Since RedEye has already twice looked at the crystal ball for Lollapalooza 2016, which is now four days long (God help us all), I’ve decided to go full Nostradamus for this summer’s Pitchfork Music Festival. Besides Riot Fest, this three-day event, happening July 15-17 at Union Park, is consistently the most fun Chicago festival. This is due to its relatively intimate atmosphere and the fact that it always books incredible, wildly diverse acts (just looking at its history dating back to its Intonation Fest days in 2005, it’s clear there hasn’t really been a bum bill yet).
For the past few years, the festival has announced its preliminary lineup in early February, so if I’m dead wrong, my bad predictions will be fresh in your mind so you can give me the business once the actual lineup is announced. Disclosure: My predictions are pretty much guesses, semi-informed on reunion news, Pitchfork album review ratings, the potential acts’ previously announced tour schedules and wishful thinking. If I get a few right, it’ll be due to dumb luck and some pretty obvious assumptions.
**Funnily enough, I don’t think I stand by any of my summer 2015 predictions pegging these Chicago acts to play this year. I hope I’m wrong because the world needs early afternoon Blue Stage sets from Varsity, Ne-Hi and Meat Wave.
Grimes
Yes, she did play the festival in 2012 and then once again in 2014, and RedEye’s Matt Pais thinks she may be a Lollapalooza performer based on her appearance on Coachella’s lineup, but I can still see Pitchfork giving her a headlining slot and more money than its Grant Park competitors.
Wolf Parade
With the news that Wolf Parade is reuniting for a string of residency shows (excluding Chicago) and potentially an album, I’m willing to bet that the mid-aughts indie rockers will return to Chicago to play this festival. If I’m mining my early memories of reading the music site, I remember more than 10 years ago freaking out about “Apologies To Queen Mary” after reading Pitchfork’s 9.2 review.
Miguel
Not that he wasn’t already, but Miguel’s latest album, the psychedelic and sexy “Wildheart,” made him a favorite among Pitchfork’s demo. He’d be a perfect late-evening addition to add some needed sensuality to the sometimes muddy Union Park grounds.
Blood Orange
The last time Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes–who’s tour-arverse enough already–played a Chicago festival he got allegedly assaulted by a C3 Security Guard at Lollapallooza 2014, which is detailed here. I assume a horrific incident like that takes artist out of the running for returning to Lolla, so considering his planned stops, Pitchfork seems reasonable.
Beach House
This Baltimore dream-pop duo are veterans of Pitchfork by now, notching three appearances at the fest already (2012, 2010 and 2007). With two albums out last year, including the lovely “Depression Cherry,” this is a close to a sure bet as a likely off-base list can get to.
Brian Wilson performs “Pet Sounds”
OK, hear me out: His tour schedule leaves an opening for the weekend Pitchfork is rumored to commence this year, and he’d be a better fit at the modest, music nerd-heavy festival than with the vast hoardes of teens roaming Lolla. It would be a necessary risk for festival organizers to get a legend like Wilson. (If Doug Sohn attends Pitchfork and Wilson’s booked, we guess he’ll skip this set.)
Mavis Staples
Now, wouldn’t this be something? The Chicago icon and best human in the world is scheduled to play Bonnaroo and Coachella this year. While Lollapalooza might be a prime destination, Pitchfork’s tastemakers recognize icons when they see one (see above).
Sheer Mag
I love this Philadelphia-based band because its riff-happy, fuzzed-out garage rock absolutely rips, and it would be really awesome to hear it at a festival setting. (Considering last time I saw Sheer Mag, it was playing a basement show a few blocks from my apartment). With Coachella and Primavera Sound already on its docket, maybe this isn’t too outlandish.
Sufjan Stevens
When you think of summer music festivals the delicate-voiced singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens isn’t the first artist that pops in your head, but his name is popping up all over festival bills this year (including Coachella, Boston Calling and Sasquatch).
DIIV
Though this Brooklyn band’s latest effort “Is the Is Are” didn’t get a Best New Music designation, DIIV is still getting its attention from Pitchfork. Plus, the Zachary Cole Smith-led guitar reverb-pros are 2014 alums.
Frankie Cosmos
Like the gentle demeanor of previous prediction Sufjan Stevens, it’s tough to imagine Frankie Cosmos being an act suited to a summer festival. In fact, her music makes a lot more sense listening in your bedroom during a rainstorm (a huge compliment in my book) than it does going outside. However, Greta Klein is gearing up to release her aptly titled album “Next Thing” in April (along with a Lincoln Hall show later that month). If her April 27 gig is out of the festival’s radius clause, which I think it might be, expect an early day set from the New York indie pop phenom.
Father John Misty
Nobody sells out two nights at the Vic Theater faster than Father John Misty, who’s equally adept at providing hilarious headline fodder for Pitchfork’s diligent “The Pitch” staff.
Whitney
I have no idea which Chicago bands are playing this year’s festival. Maybe Twin Peaks again? But Whitney, the band formed out the Smith Westerns’ ashes that’s currently gunning for my most-anticipated album of 2016 (though ex-Smith Westerns frontman and Chicagoan Cullen Omori has a potential stunner in his March Sub Pop debut “New Misery”), seem like a safe bet. One of the group’s first gigs was an opening slot for Tobias Jesso Jr. at a Pitchfork afterparty. I’m willing to bet someone involved with booking the festival was there and rightfully floored.
Anderson .Paak
Now that I think about it, Anderson .Paak, who has one of 2016’s best albums already in the sprawling soul/funk/hip-hop odyssey “Malibu,” might be a better fit for Lollapalooza. Still, Pitchfork’s recent and much-deserved 8.6 Best New Music tag on the album makes a believer in me about the Californian’s Union Park chances.
Vince Staples
Though Matt Pais predicted Staples to play Lolla, I’m thinking because the “Summertime ’06” rapper had to cancel his Pitchfork Fest set last year due to travel delays, he’ll still make his fest debut at Union Park to right the course.
The Range
No, YOU just finished reading the excellent feature the website did on the Range. The 27-year-old artists (real name: James Hinton) is a festival alum (2014), and according to my colleagues who’ve heard his upcoming sophomore album “Potential,” it’s album-of-the-year worthy. If he plays this year, we’ll see if my industry friends are full of shit.
Missy Elliott
Just like Pitchfork organizers shocked with its R. Kelly headlining slot in 2013, I think it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the festival will go with the less-controversial and supremely talented Missy Elliott, who’s set for a comeback in 2016. There’s always one unique but awesome headlininer Pitchfork grabs yearly, and even though she has no tour dates announced, it might actually happen. Just a hunch.
@joshhterry | jterry@redeyechicago.com
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