For years, the Pitchfork Festival has been Chicago’s summer music-fest alternative to bigger music celebrations like Lollapolooza, but don’t write the fest off for its lack of big names (we know, neither Gaga nor Eminem is on the bill). This summer’s festival is full of artists that are on the verge of breaking through in a big way. Pitchfork is notorious for getting the best under the radar acts out there and if you haven’t heard their names yet you surely will. Combined with several giants of indie rock, this year’s Pitchfork Music Festival is shaping up to be one of the all time greats. Not sure which acts to check out?

Here are 25 acts at Pitchfork you cannot miss:

1) [lastfm]Neko Case[/lastfm]: Maybe the best known name at this year’s Pitchfork Festival, Neko Case is currently simply one of the best female singer song writers out there. Known for her solo work as well as her work with the Canadian group The New Pornographers, the Virgina-born redhead is a bit folk, a bit, indie, a bit country, and all soul; and her fine-tuned performance skills mean that seeing her live you’ll be able to feel her music even more than you do when its just her voice through her speakers, as if you thought that were even possible.

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