Pitchfork Music Festival kicks off July 19 in Chicago with three days of indie, alternative, rock, R&B, hip hop and pop acts. Each year, Pitchfork is the beginning of Chicago’s mid- to large-size music festivals and, in my humble opinion, often offers the most appealing lineup for music aficionados. It’s an event for music discovery and sonic nerds.  

In January, Pitchfork owner Condé Nast announced it was merging the music news and reviews site with GQ, a men’s fashion, style and culture magazine. The merger led to layoffs across its entire editorial staff, including editor-in-chief Puja Patel.

The resulting shock wave of fear left music journalists and critics wondering about the state of interesting, exciting, provocative music writing and criticism. And while the site has continued to publish short news stories and reviews, it’s certainly not what it used to be. Unfortunately, the same can be said of many music publications.  

Thankfully, though, the music festival has seemingly stayed intact, with a lineup that holds true to previous standards. Fans will hear local Chicago artists, up-and-coming names in rock, alternative and hip-hop, and headliners with household names. The festival is a mixed bag of tastes, popularity and artistry.  

So, with that, let’s get into what you can expect ahead of the three-day weekend:  

Up-and-coming rock bands 

• Feeble Little Horse (Saturday, July 20 at 3:20 p.m., Red Stage) 

The Pittsburgh-based rock band lives in the same world as alt-country rockers Spirit of the Beehive and MJ Lenderman. It’s guitar music bathed in lo-fi renderings—the band lets their guitars steer the songs, with more emphasis on chords than on the vocals. Feeble little horse celebrates the rawness of their sound with deliberate imperfections, with a real, gritty lo-fi rock approach. The music is relaxed, yet interesting, and a bit nostalgic for early Sound Cloud days. The band released their debut album Hayday in 2021, followed by Girl with Fish in 2023. Shortly after their second album release last year, the band took an indefinite hiatus, cancelling a North American tour. But the band returned earlier this year for a set at Coachella and are slated for an official Pitchfork after show at Lincoln Hall on July 20, followed by other festival appearances this fall.  

• Wednesday (Saturday, July 20 at 4:15 p.m., Green Stage) 

The Asheville-based band is leading the pack in country-driven alternative rock and shoegaze flooding the indie scene. Singer-songwriter Karly Hartzman is joined by lead guitarist and partner Jake (MJ) Lenderman, Xandy Chlemis on lap steel guitar, Margo Schultz on bass, and Alan Miller on drums. A lyrical mastermind, Kartzman pieces together a portrait of the American South—pinpointing the stories and experiences that make her who she is. Wednesday doesn’t say the same thing twice and surely doesn’t sound the same twice. The band’s sound is deliciously imperfect and noisy. Watch their NPR Tiny Desk appearance immediately! Wednesday’s fourth original studio album, Rat Saw God, was released in April 2023, and they have been touring consistently since the start of 2024.  

• Hotline TNT (Saturday, July 20 at 2:45 p.m., Blue Stage)  

Of all the sets in the entire festival weekend, I am looking forward to this one most. The Brooklyn-based band leads with a true indie, DIY spirit that has helped them flourish in an unexpected yet deserved nature. Frontman Will Anderson writes genuine music that he holds closely to himself and his band. His melodic, dreamy vocals are overlayed with fuzz pedals and distorted guitars that give the band a sound reminiscent of 2010’s shoegaze emo bands like Turnover, Citizen, Tigers Jaw and Seahaven. The band’s 2021 debut album Nineteen in Love received critical acclaim in a new generation of lo-fi emo. Following its release, Hotline TNT exceeded expectations on their 2023 release, Cartwheel, via Third Man Records. Despite their success, Hotline TNT are a band in complete creative control, and they hope to keep it that way.  

Chicago acts 

• Black Duck (Friday, July 19 at 1 p.m., Green Stage) 

Guitarist Bill MacKay, guitarist/bassist Douglas McCombs and drummer Charles Rumback come together as a Chicago powerhouse trio. All renowned Chicago musicians, the three come together for a dreamy, dark and brooding collection of instrumental tunes. The band’s self-titled debut, released in June 2023, highlights the musicians’ improvisational nature and exploration of sound. Black Duck brings listeners into a moment of clarity with distinct moods and grooves. 

