Pitchfork Fest 2018 Ignores Electronic Music (Again)

Pitchfork Music Fest 2018 Lineup

Today Pitchfork announced the lineup for its 2018 shindig, taking place July 20-22, 2018, at Chicago’s Union Park. Aside from performances by Mount Kimbie, Kelly Lee Owens and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, festival organizers have ignored the genre once again.

To be fair, Pitchfork has done a credible job covering electronic music, hiring writers and critics that understand the history of the medium. But in terms of its annual festival the publication presents in Chicago, they’ve continually ignored electronic music in favor of presenting sets from up-and-coming indie acts for some unknown reason. What, they couldn’t get Aphex Twin to come to the Windy City?

Festival producer Mike Reed seems to think this year’s lineup is musically diverse.

In a press release he boasted, “Since the festival’s inception, we’ve tried to present the most unique and eclectic musical lineup. Unlike other festivals, music is always at the forefront, so it’s great to step back and see how diverse and inclusive the music makers and listeners have become. We hopefully do our best to reflect that by simply staying true to our initial ideals.”

Here’s hoping they throw dance music fans a bone next year.

Pitchfork Music Festival 2018 Lineup

FRIDAY, JULY 20
Tame Impala
Courtney Barnett
Mount Kimbie
Big Thief
Earl Sweatshirt
Syd
Julien Baker
Saba
Open Mike Eagle
Julie Byrne
Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society
Lucy Dacus
Melkbelly
The Curls

SATURDAY, JULY 21
Fleet Foxes
The War on Drugs
Blood Orange
Raphael Saadiq
This Is Not This Heat
Moses Sumney
Kelela
Girlpool
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
Circuit des Yeux
Nilüfer Yanya
Zola Jesus
berhana
Paul Cherry

SUNDAY, JULY 22
Ms. Lauryn Hill–The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 20th Anniversary Performance
Chaka Khan
DRAM
Noname
Japandroids
(Sandy) Alex G
Alex Cameron
Smino
Japanese Breakfast
Kelly Lee Owens
Ravyn Lenae
Kweku Collins
Irreversible Entanglements
Nnamdi Ogbonnaya

The story’s intro has been updated to reflect that electronic artists Kelly Lee Owens and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith are on the bill.

Yehouda Silverman

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