The 2024 New Colossus Festival is here, with artists from around the world descending on clubs in the East Village and Lower East Side tonight (3/6) through Sunday (3/10). Specifically, there are exactly 150 artists playing this year, most on their way to next week’s SXSW festival in Austin, coming from Canada, UK, Sweden, Italy, New Zealand, Germany, Australia, Greece, Peru, Japan, Brazil, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, France, Singapore, and Austria, in addition to ones from the United States (including plenty of NYC locals).
Inspired by the CMJ festivals of old (RIP), New Colossus encourages discovery, and with all participating venues within walking distance of each other, it’s designed for skipping between clubs. Most artists play at least twice during the week, which helps you make the festival your own. It’s a fun time.
New Colossus badges are $150, and get you access to all shows, industry talks/panels and other events (including a few happy hours), based on capacity. You can also buy tickets to individual shows, and there are free matinees from Friday through Sunday.
With a lineup made almost entirely of emerging artists, a little guidance never hurts, so we put together a list of 16 artists that we’re excited to check out — some we already knew and loved, and a few we discovered via the New Colossus playlist, which you can listen to below.
Some of the artists on this list are playing the BrooklynVegan-presented showcase at Knitting Factory @ Baker Fall on Thursday (3/7) with Prewn, Meagre Martin, NOBRO, La Securité, Holiday Ghosts, MX Lonely, Robber Robber, and Silent Mass, all of whom we’re very excited to see and recommend. Tickets are on sale, or use your badge, and we hope to see you there!
There are also a few other individual New Colossus showscases we highlight below, including the annual all-day shoegaze party at Arlene’s Grocery on Saturday (3/9), the two parties thrown by Dedstrange Records (co-run by A Place to Bury Strangers’ Oliver Ackermann), and the showcase presented by our good friends at M for Montreal (3/6 at Baker Falls).
Head below for our New Colossus 2024 picks…
16 ARTISTS WE’RE EXCITED TO SEE AT NEW COLOSSUS
(in alphabetical order)
Bruiser and Bicycle (Albany, NY)
What to make of this very eccentric band from New York’s state capitol? Their 2023 album Holy Red Wagon starts off like Ennio Morricone has joined The Flaming Lips before drifting into freak folk and hip hop territory and then making a sharp left turn into prog. That’s just the first song! There is so much going on in their music, and things threaten to careen off the rails at any moment…but they never do.
Bruiser and Bicycle’s only New Colossus show is on Thursday at Berlin as part of the Dedstrange party.
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Dream Nails (London, UK)
We first heard about this London quartet from The Linda Lindas, who included Dream Nails’ second album, Doom Loop, on their Best Albums of 2023 list, writing, “Wowwwww. Dream Nails opened for us in London in 2022, and listening to this album gives us such happy memories. We recognize some songs that we didn’t even know we had got a sneak preview of and, besides that, they’re such a good, good band that makes good, good (and important) music.” Doom Loop is loaded with brash, sassy, aggressive, and hooky punk.
Dream Nails have two New Colossus shows: Pianos on Friday (11:30 PM) and Saturday afternoon at Knitting Factory @ Baker Falls (3 PM, free).
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Ducks Ltd (Toronto, ON)
One of the better-known bands at New Colossus this year, Toronto’s Ducks Ltd are probably doing more to further the cause of janglepop than any other new group. Evan Lewis and Tom McGreevy have majored and minored in the genre, are well-versed in classics from around the world — from Dunedin to Glasgow, Hoboken and beyond — and have used that knowledge to craft their own undeniable earworms, as heard on their fantastic second album, Harm’s Way.
There are three chances to see Ducks Ltd this weekend, two of which are free: Saturday afternoon at Pianos (5:30 PM), Saturday night at Mercury Lounge (10:45 PM), and the official closing party on Sunday at Arlene’s Grocery (3 PM).
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flirting. (London, UK)
This will be London band flirting.’s second time at New Colossus, the first being in 2019, which was a very rare show for them outside of their hometown. I wrote at the time: “flirting. are very hard to pigeonhole, making a decidedly arty brand of indie rock that is both twee and punk, with Poppy Waring and guitarist Arthur Davies Evitt favoring a speak-sing style that reminds me of early-’00s band Life Without Buildings. They were deafeningly loud and entirely compelling…and I hope they come back soon.” Five years is not exactly soon, but they also haven’t released an new music since then either. In any case, welcome back.
You have two chances to see flirting. this week: Thursday at Berlin (7:45 PM) and Friday afternoon at Baker Falls (1:30 PM).
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Holiday Ghosts (Cornwall, UK)
Originally the duo of drummer Katja Rackin and guitarist Sam Stacpoole, who both sing lead, Cornwall’s Holiday Ghosts bashed out hooky songs that pulled from garage rock, ’60s British invasion, ’80s New Zealand DIY punk and just a little dash of power pop. Now a four-piece, the group will release their fifth album, Coat of Arms, later in March via venerable indie label FatCat (Frightened Rabbit, Shopping, WWPJ).
In addition to the BrooklynVegan showcase at Knitting Factory @ Baker Falls on Thursday (7 PM), Holiday Ghosts also play Wednesday at Berlin (10:45 PM), and Saturday afternoon at Pianos (5:45 PM).
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La Sécurité (Montreal, QC)
Montreal’s La Sécurité make danceable punk that throws in a little motorik komische drive for good measure and recalls everything from Le Tigre to Neu! to Kleenex/Liliput. (The band includes Félix Bélisle, who also plays in Choses Sauvages, who are a big deal in their hometown.) They were one of the highlights at M for Montreal 2023, where singer Éliane Viens-Synnott held court, hollering in spirited Franglais, busting out angular dance moves, and smashing a tambourine with panache.
La Sécurité play the BrooklynVegan showcase at Knitting Factory @ Baker Falls on Thursday (8:30 PM), and you can also catch them on Wednesday at Baker Falls (9:30 PM) as part of the M for Montreal showcase, and Friday afternoon at Pianos (3:15 PM).
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Langkamer (Bristol, UK)
Lest you think only trip hop grows in Bristol, Langkamer are here to let you know the UK city has indie rock as well. The band’s very catchy and just a little shaggy style feels like a direct descendent of Pavement by way of the English folk tradition, mixing earworm melodies and big, gang-vocal choruses with self-deprecating humor and hangdog charm. The band’s 2022 Red Thread Route EP garnered a lot of praise (including this site) which they followed up with their debut album, The Moon and Midnight Manual, in 2023.
Langkamer have two New Colossus shows: Heaven Can Wait on Thursday (8:30 PM) as part of an all-UK lineup, and Pianos on Saturday afternoon (2:45 PM).
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Meagre Martin (Berlin, DE)
Berlin trio Meagre Martin enchanted on their 2023 debut album, Gut Punch, with an assured but effortless sounding brand of pop that took elements from shoegaze, country rock and ’80s sophistipop. They gained even more fans opening for Alt-J on tour last year. Don’t get too lulled into a state of tranquility, though; their brand new single “Malcolm” rips.
In addition to their appearance at the BrooklynVegan showcase at Baker Falls on Thursday (10 PM), Meagre Martin also play on Friday at Pianos (10:45 PM).
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Poolblood (Toronto, ON)
Toronto-based musician Maryam Said makes emotion-packed, fragile dreampop as poolbood. Her debut album, mole, was released in early in 2023 and made the long-list for the Polaris Music Prize. Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis included mole on her Best of 2023 list for us where she wrote: “‘Oops’ is the first word we hear from Maryam Said on poolblood’s LP debut, an un-self-conscious mutter before cassette hiss gives way to graceful guitar arpeggios, post-chromatic vocal hums, and resonant piano. Tape machines shut off and rewind with noisy rebellion throughout this record, a showing-of-seams that lends stunning immediacy to a living document that recalls the Microphones, or even Jeff Buckley’s rawer demos. Horns, strings, and Maryam’s laid-back harmonies bring occasional sunniness to a heartbreaking sound, perfect in its ‘flaws.’”
You have two chances to see poolbood this week: Arlene’s Grocery on Wednesday (7:45 PM), and at Baker Falls on Friday afternoon (12:45 PM).
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Prewn (Northampton, MA)
We are big fans of Prewn, with her debut album Through the Window coming in at #31 on our Best Albums of 2023 list. We wrote: “The comfort of familiarity and the thrill of newness are often presented as opposing forces when it comes to music consumption; as Izzy Hagerup’s debut album as Prewn is a reminder of, they don’t have to be…hearing the contrast between Izzy’s earthy warble and the ramshackle guitars is like being transported to an alternate universe where Karen Dalton was raised on Dinosaur Jr–but the presentation is all her own.”
Of course Prewn is playing the BrooklynVegan showcase at Baker Falls on Thursday (10:45 PM), but you can also catch her Saturday afternoon at Pianos (4:45 PM).
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Scrounge (London, UK)
It’s hard not to pay attention to singer/guitarist Lucy Alexander’s words as they’re front and center in Scrounge’s music, cutting through the roar of the music like a jagged knife. Her band, a collaboration with Luke Cartledge, who plays drums and electronics, will not let you sit idly by while they play. Their 2022 album, Sugar, Daddy, is a jolt of electrified caffeine, with their music just as jolting as Lucy’s words. For the uninitiated, head straight to the album’s awesome closing track, “Badoom.”
