Pitchfork Music Festival 2019 is officially a wrap, and now we’re just left with the memories of the dope performances we’ve witnessed throughout the weekend. While the two POD reps in attendance made sure to check out performances from a great majority of those scheduled, we must admit that a majority of the acts that stood out the most were those that we were already looking forward to seeing at #p4kfest 2019.
Check out below our list of the top 12 performances of Pitchfork Music Festival 2019.
black midi
English band black midi were my revelation of p4kfest. I came to Union Park that Sunday afternoon without knowing a thing about this group hoping it was worth the early attendance, and I sure was glad to be part of that crowd. The energy was raw and a bit dirty, and the loudness injected an energy that is much needed to kickstart the final day of a music festival. The music was fucking dope too… When you don’t know what to expect from a band and they surprise you like this, I can’t argue against including them on this best-of list.
– Oscar Oliva
Charli XCX
The Pitchfork Music Festival perhaps is best known for featuring Indie stars and rising Rappers on its lineups, but its Pop selections in the last few years have been leaving good impressions as well. This was the case with Charli XCX, whose vibrant presence throughout her entire set got more hands flying and bodies shaking than pretty much anyone else all weekend. While it was particularly fun seeing the crowd blow up for “Lipgloss” thanks to the surprise appearance of cupcakKe, what it was more impressive was how it legit felt like a party from beginning to end. This was the most fun I had all weekend.
– Oscar Oliva
Earl Sweatshirt
Earl Sweatshirt is at a very interesting spot in his career. He dropped what some might say is his most mature effort at the end of last year, but he’s still the kid from Odd Future that fans were initially intrigued by. Seeing him perform songs from all over his discography was simply an unforgettable experience. He’s got such a wide array of emotions in his songs and it was dope to watch him perform it all with a calm demeanor.
– Jack Dombro
Freddie Gibbs
Gangster Gibbs came out right after an hour-long rain delay on Saturday. He’s quite masterful at commanding large crowds and with a lot of Bandana fans in the building, it didn’t take long for this set to become something really special. Although, unfortunately, Madlib was not in attendance but Gibbs was sure to turn up with his squad throughout his whole set. This set was amazing. If you ever have the chance to see him live, don’t miss out.
– Jack Dombro
HAIM
HAIM were tasked with headlining the first night of Pitchfork and they went on to deliver a fantastic show that helped set the tone for the hypeness that would fill Union Park throughout the rest of the weekend. The Pop-Rock tunes from the sister trio were all hitting just right, the drum breaks were captivating, and we can’t forget how Este Haim’s bass face remains as iconic and entertaining as ever. Plus, we even got a new song entitled “Summer Girl” that was fuego and a served as a sign of great, fresh music from HAIM is on the horizon.
– Oscar Oliva
The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers are not only of the most storied and impactful groups in U.S. music history, but even after building a 60-year legacy, they still command the stage like few others can. Hits upon hits and a bit of storytelling in between to let the fans know how influential they really are, The Isley Brothers are living legends and the headline slot on Saturday night was the perfect stage to prove it.
– Oscar Oliva
JPEGMAFIA
JPEGMAFIA touched the Red Stage on Sunday but this set was a bit more rambunctious than others. This dude is insane, but I enjoyed every second of his set. He was in the crowd as much as he was on stage, making for a very intimate performance. Keep an eye out for this dude, he can rap and put on a hell of a show.
– Jack Dombro
Parquet Courts
NY natives Parquet Courts blew Pitchfork away on Saturday. These dudes brought all of the energy and didn’t have any low points throughout their set. The set also showcased a very devoted fan base who reciprocated the energy right back to the group. With fans claiming, “They don’t have a bad album!”, everyone should be sure to dive into these guys’ discography.
– Jack Dombro
Pusha T
King Push came to this festival off the incredible momentum that he built around his 2018 album, DAYTONA and the crowd arrived ready to keep that energy glowing. The president of G.O.O.D. Music didn’t have a long set, but every track felt like a precise and calculated shot of dopeness, putting on display the impressive contributions he’s made to the Hip Hop world. As Pusha T himself likes to say, If You Know You Know.
– Oscar Oliva
Ric Wilson
Chicago multi-talent Ric Wilson commanded his Pitchfork crowd like none other. His uplifting and energetic music created the perfect environment for a crowd-wide dance party. Ric went as far as attempting to break a world record at this set, asking the crowd to come together for the world’s longest soul train. The crowd complied and started out Saturday on the best note possible.
– Jack Dombro
This set was so dope that I am compelled to add a note for myself…. This was my favorite set of the entire festival. Ric Wilson live is a wonderful thing.
– Oscar Oliva
Robyn
What can I say about the Pop icon that you don’t already know? The storied Swedish artist offered a theatric and beautiful performance, with everything from an elaborate stage design with long white curtains to costume changes and interpretive dance choreography with dancers and all that. The best moments came when she played her signature hits “Dancing On My Own” and “Call Your Girlfriend,” both of which made the crowd erupt to dance and sing-along their hearts out. It was an amazing shared experience that demonstrate the beauty of finding your music community and rejoicing in the moment. That’s how you close a music festival. Thank you, Robyn.
– Oscar Oliva
Whitney
After seeing them play the Green Stage on Day 3, it’d be almost disrespectful to not include Whitney on this type of list. Already currently one of Chicago’s best bands, Max Kakacek and Julien Ehrlich’s crew have been building a pretty sweet discography after breaking into the scene just three years ago, and the best of which delivered some of the sweetest and most heart-warming moments of the festival. The beautiful songs were made even more impressive when Whitney added backing vocals and strings from other local favorites including Tasha and Macie Stewart, respectively… The highlight of this set (which is literally giving me chills as I type this) was during “Golden Days” when fest performers like Ric Wilson, CHAI, and Soccer Mommy’s Sophie Allison came out to add some star power to the song’s “nah nah nah” outro. I always feel better when I get to see Whitney perform, and this may have been the best example of that.
– Oscar Oliva
Revisit our daily photo galleries of each day of Pitchfork Music Festival 2019:
