As Chicago music fans undoubtedly are aware of, music festival season is upon us. For hipsters and devoted fans of the indie spirit, The Pitchfork Music Festival, held yearly in Union Park, is a summer highlight. Curated by the popular indie music website Pitchfork, the festival tends to lean away from the mainstream in every regard. This spirit makes for one of Chicago’s most fascinating and creative music festivals. To fully prepare for the festival, which takes place this coming weekend, here are some of the bands to watch at Pitchfork Music Festival 2012 to help YOU navigate Union Park.

Willis Earl Beal
When: Friday 4:15
Where: Blue Stage
Willis Earl Beal is a bit of a aural enigma. His debut album, Acousmatic Sorcery is a product of one man’s musical wanderings. The Chicago native found himself in New Mexico without a plan (or any money and a place to stay) and survived thanks to his warm, personable musical style. His songs sound distant; yet always seem to catch listeners off guard thanks to their visceral, emotional impact. The album came from nothing: a cheap cassette-based karaoke machine, an old microphone, and a lost 27 year-old kid. But from nothing sprouted something truly special.

Japandroids
When: Friday 6:15
Where: Blue Stage
It the past decade, there has been a major shift towards the two-person rock band: The White Stripes, The Black Keys, Sleigh Bells, JEFF the Brotherhood. What the two-person rock band loses in general instrumentation, they make up for in pure power. There is no better example of the mighty two-man squad than the Canadian outfit known as Japandroids. Loud, in your face, and addictive, Japandroids have made a name for themselves from their raucous live shows. Their most recent album, Celebration Rock, is sure to be on our list of the best albums of 2012 and their performance at this year’s Pitchfork Festival is set to be one of the highlights of the weekend.

Dirty Projectors
When: Friday 7:20
Where: Red Stage
If there’s one lesson to learn from the career of the Dirty Projectors, it’s that weird can sell. The David Longstreth led musical collective have tried a little bit of everything: a collaboration with Bjork, 5 full-length albums, a operatic re-imagining of Black Flag’s Damaged, and a constantly revolving band lineup. But one thing has always remained the same: the strong independent spirit of Longstreth. With their 6th studio album, Swing Lo Magellan hitting stores this week, they show no signs of slowing down. And they’ve never sounded better.

Cloud Nothings
When: Saturday 1:45
Where: Red Stage
Cleveland’s Cloud Nothings are hitting the big time. Singles off their superb 2012 album Attack on Memory are playing on mainstream rock radio, and their shows are selling out clubs around the country. While Attack On Memory may sound like a post-punk riot fest, it would be selling the band short by limiting them to a single genre. With three full-length albums under their belts, they have tried a bit of everything. From lo-fi powerpop to catchy melodic pop, to post-punk, Cloud Nothings are looking to bring the noise to Union Park this weekend.

Atlas Sound
When: Saturday 2:30
Where: Green Stage
It would be easy to call Atlas Sound a mere side project for Deerhunter front man Bradford Cox, but that would denigrate what may stand as some of his best work. His most recent album, Parallax, is his most intricately crafted and beautifully tragic work to date. His songwriting and musical style make him one of the most interesting indie artists on the scene right now. Plus, his unusual and often aggressive on-stage live performances could offer one of the more entertaining performances of the festival.

Wild Flag
When: Saturday 5:15
Where: Red Stage
Indie super groups are somewhat few and far between. Even the concept of a musical supergroup can either go great, or very, very badly (see Audioslave). But when a group like Wild Flag comes together, comprised of Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein, (also of Portlandia fame) Janet Weiss of Quasi and Sleater-Kinney, Mary Timony of Helium, and Rebecca Cole of The Minders, the results are stellar. Building off of their shared post-punk roots, the band’s 2011 debut album was a bona fide hit, bringing all the raw attitude their genre is known for. Look for them to be one of the best acts of the weekend.

Sleigh Bells
When: Saturday 6:15
Where: Green Stage
Saturday night in Union Park is going to be loud thanks to one of 2012’s breakout acts: Brooklyn duo Sleigh Bells. Their sophomore album, Reign of Terror stands as one of the most raucous, kick-ass albums of the year, and the band looks to bring their trademark howl to Union Park this weekend. The duo have earned nearly universal adoration and have toured extensively this year with Diplo and The Red Hot Chili Peppers as well as an appearance on Saturday Night Live. Look for the band to blow some speakers and steal the spotlight Saturday night.

GRIMES
When: Saturday 8:40
Where: Blue Stage
The first time you hear Grimes, it’s almost unclear what’s really going on. Pulling from a huge range of musical styles ranging from glitch to k-pop to new-age, mastermind Claire Boucher takes these seemingly disjointed pieces and composes ingenious and infectious songs which capture the imagination. Her most recent album, 2012’s beautiful Visions, propels her almost otherworldly sound into the stratosphere. Simply put, her songs burrow into the listener’s psyche, refusing to get out. Her work has even landed her the headlining spot on Saturday of this year’s Pitchfork Festival, so she is not to be missed.

Ty Segal
When: Sunday 3:20
Where: Red Stage
The difference between a good musician and a great musician is in the love that musician feels for their craft. And no one is having more fun than Ty Segall. Happy to let the music take him to wherever it may lead, Segall is one of the most prolific indie musicians out there right now, releasing two albums this year alone and constantly touring with whoever wants him around. Listening to his latest album, Slaughterhouse however, you’d never be able to tell that Segall is just a chill 24 year-old kid from California. Crackling with rock and roll electricity, the album is a sonic boom from start to finish. And with quite a bit of live experience, get ready for a great show.

Beach House
When: Sunday 7:25
Where: Red Stage
Baltimore’s own dreamy pop duo, Beach House, are off to a good 2012 thus far. After returning to their hometown after an exhausting touring schedule, it seems only natural that the band would take a break. Instead Beach House went to work on their most ambitious, expansive work to date. Their previous album, 2010’s Teen Dream established their sound and made a name for the band, receiving high marks from some of the biggest music critics in the industry. But with their latest album, Bloom, the band has taken that sound to even greater heights. Already being heralded as one of the best albums of 2012, the band looks to bring their signature stellar electronic sound to the Pitchfork Festival fans on Sunday night.

Vampire Weekend
When: Sunday 8:30
Where: Green Stage
Headlining the final night of the 2012 Pitchfork Music Festival is none other than New York City’s Vampire Weekend. By far the most “mainstream” of the acts featured at this year’s festival, the band seems to have a tendency to appeal to audiences across musical genres, and it’s easy to see why. Fusing a wide array styles ranging from indie rock, reggaeton, ska, and Brazilian funk, Vampire Weekend create songs that are at once infectious and bitingly clever. The band’s sense of whimsy and fun is expertly paired with incredible musical precision and skill. The band’s most recent album, 2010’sContra, saw the band expanding their repertoire, exploring new styles and sounds while still holding on to their superb musicianship. Sunday’s headlining spot could also be the perfect spot to debut new music, since the band is said to be working on their forthcoming third album. Fans shouldn’t miss this special performance.
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