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Chicago Sun-Times

National

Selena Fragassi - For the Sun-Times

Pitchfork Music Festival 2019: 10 must-see acts

Mavis Staples performs during the Mavis & Friends Celebrating 80 Years Of Mavis Staples concert at the Ryman Auditorium on May 15, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. The legendary Chicago singer will be playing Lollapalooza on Aug. 2. | Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Mid-July brings the return of the annual Pitchfork Music Festival to Union Park. Per usual, the lineup for the fest, now in its 14^th year, is incredibly diverse in every sense of the word with rap, indie rock, electronic and folk all co-mingling inside one of the most female-heavy rosters you’ll find at any music festival.

Here are 10 must-see sets, though we also suggest making time to see the young poets with Louder Than A Bomb performing in between sets on the Blue Stage, and picking up some goods at the Renegade Craft Fair-CHIRP Record-Flatstock Poster Fair.

Great Black Music Ensemble

This multi-generational ensemble fills the stage with as many as 30 talented musicians delivering exceptional takes on jazz, bebop, funk, reggae and Afro-Caribbean styles. It’s the premiere performing arm of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, established in Chicago in 1965 to cultivate and provide a platform for black musical expression, and has a focus on historical pieces from AACM alumni. (Friday, 1 pm, Green Stage)

Valee

Signed to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label, the debut album from local rapper Valee may be one of the most anticipated in the scene. He keeps people tempted with his latest EP, June’s “Runnin’ Rich” which was more controversial for its cover image (featuring his red-dyed chihuahua) than its content—Valee’s smooth voice and minimal beats easily sway listeners as do guest spots by Vic Mensa. Friday, 3:20 pm, Red Stage)

Mavis Staples

There is so much respect for the gospel and R&B queen in this city that even The Hideout gave Ms. Staples a throne for her appearance at one of the Block Party bashes. From beginning her career with the Staples Singers in the ‘50s to her work as a civil rights activist and later collaborations with Bob Dylan, Jeff Tweedy and Pusha-T/Gorillaz, Staples is the epitome of reinvention and always getting it right. Expect the unexpected in this set. (Friday, 7:25 pm, Red Stage)

Kurt Vile

The sardonic songwriter, known for his witty first-person narratives on songs like “Pretty Pimpin,” is a guitar-wielding poet who first got his start with indie darlings The War On Drugs and has since collaborated with the likewise deadpan artist Courtney Barnett. His latest on Matador Records, “Bottle It In,” is one of his greatest works; pray to the music gods he plays the winding genius of “Bassackwards.” (Saturday, 5:15 pm, Red Stage)

Stereolab

Get a much needed zone out at Pitchfork Music Fest with this cult classic English-French troupe that hypnotizes with an avant garde blend of krautrock, bossanova and ‘60s lounge pop. The noisemakers have been on hiatus for nearly a decade, as frontwoman Lætitia Sadier and other members went on to pursue solo projects, so expect a renewed energy with one of their first sets back. (Saturday, 6:15 pm, Green Stage)

The Isley Brothers

The founding fathers of R&B celebrate a milestone 60^th birthday at Pitchfork Music Festival, delivering a special performance of their debut album along with rumored special guests. Starting in gospel and doo-wop, the family ensemble imbue soul and funk into hits like “Shout,” “It’s Your Thing” and “That Lady,” and were famously the first to give Jimi Hendrix a break as a backing guitarist in the early ‘60s. (Saturday, 8:30 pm, Green Stage)

Dreezy

Hailed as the “Princess of Chicago Rap” by Noisey/VICE, Dreezy (aka Seandrea Sledge) is the pride of the South Side. She kicks off a day full of female heavy hitters with tracks like “We Gon Ride” featuring Gucci Mane and “No Good” featuring fellow Chicagoan Common, released by major label Interscope Records. (Sunday, 1 pm, Green Stage)

Ibeyi

World music gets a modern pop spin with this French-Cuban duo, comprised of twins of Lisa-Kaindé Diaz and Naomi Diaz. Inspired by their father, the late acclaimed musician Anga Diaz (a former member of Buena Vista Social Club), the sisters blend Peruvian and Cuban percussion with jazz, hip-hop, and electronic instrumentation as well as lyrics sung in English, French and Yoruba in a silky package of downtempo soul. (Sunday, 4 pm, Blue Stage)

Charli XCX

Toeing the line of Siouxsie Sioux and Madonna, this brilliant English pop star and songwriter blurs the line of mainstream and experimental with a boost of incredible stage presence on songs like “Boys” and “Blame It On Your Love.” After opening for Taylor Swift last summer, expect Charli XCX to up her game even more—if that’s even possible. (Sunday, 7:25 pm, Red Stage)

Robyn

Nearly a decade after her first appearance at the festival in 2010, the Swedish pop queen gets promoted to headliner status with a handbag of disco-tinged hits that will turn Union Park into a grassy dancefloor. First coming onto the scene in the ‘90s with club hit “Show Me Love,” Robyn stepped back from the spotlight and rebranded to create modern synth-pop songs that continue to bare her heart like the relatable anthem, “Dancing On My Own.” (Sunday, 8:30 pm, Green Stage)

Selena Fragassi is a local freelance writer.