Scrounge play twice during New Colossus: Wednesday at Pianos (8:15 PM), and Thursday at Heaven Can Wait (9:15 PM).
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Starcleaner Reunion (Brooklyn, NY)
Brooklyn quintet Starcleaner Reunion are a new band, formed in 2022, but they’ve been busy, releasing two EPs in 2023. The band cite “a lot of downtempo music and free software” as their current influences, and we hear everything from Stereolab to The Cardigans in their jazzy, nimble grooves and ethereal harmonies.
You can catch Starcleaner Reunion at Berlin on Thursday (7 PM) as part of the Dedstrange Party, and at Arlene’s Grocery on Sunday (12:45 PM) as part of the official New Colossus closing party.
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Subsonic Eye (Singapore)
Subsonic Eye hail from Singapore, are signed in North America to Topshelf, and have a sound that, as we said last year, is “a little shoegaze, a little emo, and a little dream pop – the band just call themselves ‘guitar music,’ and that works too.’ You may have seen Subsonic Eye on tour in October 2023 in support of their fourth album, All Around You.
There are three chances to see Subsonic Eye this weekend: Baker Falls on Saturday afternoon (3:45 PM), then again Saturday night at Bowery Electric (7:45 PM), and then Sunday night at Pianos (9:15 PM).
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Vera Ellen (Wellington, NZ)
New Zealand artist Vera Ellen has a powerhouse voice that matches her fiery, confessional songs perfectly. She’s released two albums on esteemed NZ label Flying Nun, most recently 2022’s terrific Ideal Home Noise, for which she was awarded Best Alternative Artist at the 2022 Aotearoa Music Awards. Songs like “Lenny Says” and “Homewrecker” are a gut punch wrapped in pop melodies.
Vera Ellen plays Berlin on Wednesday (7:45 PM), and Friday afternoon at Berlin (1:30 PM).
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Vox Rea (Vancouver, BC)
Led by sisters Kate Kurdyak and childhood best friend Kaitlyn Hansen-Boucher — they were once known as The Katherines — along with Kurdyak’s sister Lauren and Berklee-trained Mitchell Schaumberg, Vancouver-based band Vox Rea make lush, sweeping, folky indie pop characterized by intricate vocal harmonies. The band’s self-titled 2022 debut is good, and their propulsive single “Julia” from the same year is terrific and really makes me want to see what they do live.
Vox Rea have three New Colossus shows: Pianos on Wednesday (11:15 PM), Baker Fall on Saturday afternoon (1:30 PM), and then Saturday night at Mercury Lounge (10 PM).
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In addition to the dozen artist we picked there are a few notable showcases this week:
M for Montreal Showcase (Wednesday @ Baker Falls): We’ve been going to M for Montreal for 15 years and have partnered with them at festivals for nearly as long, and they always put together great showcases. This year they’ve got La Sécurité and NOBRO (who also play our showcase), plus Winona Forever, Hippie Hourrah, and Housewife.
Dedstrange Parties (Thursday @ Berlin & Saturday afternoon at Pianos [free]): Dedstrange Records was started by A Place to Bury Strangers frontman Oliver Ackermann and New Colossus co-founder Steven Matrick, and kinda grew out of the festival, discovering bands that were playing that didn’t have distribution in the US. Their parties feature lots of psych, shoegaze, noise and wonderful weirdos. Their Thursday night party at Berlin features Starcleaner Reunion, flirting., Luge, Pop Music Fever Dream, Balaclava, Sham Family, Bruiser and Bicycle, and Hot Garbage. Their free Saturday day party has Carinae, Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys, Programmique, Them Airs, Palomino Blond, Prewn and Ducks Ltd.
All-Day Shoegaze Party (Saturday @ Arlene’s Grocery): Shoegaze is the hottest it’s been since the early-’90s heyday, but New Colossus has always loved the genre and their annual all-day shoegaze party at Arlene’s is one of the festival’s highlights and traditions. This year there are 12 bands playing, including Swedish groups Boy with Apple and Melody Fields, Germany’s Sugar for the Pill, Australia’s Oceans, and Canada’s sunsetter. It’s free before 6 PM.
New Colossus Closing Party (Sunday @ Arlene’s Grocery): There are a few closing parties on Sunday afternoon (and Pianos goes into the night), but Arlene’s always tends to be where you can catch bands that end up being talked about earlier in the week. This year they’ve got Ducks Ltd and Starcleaner Reunion (who made our list above), plus Flowers for the Dead, Housewife, Diary, Mr Floyd Larry, and Cucamaras.