The Philadelphia Music & Arts Festival will take place next weekend (September 27-30), at Johnny Brenda’s, World Café Live, and Milkboy. The annual four-day festival offers the best of local music today, from acts of all different genres and levels of fame. This year offers everything from hard punk to smooth jazz, with the headliners including Waxahatchee, Low Cut Connie, Palm, and The Districts.
Philadelphia is undoubtedly one of the most vibrant music scenes in the country for up-and-coming artists, and the goal of this festival is to support and showcase them. The festival is meant to be an “immersion in Philadelphia culture,” pairing the local music with food, drink, and art from local chefs, distilleries, and visual artists. Even better, because the festival is non-profit, they focus on using the revenue to fairly pay musicians and support local music programs that are “educating the next generation about the importance of music.”
Every act is worth catching this year, but for those who can’t make it out to celebrate local music for four days in a row, these are WQHS’s can’t-miss acts:
Secret American: A mix of East and West Coast rock with a catchy and easygoing feel. Catch their debut album Warmth & Shelter, out now! (Set time – 8:25 pm on 9/28)
Waxahatchee: One of Philly’s best punk-rooted folk artists, Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee is making waves with her latest EP Great Thunder, which is a peaceful reflection next to 2017’s Out in the Storm. Her songwriting is some of the best of this generation, and any chance to catch her live is not to be missed! (Set time – 9:05 pm on 9/28)
Orion Sun: Her 2018 single “S T R E T C H” Orion Sun’s gently flowing vocals draw inspiration from the music of Frank Ocean, Lauryn Hill, and Daniel Caesar. After playing Made in America this year, Orion Sun is on the rise in the Philly R&B scene, and will almost undoubtedly make it big in the mainstream soon. (Set time – 4:50 pm 9/29)
See the full lineup, buy tickets, and get more information about the events of the weekend here.
