Pitchfork Music Festival artist spotlight: Ride

Influential British shoegaze band Ride broke up in 1996 after just six years and a couple albums, but they got back together in 2015 and have a new album, Weather Diaries, out this year.  Ride’s performance at the Pitchfork Music Festival on July 16th will be one of the highlights of the weekend, as not many expected a Ride reunion, let alone a new album or tour.  They sound like they haven’t lost anything after 20 years, so don’t miss their set if you’ll be in Chicago that weekend.

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Pitchfork Music Festival artist spotlight: Nicolas Jaar

Chilean DJ, producer, and music engineer Nicolas Jaar will be spinning a set at Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival on July 16th.  I wanted to see Mr. Jaar last year at Levitation Austin, but that festival was cancelled due to bad weather and I couldn’t score a ticket to his make-up gig in downtown Austin.  Nicolas Jaar is known for his great beats and DJ skills, sure, but he’s venturing more into experimental music and has been known to throw down five-hour improvisational sets.  I doubt his Pitchfork set will be that long, but finally catching him live will be a highlight of the festival for me.

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Pitchfork Music Festival artist spotlight: The Avalanches

Aussie electro weirdos the Avalanches will be performing what I’m sure will be a fun set at the Pitchfork Music Festival on July 16th.  Known for their fun, quirky blend of house, big beat, and odd samples, they’re already electro powerhouses after releasing just two albums – Since I Left You and Wildflower.  Those albums were sixteen years apart, by the way, and both are considered high watermarks in their genre.  Since I Left You is widely thought of as one of the greatest Australian albums of all time and the best album of the year 2000.

It will be a fun, rare set from them.  A friend of mine finalized his decision to attend Pitchfork after learning the Avalanches were playing there.  Don’t miss them.

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Pitchfork Music Festival artist spotlight: Derrick Carter

Chicago house music legend Derrick Carter will be playing a set to a hometown crowd at the Pitchfork Music Festival July 16th.  Mr. Carter has moved the genre of house back into popularity again and built a big following in Europe.  He  uses samples well and always has the sickest beats.  I’m sure he’ll put a bit of extra mustard and relish on his set in front of a lot of fellow Chicagoans.

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Pitchfork Music Festival artist spotlight: NE-HI

Chicago’s NE-HI formed to score a friend’s film and ended up becoming indie rock darlings.  I’m guessing they took their name from the mostly forgotten brand of soda, but perhaps I’m wrong.  I do know that their catchy psychedelic rock hooks are good and I’m confident a lot of their hometown fans will be at their Pitchfork Music Festival set on July 16th to cheer them.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmZ8AwqyqN4

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Pitchfork Music Festival artist spotlight: Kilo Kish

Singer, songwriter, painter, visual artist, and textile designer Kilo Kish will be playing an early set on July 16 at Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival.  Ms. Kish has a neat vision of the world and witty lyrics that cut right to the heart of issues of gender, politics, art, race, and being a Millennial.  She’s intriguing.  That alone makes her set worth a look, as do her slick beats that blend trip hop with R&B.

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Pitchfork Music Festival artist spotlight: P.J. Harvey

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress, and sculptor P.J. Harvey will be playing Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival on July 15th.  Ms. Harvey is an alt-rock, feminist giant who has crafted complex songs she insists aren’t about her, but many suspect otherwise.  She is bold and beautiful, serious and sexy, charming and chaotic.  Her set will surely be packed and one of the highlights of the festival.

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Pitchfork Music Festival artist spotlight: George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic

I don’t know what I can write about George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic that hasn’t already been written.  The man is the godfather of funk and pretty much spearheaded a musical revolution in the 1970’s.  His bassist, Bootsy Collins, is one of the greatest of all time.  They’re responsible for more psychotronic freak-outs than you can imagine, not to mention a thousand beats and bass lines you’ve heard in ten thousand hip hop songs.  Their set on July 15th at the Pitchfork Music Festival is a can’t-miss show.

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Pitchfork Music Festival artist spotlight: Madlib

DJ, producer, and rapper Madlib will be playing Saturday afternoon, July 15th, at the 2017 Pitchfork Music Festival.  Madlib has collaborated with some of the best rappers and musicians in the world, including MF Doom, J Rocc, Talib Kweli, De La Soul, Erykah Badu, Mos Def, and Kanye West.

His Madvillain album with MF Doom is a masterwork, and many cite his 2003 album Shades of Blue as another must-have record.  I’m sure his set will be jaw-dropping.

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Pitchfork Music Festival artist spotlight: S U R V I V E

Electronic rock act S U R V I V E (who, for some unknown reason, tend to spell their name with a space between each letter) are best known for having some of the composers of the Stranger Things soundtrack as members.  They create atmospheric and sometimes creepy instrumentals that instantly remind you of John Carpenter movie scores.  I’m interested to see how a live performance sounds from them.  They play Saturday afternoon at the Pitchfork Music Festival.

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