QRO live review) bring to mind The Replacements (QRO album review), and they come back to Pitchfork behind new album Down In Heaven.

Car Seat Headrest, 3:30 PM After a series of solo, self-released Bandcamp records (named literally 1, 2, 3, 4 and more), Will Toledo’s Car Seat Headrest (QRO photos at a festival) graduated to a full band & Matador signing for last year’s Teens of Style and this year’s Teens of Denial.

SATURDAY, JULY 16th

Green Stage Sufjan Stevens, 8:30 PM Sufjan Stevens (QRO live review) has been all over the map – both literally and sonically. He began as singer for electronica outfit The Faint (QRO live review), but made his name in alt-folk, including his ‘States Project’ of albums about states (though he only made two, for Michigan and Illinois), then had a Christmas album and a music & film project, The BQE (commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music for the famed Brooklyn-Queens Expressway). And even his return to normal albums was anything but normal, as 2010’s The Age of Adz (QRO review) combined alt-folk harmonies with tech-stop electronics for a unique sound and a unique show (QRO live review). He comes to Pitchfork (QRO photos) behind last year’s return to intimate form, Carrie & Lowell (QRO review).

Super Furry Animals, 6:15 PM Coming to Pitchfork is The Super Furry Animals (QRO spotlight on). The Welsh group (QRO photos headlining a festival), fronted by Gruff Rhys, brought the psychedelics and electronic experimentation to British guitar rock (QRO photos at a U.K. festival), return from a five-year hiatus (QRO recent photos) behind the reissue of out-of-print Mwng and a book about their ascent to fame, Rise of the Super Furry Animals.

Savages, 4:15 PM 2013 saw London quartet Savages (QRO photos) break out in a major way with Silence Yourself (QRO review). They come back to Pitchfork (QRO photos at a festival) ready to deliver their thrilling live experience of post-punk and noise, behind this year’s Adore Life (QRO review).

Also: Kevin Morby, 2:30 PM – QRO photos at a festival Circuit Des Yeux, 1:00 PM

Blue Stage Holly Herndon, 8:45 PM Stanford doctoral student Holly Herndon uses visual computer programming to create custom instruments and vocal processes. Basically has ‘Pitchfork’ written all over her…

Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, 7:50 PM Pretty quickly, Brandon Park Anderson became Anderson .Paak, and with his band The Free Nationals (QRO photos at a festival), has been getting major notice with his soul-funk styles (including Paak playing drums and dancing in the pit – though not at the same time…).

Jlin + RP Boo, 6:40 PM Gary, Indiana electronic musician Jerrilynn Patton, a.k.a. Jlin, teams up with RP Boo at Pitchfork.

Martin Courtney, 5:35 PM Martin Courtney has played Pitchfork every other year since 2010, but previously fronting his relaxed indie outfit Real Estate (QRO live review) – this time he comes on his own, behind his solo debut, Many Moons.

Also: Jenny Hval, 4:30 PM Royal Headache, 3:25 PM BJ the Chicago Kid, 2:20 PM – QRO photos

Red Stage Brian Wilson, 7:25 PM Brian Wilson (QRO photos) is arguably the greatest creator of popular music since rock found roll. Frontman for the iconic Beach Boys, he made pop hits in the sixties while innovating unorthodox composition, arrangement, and recording techniques. His pinnacle was 1966’s Pet Sounds, and his collapse making follow-up Smile is one of the seminal rock stories, overwork and the highest of follow-up pressure leading to deteriorating mental health, with which Wilson retreated from The Beach Boys. More recently, Wilson (QRO photos) recovered and even faced down Smile, with Grammy wins for both 2004’s Brian Wilson Presents Smile and 2011’s The Smile Sessions, for a record that even unfinished was an inspiration for indie music and post-punk. For Pitchfork, Wilson comes playing Pet Sounds, considered one of the greatest albums ever made (*QRO photos playing Pet Sounds* at a festival**).

Blood Orange, 5:15 PM Dev Hynes (QRO photos) first came up writing for others, such as on Chemical Brothers’ Grammy-winning We Are the Night (QRO review), before forming his own band, Lightspeed Champion (QRO photos), not to mention playing in the short-lived Test Icicles. In recent times, however, he’s focused on his electronic project Blood Orange (QRO live review), coming back to Pitchfork after the recent release of his latest, Freetown Sound.

