What used to be called First Night Saratoga, the rebrand to Saratoga New Year’s Fest happened in 2022 as pandemic restrictions loosened. Festivities are planned from December 29, 2023, to January 1, 2024. This year’s events will feature more than 30 performers on nearly two dozen stages. In addition, there will be a 5K run, a fireworks show, a family-friendly pre-fireworks block party, and other events.
“This is a joint presentation: the city the Chamber, Discover Saratoga, the City Center, and myself,” said producer Robert Millis of the 398Group, during this week’s festival announcement. “We put this idea together last year to bring back First Night – and it worked. We met our milestones. It’s all part of a three-year plan to make this thing get bigger and bigger.”
For more information about the Saratoga New Year’s Fest and to purchase, visit here.
Saratoga New Year’s Fest Lineup
Friday, December 29
DJ Logic, 10 p.m. at Putnam Place
Saturday, December 30
The Nth Power, 7 p.m. at Universal Preservation Hall
The Weight Band, 8 p.m. at Universal Preservation Hall
Sunday, December 31
Afternoon
Kids Music Show, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at Caffe Lena
TBA Band, 3 p.m. at the City Center “Jazz Room”
Will Pedicone, 2:30 p.m. at Impressions of Saratoga
Maurizzio & Kaos, 2:30 p.m. at Franklin Square Market
Pete Pashoukas, 3 p.m. at Sixth Generation Strings
Erin Powers, 3 p.m. at Overland on Broadway
Late Afternoon
Swing Docs, 4 p.m. at the City Center “Jazz Room”
Gibson Brothers, 4 p.m. at Universal Preservation Hall
Toss The Feathers, 4:45 p.m. at The Parting Glass Irish Pub
Jeff Brisbin, 4:30 p.m. at The Holiday Inn
Erin Powers, 4:30 p.m. at The Coat Room
New Year’s Eve
Halfstep, 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at The City Center “Dead & Groove Room”
Country Kickers Line Dancing, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at The City Center “Country Room”
Chris O’Leary with Tia Comedy Show, 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.at The Inn at Saratoga
Erin Powers, 5 p.m. at The Coat Room
Kristian Montgomery, 5 p.m. at Tap & Barrel
Shine On, 5 p.m. at Embassy Suites
Family Tree, 5 p.m. at Ellsworth Jones Place (outside of the City Center)
Tracy Bonham, 6:30 p.m. at Universal Preservation Hall
Triskele, 7 p.m. at The Parting Glass Irish Pub
Robert Randolph, 7 p.m. at The City Center Main Hall
Double Barrel, 7 p.m. at Nashville of Saratoga
Ragged Company, 7 p.m. at Quarters
Toubab Krewe, 7:30 p.m. at Universal Preservation Hall
Classic Rock Tent, 8 p.m. at The Ice House
Patrick Wisdom Stewart, 8 p.m. at Baileys
Organ Fairchild, 8:30 p.m. at The City Center “Dead/Groove Room”
Ward Hayden & The Outliers, 8:30 p.m. at The City Center “Country Room”
GA-20, 8:30 p.m. at Universal Preservation Hall
Maggie’s Clan, 8:30 p.m. at The Parting Glass Irish Pub
Joan Osborne & Band, 9 p.m. at The City Center Main Hall
The HERE Foundation, fresh off last year’s successful music festival, announced the date and lineup for HERE for NY, taking place at The Knockdown Center on Feb. 10, 2024.
HERE for NY is the next stop in the global concert series dedicated to creating hyper-local action within cities worldwide. With a focus on supporting local organizations and nonprofits, HERE aims to empower Gen-Z individuals and businesses to impact their communities positively. The festival is the first of its kind, transcending traditional festival experiences and embracing a new era of action, empowerment, and community.
Last December, HERE for LA showcased 22 acts, engaged over 1200 attendees, and made an incredible impact on HERE’s nonprofit partners. HERE Foundation is a non-profit organization that works at the intersection of culture and cause, supporting individuals, organizations, and nonprofits with charitable events, activities, gatherings, and workshops around causes that young people are passionate about.
HERE for NY welcomes artists across genres including Eartheater, Vegyn, Liv.e, RXK Nephew, Underscores, Roy Blair, James Ivy, 454, DJ_Dave, Alice Longyu Gao, Push Ups, and MGNA Crrrta.
“We think people are going to be very surprised when they show up on February 10th,” said co-founders Ethan, Stella, and Connor. “It’s not a vast grass field with the traditional layout and nonprofit booths, we have created something uniquely different from the existing array of festivals out there today” they share.
In line with HERE Foundation’s commitment to social responsibility HERE for NY is excited to partner with Big Reuse and the Urban Justice Center for Social Equity, local nonprofit organizations dedicated to climate justice, social equality, and education. HERE For NY sponsors include Perfectly Imperfect, Dice, and more.
The 47th Annual Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival will return for a full two-day and two-stage exhilarating festival experience this summer at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
Founded in 1978 by jazz impresario George Wein, Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival is the fifth longest-consecutive-running jazz festival in North America. Initially founded as “the Newport Jazz Festival at Saratoga,” the weekend event was renamed Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival in 1998. With an inside seating capacity of 5,200, and lawn seating of 20,000, the two-day, two-stage festival continues to be one of the largest jazz music events in North America, beloved by audiences for both the remarkable annual line-up of international jazz talent and the spectacular setting at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in the idyllic Saratoga Spa State Park.
Featuring a roster of twenty-two musical groups and ten festival debuts, the 47th Annual Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival line-up is co-headlined by four premier contemporary artists: Lake Street Dive, Norah Jones, Laufey, and Samara Joy; alongside jazz and blues legends Stanley Clarke with his band N*4Ever, Terence Blanchard Sextet and Coco Montoya. Also highlighting the line-up is the next generation of jazz stars Yussef Dayes, Joey Alexander, Miguel Zenon, Tia Fuller, Theo Crocker, Helen Sung and Sara Caswell, and today’s most electrifying Afro-Cuban and funk bands Cory Henry, Cimafunk, The New Orleans Groove Masters and Pedrito Martinez Group.
From jazz to roots, funk, blues, pop, indie and beyond, the festival will bring its signature blend of world-class artists and ensembles, solidifying its place as an international destination and a ‘must-stop’ on the 2024 festival trail.
Headliner Lake Street Dive will make their highly anticipated festival debut on Saturday with their spirited eclecticism and joyously soulful music. As heard on their critically acclaimed album Obviously, the Boston-bred band possesses a keen talent for combining sociopolitical commentary with immediately catchy pop gems.
Returning following her triumphant festival debut in 2023 is “Silky-voiced rising jazz star” (New York Times) Samara Joy, a two-time GRAMMY winner and the second jazz performer in history to win the award for best new artist.
Returning by popular demand to headline the festival on Sunday is multi-GRAMMY winning singer and pianist Norah Jones, who played the festival in 2019. Named the top jazz artist of the 2000-2009 decade by Billboard, Norah has won nine GRAMMY Awards, including five for her 2002 solo debut, Away with Me. “The one to watch” on Sunday’s line-up for her festival debut is Laufey, a 24-year-old Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter whose modern jazz sound has won her both a GRAMMY nomination and millions of fans on TikTok. Her new album Bewitched reached more than 5.7 million streams on its first day and set a Spotify record as the biggest debut for a jazz album. Most recently, Norah and Laufey collaborated on a new two-track single Christmas With You, which was released on November 10.
Music icons returning to the festival include jazz and blues legends Stanley Clarke with his exciting new band N*4Ever, which is a celebration of his long-time collaborator Chick Corea and their time together in Return to Forever; seven-time GRAMMY winner, two-time Oscar nominee and Opera composer Terence Blanchard with his Sextet, performing the music from his 2005 GRAMMY nominated album Flow, and blues guitar virtuoso and vocalist Coco Montoya. Representing the next generation of jazz talent on the stage is captivating composer and drummer Yussef Dayes, fan-favorite jazz pianist Joey Alexander who will celebrate his 21st birthday at the festival, 2021 Guggenheim Fellow and jazz pianist and composer Helen Sung, and GRAMMY-nominated jazz violinist Sara Caswell.
Highlighting the weekend is also today’s most electrifying Afro-Cuban and funk bands including progressive R&B artist Cory Henry, GRAMMY-nominated Afro-Cuban rockstar Cimafunk for his festival debut, The New Orleans Groove Masters featuring Herlin Riley, Jason Marsalis & Shannon Powell, GRAMMY-nominated Cuban percussionist Pedrito Martinez with his band for his fifth festival appearance,and hard-grooving, soulful crowd-pleaser Olatuja!, which reunites Alicia and Michael Olatuja in music.
2024 FREIHOFER’S SARATOGA JAZZ FESTIVAL LINE-UP
SATURDAY, JUNE 29
Amphitheater:
Lake Street Dive*
Samara Joy
Yussef Dayes*
Joey Alexander Trio with special guest Theo Croker
Cimafunk* with special guest Pedrito Martinez
The New Orleans Groove Masters* featuring Herlin Riley, Jason Marsalis &
Shannon Powell
Charles R. Wood “Jazz Discovery” Stage:
Tia Fuller
Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra*
Theo Croker
Coco Montoya*
Harold Lopez-Nussa*
Sara Caswell Quartet*
SUNDAY, JUNE 30
Amphitheater:
Norah Jones
Laufey*
Stanley Clarke N*4Ever
Terence Blanchard Sextet
Cory Henry
Charles R. Wood “Jazz Discovery” Stage:
Pedrito Martinez Group
Miguel Zenon Quartet
Olatuja!
Helen Sung presents Quartet+*
Skidmore Jazz Institute Faculty All-Stars Centennial Celebration of Max Roach, Bud Powell & J.J. Johnson featuring Clay Jenkins, Steve Wilson, Steve Davis, Mike Moreno, Bill Cunliffe, Todd Coolman & Dennis Mackrel
In addition to two non-stop days of great music on two stages, fans can also enjoy a host of amenities including a new craft beer tasting village, in partnership with New York State Brewers Association, new and diverse food offerings, a fine arts and crafts fair, and artist CD signings. Guests are welcome to bring in their own food and beverages, as well as blankets, tents and lawn umbrellas. Parking for the event is free. Performances will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 29 and at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 30.
Tickets for the festival start at $80 and will be available online here beginning January 5 at 10am to the general public and starting on December 14 at 10am to SPAC members (tiered by level). Members will also receive a discount of 15-20% (depending on level) on their ticket purchase. Two-day passes are also available for a savings of $20 off per pass (offer ends 6/15 and can’t be combined with other discounts). Children 12 and under receive 50% off tickets in the amphitheater and are free on the lawn. Full-time students with a school issued ID receive 25% off tickets in the amphitheater, or $28 on the lawn (student ID must be presented at will call).
Levitate Music and Arts Festival has announced their 11th annual return to Marshfield, MA this summer. The event will be on July 5, 6, and 7 at the Marshfield Fairgrounds, featuring national and local music talents, exciting vendors, and food and beverage options for all.
The festival has yet to announce this year’s lineup. Previous performers at the festival’s 10-year anniversary included Brandi Carlile, Trey Anastasio, Peach Pit, and Larkin Poe. The festival includes not just music, but also local art displays, skate demonstrations, and gourmet food and beverage offerings for the crowds of Marshfield, MA.
The Levitate brand began in 2003 as a surf and skate shop dedicated to representing East Coast surf culture. The brand has grown into not just the surf lifestyle representative, but also a clothing brand, summer camp, and nonprofit education project that connects children with music, arts, and outdoor education. 1% of every ticket sold to the festival will be contributed to the Levitate Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to cultivating communities through music, art, and the outdoors.
