Pitchfork Music Festival 2024

This year’s Pitchfork festival had high highs and low lows. I’ve gone to a few of the previous years, but not usually for all three full days. I think I went to all three last year?

Anyway, this year they had set up these giant sound booths with a 4 (four!) story riser for the VIP ticket holders - one in front of each big stage. This was incredibly annoying, as it sectioned off the usually open common field and blocked the view to both stages. Very gross.

Beside that, the Friday acts were a bit of a let-down because so many of them were obviously lip-syncing their songs. I was looking forward to several of them, but when the singing continues as your microphone falls away, I get sad. It hurts my feelings, that you think I can’t handle the truthful performance from you.

Saturday was as good as I had hoped, but I fainted in the early evening after being in the sun too long and drinking not enough water. I hadn’t even been drinking! Lesson learned, and I’m glad I stuck around for Jaime XX. It was the best performance from him I’ve ever seen (after last year’s show).

Friday

ML Buch

A good quiet set with her and a bandmate, and I connected with their music.

Tkay Maidza

This is where the lip-syncing started. I liked her energy, but started getting annoyed.

Doss

Good techno at the Blue stage in the trees.

Yaeji

Wonderfully personal set, and great choreography, but more lip-syncing.

100 gecs

Not as awesome as my high hopes were expecting - their Boiler Room set is one of my all-time favorites and I loved their show at Empty Bottle in Chicago - but fun nonetheless.

Jai Paul

I am such a fan of his music, and the instrumentation was superb, but his vocals were so so quiet. I really wanted to love it, but it was hard to hear him.

Jeff Rosenstock

I loved the last time I saw him and this time was equally fun. He dove off the stage and crowd-surfed while playing a saxophone.

“Nespresso has some stupid coffee tent back there. Nespresso is owned by Nestle and Nestle doesn’t believe that water is a human right. So fuck Nestle!”

Black Pumas

Talented, but not a great final act. We left a bit early.

Saturday

Lifeguard

Really really great performance full of teen boy angst and great musical skills. I’ll be listening to them more.

L’Rain

Calm and cool, fun in the sun.

Hotline TNT

I was looking forward to them and the set was good, but the sound was a bit too muddy to really enjoy it.

feeble little horse

A bit off-kilter, but I ended up enjoying it. “Pitchfork gave our album a 7/10, so I’m not sure why we’re here,” before their last song made me laugh a lot.

Water From Your Eyes

Great connection with the crowd that we loved.

De La Soul

I really wanted to enjoy their set, but this is where I fainted in the crowd. Had to spend a while in timeout in the medical tent.

Jessie Ware

I was still recovering for most of her set, but I caught glimpses of a beautiful sparkly performance.

Carly Rae Jepsen

A pop icon doing her thing on a summer stage.

Jamie XX

Superb set. A bit heaver (“more womps”) than his usual Soul/House style, but still identifiably him. I would love to get a recording, but the bass pulsing through the crowd was one-of-a-kind.

Sunday

We spent the afternoon with our friends; they were preparing to let go of their old family dog and we wanted to support them and say goodbye.

Mannequin Pussy

I only caught the last couple songs, but enjoyed them thoroughly.

Crumb

I have wanted to see them for several years, and they didn’t disappoint. I got lost in some of their songs, but someone in the front was literally screaming every time they ended a song and that took me out of the enjoyment a bit.

Brittany Howard

I have seen her at a festival before, and this time it was even better. Recommended for sitting in the grass with friends, which we did.

Alanis Morissette

She was amazingly active on stage - spinning for like half a song - and it really engaged the crowd. She was the only performer to play an encore and it was great.