Checking out just part of the ongoing New Colossus Festival

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Dream Pop was front and center last night at a showcase at Arlene's Grocery as part of the New Colossus Festival. 

We stopped by at the start of the bill for Phantom Handshakes, a local collaboration featuring the ethereal vocals of lead singer Federica Tassano ...

...and Matt Sklar (on the right in the striped shirt)...

Check out their music here. (This piece discusses how the two met during the pandemic and started the band.)

We also really liked the first band up, the timeless D.C.-based indie pop trio Flowers for the Dead...(they're playing at Arlene's again tomorrow at noon)...

The New Colossus Festival continues today and tomorrow at EV/Lower Side music venues. Find the schedule here.

'Vulture' club

 

The New Colossus Festival is underway at LES/EV venues through Sunday.

One more band to highlight (as we've done on recent Fridays at 5): Holiday Ghosts, a four-piece from the U.K. 

Look for them at Pianos tomorrow (Saturday!) at 5:45 p.m. 

Find the full New Colossus schedule here.

The New Colossus Festival gets underway today at East Village and Lower East Side music venues

The 2024 edition of the New Colossus Festival takes place TODAY through Sunday at East Village and Lower East Side music venues, including Arlene's Grocery, Berlin, Bowery Electric, Heaven Can Wait, Knitting Factory at Baker Falls, Mercury Lounge, Pianos, and the Rockwood Music Hall. 

This is a great (and budget-friendly) opportunity to catch many local bands as well as emerging artists from the U.S. and abroad. Check out the schedule and find tickets here. 

Beyond the 'Sea'

 

Our past few Fridays-at-5 posts have featured bands on tap for the New Colossus Festival, taking place in LES/EV venues next week. 

Up next, the French shoegazers Sarakiniko. The above video is a live version of "Fade it Away into the Sea." The band will bring their firepower to Rockwood Music Hall on Allen Street next Friday night (set time: 11:30). 

Find the full New Colossus schedule here.

'Rat' trap

 

Brooklyn's Nara's Room is one of the many bands you'll see during the New Colossus Festival, taking place in LES/EV venues from March 6-10. 

The video here is for "Rat." 

Nara's Room is at the Knitting Factory at Baker Falls on Avenue A on March 8 (7 p.m.!). Find the full schedule here.

Catch some emerging bands at the New Colossus Festival this March 6-10

The 2024 edition of the New Colossus Festival takes place from March 6-10 at East Village and Lower East Side music venues, including Arlene's Grocery, Berlin, Bowery Electric, Heaven Can Wait, Knitting Factory at Baker Falls, Mercury Lounge, Pianos, and the Rockwood Music Hall. 

This is a great (and budget-friendly) opportunity to catch a lot of local bands as well as emerging artists from the U.S. and abroad. Check out the schedule and find tickets here. 

We've enjoyed finding new bands via these showcases, such as Lukka, fronted by East Village-based singer-songwriter-composer Franzi Szymkowiak. (Read our interview with her here.) 

The New Colossus Festival started in 2019.

'Stuck' in a groove

 

NYC's dream-pop duo Phantom Handshakes is just one of the bands playing this year's New Colossus Festival in several LES-EV music venues. Check out the lineup for the festival, March 6-10, right here. 

The above video is for "Stuck in a Fantasy."

P.S. 

Phantom Handshakes play Arlene's Grocery on March 8 at 7:45 p.m.

Check out emerging bands this week at the New Colossus Festival

The fourth edition of the New Colossus Festival gets underway this Wednesday. 

This celebration of independent music takes (March 8-12) at East Village and LES venues — Pianos, Mercury Lounge, Berlin, Heaven Can Wait, Bowery Electric and Arlene's Grocery. (There's also a special show with A Place to Bury Strangers at the Bowery Ballroom on Sunday.)

Check out the venue lineup here... and the band/musician (100-plus) rundown here. 

As we've said in previous years, it's a great (and inexpensive way) to check out a lot of new/emerging bands. (Find badge info at this link.)

The New Colossus Festival started in 2019.

The New Colossus Festival takes place next week at these local music venues

The New Colossus Festival, a celebration of independent music from around the world, is taking place next week (March 9-13) at East Village and LES venues — Pianos, Mercury Lounge, Berlin, East Berlin, Bowery Electric and Arlene's Grocery. 

There is A LOT going on... check out the venue lineup here... and the band/musician (100-plus) rundown here. 

It's a great (and inexpensive way) to check out a look at new/emerging bands. (Brooklyn Vegan highlights a few acts here.) 

The New Colossus Festival started in 2019.

About the New Colossus Festival, bringing new bands to the LES/East Village this March

More details emerged yesterday about the first-ever New Colossus Festival, which will bring 50-plus bands to LES/East Village music venues March 7-10, 2019.

As Brooklyn Vegan first noted yesterday, the festival (and conference) is being pitched as a stopover for emerging bands headed to SXSW in Austin, Texas, the following week.

Per BV:

The festival was created and produced by NYC music industry vets Mike Bell (Lorimer Beacon), Lio Kanine (Kanine Records) & Steven Matrick (Kepler Events/Pianos) and they are aiming for a CMJ-esque vibe.

“CMJ left such a vacuum, not only for independent music venues, but for bands all over the world that used it as a way to play New York City every year,” says Matrick. “We chose a very convenient weekend to try to bring back that opportunity. We’d also been discussing a way for these venues to work together again and resurrect the collaborative aspect of Manhattan’s music scene.”

Shows will be at Berlin (25 Avenue A), Coney Island Baby (169 Avenue A), Pianos (158 Ludlow) and Bowery Electric (327 Bowery), among other local spaces.

You can find the full lineup of bands as well as ticket info (three-day passes are on sale now for $50) at this link.