Friday at the 2024 Pitchfork Music Festival is set to be an interesting one! The shifts in tone and energy will likely be wild, but I might argue that’s a good sort of problem to have. For example, you get to go from formless, genreless experimentation one minute to heavy-hitting, aggressive rap the next. You can let yourself be awash in synths, or go for a jaunt with some alt-country textures. Spend a little time dancing, and a little time moshing. This day contains the first-ever Chicago performance from Jai Paul, which of course you shouldn’t miss. And we kick things off with two impressive local Chicago artists! I’ll have some thoughts on Friday’s headliner down below, which might be worth a read depending on your personal feelings about them. There are a couple of tough conflicts this first day, and I try my best to help you navigate through them. Click on past the jump to get the full preview guide for Friday!
Black Duck [1:00 – 1:40, Green Stage]
The 2024 Pitchfork Music Festival begins with a set from local Chicago trio Black Duck. Comprised of legendary scene musicians Bill MacKay, Douglas McCombs, and Charles Rumback, they each have decades’ worth of records released either solo or with different bands, but Black Duck’s 2023 self-titled album marks the first time they’ve collaborated in this particular way. The initial Black Duck shows were (and technically remain) highly improvisational in nature. They walk in without any set intentions and we all discover together exactly where the mood takes them. Sometimes they’ll settle into a blues groove, at other moments things might develop into an ambient drone. It’s a very mixed bag, and that’s what their album attempts to harness to some degree. Chances are you won’t hear many or even any of their record played live at Pitchfork, but whatever we do get I can promise will be compelling.
Angry Blackmen [1:45 – 2:25, Red Stage]
Chicago industrial rap duo Angry Blackmen live up to their name, though it’s essential to understand the context behind it because there’s plenty of opportunity for misinterpretation. Industrial rap uses harsh, discordant beats and percussion along with the occasional noisy electric guitar to really make you feel like every emotion gets amplified. When you pair that with lyrics about the inherent racism and threats that Black folks face on a daily basis, it can shred you down to a visceral, almost primal state of being. They’re Angry Blackmen because of the injustices and horrors perpetrated on them and the world writ large, and their music speaks to that as an outlet with intent for understanding and meaningful change. Their album from earlier this year, The Legend of ABM, delivers an incredible showcase for their talents while riling you up with outrage. It’s absolutely the sort of thing you need to see on stage, because if the performance is anything like the music itself, you’ll walk away with your eyes wide open and your jaw on the floor.
ML Buch [2:30 – 3:15, Green Stage]
Rosali [2:45 – 3:30, Blue Stage]
It has been interesting to watch the evolution of ML Buch. The Danish musician delivered a debut album of synth-heavy electro-pop in 2020, though many of its textures came across as futuristic (or at least what we imagine the future to sound like) more than anything else. We’re talking waves of synths and vocals run through enough Auto-Tune to make them sound almost robotic. I don’t mean that in a negative way – it worked quite well, actually. The follow-up, last year’s Suntub, actually gets even better by pivoting in a bit of a different direction. We’re talking guitars and unfiltered vocals that lean in a much more alt-rock direction despite lots of synths being interwoven along the way. It’ll be interesting to see how these two distinctive approaches blend together on stage, and whether that will deliver energy and intrigue or something a bit more relaxed and smooth for the early afternoon at Pitchfork.
Meanwhile, Rosali steps in to open the Blue stage for the weekend with a decidedly Americana sound. I quite enjoyed her record Bite Down that arrived earlier this year, which felt largely like a classic rock pastiche with bits of Neil Young and Stevie Nicks sprinkled about. It’s not the most unique thing you’ll hear, but strong songwriting and memorable melodies can absolutely elevate a tired sound into something fresh. Rosali is great at that, which makes her set at Pitchfork something you should very much check out.
Tkay Maidza [3:20 – 4:10, Red Stage]
Tkay Maidza is also the sort of artist who likes to play around with genre. In 2021 the Australian wrapped up a trilogy of EPs that effortlessly blended pop, rap, and R&B with her dexterous wordplay and grandiose personality. Honestly, she’s quite a character, and her songs are supremely catchy and fun. Last year’s Sweet Justice was her first official album in seven years, and it only pushed her wild experimentation even further as she leaned into funk, dance, and industrial with plenty of swagger to go around. She probably falls somewhere in the spectrum between Tinashe and Billie Eilish, which makes a lot of sense the more familiar you are with her music. After being forced to drop out of the 2022 Pitchfork Music Festival due to visa issues, hopefully everything will be in order for an official Pitchfork debut on Friday.
Doss [4:00 – 4:45, Blue Stage]
billy woods & Kenny Segal [4:15 – 5:10, Green Stage]
I’ve been meaning to catch a Doss live show for a minute now, but alas, the stars have not yet aligned to make that happen. I’m also just a little bit apprehensive about what a Doss performance will look like, mostly because electronic artists tend to stand behind some boards/equipment and twist knobs for their sets and that’s not a whole lot to look at. I guess the point is to focus on the music itself and let that move your body. Anyway, Doss remains something of an enigma, as there are very few details about her online – not even her real name or age! The music speaks for itself I guess, and 2021’s Four New Hit Songs EP was a bit of a game-changer in reviving the name after a long hiatus and signaling a shift by featuring more of her original vocals and playing with textures that emphasized the intimacy of the dancefloor. It gets me moving, and with any luck will do the same for you.