• Lifeguard (Saturday, July 20 at 1 p.m., Green Stage) 

This youth punk band will remind you why you love live music. Formed in 2019, Lifeguard is a fresh introduction to a new class of emerging rockers in Chicago, alongside bands such as Friko, Neptune’s Core and Free Range. The band has a contagious energy that beckons movement. They’re loud and spirited, equal parts chaotic and intentional. A clashing rhythm comes together in melody—there’s a method to their noise rock madness. Check out the bands Audiotree Live session to get a feel of the raw spirit they bring to the music. 

• Kara Jackson (Saturday, July 20 at 2:30 p.m., Green Stage) 

Kara Jackson’s debut album Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love? is easily one of the best collections of folk songs from this decade. Jackson is a gorgeous singer-songwriter with a brooding vibrato and powerful songwriting. She served as the third National Youth Poet Laureate from 2019–2020 and brings just as much vigor, passion and emotion to her songwriting. Her music demands attention, touching on uncomfortable, yet relatable themes of love and loss. She’s a serious performer but exhibits a sense of humor—inviting you to cry and laugh along, as well. Her performance will leave you almost speechless, and it will pop up in your brain for days to follow.   

Notable headliners 

• Brittany Howard (Sunday, July 21 at 7:25 p.m., Red Stage) 

Best known for leading vocals and rhythm guitar for Alabama Shakes, which amassed four Grammy Awards, Brittany Howard is a fierce soloist. After releasing her debut solo album Jaime in 2019, Howard has paved forward independently—and it has led to hearing Howard clearer than ever. She taps into the same psych, Southern rock of Alabama Shakes but with a bit more clarity. Her vocal range and delivery are blanked with a groovy, alt-funk sound that is bound to get your ass off the grass and dance.  

• Alanis Morissette (Sunday, July 21 at 8:30 p.m., Green Stage) 

This is the nostalgic set of your dreams for two reasons. First, it’s fun to b lt out classic songs like Ironic and You Oughta Know at the top of your lungs. Second, Alanis Morissette is just one hell of a singer. And if you think you don’t know the words to her songs, you’re wrong. Her alternative rock angst and pop melodies ran so artists like Olivia Rodrigo could walk. Morissette puts as much vigor into her performance as she did in the early days, and it’s almost impossible not to match her energy. If you’re standing next to a bunch of mid- to late-30-year-olds at the festival, expect to get an arm thrown over your shoulder and sing along with a stranger.  

• Black Pumas (Friday, July 19 at 8:30 p.m., Green Stage) 

Black Pumas is meant to be a festival headliner. It’s a big booming band that takes up the entire stage. The Austin duo of singer-songwriter Eric Burton and guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada made their self-titled debut in 2019 and had a powerful follow up last year with Chronicles of a Diamond. While Black Pumas springs from the minds of Burton and Quesada, they bring along a massive live band , complete with back-up vocalists, pianists, percussionists and more to power their soulful jazz, funk-rock, psychedelia and pop melodies. Burton refers to it as “electric church.” Black Pumas’ sound touches the parts of your brain that crave lively, joyous sound.  

Experience  

• Renegade Craft Fair 

When you’re not watching a set or chowing down on some local food, spend some downtime at the craft fair set up just outside of the Green Stage. One year, I forgot to wear earrings to the festival, so my first stop was the craft tents where I bought a pair from local Chicago jewelry store MASHALLAH. I wear them weekly to this day. The fair enhances the Chicago experience, featuring a slew of local artists and vendors. It’s a tad dangerous because you will want to buy so many things and then you’re left carrying them the rest of the day. But, hey, they offer shoulder bags to put your goodies in!  

• CHIRP Record Fair 

Under the same tent as the craft fair, local record stores and labels set up shop with vinyl and cassette tapes for the artists performing at the fest, along with a large selection of your other favorite artists—local, national and international. Some artists even hold free record-singing events in the tent, on a first-come, first-served basis. It’s another great way to spend downtime, shuffling through bins of records with live music wafting in the background.  

Kendall Polidori is The Rockhound, Luckbox’s resident rock critic. Follow her reviews on Instagram and X @rockhoundlb, TikTok @rockhoundkp