Category: Music Festivals

Music Festivals by William Ruben Helms

Co-founded back in 2018 by three New York music industry vets and longtime friends, former Lorimer Beacon founder and head Mike Bell, Kanine Records‘ founder and label head Lio Kanine and Kepler Events‘ and Dedstrange Records co-founder Steven Matrick, The New Colossus Festival over the course of the past couple of years has featured several hundred handpicked, emerging indie bands and artists from Canada, the UK, the European Union, Singapore, Hong Kong and of course, the US. 

Since its founding, the festival has quickly established itself as the first stop in New York and in the US for a growing number of emerging and buzz worthy for a growing number of emerging and buzz worthy international artists. Notable festival alumni include a number of JOVM mainstays including GIFT, Penelope Isles, The Orielles, Thus Love, as well as Pom Poko, Pom Pom Squad, Sid Simons, Sobs, Water From Your Eyes, Peel Dream Magazine, Kiwi Jr., and a growing list of others.

The festival’s fifth — er fourth? — edition will take place March 6, 2024 – March 10, 2024 in some of the Lower East Side’s best and renowned independent venues including Mercury Lounge, Berlin Under A, Arlene’s Grocery, Bowery Ballroom, The Bowery Electric, Heaven Can Wait, Pianos, and more.   The festival’s organizers announced the first wave of artists that will be playing at next year’s festival, a highly curated collection of artists and bands from across the world — and the first wave bands and artists are below, along with a playlist featuring songs from those artists:

AY WING & CHUUWEE (DE/CH/US)

Bells Larsen (CA)

Bruiser and Bicycle (US)

Canned Pineapple (UK)

CHAII (NZ)

Chavez Cartel (AU)

church crush (US)CLT DRP (UK)

Coral Moons (US)

Crows (UK)Crystal Canyon (US)

Cucamaras (UK)

Data Animal (DE)

DD Island (US)

Diary (US)

Dirty Sound Magnet (CH)

Durian Silo (US)

DYE CRAP (FR)

Factual Brains (US)

Family Jools (UK)

flirting. (UK)

Flowers for the Dead (US)

FRANKIIE (CA)

Getdown Services (UK)

Head North (US)

Heffner (US)

Hiding Places (US)

Holiday Ghosts (UK)

Hollows (UK)

HUGMYND (UK)

Housewife (CA)

Human Colonies (IT)

Iceblynk (US)

Idle Hours (UK)

iskwē (CA)

Jelly Kelly (US)

Keep (US)

King Bug (US)

Kingfisher (SE)

KT Laine (CA)

Langkamer (UK)

Last Waltzon (CA)

Lavender Blush (US)

Los Premios (ES)

Love Language (CA)

Loveseat Pete (US)

Loviet (CA)

LOW-RES (SE)

Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys (DE)

Luge (CA)

Moon Walker (US)

Nara’s Room (US)

Niño Disco (US) 

NOBRO (CA)

Oceans (AU)

Orange Doors (US)

Orchestra Gold (US)

OSKA (AT)

Palomino Blond (US)

PANIK FLOWER (US)

Petite League (US)

P.H.0 (US)

Phantom Handshakes (US)

Phantom Signals (US)

Phantom Wave (US)

Prewn (US)

Programmique (US)

Radio Trapani (IT/NL)

Raue (US)

Retrofile (CA)

Rip Pop Mutant (CA)

Roost.World (US)

Rosier (CA)

Ruby Tingle (UK)

Saloon Dion (UK)

Sasha Cay (CA)

Scrounge (UK)

Sham Family (CA)

Shelf Lives (UK)

Shunk (CA)

Silent Mass (US)

Silver Liz (US)

Slash Need (CA)

Spyres (UK)

Starcleaner Reunion (US)

Strawberry Launch (US)

Subsonic Eye (SG)

Sugar For The Pill (GR)

Sun Entire (CA)

sunnsetter (CA)

Swutscher (DE)

Talking to Shadows (US)

Teddy Hunter (UK)

Telula (US)

The Band Cope (US)

The National Honor Society (US)

The Tazers (ZA)

The Wesleys (CA)

Two-Man Giant Squid (US)

Ugly (UK)

Uninvited (UK)

Venus Grrrls (UK)

Vox Rea (CA)

WAN (PE)

Winona Forever (CA) 

MORE TBA!

Music Festivals by William Ruben Helms

M for Montreal — M pour Montreal in French — is an annual conference and music festival which takes place over the course of four days in late November in Canada’s second largest city. Since the inaugural conference back in 2005, M for Montreal has expanded to feature a selection of over 100 emerging, buzz-worthy and/or breakout acts from across Québec, the rest of Canada and a handful of internationally-based acts playing on stages in some of Montréal’s top venues and clubs. 

The annual conference also welcomes over 300 music industry professionals to Montréal for professional programming and networking tailored specifically for folks in the industry. 

Last month, M for Montréal’s organizers announced the full lineup of artists in its 2023 Official Selection series. Following a nationwide call for submissions that drew a record number of over 600 applications, the conference’s organizers have selected 28 artists and bands as outstanding examples of emerging talents across all spectra of genre, sound and background. 

With a little over a month left until this year’s 18th — 18th! — edition, festival organizers announced the lineup for my favorite portion of the festival, M for Marathon. Organized by M for Montréal and presented by Sirius XM, M for Marathon runs across the festival’s four-day run and features 34 shows with 91 artists playing in 16 venues across the city.

This year’s M for Marathon will showcase a globe-spanning lineup with an eclectic array of emerging artists. The Francophone portion of the lineup will feature Quebec favorites Geneviève et Matthieu, pop artists Simon Kearney and Félix Dyotte and up-and-comers Les Lunatiques, Sorry Girls, Grand Eugène, Prince Amine, Ivytide, Vendou and a list of others.

The Anglophone portion of the lineup will feature Cartel Madres, who will be playing a showcase at one of my favorite rooms to catch a show in town, La Sala Rossa with Milk & Bone, dee holt and Virginie B. (I caught Virginie B at last year’s M for Montréal and she’s a superstar in the making.)

Much like previous editions of M for Marathon, this year’s Marathon will feature a number of international artists, some of whom will be making their first appearances in Québec. French artists include Al-Qasar, Blue Orchid and Suzanne Belaubre. Welsh artists include Bethan Lloyd and Mace The Great. The UK’s Otto Aday, Egypt’s Nadah El Shazly, C’ôte d’Ivoire’s Andy S., and Atlanta‘s CDSM are also on the bill.

M for Marathon will also feature the launch of two debut efforts, underscoring the festival’s mission to support emerging projects: Canailles‘ Alice will be releasing her solo debut EP, Du love à revendre with a November 18, 2023 showcase at the intimate, medieval castle-like Quai des Brumes alongside Billiane. That same night, Tango Golf Tango will launch Dark Tropical Express at Diving Bell Social Club with Otto Aday.

Festival organizers also created a curated playlist featuring the artists and bands on this year’s lineup. Check that out here:

There two badge tiers:

The M for Marathon Festival badge, which allows you to attend M for Marathon showcases: 30 shows over the course of four days. For more information and to purchase, go here.

The Pro Badge, which allows you to attend all the Official Selection showcases, opening and closing cocktails, all workshops and conferences, the curated networking activity M for Mixer, the purchase of complimentary networking options, access to a digital networking platform and all the M for Marathon showcases. For more information, and to purchase, go here. 

Full listing of bands and artists at M for Montréal’s 18th edition is below:

36?
Afternoon Bike Ride
Al-Qasar
Alex Nicol
Alice
Alix Fernz
Andy S
Atsuko Chiba
Banx & Ranx
Bethan Lloyd
Billianne
Blue Orchid
Boy Golden
Carlyn
Cartel Madras
CDSM
Charlie Houston
Choses Sauvages
Das Mörtal
dee holt
digital polyglot
DJ Clémence Giroux
DJ LaTerreur
DJ Pøptrt
DJ Silktits
DJ Trinidaddy
DVTR
Family Man
Félix Dyotte
Flower Face
Frais Dispo
 

Frieda Mari
Gawbé
Geneviève et Matthieu
Georgia Harmer
Grand Eugène
Grand Public
Hawa B
Heaven for Real
Hippie Hourrah
Ivytide
Katie Tupper
La Faune
La Niña Kiwi
La Sécurité
LaF
Les Lunatiques
Loviet
Mace the Great
Marie Davidson
Mattmac
Mélissa Fortin
Milk & Bone
Mirabelle
Nadah El Shazly
Niall Mutter
Night Lunch
Nodly
Nyssa
Ormiston
Otto Aday
Ouri

Patche
Peter Dreams
Philippe Brach
poolblood
Population II
Prince Amine
Ragers
Rip Pop Mutant
Robert Robert
Sasha Cay
Simon Daniel
Simon Kearney
Sorry Girls
Stoylov
Super Plage
Suzanne Belaubre
Sylvie
T Thomason
Tallandskiinny
Tango Golf Tango
Thanks, Honestly
Titelaine
Totalement Sublime
Vendou
VioleTT Pi
Virginie B
Willa Owen
Winona Forever
Yocto
Zouz

Music Festivals by William Ruben Helms

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M for Montreal — M pour Montreal in French — is an annual conference and music festival which takes place over the course of four days in late November in Canada’s second largest city. Since the inaugural conference back in 2005, M for Montreal has expanded to feature a selection of over 100 emerging, buzz-worthy and/or breakout acts from across Québec, the rest of Canada and a handful of internationally-based acts playing on stages in some of Montréal’s top venues and clubs.

The annual conference also welcomes over 300 music industry professionals to Montréal for professional programming and networking tailored specifically for folks in the industry.

M for Montréal’s organizers recently announced the full lineup of artists in its 2023 Official Selection series. Following a nationwide call for submissions that drew a record number of over 600 applications, the conference’s organizers have selected 28 artists and bands as outstanding examples of emerging talents across all spectra of genre, sound and background.

This year’s Francophone lineup will feature Arielle Soucy and bless joining an eclectic array of some of the leading names of the city’s local scene, including Lou-Adriane Cassidy, LaF, Thierry Larose, VioleTT Pi, Frais Dispo, the French-language iteration of Foreign Diplomats, Totalement Sublime, zouz, Super Plage, and Innu artist Kanen, one of five Indigenous artists selected this year.

The Anglophone section of the lineup continues to spotlight Montréal. Afternoon Bike Ride, who were already announced as part of the M for Marathon section of the conference were also added to the Official Selection. The trio will also be joined by an eclectic selection of local Anglophone acts including Bells Larsen, HAWA B, Wendat singer and emcee Joseph Sarenhes, JOVM mainstays La Sécurité, and well-known local artist Elliot Maginot.

The national scene is well represented and includes Manitoba’s Boy Golden and Mattmac, Saskatchewan’s Dump Babes and Teon Gibbs, British Columbia’s Miesha and The Spanks and Winona Forever, Alberta’s 36?, and Ontario’s AVIV and Billlianne.

Many of the Official Selection showcases are only open to PRO badge holders; however, some of those showcases will also be part of the M for Marathon festival, presented by M for Montréal and open to the general public. The full M for Marathon lineup will be released soon but the lineup will include Banx & Ranx, Choses Sauvages, Hippie Hourrah and Alix Fernz.

There two badge tiers:

The M for Marathon Festival badge, which allows you to attend M for Marathon showcases: 30 shows over the course of four days. For more information and to purchase, go here.

The Pro Badge, which allows you to attend all the Official Selection showcases, opening and closing cocktails, all workshops and conferences, the curated networking activity M for Mixer, the purchase of complimentary networking options, access to a digital networking platform and all the M for Marathon showcases. For more information, and to purchase, go here.


Music Festivals by William Ruben Helms
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Over the course of its 20 plus-year history, AFROPUNK has massively expanded from its relatively humble roots here in NYC to host festivals in cities across the world, including Atlanta, Minneapolis, Miami, Paris, and even Bahia, Brazil.

This upcoming weekend — August, 26, 2023-August 27, 2023 — AFROPUNK returns to Brooklyn with a new location, Greenpoint Terminal Market. While, the festival will be a great time, it’s a righteous celebration and expression of Blackness, dedicated to be a safe and inclusive space where all Black folk will feel welcome.

Much like previous year’s editions, the 2023 edition will feature an eclectic and diverse array of artists: Saturday will feature Flying Lotus, Vince Staples, Tobe Nwigwe, Madison McFerrin, The Beatnuts and more. Sunday will feature Teyana Taylor, who replaces the previously announced Jazmine Taylor; Joey Bada$$, Baby Tate, Sudan Archives, ENNY, Rahzel and more.

Tickets are still available but hurry because I understand that they’re going quickly. Tickets and more are available here: https://wl.seetickets.us/Afropunk

I’ll be covering this year’s festival — my first in about a decade in a unique collaboration between JOVM and my friends at Musicology.xyz. So be on the lookout for pictures and words.

And in case you’re curious, I’m looking forward to catching Flying Lotus, one of the most forward-thinking producers and artists of the current moment; Vince Staples, who impressed me quite a bit when I caught him at OctFest in 2018; Sudan Archives, who I caught at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival several years ago; ENNY, who recently collaborated with Gotts Street Park; the legendary BEATNUTS — because I want to hear “Reign of the Tec;” the always entertaining and wildly talented Madison McFerrin and Tobe Nwigwe.

Music Festivals by William Ruben Helms
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Summer Festival season is coming, y’all! And that means festival announcements. So let’s get to it, right? 

Newport Jazz Festival will be returning to Rhode Island’s Fort Adams State Park for its 69th edition. This year’s edition will continue the festival’s long-held tradition of hosting once in a lifetime performances that can only come as a result of Newport’s unique alchemy of intimacy and artistic community. 

The 69th Edition will take place August 4, 2023 – August 6, 2023 and will feature an eclectic and acclaimed lineup of artists including the legendary Herbie Hancock, Diana Krall, Charles Lloyd, Vijay Iyer, Jon Batiste, and Kamasi Washington, as well as a collection of Grammy-nominated and-winning artists including Samara Joy, DOMi and JD Beck. The lineup also includes Big Freedia, Thundercat, DJ Pee .Wee (a.k.a. Anderson .Paak), Big Gigantic, Alfa Mist, Cautious Clay, Durand Jones, and The War and Treaty. 

It’s an annual tradition for the festival to host special ensembles. And this year’s festival will include Newport Jazz artistic director Christian McBride’s annual Jam Dawn, MoodSwing, Scary Goldings featuring John Scofield, Superblue, Orrin Evans Quintet and the Bill Charlap Trio. 

With Memorial Day Weekend right around the corner, Newport Jazz Festival organizers announced some exciting new additions to the lineup that include JOVM mainstays The Soul Rebels featuring Rakim and Talib Kweli, Adi Oasis, Angel Bat Dawid & Tha Brothahood, Claudia Acuña, and more. A full list of the complete lineup is below.

3-day, 2-day and single-day tickets, as well as 3-day, 2-day and single-day parking passes are currently available through DICE. Full pricing is listed below. Children under 10 are free with a maximum of 2 children attending per ticketed adult. Children 10 and over will need to purchase a full priced admission ticket. For more information go to https://dice.fm/promoters/3gng

TICKET PRICING

3-Day Full Price General Admission: $281.19 (includes fees)

2-Day Saturday & Sunday General Admission: $193.64 (includes fees)

Single-Day General Admission: $100.94 (includes fees)

3-Day Parking: $69.01 (includes fees)

2-Day Parking: $46.35 (includes fees)

Single-Day Parking: $25.75 (includes fees)

NEWPORT JAZZ 2023 LINEUP

Friday

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead with Kamasi Washington

Kamasi Washington 

DJ Pee .Wee (Anderson .Paak)

