Pitchfork’s Dalston Takeover spanned 6 stages, 8 hours, and was just one evening of the much bigger Pitchfork Music Festival. 24 bands travelled cross-country (and some cross-continent) to make it to one of London’s most underrated nights out in 2024 — and I’m telling you to make sure you don’t miss out on 2025.
We started out at the EartH Theatre, a classically artsy events venue in Hackney. Pitchfork had pulled out all the stops on sleek lighting, flashy guitars and access to 10 acts, all in the same venue. The two stages in EartH were difficult to move away from, and so we mostly alternated between the two for the night. If you’re not feeling like dashing across Dalston to catch an act, this was a great alternative that still provided access to a great range of music.
Pitchfork claims that it’s the ‘most trusted voice in music’, and it’s not hard to believe when you hear artists like Abby Sage and LA LOM. Both on the EartH Theatre stage, they showcased the range of a carefully curated lineup. Abby Sage’s raw, controlled performance was one of the best of the night, and LA LOM’s cumbian sonidera (1990s Mexican music mixed with electronic dance elements) got the audience up and dancing.
If there’s one artist I can recommend you listen to, it’s Abby Sage. For fans of Florence and the Machine, PJ Harvey, Ethel Cain or Arlo Parks, Abby Sage has all the lyrical detail and elegant production you could ever want. Her debut album, The Rot, released this year, and her performance of tracks like ‘Hunger’ at the festival was difficult to look away from. She spoke openly about the personal meanings behind the tracks in between songs, and drew the audience in closer.
Pom Pom Squad was another you must check out. With glittery, corseted costumes and screams that “I wanna talk to gay people!”, the performance gave all the bright pop vibes of a Chappell Roan show. It was one of the more popular shows of the night, and it's safe to say that we’ll probably be hearing much more of Pom Pom Squad in the next year.
LA LOM’s show felt like speeding across a desert in a 1950s car — in low cut white shirts with maracas in hand, the audience was invested from the very beginning. It was their first ever London show, but there was no sense of newness; the enthusiasm and confidence from the band reflected onto the audience.
Dalston is located in Hackney, and is generally known for its artsy shops and eclectic aesthetic. Naturally, this was the perfect choice for a festival of new and upcoming music, with the opportunity to wander the streets of Dalston in between. The rest of the festival, which took place on the 5-10th November, showcased over 80 acts and a range of London venues, including The Roundhouse.
Pitchfork.com is the preeminent resource for fans looking to discover and experience new music in a thought-provoking way. Its comprehensive reviews and analyses of the people, trends, and events influencing the industry have shaped music journalism for 26 years. Not only does Pitchfork set the standard for music coverage, it has a global reputation for hosting unique and eclectic music events. The Pitchfork Music Festival takes place in Chicago, Paris, Berlin and London, and the London show generally takes place in November.
If there’s one festival to find the best new artists of the year at, while exploring some of London’s most iconic venues, it’s Pitchfork Music Festival. For all information about next year’s event, follow Pitchfork on Instagram and subscribe to their mailing list here: https://pitchforkmusicfestival.co.uk/.