Multi-day loyalty ticket on-sale will be announced soon; just in time for holiday gifting for friends and family. To receive the latest information about tickets and weekend passes, fans can sign up for the newsletter here and visit https://www.levitatemusicfestival.com/.
The 20th annual Hank-O-Rama festival, celebrating the musical life of Hank Williams, will be held at Bowery Electric on New Year’s Day.
Hank Williams will be celebrated at the Hank-O-Rama show 71 years after his death. Williams is regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century. He recorded 55 singles that reached the top ten of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart, including 12 that reached No. 1.
Hank Williams was just 29 when he was found dead in the back seat of his Cadillac on the morning of Jan. 1, 1953, in Oak Hill, WV, en route to a New Year’s Day gig in Canton, Ohio. The Hank-O-Rama celebration is a symbolic rain date for the last show Williams would ever miss. September 17, 2023, was the 100 anniversary of his birth.
The show features more than 30 of Williams’s hits and rarities, including “Cold, Cold Heart,” “Hey, Good Lookin’,” “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” and many others, performed live by recording artists and Hank-O-Rama founders The Lonesome Prairie Dogs.
Special guest vocalists include Tammy Faye Starlite, Tom Clark, Elena Skye & Boo Reiners of the Demolition String Band, Jack Grace, Monica Lil’ Mo Passim, Cliff Westfall, Sean Kershaw, Mony Falcone, and other stars of the NYC & Brooklyn country firmament.
Hank-O-Rama will also include The Lonesome Horns featuring trumpeters Jordan McLean & Billy Aukstik, with original horn arrangements for Williams’s “Ramblin’ Man,” “Alone and Foresaken,” and others.
Tickets for Hank-O at the Bowery Electric are $15 in advance, $20.00 at the door. Doors open at 6:30, music at 7:00.
The interactive wonderland known as Electric Forest has just announced the initial music lineup for its 2024 festival season. The renowned festival experience is taking place June 20-23 in Rothbury, Michigan.
The magic of Electric Forest can not nearly be as well described as the experience provides. It’s an immersive journey that goes beyond standard the music festival experience. This four-day event provides safe spaces full of community, creation, and inclusion. Electric Forest is known to always provide, and that it did with this 2024 lineup. Fans of all styles of electronic music and beyond will find a little bit of everything as Forest is no stranger to having an array of genres.
Photo Credit, Maddie McCafferty
Returning and New Artists Coming To Electric Forest
The headliners for next year includes Forest legend Pretty Lights, the dubstep king himself, Excision, and Clyclops Recordings founder Subtronics. This summer will also have numerous collaborative artist sets such as EVERYTHING ALWAYS (Dom Dolla and John Summit), PSYREN (CloZee and LSDREAM), and Gigantic NGHTMRE (Big Gigantic and NGHTMRE).
Subtronics, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
Jam band lovers will be happy with The String Cheese Incident’s return with two sets. As well as performances by The Disco Biscuits, Umphrey’s McGee, and Lettuce. Some surprising artists joining this year include Grammy-winning singer Nelly Furtado and hip-hop artist Ludacris.
The Disco Biscuits, Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
The list of headliners continues with Belgian techno queen Charlotte de Witte, and performances by Black Tiger Sex Machine, Ben Boomer, and Knock2. House and techno lovers will be ecstatic with their stacked selection of Mac P, LP Giobbi, TSHA, and more.
Photo Credit: Maddie McCafferty
This 2024 lineup has a variety of everything for everyone and more artists will continue to be announced leading up to the festival. Since 2011, Electric Forest has committed to the imagination of what a festival experience can be and this upcoming year is no exception. Passes for Electric Forest 2024 will go on sale December 8 at 12pm ET through their official website.
Caroga Arts Collective announced the lineup for the 2023 Caroga Lake Music Festival (CLMF) WinterFest, spanning over four days from Dec. 13-16.
The Caroga Arts Collective presents over 50 performances and community events in the Southern Adirondacks throughout the year, featuring world-class musicians from across the country and from various styles of arts and entertainment. The mission of Caroga Arts Collective is to reimagine the Caroga experience through the power of the arts, founded in 2012 by Kyle Price when he invited friends to his grandmother’s house on Caroga Lake, where they presented a week of free concerts, calling themselves the Caroga Lake Music Festival (CLMF).
“For the past 4 years, CLMF WinterFest has brought acclaimed artists from the annual Caroga Lake Music Festival back to the region for a celebration of the holidays, music, and community,” said Price. “We are excited to gather once again for this beloved tradition, with an exciting mix of events that will offer something for everyone.”
CLMF WinterFest 2023 will kick off on December 13 with “Holiday Harmonies: An Evening with Rich Saunders featuring Caroga Arts Ensemble,” at the Nick Stoner Inn in Caroga Lake. Over the years, the New York-based artist Rich Saunders has gained over 1.3 million followers on Spotify, Instagram, and TikTok combined, quickly becoming a singer-songwriter sensation online. A founding member of Thirdstory, he has performed and opened for A-list artists like Tori Kelly and Chance The Rapper, in addition to making appearances on Saturday Night Liveand more.
On December 14, CLMF musicians will perform chamber works by Bach, Schumann, Mendelssohn, and more in “A Classical Winter Wonderland,” at the Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts in Gloversville. On the 15th, the Caroga Arts Ensemble will perform Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and Tchaikovsky’s famous Nutcracker Suite at the Glove Theatre in Gloversville.
The last performance, “Holiday Tchaikovsky Spectacular” on Dec. 16 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Johnstown features Serenade, The Nutcracker Suite, and more. All shows at the CLMF WinterFest 2023 run from 7-9 p.m.