Soulive  

DOMi & JD Beck

Immanuel Wilkins Quartet 

Big Freedia 

Alfa Mist 

Butcher Brown 

Endea Owens & The Cookout 

Lakecia Benjamin and Phoenix 

Julius Rodriguez 

Saturday 

Jon Batiste 

Thundercat 

Big Gigantic Does Jazz 

Christian McBride’s Jam Jawn 

Charles Lloyd New Quartet 

Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily 

Julian Lage

Superblue: Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter with Nate Smith & Huntertones Horns 

Orrin Evans Quintet

The War and Treaty 

Keyon Harrold 

James Brandon Lewis 

Sunday 

Herbie Hancock 

Diana Krall 

Samara Joy 

Redman, Mehldau, McBride, Blade: A Moodswing Reunion 

Scary Goldings featuring John Scofield 

Cimafunk

Cautious Clay 

Somi 

Pedrito Martinez 

Bill Charlap Trio

Charles McPherson Quintet

NEW ADDITIONS

The Soul Rebels featuring Rakim & Talib Kweli

Marcus Miller

Dave Holland New Quartet

Adi Oasis

Derrick Hodge

Armstrong Now: Louis at Newport

Angel Bat Dawid & Tha Brothahood

Bobby Watson All-Star Quintet

Jennifer Hartswick & Nick Cassarino Duo

Claudia Acuna

Melvis Santa & Jazz Orishas

Lauren Sevian’s LSQ

Camille Thurman with The Darrell Green Quartet

Matthew Whitaker

Ticket information is available here.

Music Festivals by William Ruben Helms

Festival season is right around the corner. And you know what that means — more festival announcements. So let’s get to it.

Yesterday Starr Hill Presents, Haymaker Productions, IMGoing Events, and Lovely Day Presents announced the inaugural Iron Blossom Music Festival. The inaugural edition of the festival will take place August 26, 2023 – August 27, 2023 in Richmond, VA‘s Monroe Park. Located in the heart of the Virginia’s capital city, next to Virginia Commonwealth University‘s campus, the idyllic and historic Monroe Park, is one of the city’s oldest parks.

Iron Blossom will draw from its host city’s vibrant and diverse community to bring fans a unique musical experience with local artists sharing the stage with regional acts and internationally known headliners — while marking a bold, new chapter in the city’s history as a top music festival destination.

The inaugural edition’s headliners include Billboard Hot 100 and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Hozier, Los Angeles-based indie rock outfit Lord Huron and indie pop singer/songwriter Noah Kahan. Elie King, Faye Webster, Rayland Baxter, Colony House, The Heavy Heavy, Nikki Lane, Devon Gilfillian, Mipso, Son Little, Celisse, Danielle Ponder, Trousdale, Josiah & The Bonnevilles, Briscoe, Angelica Garcia and The Legendary Ingramettes round out the inaugural lineup. But more artists will be announced in the coming weeks.

IMGoing Events’ Ken McDonald, the visionary behind Iron Blossom Festival says ““The growth of Richmond is on full display here. We look forward to having Iron Blossom be a showcase for the vibrancy and culture of the city and a positive, enduring part of the community.”  

“This is the moment the people of Richmond deserve and Iron Blossom is the ‘arrival’ moment for music fans in Richmond.” says Haymaker Productions’ Tom Beals. ““It’s because of the fans that we’re able to do this at all. The love of live music is part of Richmond’s culture, and we get to share in that by bringing these artists to Monroe Park.”

In addition to eclectic and vibrant music, the festival will bring attendees the very best of Central Virginia’s food, beverage and artisan communities. Fans will be able to enjoy farm-to-table and delicious street foods, craft beers and cocktails and wares from dozens of vendors. And of course, a VIP experience is being offered, giving fans up-close stage views, an exclusive lounge with cash bars, vendors and more.

Tickets went on sale already, and you can get them exclusively at IronBlossomFestival.com.

  

Music Festivals by William Ruben Helms

Summer Festival season is coming — and it’ll be here sooner than you know it. And of course, that means all kinds of festival announcements.

So let’s get to it, right?

Taking place annually in San Francisco‘s Golden Gate Park, Outside Lands is one of the most popular summer vents in the region for both music fans and foodies. The three-day festival showcases world-class music programming, from legendary acts to emerging artists plus some of the region’s best restaurants, wineries and breweries, as well as Outsider Art, Cocktail Magic — and the return of Grass Lands, the first curated cannabis experience at a major American music festival. It’s the very best that the Bay Area has to offer!

