Pitchfork Music Festival 2021 Tour

Another year, another Pitchfork Music Festival is upon us. Predictions? I am stumped on who could be headlining/playing this year.

 

I might go for the first time this year if there’s at least one day with a lineup I really like.

 

Do it! It's a nice festival. I've been three times and always had a great time.

 

I'm in a wedding this weekend (Weddings really killing my vibes this year between this and Riot), but might go Sunday just because I love this fest so much. I'll have to like the lineup though - it can be pretty hit or miss for me. But the layout and how chill the fest is is great.

2017 I went all 3 days (Saturday 2017 was probably my favorite day at a fest ever)

2018 I got a 3 day but only ended up going Friday

2019 I probably would've done a 3 day but I went to Sad Summer Fest in Columbus so I could go on a Saturday (which was a great time so no regrets), so I just did Sunday

 

I went in 2016 predominately to see my favorite musician Sufjan Stevens, skipped 2017 (which I regret), went Friday of 2018, and went Friday/Sunday in 2019.

Do you have any predictions on who may be playing? I'm thinking maybe Phoebe Bridgers since she's never played and has a new album coming out. Ratboys could play too, in the spot that Nnamdi/Melkbelly/Lala Lala have played before (early local set). Vampire Weekend could headline since their only show here post-album release was at Northerly Island. Lizzo is probably playing Lolla but she could probably headline Pitchfork if she played (right?). Otherwise, like I said, I am pretty stumped.

 

Ugh we both have regrets because I'm still furious I didn't go to Sufjan. Would've been amazing (and heard it was).

I don't really. I think Pitchfork is hands down the hardest fest to predict because you never know whether they going to go with like something really hot in the moment, a legacy/emerging legacy act, or the reliable Pitchfork indie rockers. And also because they catch people at off times (Tame and LCD for example).

But I think some of these things are possible:
-Vampire Weekend, like you said. Too soon for them to do Lolla again, they wouldn't be right for Riot, so if they want to do a fest, this is their option
-Janelle Monae: Still out there hitting fests this year, presumably for one last go around before she goes to work on her next album (or sinks into the film world for a while again. Could see them give her the headlining slot. I would be crushed if this happened and it wasn't on Sunday.
-Lizzo could headline for sure, but I don't think she screams Pitchfork to me, and she didn't play Lolla last year, so I think she's a 95% lock for Lolla (real question is does she headline Bud Light or sub main stage)
-Lana Del Rey: Could go either way between Pitchfork/Lolla in my opinion. She did headline Bud Light in 2016 and I'm not sure I see her getting bumped to top 4 at Lolla, so she may go Pitchfork to get the top billing on a fest. Plus they just heaped praise on her with NFR! and their decade end lists. This is actually something I hadn't really considered that feels really likely - the only thing is she is in the middle of her album promo. Could be Lolla 2020, Pitchfork 2021 as things are winding down for her (but also she is supposed to release a new album this year so... who knows?)
-FKA Twigs: She did headline in 2016, but she's a better Pitchfork fit than Lolla, and with how scarce her activity is and (as I understand) how elaborate her live show is it would be a whole new show, so I don't think this is a crazy choice.
-Tyler the Creator: He's really the perfect size for Pitchfork, and fits the "person at an off time" mold. He hasn't been announced for many fests (that I can recall), did Lolla 2018 so it's too soon for that. Played UIC in the fall, so he's probably tapped out his solo show potential until a new album.

Other predictions:
-Weyes Blood: just been having a big moment, even if I don't understand. Better pitchfork than lolla match.
-Tierra Whack: played as a replacement for Earl Sweatshirt in 2018, but has really blown up since then. Played Lolla last year, loved by Pitchfork, and presumably new music coming. Plus I think Tierra likes Chicago. Makes a lot of sense to have her back officially (rather than as a replacement) and give her a higher billing.
-Mannequin Pussy/Pup/Turnover: rare group of bands that fit at any of the big Chicago 3. I think MP goes Pitchfork, Pup goes Riot, Turnover does Lolla.


If I need to make a gun to the head prediction for headliners: Vampire Weekend - Tyler the Creator - FKA Twigs with Lana as my sub.

 

That really got away from me because I'm intensely avoiding the piles of work I need to get done but it's fine.

 

Janelle is playing Navy Pier in February as part of the NBA All-Star Game. It's her, French Montana, and Rich the Kid alongside a few basketball legends/players at an event called NBA Crossover. Tickets are $20 for one day and $45 for a weekend pass.

Tickets: NBA Crossover

 

Hmm interesting. Wonder how that works. I love Janelle but feel like it'll just be kind of a short set. But $20 isn't bad. But you have to select the time? I assume that's just the time you can enter and then you can stay through the day? Just a strange event haha

 

That's what I am assuming. I live pretty close to Navy Pier so I may go just due to proximity. This is the second time she's performed (basically) in my neighborhood because she performed a private show at the park across the street from me in 2017, but I've never seen her live so this is my chance.

 

She is an unbelievable performer. Her Chicago Theater show was probably my favorite (non-Paramore) show of the year and she stole the show at Lolla - was for sure a top 3 performance.

 

Def going to watch this one closely. Loved my P4K fest experience in the past, plus I miss Chicago in general.

 

I will definitely go if Vampire Weekend plays. Been wanting to see them for years and I couldn’t make the Chicago show last year.

 

For some reason I'm feeling like really sure they will. It just makes sense. They're hitting other fests. Can't do Lolla again, and kind of at the end of the cycle for FOTB. Never really hit a Chicago fest for that album since Lolla was before it.

 

I couldn’t make it either and I was bummed. Who has a show on Father’s Day anyways? :(

 

Big Thief I feel like has to be there

 

They played in 2018 but I think with the new albums and surge in popularity they got since then they could definitely play.

 

I could see Beach Bunny playing too since their record release show is in February which would still allow them to play the fest (no radius clause if that exists for Pitchfork)

 

I think saying two years between Lolla sets is too short is wrong. Two years for some of the acts seems just about right and Tyler could be one of those. He headlines a Lolla main stage now.

Definitely can see this after doing Lolla last year.

I don't have much of an ear to what Pitchfork decides to do each year. One year they have emo, next they don't. Same goes with punk. I don't have a clue what they could decide this year.

But how about Phoebe? I could see her fitting a Pitchfork vibe this year if she wants to do a festival.

 

It's definitely not impossible for a 2 year gap between Lolla appearances, but they do try to avoid that. I feel like 3 is more typical. It gets less likely the higher up you get, and he was already pretty high last time. It could go either way I guess.

 

Remember when she made this tweet after being added as the replacement for Earl though?

 

Lol I did completely forget about that. I think we have changed her mind since

 

Bright Eyes as a headliner?

 

Seems like a good guess to me.

 

If we don’t get a stand alone show I hope they headline pitchfork.