To buy tickets or learn more information about the CLMF WinterFest musicians, visit here.
CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival 2024 producersMarc Iacona and John Nugent announced the first two headliners for the nine-day 21st Edition Festival, from June 21 to 29, 2024.
One of the festival headliners is Samara Joy. Photo credit: Meredith Traux.
The 21st edition of the Rochester International Jazz Festival is from June 21 to 29, 2024. The first headliner is the 2023 GRAMMY-winning Artist of the Year Samara Joy, who performed at RIJF in 2022 and 2023 in the Club Pass Series.
23-year-old Samara Joy has a rich, velvety, precociously refined voice, earning appearances on the TODAY Show, The Tonight Show w/ Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show w/ Stephen Colbert, and CBS Mornings. She further cements her status as perhaps the first Gen Z jazz singing star every day. The New York Times praised the “silky-voiced rising star” for “helping jazz take a youthful turn” while NPR All Things Considered named her a “classic jazz singer from a new generation.” Joy will perform at the 2024 Rochester International Jazz Festival on Friday, June 28 at 8 p.m. at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.
Jazz guitar legend, Lee Ritenour makes his debut performance at RIJF on Saturday, June 22, with his band and special guests Randy Brecker and Bill Evans. The concert is at 8 p.m. at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. During his dazzling five-decade career, Lee Ritenour has taken his music to the outer limits, touching on every genre and occupying every position in the rock ‘n’ roll sphere.
He’s been involved in ’70s fusion, the ’80s pop chart, Brazilian jazz, and the ’90s supergroup, Fourplay. Ritenour’s accolades include 45 albums, 16 GRAMMY nominations, Alumnus of the Year at USC, Los Angeles’ Jazz Society Honoree (2019), plus thousands of sessions with legends such as Frank Sinatra, Pink Floyd, B.B. King, and Tony Bennett, among others.
Tickets for both shows go on sale this Friday, December 8th at 10 a.m. EST.
Dances With Films have announced this year’s indie focused film festival lineup, highlighting 135 films in four days including 64 world premieres beginning on Thursday, November 30.
Advanced Chemistry by Etana Jacobson
On their 26th year, Dances With Films celebrates the unflinching spirit at the very core of the independent film scene. They rely on innovation, talent, creativity, and sweat equity that revolutionizes the entertainment industry, that reliance continues to prove successful with alumni moving on to write, direct (etc). Among DWF NYC’s lineup of 136 films, including 20 narrative features, 9 documentary features, 19 television and streaming pilots, and 88 short films, are an impressive number of world premieres, all screenings will take place at Regal Union Square.
After becoming the leading beacon for true indie films and filmmakers in Los Angeles over the past 26 years, this will mark Dances With Films’ return to New York City for the second year.
“This year’s theme is “the color of imagination”, and that imagination, by its various definitions, exemplifies what Dances With Films will be highlighting this December. We could not be more excited to return to NYC and debut so many wonderful films and help provide a platform for all our indie filmmakers and their projects under the spotlight of this great city.”
– DWF Founder and Director Leslee Scallon and Michael Trent
On Thursday, November 30 will feature the opening night presentation of DWF alumni Dylan K. Narang’s Tapawingo. Tapawingo is a light-hearted coming of age comedy starring Jon Heder as an eccentric young man who lives with his mother and works in a mailroom. The film also stars Gina Gershon, Billy Zane, John Ratzenberger, and Amanda Bearse.
Tapawingo by Dylan K. Narang
Additional feature films making their world premieres are Etana Jacobson’s Advanced Chemistry about a scientist who attempts to help his lesbian best friend stop cheating on her wife suddenly backfires. Kevin Interdonato’s The Bastard Sons a story of revenge by a group of men, Michael Groom’s British romantic drama Between The Lights, Isaac Hirotsu Woofter’s Bound. The North American Premiere is Vardan Tozija’s M, a multi-national production centering a young boy who lives in the forest under the watchful eye of his overprotective and mysterious father, their sheltered existence is all he knows.
The Zombie Wedding by Micah Khan
Also making their world premieres are Sara Katarina Burke and Aaron Andrew Keene’s Can’t Seem to Make You Mine about a recent parolee who tries to make amends with his ex. Ryan Moore’s Influencefocuses on a struggling female filmmaker, Michelle Bossy’s Nobody’s Home follows the mind-bending journey of a young man after he is released from the psychiatric hospital. Brendan Boogie’s buddy comedyTallywacker, Micah Khan’s outlandish comedy The Zombie Wedding and finally, Justin Best’s Sherylabout a woman who goes on a bloody quest to create the perfect face after dumped by her serial killer boyfriend. As part of DWF NYC’s dedicated programming of horror, thrillers, and genre films, the Closing Night selection also comes from the film festival’s Midnight section. On Sunday, December 3 the closing night will feature Nicholas Gyeney’s The Activated Man making its first world premiere to officially close off the film festival. In the film, a man, struggling with the grief from losing his best friend and beloved dog to cancer, begins to have strange visions only he can see, questioning whether his mind has been fractured.
The Activated Man by Nicholas Gyeney
For more information about the Dances With Films NYC film lineup, events, passes, and tickets, please visit here.
The 2023 Dances With Films NYC official selections:
OPENING NIGHT SELECTION Tapawingo Director: Dylan K. Narang Country: USA; Running Time: 109 min An oddball becomes the bodyguard for a misfit teenager and finds himself in the crosshairs of the town’s family of bullies.
CLOSING NIGHT SELECTION The Activated Man World Premiere Director: Nicholas Gyeney Country: USA; Running Time: 115 min As Ors Gabriel struggles with the grief from losing his best friend and beloved dog to cancer, the trauma brings on strange visions only Ors can see. While he questions whether his mind has fractured or if it’s real, a mysterious rise in murder-suicides takes hold of the city, and Ors becomes haunted by images of a shadowy figure known as ‘The Fedora Man’. Through torments and terror, Ors must face his fears and confront ‘The Fedora Man’ as he uncovers dark secrets from his past, while finally embracing who he really is, and what he is meant to do.
ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURES Advanced Chemistry World Premiere Director: Etana Jacobson Country: USA; Running Time: 96 min A scientist injects his lesbian best friend with a compound he’s created to make her stop cheating on her wife (who is bi), but when the wife finds her new monogamous fixation suffocating, he injects the wife too, which backfires when she falls for him.
The Bastard Sons World Premiere Director: Kevin Interdonato Country: USA; Running Time: 90 min Life for a crew of organized criminals is disrupted when Vincent Damiano’s father, the family’s boss, is murdered. Vincent’s ‘bastard’ brothers (UFC legend Frank Edgar, Chicago Med star Malik Whitfield), a group of orphaned souls he raised together, have an idea of who killed their father…his partner Rome (TV/Film veteran Al Sapienza). In a valiant and calculated attempt to regain the business and enact vengeance on Rome over the course of one day, the Bastards wage an all-out war to get their pound of flesh.
Between The Lights World Premiere Director: Michael Groom Country: UK; Running Time: 104 min When skeptical scientist Alice falls for reluctant medium Jay, she’s taken on an odyssey of love, loss and discovery that will turn her world upside down. Between the Lights is a romantic drama with a liberal dose of the supernatural, in which we visit our characters over three consecutive Christmases. It is set within the ancient walls of York and the stunning natural beauty of the Lake District.
Bound World Premiere Director: Isaac Hirotsu Woofter Country: USA; Running Time: 101 min To escape her drug-dealing controlling stepfather, a young introvert flees to NYC with only her pet pocket squirrel. After successfully reinventing herself, she realizes she must confront her dark past, to truly be free.
Can’t Seem to Make You Mine World Premiere Directors: Sara Katarina Burke, Aaron Andrew Keene Country: USA; Running Time: 102 min A man who was just released from prison tries to make amends with his ex and become a father to his 6-year-old son while staying with a stripper he met on a pen-pal website.
Daruma Director: Alexander Yellen Country: USA; Running Time: 104 min Patrick (bitter wheelchair user) must enlist the help of his cantankerous neighbor (double amputee veteran) to transport the daughter he never knew he had to live with her maternal grandparents on the other side of the country.
Grounded Director: Justin Chan Country: USA; Running Time: 84 min William Lee, a 30-something Chinese-Filipino American, introduces his Caucasian girlfriend to his overbearing, immigrant parents when a mysterious cosmic force takes hold of their day.
Home Free Director: Aaron Brown Country: USA; Running Time: 98 min In 1997, a group of college misfits invite an unhoused professor to crash on their porch. Home Free is a Trojan horse, a bold coming-of-age comedy aimed at reaching a mass audience, but also intended to be a catalyst for serious social change sharply focused on one of the most pervasive problems across America—the homelessness epidemic. Humor is our spoonful of sugar.
Influence World Premiere Director: Ryan Moore Country: USA; Running Time: 83 min A female filmmaker struggling with her career and her mental health reaches a breaking point and decides to kidnap a famous social media influencer in an attempt to coerce them into playing the lead role in her latest project.
Katie’s Mom Director: Tyrrell Shaffner Country: USA; Running Time: 111 min A heartfelt comedy influenced by The Graduate but told from the perspective of a protagonist inspired by Mrs. Robinson. Set in modern-day Pasadena, California. Nancy Rosenfeld (Dina Meyer), a nurturing mom and recent divorcée, whose beloved Jewish/Christmas mashup holiday celebration with her adult children is derailed when she falls for Alex Rojas (Aaron Dominguez (Only Murders in the Building), her daughter’s charming new boyfriend. Their electrifying affair upends her status quo and sets her on a path to becoming who she was meant to be.
M North American Premiere Director: Vardan Tozija Countries: Macedonia/Croatia/Kosovo/France/Luxembourg, Running Time: 99 min In a secluded forest, young Marko lives under the watchful eye of his overprotective and mysterious father. Their sheltered existence is all he knows. Marko seeks solace in his cherished picture book, finding comfort and answers within its pages. One day, an encounter with a kind-hearted, helpless boy named Miko, brings a glimmer of warmth and connection into Marko’s isolated world. As his curiosity grows, Marko yearns to uncover the secrets that lie beyond the confines of the wilderness. But, a cruel turn of events grants him his wish sooner than he expects…
Nobody’s Home World Premiere Director: Michelle Bossy Country: USA; Running Time: 83 min When Luca is released from the psychiatric hospital where he and his girlfriend Theodora live, she escapes with him. To remain in control, she takes him to his childhood home, the root of his trauma. Time lapses. Consciousness is distorted. A dead body is discovered. Theodora insists Luca committed the murder in his sleep. Is she telling the truth? A knock on the door suddenly diverts them. Angelica and Jeremy show up, high on acid. Theodora invites them in to test Luca’s loyalty. Her jealousy increases to the point of danger. In the end, nothing is what it seems. Everyone has darkness inside.
Palimpsest North American Premiere Director: Hanna Vastinsalo Country: Finland; Running Time: 109 min Two elderly roommates are selected for a medical trial that makes them younger. Given a second chance at life, with the memories of their past life intact, they realize that growing young is not just fun.
Space Baby Director: Rex Dean Country: USA; Running Time: 99 min Three friends fight fascist Nurse Nancy to rebuild the holy grail and get a new soul for the earth. Each friend is different. 8-year-old Sam (“Mental Man”) is a mad scientist and inventor; 6-year-old Sophia (“Nature Girl”) is a caretaker of the earth; 300-year-old Blue (a great ballplayer like Satchel Paige) was the keeper of the holy grail in Africa before he and his siblings were captured as slaves. With help from a squadron of ladybugs, they fight the “greed, intolerance, and just plain cruelty” that Nurse Nancy and her demonic crow inhabit. A story of courage, friendship, and love.