The 15th anniversary edition will take place August 11, 2023 – August 13, 2023 and will feature an incredibly stacked music lineup that will include Kendrick Lamar, Zedd, Janelle Monáe, J.I.D., Interpol, aespa, and WILLOW on Friday; Foo Fighters, Lana Del Rey, Maggie Rogers, FISHER, Father John Misty, Orville Peck, and L’Imperatice on Saturday; and ODESZA, The 1975, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Yachty, Noah Kahan, Cigarettes After Sex, and Tobe Nwigwe on Sunday — with much more across the festivals’ run.

Fan favorite electronic music haven, SOMA Tent will return for a third year and promises club beats with top-level sounds and lights throughout the festivals’ run. Friday features Claptone, BLOND:ISH and Justin Jay; Saturday includes sets from Daniel Avery, Sama’ Abdulhadi and Denis Sulta; and Sunday concludes with Âme b2b Trikk, WhoMadeWho, Tinlicker; and many more each day. 

Additionally, festival organizers announced the daily chef and restaurant lineups Golden Gate Club, Outside Lands’ premiere luxury experience: Friday will feature Golden Gate Club, Outside Lands’ premiere luxury ​experience. Friday ​will ​feature​ Food & Wine’s Best New Chef 2016 winner​ ​Ravi Kapur ​from​ the James Beard Award-nominated restaurant Liholiho Yacht Club​,​ ​who​ will serve South and East Asian inspired heritage cuisine. Saturday features two-time James Beard Award-nominated ​​chef Tyler Florence with Miller & Lux ​offering innovative renditions of American steakhouse classics. Sunday closes out the elevated experience with Michelin Star and James Beard Award-winner for Best Restaurant, Boulevard, ​led by chef duo Nancy Oakes & Dana Younkin​ who will serve New American staples from their iconic Embarcadero location.

Festival organizers recently announced that Single-Day tickets are currently on sale — now. Organizers are encouraging fans to purchase tickets quickly as they’re expected to sell out quickly. Single day ticket prices start at: Single Day GA ($199), Single Day GA+ ($299), Single Day VIP ($449) and Single Day Golden Gate Club ($2,199). A limited number of 3-Day GA and Golden Gate Club passes are still available. Taxes and fees apply to all ticket types. Tickets are all available exclusively at www.sfoutsidelands.com. 



Music Festivals by William Ruben Helms

Generally speaking, the music festival experience is pretty much the same — whether you’ve been to one or dozens of them, like myself. Reinvented last year, Pickathon redefines the music festival experience as an immersive choose-your-own-adventure experience, where attendees can discover music, arts and culture perfectly integrated into the natural wonders of Happy Valley, Oregon‘s Pendarvis Farm, located 16 miles outside of Portland.

Late last month, festival organizes announced that the 2023 edition will take place August 3, 2023-August 6, 2023, along with the festival’s music lineup. This year’s edition will continue the festival’s reputation for eclecticism and its ability to spot the next breakout band across a variety of genres while featuring: indie roots outfit Watchhouse, the legendary Lee Fields, alt-glam band Dehd, rising singer/songwriter Madison Cunningham, Zambian psych rockers W.I.T.C.H., Thee Sinseers, The Altons, the acclaimed Mailian artist Vieux Farka Touré, desert blues outfit Imarhan, rising bluegrass banjo and Venezuelan harp duo Larry & Joe, Bay Area African psych rock outfit Orchestra Gold, post-internet jazz project MonoNeon, the Native American powwow-meets-electroinc music-meets-Bon Ives-like soundscapes of Joe Rainey, Yot Club, Columbian psychedelic cumbia outfit Meridian Brothers, Peruvian electro pop group Novalima, Mexican punk rockers Sgt. Papers, acclaimed Canadian rapper TOBi, Tampa-based experimentalists They Hate Change and jazz funk outfit Butcher Brown.

