GroundUP Music Festival has revealed the lineup for its next event, set to take place at the Miami Beach Bandshell in Miami Beach, FL on February 3rd, 4th, and 5th, 2023.
Founded in 2017 by CEO Paul Lehr, a Miami Beach native, and artistic director Michael League, the Snarky Puppy bandleader, GroundUP Music Festival was conceived as an intimate and immersive event with a distinctly communal atmosphere in the heart of one of the most diverse cities in the U.S.
In addition to three nights of performances by host band Snarky Puppy, which just released its latest album, the stylistically eclectic Empire Central, the 2023 festival will feature sets by a diverse mix of artists from around the world. Highlights of the lineup include Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy; eclectic German-born bassist, singer, and songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello; lauded Americana singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham; fast-rising young Mexican jazz musician Silvana Estrada; and Georgia-native jazz/gospel singer Lizz Wright. Acclaimed guitarist Isaiah Sharkey (D’Angelo, John Mayer, Robert Glasper) is due to serve as the festival’s artist-at-large in addition to hosting his own Isaiah Sharkey Quartet performance.
Related: Michael League On Returning To Snarky Puppy’s Roots With ‘Empire Central’ [Interview]
Other acts due to perform at GroundUP Music Festival 2023 include Bassekou Kouyate, Kurt Rosenwinkel’s Caipi, Keyon Harrold, Gisela João, Rachel Eckroth, Edmar Castañeda & Grégoire Maret, Becca Stevens & Attacca Quartet, Shaun Martin Three-O, Mirrors (featuring The Late Show with Stephen Colbert bandleader Louis Cato plus Justin Stanton, Gisela João, Becca Stevens, and Michael League), Mark Lettieri Group, and Jamison Ross Quintet.
Mirroring the geographic variety of the artists, GroundUP Festival regularly draws a crowd of passionate music lovers and musicians from 48 states and 54 countries, as well as fans ranging in age from their teens and 20s to their 60s and 70s. Known for its relaxed, intimate atmosphere and its dynamic lineups of hard-to-define artists, GroundUP Music Festival aims to defy genre, creating a laid-back oasis of true community, steps from the sands of Miami Beach.
“GroundUP Festival has always had the same spirit,” says Snarky Puppy bandleader Michael League. “It’s always been about curating a wide range of music experiences you would never otherwise have all at one festival. We create a blank canvas for these artists to paint on, while keeping the same ideology behind the festival completely consistent.”
The Miami Beach Bandshell, newly recognized this year in the National Register of Historic Places, has been a cultural epicenter in Miami Beach since the 1960s, setting the scene for unforgettable sets under a canopy of string lights, swaying palms, and sea breezes. Set amongst the adjacent Palm Grove Park and beachfront complex, the GroundUP footprint takes just minutes to traverse, allowing easy mobility for guests. All sets will take place on two stages with no overlapping performances, allowing attendees to catch every note.
Related: Snarky Puppy Announces ‘Empire Central North American Tour 2023’
Another essential element of GroundUP’s ethos is breaking down barriers between artists and audience. Musicians from the lineup stay for the full weekend to mingle with attendees, enjoy sets from the other artists, and join in with their fellow performers. GroundUP programming is geared toward musicians, offering fans and students the opportunity to interact with and learn from their favorite artists with a full calendar of intimate oceanside masterclasses including songwriting seminars and improvisational workshops.
New this year, GroundUP’s late-night Sets, which run from 12:00 a.m.–4:00 a.m. after the festivities at Miami Beach Bandshell wrap up each night, will take place at the iconic Faena Theater at Miami’s premier arts and culture hotel, Faena Hotel Miami Beach. The Faena Theater is an intimate setting evoking the grand style of European opera houses combined with the glamour of 1950s Miami. Only 250 late-night tickets will be available per night, and will be sold exclusively to festival ticket-holders.
View the complete 2023 GroundUP Music Festival lineup below. For information on GA and VIP ticket packages, head here.
