Philly Music Fest is celebrating 10 years of uplifting the local music scene with a major addition to this year’s lineup.
Over the years, PMF has increasingly included a surprise headliner, with Mt. Joy, Waxahatchee and, most recently, Dr. Dog all filling the role. This year, the festival is welcoming a first-time guest as its surprise headliner, Grammy-nominated artist Gregory Alan Isakov.
Johannesburg-born and Philly-raised, Isakov spent the majority of his childhood and adolescence in and around the city before answering an inward call Westward and settling in Colorado, where he records and self-releases his music.
In the years since, Isakov has built an acclaimed career with a sound that floats somewhere in the ether of folk and singer-songwriter music, which he has jokingly described as “sad songs about space.”
Isakov has made several returns to the area, including a recent performance at the TD Pavilion at Highmark Mann in West Fairmount Park, and will soon headline one of the city’s most important annual music festivals.
PMF spans genres, blending the many sounds found throughout the area for a distinctly Philly experience. “Our genre is Philly,” as PMF co-founder and producer Greg Seltzer has said.
For the past 10 years, Philly Music Fest has brought together musicians for an incredible live music celebration, but more importantly, it has made its mark by reinvesting in the community. The annual nonprofit festival directly supports local musicians, venues and the next generation of Philly artists, some of whom could very well perform at Philly Music Fest in the future.
Each year, the festival donates $100,000 to music education while providing a critical boost to the city’s music economy.
“Being able to host Gregory Alan Isakov — who just headlined The Mann Music Center — at the Ardmore Music Hall for 600 Philly Music Fest fans is not only exciting, but really captures what PMF is all about: creating undeniable experiences for the Philly music scene as well as raising money to ensure that the next generation of Philly musicians are guaranteed a chance to grow, learn, and prosper so that they, too, can perform at PMF and keep the scene flourishing,” said Greg Seltzer, founder and producer of Philly Music Fest.
This year, PMF will take place from Oct. 12-18 with 25 bands playing independent venues. Isakov is set to perform at Ardmore Music Hall Oct. 12 and 13 with support from Caiola and Madi Diaz on those respective dates. In addition, this year’s lineup includes The Dillinger Escape Plan, RJD2, Sweet Pill, Marietta, Mo Lowda & The Humble, among others. Performances will take place at independent venues including Johnny Brenda’s, MilkBoy, Underground Arts, Ardmore Music Hall, The Fallser Club and Solar Myth.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased directly from the individual venues or by visiting PhillyMusicFest.com.
For more information on Philly Music Fest, including this year’s full lineup, visit PhillyMusicFest.com
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