As always country and honky tonk still holds a strong presence with acts like Nick Shoulders, The Kernal and Courtney Marie Andrews on the bill. Rising indie rock artists Wednesday, MJ Lenderman and Florist are also on the bill. The full lineup and festival playlist are below.

Pickathon 2023 Full Lineup

  • Watchouse
  • Lee Fields
  • Dehd
  • Madison Cunningham
  • Vieux Farka Touré
  • Florist
  • W.I.T.C.H.
  • Wednesday
  • MonoNeon
  • Ocie Elliott
  • Butcher Brown
  • Yot Club
  • Courtney Marie Andrews
  • Imarhan
  • Say She She
  • MJ Lenderman
  • Madison McFerrin
  • The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
  • They Hate Change
    Andrew Marlin
  • Pachyman
  • Wine Lips 
  • Nikki Nair
  • GA-20
  • Nick Shoulders
  • Wayne Graham
  • Mike Dillon’s Punkadelic!
  • Rich Ruth
  • The Altons
  • Thee Sinseers
  • Novalima
  • Logan Ledger
  • Meridian Brothers
  • TOBi
  • Emily Nenni
  • Mikaela Davis 
  • Joe Rainey
  • Riddy Arman
  • The Mountain Grass Unit
  • The Kernal
  • Larry & Joe
  • Hooveriii
  • Gel
  • Jackie Venson
  • Nat Myers 
  • Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
  • Sgt. Papers
  • Orchestra Gold
  • WHIMZ
  • Sprig of That
  • The Shivas
  • MØTRIK

“Reinventing Pickathon last year around the concept of integrating music, arts, and culture into the natural settings of Pendarvis Farm was an incredible endeavor,” Pickathon founder Dale Schoenborn says. “2023 not only presents our best lineup ever, but now we understand the new Pickathon Neighborhoods even better, and we’re excited to refine all the details to make this year our most immersive experience to date. I can’t wait for everyone to join us at Pendarvis Farm!”

Early bird tickets end today. Camping, parking, shuttles and everything else you need to get to the farm is on sale now, too. That information can be found here.


Music Festivals by William Ruben Helms
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Summer Festival season is coming, y’all! And that means festival announcements.

So let’s get to it, right?

Newport Jazz Festival will be returning to Rhode Island’s Fort Adams State Park for its 69th edition. This year’s edition will continue the festival’s long-held tradition of hosting once in a lifetime performances that can only come as a result of Newport’s unique alchemy of intimacy and artistic community.

The 69th Edition will take place August 4, 2023 – August 6, 2023 and will feature an eclectic and acclaimed lineup of artists including the legendary Herbie Hancock, Diana Krall, Charles Lloyd, Vijay Iyer, Jon Batiste, and Kamasi Washington, as well as a collection of Grammy-nominated and-winning artists including Samara Joy, DOMi and JD Beck. The lineup also includes Big Freedia, Thundercat, DJ Pee .Wee (a.k.a. Anderson .Paak), Big Gigantic, Alfa Mist, Cautious Clay, Durand Jones, and The War and Treaty.

It’s an annual tradition for the festival to host special ensembles. And this year’s festival will include Newport Jazz artistic director Christian McBride’s annual Jam Dawn, MoodSwing, Scary Goldings featuring John Scofield, Superblue, Orrin Evans Quintet and the Bill Charlap Trio.

Specially priced 3-day tickets went on yesterday through DICE. Special pricing will be available for 24 hours ending today at 1:00pm EST. All full-prince 3-day, 2-day and single-day tickets will go on sale today at 1:00pm

Full pricing is listed below. Children under 10 are free with a maximum of 2 children attending per ticketed adult. Children 10 and over will need to purchase a full priced admission ticket. Current students aged 10-25 are eligible for student tickets. College students are required to show a student photo ID. Middle and high school students are not required to show ID. All students must enter through the student gate only. For more information go to https://dice.fm/promoters/3gng

TICKET PRICING

3-Day Limited Special Priced General Admission: $239.99 (includes fees)

3-Day Full Price General Admission: $281.19 (includes fees)

3-Day Student Admission – $142.14 (includes fees)