Digable Planets, 3:20 PM One of the most acclaimed alt-hip-hop outfits from back when those were a new thing, early nineties trio Digable Planets – Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler, Mary Ann “Ladybug Mecca” Viera, and Craig “Doodlebug” Irving (QRO live review) – have teased with one-offs and semi-reunions, but are doing it full-fledged at Pitchfork. They’re “Cool Like Dat”. Also: Girl Band, 1:45 PM

SUNDAY, JULY 17th

Green Stage FKA Twigs, 8:30 PM Tahliah Barnett (QRO photos) has pulled off the rare feat of moving from dancer to musician (QRO photos at a festival), as in-demand FKA Twigs (QRO photos at a festival), with a killer live show (QRO live review). She returns to Pitchfork for the second time in three years.

Jeremih, 6:15 PM After multiple delays, Jeremih’s third studio album, Late Nights, came out last year, and for the R&B star, Later is way better never.

Holy Ghost!, 4:15 PM Electro-pop duo Alex Frankel & Nick Millhiser (QRO photos) forms the up-and-coming Holy Ghost! (QRO live review), who have toured with LCD Soundsystem (QRO live review, on tour with Holy Ghost!) and Cut Copy (QRO live review with Holy Ghost!), and put out their self-titled debut (QRO review) in 2011. They come to Pitchfork (QRO photos at a festival) for a live show (QRO live review) off of 2013’s Dynamics and this year’s Crime Cutz EP.

Woods, 2:30 PM Like their name implies, Brooklyn’s Woods traffic in outdoor, ‘woods-y’ sounds, but add some freak to that folk with electronica (QRO photos at a festival), most recently with this year’s City Sun Eater in the River of Light. They play Pitchfork for a third time (and reunite with former bassist Kevin Morby – see above).

Blue Stage Oneohtrix Point Never, 8:45 PM Another experimental musician from a city that has tons of them, New York, Daniel Lopatin is the electronic Oneohtrix Point Never (QRO photos at a festival), who plays Pitchfork for a second time.

LUH, 7:45 PM Former WU LYF frontman Ellery James Roberts + Amsterdam’s Ebony Hoorn = Lost Under Heaven, a.k.a. LUH.

Oneman, 6:45 PM DJ Oneman spins at Pitchfork.

Thundercat, 5:45 PM Known for his psychedelic excursions, Thundercat (QRO photos at a festival) recently worked with the likes of Flying Lotus (QRO live review) on his newest album, Until the Quiet Comes. He has been compared to the likes of Jaco Pastorius for his precise and experimental basslines.

The Hotelier, 4:45 PM Worcester’s The Hotelier bring their post-hardcore emo-rock to Pitchfork.

Empress Of, 3:45 PM Lorely Rodriguez, a.k.a. Empress Of (QRO photos), first got notice with her one-minute YouTube color videos, “Colorminutes”. She comes to Pitchfork for her second time in three years.

NAO, 2:50 PM East London’s NAO takes soul and combines it with electronics, funk, R&B, and more.

Sun Ra Arkestra, 1:55 PM Modern music wouldn’t be where it is today without Sun Ra. Born before the start of the Great War, Sun Ra took the jazz of the fifties into the future & farther, including outer space. From paving the interstellar highway for everyone from Spiritualized (QRO live review) to Parliament/Funkadelic (QRO live review) to afrofuturism to being one of the first musicians in any genre to use electronic keyboards, there might not be anyone as singular & influential as Sun Ra. Ra passed away in 1993, but his Arkestra has continued, now under the leadership of the sprightly 90-year-old alto saxophonist Marshall Allen.

Red Stage Miguel, 7:25 PM Miguel Jontel Pimental (QRO photos at a festival) rose from his 2010 underperforming sleeper hit debut All I Want Is You and its label’s dissolution to acclaim with 2012’s Kaleidoscope Dream and last year’s Wildheart, incorporating R&B, funk, hip-hop, rock (QRO photos), and more like a latter-day Prince.

Neon Indian, 5:15 PM Alan Palomo worked solo as VEGA (QRO photos at a festival) and recruited a live band as Neon Indian (QRO photos at the same festival), where he’s far stronger (QRO photos with his band), especially outdoors (QRO photos outdoors with band) & at a festival (QRO photos at a festival with band). He comes back to Pitchfork (QRO photos at Pitchfork ‘10) after last year’s release of VEGA INTL. Night School, his latest since 2011’s Era Extraña, and after touring colleges (QRO live review), museums (QRO photos), Down Under (QRO live review), and more (QRO photos).

Kamasi Washington, 3:20 PM Acclaimed saxophonist Kamasi Washington brings a modern air to the jazz instrument.

Also: Porches, 1:45 PM – QRO photos outdoors