Tallywacker World Premiere Director: Brendan Boogie Country: USA; Running Time: 90 min A rock and roll buddy comedy about 2 bandmates whose relationship gets tested when one of them gets a gig touring with a major rock star.
The Zombie Wedding World Premiere Director: Micah Khan Country: USA; Running Time: 99 min A young Cumberland County, NJ couple decides to go through with their wedding – during the Zombie Apocalypse. Unfortunately, he’s a zombie and she’s not. Both families are fearful, but the humans’ behavior is brutish. When the Zombies begin feeling brain-deprived, the ceremony takes a turn for the weird. Weekly World News reporters are there to cover this wild wedding – while trying to get out alive!
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES 44 Lights: Music from Ground Zero Director: Barbara Blackburn Tuttle Country: USA; Running Time: 68 min A musical journey to healing in the aftermath of 9/11. A story of pain, loss, and ultimately rebirth through music.
American Pot Story: Oaksterdam Directors: Dan Katzir and Ravit Markus Country: USA; Running Time: 97 min This award-winning documentary is a decade-long follow-up of the underdogs who put their blood, sweat, and tears to overturn a 100-year-old policy, proving in the process that “a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world,” to quote Margaret Mead).
Brothers Broken Directors: Geoff Levin, Lily Richards Country: USA; Running Time: 86 min This is the story of brothers Geoff and Robbie Levin, who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area as part of the 60’s music scene including Jerry Garcia, the Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin. The brother’s band PEOPLE! had the hit record “I Love You” in 1968 and toured with The Who; then Scientology entered their lives destroyed their band and split up the brothers. After 46 years Geoff despite losing his children and friends to the cult, left the church and reunited with his brother and band. It’s a tale of breaking free from a modern-day prison of belief.
Denim Hunter U.S. Premiere Director: Emilio Di Stefano Country: Sweden; Running Time: 87 min In the road movie documentary Denim Hunter, we meet Viktor – a regular guy from Sweden but with a burning passion for really old jeans. The film follows Viktor on his wild journey through the deserts of California, Arizona, and Nevada as well as up the snowclad Rocky Mountains of Colorado, where he hunts for denim treasures in hazardous run-down gold mines from the 1880s. On his journey, Viktor comes across an array of unlikely desert characters, like Indiana Jeans, Dynamite Dan, and Redneck-Mike. In various ways, they all lead Viktor from one failure to the next.
The Depths of My Despair Director: Elizabeth Lawrence Country: USA; Running Time: 68 min The Depths of My Despair is a visceral rabbit hole toward the authentic self. Filmmaker Elizabeth Lawrence takes an emotional, first-person detour inward. Oscillating through saneness and psychosis; debris and lucidity, the film stares at depression dead-on.
District Of Second Chances World Premiere Director: Wynette Yao Country: USA; Running Time: 76 min District of Second Chances follows the journeys of three men from Washington, D.C., all sentenced to life in prison during the 1990s. Now, because of sentencing reform, they have a rare chance at release and new lives.
Meet Me Where I Am Director: Grant Garry Country: USA; Running Time: 86 min Meet Me Where I Am explores the topic of grief through individual stories of loss, love, and hope. The film aims to normalize grief in our culture and explores how we can actively participate in helping others through grief. By accepting grief and its impact, we hope to help individuals find new meaning as they move forward with their grief.
Studio One Forever Director: Marc Saltarelli Country: USA; Running Time: 86 min The untold story of America’s iconic gay disco, a kaleidoscopic excursion into LGBTQ+ history through the lens of this groundbreaking club. From 1974-1994, Studio One and its adjoining live music venue, The Backlot, became symbols of hope and community for gay men during tumultuous times. Amidst the rise of gay rights, disco’s heyday, and the devastating AIDS crisis, the club offered sanctuary from rampant homophobia and police oppression.
Torched – The Story of Austin Torch Director: Hoag Kepner Country: USA; Running Time: 66 min Torched tells the story of the Austin Torch, a wild and fiery group of women/non-binary athletes in Austin who are trying to legitimize and professionalize their fringe sport of Ultimate Frisbee in a historically male-dominated sports industry. As we follow the Torch on the road and at home during their 2022 season, we realize that though the Torch might not always win, they never really lose, because it’s more than a team: it’s a movement.
MIDNIGHT FEATURES Sheryl World Premiere Director: Justin Best Country: USA; Running Time: 72 min After she’s dumped by her serial killer boyfriend for not being “hot enough”, a beauty-obsessed woman goes on a bloody quest to create the perfect face, all while navigating her new relationship with the cop investigating the murders.
Wild Eyed and Wicked Director: G.S. Foxwood Country: USA; Running Time: 99 min Lily Pierce is sick of being haunted. She decides to reconnect with her estranged father, a disgraced history professor, and learn how to draw upon a time of steel and blade when armor-clad knights rode out and dueled their monsters to the death.
TELEVISION AND WEB SERIES PILOTS
A Killer Service Director: Gio Randazzo Country: USA; Running Time: 25 min The hapless daughter of an incarcerated con-artist finds she has inherited a substantial debt to a dangerous crime boss. Forced into a corner, Elliott discovers how to take control of her life while helping empower other women.
Awesome Director: Paul Munger Country: USA; Running Time: 16 min Every night, 20-year-old Joy gets a glimpse of the future. But with a dad on parole, a pill-popping boyfriend, and a recent lay-off, that doesn’t mean she can stop it from being shitty. That is until she foresees an event that will ruin the lives of her loved ones forever. She’ll have to figure out how to change her future–or live with the consequences.
The Blind ZoneWorld Premiere Directors: Federica Marchese, Vinushu Sundaresan Country: China; Running Time: 32 min Battle of wits and violence ensues when the separate worlds of two teenage sociopaths collide after they set their eyes on the same target.
