American Music Festival 2023-2024 Lineup

Hey! Just wanted to let you know about the lineup for the American Music Festival for 2023-2024. I'll be honest, I'm a little biased because some of these bands are my favorites, but I wanted to include all kinds of music, so there's a bit of something for everyone.

The first band up is Fever Dreams, which is a synthpop group out of Austin. They do covers and remixes of pop songs as well and occasionally arrange their own classical pieces. Next up is Window which is an indie folk rock band from Louisiana that combines traditional folk instrumentation with drums and electric guitars to create something really new.

They are a three-piece band. After that is Elitra Starr, which is a dance-pop band from Seattle. They are very upbeat and look almost like they were drawn out of some kind of Cartoon Network show. 

German Festival

The German Festival is back in its traditional spot after the American Music Festival moved to the College Park District. This festival has been going on every year since 2018 and it's usually always in November, so I figured why not start early?

The first act up is none other than Lorie, which is an all-female punk band owned by Laura (who also plays bass), Lauren (who also plays drums), and Natalie (who also sings). I really really love them and they're not just a one-hit wonder either! They have a lot of great music, so check them out. Next up is the band that needs no introduction, Die Antwoord. They are an all-male rap/hip-hop group from South Africa that is known for their eccentric and at times comedic work as well as their blatant disregard for social norms.

The final act is another all-female synthpop group, Blondfire. They're a really interesting band because of the unique way that their lead singer, Hayley Williams, brings out her vocals. She actually uses a slide to record them, so when you hear older songs from them you'll notice that she sings in a lower register. Their music is based on electro-pop, which is an offshoot of synthpop that has more focus on build-ups and drops and less focus on the melody like traditional synthpop does.

The Latin American Festival

The Latin American Festival has been moved to Washington Park for 2023-2024. They usually have a Latin music theme, but in recent years they've moved away from that and just had more music in general. This year they are celebrating the inclusion of two new nations to the festival (which is why it's being moved to a new location). The first act going up is a talented indie-pop band out of Cleveland called The New Chinese Jazz. Their songs are really great, but I just wish there was more than one female vocalist. 

Next up is one of my favorite bands, La Capilla de David (The David's Chapel) which is an all-male Cuban jazz group from Houston that combines traditional Cuban flavors with modern music styles in creative ways. After that is another all-male Cuban ensemble, Son de Llave (The Key's Song).

They are a jazz orchestra from New York, which is known for playing traditional music with a modern flair. The final act is a funk band out of Washington called Soulever le Rideau (Lifting the Curtain), which is an all-female group that focuses on French touch music and I'm really excited to see them again!

The Indian Festival

The Indian Festival has been moved to the Museum Park in 2023-2024. They normally have dancing and traditional music, but this year they're also including a lot more jazz, classical, and also some Indian fusion. I was worried that Indian music wouldn't have as much of an audience at Museum Park, but I'm glad to see that some bands are going to be making appearances there as well.

The first act on the lineup is a band from Indianola called The Saffron Strings Quartet. They're an all-female string quartet out of Iowa that fuses folk traditions with modern music trends in interesting ways to form something really unique. After that is the Indianola-based Polomari, which is an electronic dance-pop band from New York.

They're actually a pair of sisters and the music has some really cool stuff going on with the synths and beats, but I think it's going to be really strong in the darker parts of the night. After that is another string quartet from St. Louis called Chavda, who combine traditional Indian music with modern rhythms to create something really unique and interesting. The final act is a jazz fusion quartet from St. Louis called Quannum Collective, which is an all-male group that uses their instruments as percussion in their songs. They all have a high level of skill and are really good, so I can't wait to see them again.

The Irish Festival

The Irish Festival is back in its regular spot at Mullen's Bar and Grill in 2023-2024. It has been going on for two years now and usually has a lot of great bands from around the world showcase their music. I can't wait to see how this one goes!

The first band on the lineup is a folk rock band out of New York called Moquette, which is a three-piece band that uses folk instruments fused together with electronic sounds to create something really unique. After that is a traditional Irish band from Dublin called The Shillelagh Sisters, who are an all-female band that plays traditional Irish music. They're also really good singers and have a lot of energy, so I think people will really enjoy them. The final act of the night is another folk duo from Dublin called McLanahan & Reilly. They are a couple with a lot of history and they play some great folk songs together. It's an interesting dynamic, but they have a lot of skills and can play their instruments perfectly!

The Mexican Festival

The Mexican Festival is back in 2023-2024 as well! I'm glad to see it get another chance after moving to the other side of town last year. It's always a good time, so I couldn't be happier.

The first act is a female-fronted Mexican band called Amory out of Austin, Texas. They combine electronic music with traditional styles in really interesting ways to create something really unique. After that is an all-female punk band from San Antonio called The Danglers, who are a four-piece band that combines punk and ska with traditional Mexican styles to create something really unique. After that is another all-female Mexican punk group from Los Angeles called Tanager, who also fuse punk and ska with traditional styles to create something really unique.