2-Day Saturday & Sunday General Admission: $193.64 (includes fees)

2-Day Saturday & Sunday Student Admission: $91.67 (includes fees)

Single-Day General Admission: $100.94 (includes fees)

Single-Day Student Admission: $47.38 (includes fees)

3-Day Parking: $69.01 (includes fees)

2-Day Parking: $46.35 (includes fees)

Single-Day Parking: $25.75 (includes fees)

NEWPORT JAZZ 2023 LINEUP

Friday

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead with Kamasi Washington

Kamasi Washington 

DJ Pee .Wee (Anderson .Paak)

Soulive  

DOMi & JD Beck

Immanuel Wilkins Quartet 

Big Freedia 

Alfa Mist 

Butcher Brown 

Endea Owens & The Cookout 

Lakecia Benjamin and Phoenix 

Julius Rodriguez 

Saturday 

Jon Batiste 

Thundercat 

Big Gigantic Does Jazz 

Christian McBride’s Jam Jawn 

Charles Lloyd New Quartet 

Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily 

Julian Lage

Superblue: Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter with Nate Smith & Huntertones Horns 

Orrin Evans Quintet

The War and Treaty 

Keyon Harrold 

James Brandon Lewis 

Sunday 

Herbie Hancock 

Diana Krall 

Samara Joy 

Redman, Mehldau, McBride, Blade: A Moodswing Reunion 

Scary Goldings featuring John Scofield 

Cimafunk

Cautious Clay 

Somi 

Pedrito Martinez 

Bill Charlap Trio

Charles McPherson Quintet

More artists will be announced in the future. But in the meantime, ticket information is available here.

Music Festivals by William Ruben Helms

Summer Festival season is coming y’all. And naturally, that means a boatload of festival-related announcements over the next handful of months.

So let’s get to it, eh?

Founded in 1968, Festival d’été de Québec is a massive 11-day musical festival that hosts over 150 shows featuring internationally renowned and beloved headlining artists and emerging artists from all over the world in all genres playing on multiple stages in the heart of historic Québec City, Québec’s capital and one of the oldest cities in North America.

Festival d’été de Québec’s main stage is located on one of the most notable historical sites in Canada: The Plains of Abraham, where the British and French fought a decisive battle in the Seven Years’ War. The battle not only decided the fate of New France, but also led to the formation of Canada.

From what I’ve been told, FEQ is the closest North American analog to European city festivals like Wireless Festival, Primavera Sound or Roskilde. And because of its location, Québec City is arguably the closet thing to a European city within driving distance across the Northeastern US. And if you don’t feel like road tripping, you can take one of 21 direct flights to Jean Lesange/Québec City International Airport.

The 55th edition of the festival will take place from July 6, 2023 – July 16, 2023. Featuring over 200 artists, this year’s FEQ continues the festival’s long-held reputation for being a smorgasbord for any kind of music lover. Fans of stadium/arena rock can catch Foo Fighters, Green Day, Imagine Dragons, Quebecois icons Les Cowboys Fringants and Les Trois Accords. If you want something harder and more punk, you can catch Lamb of God and Bad Religion. The indie crowd could catch Lana Del Rey, The Smile, Feist, The War On Drugs, Alvvays and Saskatchewan-based singer/songwriter Andy Shauf. Hip-hop heads can catch rising stars Lil Durk and GloRilla, the legendary Cypress Hill and Canadian emcees bbno$ and Killy. Rising country artist Zach Bryan leads a group of country artists that include Megan Moroney and Québec’s Quebec Redneck Bluegrass Project. Pitbull and Illenium will provide dance floor bangers. French outfit Christine & The Queens will offer Francophone pop tunes. Additional artists on the bill include Heart’s legendary Ann Wilson, Quebec’s Robert Charlebois, Sudan Archives and Meet Me @ The Altar.

So pass for FEQ are available. The passes are fully transferrable — fans can share with friends and family if they’re unable to attend any of the 11-days. The passes start at$140 CAD (about $103 USD) or about $12.72 CAD per day (about $9.27 per day). Passes and information is available HERE.

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