East Director: Dana Marisa Schoenfeld Country: USA; Running Time: 32 min When Ella Goldman, a New York City Corporate attorney, gets engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Josh, she is ecstatic to embark on the next stage of her life. With a wedding to plan and a blossoming career, Ella thinks she has it all. But when she suddenly loses her job and catches her boyfriend cheating, her world comes crashing down. This devastating turn of events forces her to confront the truth about her life – and what it is she really wants. Convinced that this is a “wake-up call,” Ella pursues her childhood dream of being an actress.
Events At Hemlock Manor Director: Katie North Country: USA; Running Time: 15 min At its core, this is a series about underdogs: a ragtag group of spooky weirdos with nowhere else to go. Hemlock Manor is not only a year-round haunted house with a terrible business model; it’s also a home. But what do you do when the thing you love is in trouble? You fight for it. Even when that means throwing a baby shower for a group of rich ladies who thought “the historic Hemlock Manor” was a charming country villa, not a haunted house open in July.
For Years to Come Director: Micah Stuart Country: USA; Running Time: 27 min An irreverent and heartfelt romantic dramedy about a gay man who falls in love with his dead mother’s hospice nurse, while struggling to reconnect with his elderly father…who’s secretly a porn director.
Hit Man: Secrets Of Lies Director: Elias Plagianos Country: UK; Running Time: 19 min A reflective hitman from New York City travels to small towns around the country trying to find meaning in his seemingly inconsequential life as he fulfills his contracts and eliminates his targets.
Hot Angry Mom Director: Clarissa De Los Reyes Country: USA; Running Time: 34 min A people-pleasing mom must face her rage, as a video of her epic meltdown goes viral.
I Could Eat Director: Rick Bedrosian Country: USA; Running Time: 28 min A new TV/Web Series showcasing the cuisine & music that unites diverse cultures. Host, Rick Bedrosian (“George” in a Beatlemania stage show for 7 years, leader of Celtic music powerhouse, Hair Of The Dog, since 1993 and an international tour guide) spans the globe seeking out the finest food and the most interesting music makers.
L.I.F.E.: It’s Wonderful Director: Dathan Smith Country: USA; Running Time: 22 min L.I.F.E. is an anthology series set in the near future where citizens receive a hand-delivered card notifying them the day they will die. Rose feels trapped in her new “home”. Emilia feels trapped by her daughter’s recent news. Bob is forced to deliver a card he has been dreading since joining L.I.F.E. Corp. as Diane adjusts to her new job.
MomentsNorth American Premiere Director: Aaron Lewis Country: USA; Running Time: 23 min Moments is a gripping 9-episode digital series, each under 13 minutes, offering intimate glimpses into characters on the brink. Driven by black trauma and mysticism, it unravels mind-reading and hidden truths through therapist Dr. Winston. An enigmatic narrator, Rutina Wesley, introduces time travel, adding layers of self-discovery. Momentshints at an expanded episodic journey, diving deeper into characters’ histories and relationships, while authentically addressing themes of healing and transformation within the mystical. Boasting a stellar ensemble cast and profound storytelling.
Morse Code Director: Travis Nicholson Country: USA; Running Time: 37 min In the eccentric community of modern-day East Nashville, Simon, a talented but flawed thirty-something indie folk singer finds himself at a crossroads as he struggles to strike a balance between family and career.
Off The Menu Director: Daniele Sestito Country: USA; Running Time: 37 min “Chef” is a perfectionist, Italian cook who works for an unordinary institution. Typically stern and grandiose, a new side of Chef is revealed when he is forced to make a meal that’s beyond his grasp.
Q Train Directors: Dionne Van Den Berg, Samantha Tran Country: USA; Running Time: 10 min A Brooklyn based DJ explores the queer dating scene.
Roboto Directors: Mari Madrid, Keone Madrid Country: USA; Running Time: 18 min Ky loses his entire career as a highly successful choreographer when AI takes over the dance industry and the world by storm. This throws Ky into suicidal ideations until Mikah, a bright and optimistic 12-year-old boy, decides to disregard the latest craze of dancing with Roboto and instead asks Ky to choreograph for his school performance. While at first Ky reluctantly decides to help the kid, he begins to find a bit of light in his life again. And when it’s revealed that Mikah had a battle with cancer Ky’s perspective is completely shifted.
The SelectmanWorld Premiere Director: David Antonio Martin Country: USA; Running Time: 26 min In the wake of Selectman Joseph Allenby’s untimely death, this absurd comedy begins amid a memorial service in the small town of Picasquiddy, Maine. Subverting the idyllic nature of small-town New England, our protagonists are trapped in a picturesque world where the forces of learned behavior, arrested adolescence, and the quest for power forever collide. As two unlikely successors emerge as candidates for the Board of Selectmen, the town’s fate hangs in the balance. Does anybody have what it takes?
Travel Fox World Premiere Director: Henk Pretorius Country: UK; Running Time: 5 min Get ready for a wild adventure in Travel Fox, the pilot episode of an animated series tailor-made for curious kids. Follow the inquisitive Travel Fox and Bogie the Tortoise as they race across the world, chasing rainbows in search of a legendary pot of gold. But here’s the twist – instead of gold, our friends discover something even more precious: a treasure trove of unique characters and unforgettable experiences.
Ülom: The Primary Experiment World Premiere Director: Jon Da Country: USA; Running Time: 25 min In Ülom, one can find anything, even meaning. A desperate scientist undertakes a labyrinthian experiment he believes will locate his missing daughter. Journeying ever deeper into the labyrinth, he must confront an invasive, fictional reality. Remember: what feels real, is real. Ülom is here.
