Pitchfork Music Festival 2019: Day 3 in Review
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
[soliloquy id="55690"] 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 [soliloquy id="55691"] 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