The lineup is here! Wilco came in at top billing, both out of left field and right in front of my eyes (just as Björk and R. Kelly did in 2013). Never underestimate local icons, I guess! Chance the Rapper took the Sunday night headlining spot, jumping up from the possible 6:25 pm main stage slot we had him in, and I’m happy with that. It’s a similar move to Kendrick’s headlining role in last year’s fest (pictured above), though I do have to say I feel a Frank Ocean headlining slot would have been more similarly positioned than Kendrick’s. At any rate, all three headliners are terrific performers and are bound to bring a wide array of ticketbuyers to ticketfly.com.
Among the more surprising aspects of this lineup is that the Bon Iver vs. The National WWE smackdown in Eau Claire will share exactly zero acts with the brethren down at P4K 2015. It’s less of a surprise that, surely feeling the pressure from Eaux Claire’s lineup release on February 11, Pitchfork made the unprecedented move of releasing their lineup in one single promo blast. The opportunity to see the entire lineup at once cuts out on the mystique, which is a downer, but at least no one will be holding out hope that their band of choice will be added in a future addition roll-out. That said, I would not be surprised if Pitchfork later adds Death Grips to the lineup, perhaps in early July and for a 45-minute set at the Kefir Pop / Hostess cupcakes / Axe Body Spray basketball court on Saturday afternoon.
Of the 46 acts on the Pitchfork lineup, 27 were in our forecast attempt and two narrowly didn’t make the cut (see the planning documents below). I feel fine with this—it was a noble attempt! Some acts that I felt were no-brainers (The War on Drugs, Arca, White Lung) didn’t make it, but those that surprised us by showing up on the lineup are mostly things I’m excited to see make it to the fest level. Having spent a significant portion of my life attending shows in Madison, I feel surprised to see Bitchin Bajas, an act I most strongly associate with seeing play free shows at a bar in town, on the same line as the guys from Women. I’m also surprised to see A.G. Cook on the lineup considering how few American shows he’s played thus far. In the earliest draft of our proposed lineup, I half-jokingly wrote “unknown Chicago band” in one of the 1 pm Blue Stage slots. He’s hardly unknown, but I’m stoked to see Chicago spaz-awesome icon Jimmy Whispers in that spot on the bill.
Summer in pain, summer in jorts, summer in Union Park here we go rock and roll Pitchfork 2015!
