The New Colossus Festival 2019

More than 100 buzzworthy music artists from around the world performed showcases for fans and industry personnel as part of the inaugural New Colossus Festival. Over the course of four days and three nights, six independent music venues in New York City’s Lower East Side and East Village hosted conferences, concerts and social events. The Natvral (Kip of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart), Nicole Yun (Eternal Summers), Thick, Pom Pom Squad, Tallies, Wooing, Das Body, and more performed at Arlene’s Grocery, Berlin, Bowery Electric, Coney Island Baby, the Delancey and Pianos from March 7–10, 2019.

New Colossus Festival happened the weekend before SXSW, and so was a stopover for many Canadian and European artists who were on their way to Austin, Texas. Thirty-seven bands came from the United States, 35 came from Canada, 14 came from the United Kingdom, seven bands from Spain, four bands from Norway, with a handful from coming in from several other countries.

Mike Bell (Lorimer Beacon), Lio Kanine (Kanine Records) & Steven Matrick (Kepler Events/Pianos) founded the festival to provide conferences in addition to showcases. The six conferences were The Importance of an Independent Record Label in Today’s Marketplace, Let’s Talk About Sync, One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Finding Your Own Formula in a Changing Landscape, Navigating the Labyrinth: U.S. Visas for Artists, Music Activism: Making It Useful and Strategic, and Erasing the Stigma: Mental Health and the Musicians’ Community.

Fruit Tones from the United Kingdom at Pianos

St. Woods from Spain at Arlene’s Grocery

Dusted from Canada at Pianos Upstairs Lounge

Close Talker from Canada at the Delancey

Stuck in the Sound from France at Pianos

Construction & Destruction from Canada at Coney Island Baby

Body Type from Australia at Berlin

Mark McGowen from the United Kingdom at the Map Room at the Bowery Electric

Ellevator from Canada at the Bowery Electric

Nancy from the United Kingdom at the Delancey

Radiant Reveries from New York City at Arlene’s Grocery

Penelope Isles from the United Kingdom at Berlin

Lava Fizz from Spain at Pianos