Pitchfork Music Festival Paris took place against an unusual backdrop this year, amid tensions in in the French capital and country at large. The unrest began with a handful of student demonstrations over crumbling infrastructure and overcrowded high-school classrooms, then rippled across France to encompass labor unions with grievances over the cost of living. Many went on strike last Thursday and continued protesting on Saturday, as has been the rhythm for weeks.

Of course, France is not the only country currently wrestling with itself, and many bands at the festival used their performances to tap into a similar political layer. Once again, this year’s lineup included the usual mix of established names—Bassvictim, DIIV, ear—alongside the annual Avant-Garde slate, a kind of starter pack to the latest emerging bands.…