XanderWorld Premiere Director: Jonathan Chao Country: USA; Running Time: 11 min When lonely high school student Luke befriends Xander the Genie, he’s forced to consider if making his one wish is worth losing his new genie best friend.
NARRATIVE SHORTS (In)Convenience Director: Alexandra Greenspan Country: USA; Running Time: 12 min
#Pizzagate World Premiere Director: Danny Piñeros Country: USA; Running Time: 8 min
The 1971 Kitchen Grand Brie Director: Ian Beckman Country: USA; Running Time: 11 min
Bisected World Premiere Director: Danny Piñeros Country: USA; Running Time: 8 min
Black Silk World Premiere Director: Patrick Michael Country: USA; Running Time: 16 min
Blight World Premiere Director: Markus Hoeckner Country: USA; Running Time: 15 min
Bloodworm World Premiere Director: Kai Wen Country: USA; Running Time: 13 min
Bounce House Directors: Callie Bloem, Christopher Ewing Country: USA; Running Time: 16 min
Burraco World Premiere Director: Isabella Tagliati Country: Italy; Running Time: 14 min
Candice Director: Tyler Martin Country: USA; Running Time: 15 min
Career Day Directors: Jason Robinson, Chris Hooper Country: USA; Running Time: 10 min
Chauncey World Premiere Director: Reilly Anspaugh & Daniel Rashid Country: USA; Running Time: 11 min
Cheol World Premiere Director: Yeajoon Cho Country: USA; Running Time: 19 min
Church Camp Director: Andrew Bourne Country: USA; Running Time: 14 min
The Chat World Premiere Writer/Dir/Prod: Artie Brennan Country: USA; Running Time: 6 min
Clownfish Director: Clayton Henderson Country: USA; Running Time: 11 min
Dear Owner Director: Jing Ai Ng Country: USA; Running Time: 17 min
Delta World Premiere Director: Jonathan Coleman Country: USA; Running Time: 9 min
Detox Director: Alex Hanno Country: USA; Running Time: 19 min
Dropping Director: Rj Collins Country: USA; Running Time: 10 min
Echoes Of My Father World Premiere Directors: Junko Kajino, Ed M Koziarski Country: USA, Japan; Running Time: 18 min
The Electro-Rocker Director: Chris Edgar Country: USA; Running Time: 17 min
Entrainment Director: Bill Prokopow Country: USA; Running Time: 12 min
Esperance To Fremantle World Premiere Director: William Sebastian Turner Country: Australia; Running Time: 18 min
Everything Goes Dark International Premiere Director: Alex Casimir Country: USA; Running Time: 15 min
Fate Vs. Elena World Premiere Director: Laura Sedlak Country: USA; Running Time: 23 min
From The Dark North American Premiere Director: Erika Sanz Country: USA; Running Time: 7 min
Hot Soda Director: Nello Digiandomenico Country: USA; Running Time: 15 min
How To Disappear World Premiere Director: Milton Woods Country: USA; Running Time: 20 min
I Keep Bumping into Candy Maldonado World Premiere Director: Luke Black Country: USA; Running Time: 11 min
In The Quiet World Premiere Director: Merle Dandridge Country: USA; Running Time: 5 min
Interracial Couple In A Cheerios Ad Director: Christine Lakin Country: USA; Running Time: 4 min
The Invaders Director: Erin Doyle Cooper Country: USA; Running Time: 4 min
Itch World Premiere Director: Mohammad Anwerzada Countries: Pakistan/Canada; Running Time: 9 min
Letters To the Wind World Premiere Director: Terrence Shu Country: USA; Running Time: 13 min
Northlands Music & Arts Festival has announced the initial lineup for the third annual installment, taking place June 14-15, 2024, in Swanzey, NH.
The 2024 Northlands Music & Arts Festival lineup boasts a wide array of talent, featuring internationally acclaimed touring ensembles. the festival will again feature nonstop music on two adjacent stages facing a massive concert ground, as well as some of the region’s top acts on a bustling campground stage. Those camping onsite will be treated to late-night silent disco performances, with music going into the early morning.
Northlands 2024 will include indie-jam sensation Goose, the rustic harmonies of Greensky Bluegrass, and jam band icons moe. Further adding to the roster are Krasno & Friends, Mihali, Sierra Hull, Dopapod, Spafford, TAUK, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, and Magic Beans. The festival once again welcomes the all-star, all-female group Super Sonic Shorties, led by Nikki Glaspie. Other special guests include Kanika Moore (artist at large), Jennifer Hartswick, and Natalie Cressman.
Additional main stage artists and 15+ emerging regional acts set to light up the Campground Stage will be announced in early 2024.
Northlands continues to lead the way in sustainability, committed to the adage “Enjoy Life. Do Good”. Following the elimination of single-use plastics in 2023 and the introduction of industry-leading recycling and composting programs, the festival will continue to significantly reduce its carbon footprint.
As we enter our 3rd year, we’ve fine-tuned our approach based on what our patrons value most. The growth and connection within the Northlands community is truly inspiring. We couldn’t be more excited to share this year’s spectacular lineup, enhanced camping options, and further our commitment to sustainability. As always, our lineup proudly features many talented women, and we eagerly anticipate the magic they, alongside all of our performers, will bring to the festival.
festival co-producer Jen Meyerhardt.
Tickets go on sale on December 1 at 12 PM ET. Options include General Admission, Car Camping, powered and unpowered RV Camping, Family Camping, and VIP experiences, with a new VIP Glamping experience, providing an elevated camping experience.
THE INITIAL NORTHLANDS 2024 LINEUP
Goose
Greensky Bluegrass
moe.
Eric Krasno and Friends
Mihali
Sierra Hull
Dopapod
Spafford
TAUK
Super Sonic Shorties
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad
Kanika Moore (artist at large)
Magic Beans
The Psycodelics
Special Guests: Jennifer Hartswick, Natalie Cressman, Nikki Glaspie
