Rain got the final day of Pitchfork Music Festival off to a slow start, unfortunately canceling Dreezy's opening spot at the fest. Once the heavy clouds departed, the muddy grounds were more or less ready for the throngs of music fans to descend. And with one of the most varied lineup days of the fest, they were in for a treat. Tons of highlights made the farewell to P4K fest worthwhile!
Be sure to check out our coverage of the rest of the weekend! Recaps of Day 1 are here and Day 2 are here!
Black Midi
The post-punk outfit with too many influences to name kicked off the day's Green Stage and did so with precision. Their menagerie of sounds flooded the grounds with something other than water (that was being vacuumed up during their set). Black Midi play with a surprisingly harmonious dissonance that is hard not to groove along to, especially as their jazzy attitudes seep into the mix, making for one of the more complex sets of the weekend.
- Julian Ramirez
Tasha
I don't there was a more pleasant and happy crowd at all of Pitchfork than during Tasha's set. Everyone was beaming as the local artist serenaded the crowd with her lovely set of songs that truly lifted the mood. After two hot days and a rainy start, Tasha and her full band's tender songs were exactly what we needed.
- Julian Ramirez
JPEGMAFIA
Set of the weekend might be an understatement when it comes to JPEGMAFIA's dropkick of a spot early in the day. The crowd shouts of "Peggy! Peggy" fueled JEPGMAFIA as he emerged on stage all smiles. "Pitchfork Conde Nast Music Festival" he declared. "I can't believe they gave me a live mic again," he added before letting the crowd know he wore his best corduroy just for them. He proceeded to do what Peggy does best, aural destroy a crowd with the most abrasive, enjoyable, exciting, and downright masterful verses you could hope to hear. Spending almost as much time jumping/crowd-surfing/rapping into the crowd as he did onstage, JEPEGMAFIA took advantage of the cooler weather to send his audience into a frenzy. The first time I had the chance to see him perform was to a crowd that had no idea what to make of him (I felt particularly bad for the guy wearing a Morrissey shirt that fateful day), but everyone in front of the Red Stage on Sunday knew exactly what Peggy was all about. And it was glorious.
- Julian Ramirez
Clairo
The 20-year-old Atlanta-born singer-songwriter made her way through her day 3 set with a commanding casualness-- strolling across the stage, she delivered a set of easy, R&B flavored numbers. "My name is Clairo," she said "Thank you for having me. The sun finally came out, just for us." After a rain-soaked morning, and minor set delays, her chill vibes on songs like the jazz hop, lo-fi "Flaming Hot Cheetos" and hit "Pretty Girl" were the perfect way to ease into the final day of the festival. Be sure to check out Clairo's debut Immunity when it is released on August 2.
- Matthew Nerber
Khruangbin
Khruangbin (whose mispronunciation of their name by those at the festival filled me with joy and questioned if I too mispronounced their name) captured the Red Stage with their mesmerizing sounds. Their psychedelic songs are more often than not instrumental wonders that employ rhythmic but non-lyrical chanting that envelops you into this cosmic realm where Laura Lee's bass and Mark Speer's guitar lift you up while Donald Johnson's drums propel you forward. Khruangbin's set was the easiest one to get lost in on Sunday.
- Julian Ramirez
Whitney This Chicago duo's melodic, beat-driven indie pop was an excellent addition to the line-up--with a full band of guitars, strings and horns filling out songs like "Follow" (written about drummer/singer Julien Ehrlich's grandfather dying) and "On My Own," Whitney delivered a set of classic rock coolness to the middle of day 3. Fellow Pitchfork acts Lala Lala and CHAI came out and provided backup vocals at one point, adding to the party vibe and breeziness of Ehrlich's soulful falsetto. On penultimate number "No Women," the band slid into lethargic surfer pop, before closing with a rousing rendition of the newly released "Valley (My Love)." - Matthew Nerber
Charli XCX While stretching her hands up to the sky during the auto-tuned “Lucky,” the British pop princess said, “This pose is for the photographers, ok? Get it now." The crowd went wild, before Charli XCX launched into an energetic, cross-stage dance break--she's an athletic performer, and most of the fun of her late evening set was watching her command the crowd with dance pop prowess. And the audience was more than game, dancing and singing non-stop from set opener "Blame It On Your Love" to powerhouse closer "1999." The pure theatrics of this pop act--with its pre-recorded instrumentation and focus on stagecraft--was an interesting diversion from the guitar-focused acts that dominated the festival. A few surprises kept things fresh, like Charli's crowd-pleasing cover of Spice Girls' "Wannabe" and the appearance of rapper Cupcake--all the while the stage next door was being set up for festival closer Robyn, as if Charli was warming up the crowd for the epic pop set to come. - Matthew Nerber Snail Mail I've been lucky to see Lindsey Jordan and her band perform over the last few years and have noted their ever-ascending progression as a group. From a short opening set at Thalia Hall to a headlining gig at Schubas to an even bigger headlining set at Metro, Snail Mail have been growing as a band while maintaining the raw enthusiasm I've seen from them before. Jordan looked as confident as ever at the Blues Stage, dominating her set with raw guitars and a stage presence that has always been impressive. Even when there were not-so-great moments (an off-key duet with Clairo comes to mind), Jordan and crew's disposition saved it. There is a lot of room for them to grow given they're barely in their 20s, and given just how talented and fun they currently are, I can't wait to see where they're off to next! - Julian Ramirez