Hoo boy, billy woods is just about everywhere, whether you know it or not. The rapper tends to put out multiple projects every year, either solo, in collaboration with someone, or as part of a group (Armand Hammer, Super Chron Flight Brothers, The Reavers). That’s not even counting guest appearances on random tracks. At this point, woods has released two albums in collaboration with L.A. producer Kenny Segal. 2019’s Hiding Places was painfully raw and some of the most honest lyrics he’s ever put together, but last year’s Maps took things to a whole other level. Ostensibly a concept album about touring, there are plenty of stories to share, both good and bad. Lots of funny moments, and lots of more harrowing ones too. Something about it just works though, front to back, between the creative production and the always dynamic wordplay. If you’re into rap, it doesn’t get a whole lot better than this. Not sure how it’ll all play out on stage, but I suspect it’ll be a great time.
Yaeji [5:15 – 6:10, Red Stage]
Amen Dunes [5:15 – 6:00, Blue Stage]
Yaeji makes great electronic music. I hesitate to call most of it dance music though, because while there are absolutely some bangers in her catalog, a lot of what she puts together tends to fall on the odder and more introspective side of things. But they’re fascinating, minorly experimental songs and often include strong lyrics. When she does pump up the energy like on her track “Raingurl”, it can send a crowd into a total frenzy. I’ve seen Yaeji perform twice, and while she seemed a little shy the first time, it was clear her confidence had been built the second time around as she stepped out from behind the decks a bit more to engage with the crowd. I’m still unsure if she sings live or lip syncs though, and the only reason I suspect the latter is how clear and perfect her vocals have always sounded. Should be a pretty good set!
Damon McMahon is the artist behind the Amen Dunes name, and he’s given us six albums over the course of the past 15 or so years. In that time, he’s really gone to a lot of different places stylistically, crafting everything from hushed acoustic ballads to loud rock songs to intense rave-ups using beats and samples. His latest album Death Jokes came out just a couple of months ago, and it’s definitely a much more electronic and sample-focused record than just about anything else he’s released before. As the energy gets amped up, his lyrics also become more confrontational and plainspoken compared to a lot of the more obtuse references in his prior work. The last time I saw Amen Dunes I thought the performance was pretty good, though perhaps not best suited to a festival atmosphere. Depending on how he stages and composes the songs from his new album however, that could very easily turn this into a perfect festival set. I guess we’ll see!
100 gecs [6:15 – 7:15, Green Stage]
Sudan Archives [6:30 – 7:15, Blue Stage]
When it comes to cult followings, 100 gecs have certainly amassed a large one. Their particular brand of off-kilter hyperpop hit it big on TikTok, and each new release sees them get even bigger. The duo of Dylan Brady and Laura Les are total goofballs both on record and on stage, donning costumes (or at least fun hats) and bouncing around with songs about everything from their favorite snack foods to their favorite amphibians. You can expect a high energy, fun show with the crowd ideally giving the same vibe right back. Might be one of the craziest sets all weekend!
But I’d like to think Sudan Archives can hold her own against those rascal gecs. The project of multi-instrumentalist Brittney Parks, Sudan Archives’ album Natural Brown Prom Queen was one of the best of 2022 according to many, many critics (and not coincidentally my #1 album of that year). She makes a fusion of pop and R&B that has energy and inspiration. When she pulls out the violin and plays a solo or along with one of her songs while also singing, it’s the sort of thing that will send the good kind of chills down your spine. If you’re in the mood for something funky and a little less bonkers, let Sudan Archives be your guide.
Jai Paul [7:25 – 8:25, Red Stage]
Jeff Rosenstock [7:45 – 8:30, Blue Stage]
Poor Jeff Rosenstock. He’s wonderful and makes really fun music. The last time he performed at Pitchfork Music Festival, it was one of the most memorable sets of the entire weekend. I very distinctly recall he told the crowd how much he was being paid to perform there. That was back when he was more of an underground sensation. His stature has only grown since then. I can assure you if you check out his set, you will not be disappointed as it will be packed with madcap punk/ska energy.
So why do I say “Poor Jeff Rosenstock”? Jai Paul is why. Over the last few years, Jai Paul has grown into something of an underground legend. When he released his first singles, people immediately paid attention. Critical acclaim, heralding Paul as a new and future superstar. Then we played the waiting game. He was recording songs for an album, and it was taking quite a while. Then those songs got leaked in unfinished and demo form. Bootlegs spread across the internet, and eventually Paul just put it out as Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones), named for the month and year they appeared on the web. In the decade since the leak, Paul took a hiatus but has quietly continued to work on new music, we just haven’t heard much of it. A few singles here and there. No live shows to speak of, until Coachella 2023. It was his first-ever performance, and since then he’s performed in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Paris, Australia, and Germany. Jai Paul has never performed in Chicago. This will be his first time, and with only a handful of U.S. shows so far, it’s a very rare, precious opportunity to hear a legend in the making. Who’d want to miss that?
Black Pumas [8:30 – 9:45, Green Stage]
Let’s get this out of the way right from the get-go. Black Pumas are fine. They are a talented group of individuals. The music they make falls solidly under the categories of soul and funk, with a bit of rock and R&B mixed in for flavor. Do they seem like the type of band to perform at, let alone headline, Pitchfork Music Festival? No, they do not. Pitchfork is known for championing indie/up-and-coming artists, as well evidenced by pretty much the rest of this year’s lineup. Black Pumas have never been classified as indie or even up-and-coming, because they immediately signed to a major label and won some Grammys for their debut album. There’s no underdog story here. Like H.E.R. and Jon Batiste, they also come across as if designed in a lab pretty much just to win awards and establish a fan base that goes around saying “I like Black Pumas!” but very few who can claim to be hardcore superfans. I have no doubt Black Pumas will put on a rock solid show on Friday night. It will likely be fine, just like their records. This will be like their fourth time playing in Chicago over the past year, too. If this is what’s required of the festival to sell more tickets, then so be it.
