Emerging Music Festival Day Two
Day two is a five-hour celebration of artists performing indie pop, soul, folk, and rock, curated by AdHoc.
Ky Vöss is an NYC-based American producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. By use of stark contrasting lyrics, striking visuals, and synthesized melodies Vöss walks the line between otherworldly and deeply human in a playful concoction of carbonated synth-pop and nostalgic soundscapes.
Having so far released two critically acclaimed EPs (Found & I Got You), Seramic (Marcus Foster) showcases a powerfully unique and varied range of influences, which has led the Sunday Times to state that his sound is a mix of “Prince meets D’Angelo meets Tom Waits meets Joe Cocker.” Combining his love for Prince, gospel, & soul singers of the 70’s and 80’s mixed with 90’s hip hop & RnB, Seramic’s infectiously catchy songs infuses tradition and innovation, creating a bold, fresh, and distinctive sound, that lifts you up, makes you want to move and can’t help put a smile on your face. Armed with an army of new singles, films, EP’s and with an album on the way, describing this new body of work as ‘Bill Withers on acid’, 2023 is set to be a big year for Seramic. ‘The new revolution is coming’.
Growing up in South Florida in a Jamaican household, June McDoom was raised around reggae music, which echoed throughout every room of her childhood home. Later, she discovered and nourished her own deep love for folk music and songwriting of the 1960's and 70's. While studying in NYC for a degree in Jazz Performance, her musical palette expanded to include the more intricate influences of jazz and early soul. Realizing that her favorite vintage folk music lacked artists with similar identities as her own, it became increasingly important for McDoom to carve a unique musical space -- to push folk music towards a new and different audience.
New York-based musician Margaret Sohn (they/she) created Miss Grit to function as an outlet for their own analysis and expression of self. Called a "polymath" by NME in early 2019, their process is introspective, their vision precise. Sohn produced Follow The Cyborg, her debut full length album, entirely in her home studio, and mostly in solitude with several guest collaborators joining -- Stella Mozgawa of Warpaint, Aron Kobayashi Ritch of Momma, and close friend and fellow songwriter Pearla.
After an early stint drumming and singing in Haybaby (Tiny Engines), Zach James began writing and self-producing folk records in his bedroom, donning the name The Silver Spaceman. The project evolved into a post-punk band featuring Andrew Bailey (DIIV) on lead guitar. It snarled and simmered around darker textures, miles away from its early folk routes. James looked to his darkened smile and rechristened the project Dead Tooth. They gained momentum opening for bands like Hand Habits, The Space Lady and Current Joys. After recording their second EP entitled Pig Pile, the pandemic disembodied the band as it did so many others. Sad, yet ambitious to keep the momentum going and release the EP, James rebuilt the project from the ground up. He added an EWI/Sax player and relinquished his own live guitar duties for a frontman stage persona. The new crew was quickly picked up by Rough Trade Publishing and Trash Casual Records. Shortly after, they went on to win OWL Winter Madness (a 16 band, 5 week long "battle of the bands" at Brooklyn's legendary rooftop venue Our Wicked Lady). They then found themselves playing SPIN Magazine’s SXSW showcase alongside The Lemonheads, Bass Drum of Death and Pom Pom Squad. SPIN wrote of SXSW, "If there was someone who really broke out...it was Brooklyn’s Dead T00th.”
Bryant Park Picnic Performances presented by Bank of America is a free outdoor festival that welcomes all New Yorkers to experience the city’s vibrant arts and culture. The series provides a platform for extraordinary artists and serves as a vital outdoor venue for a wide array of New York’s cultural institutions.
On the Lawn
Bring your own picnic or purchase food and drinks from tents on the east side of the lawn. Attendees can enjoy cuisine from the five boroughs with a rotating line-up of artisanal vendors curated by Hester Street Fair.
Stout NYC also offers giant pretzels, gourmet popcorn and other light bites as well as a selection of beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages for purchase.
Bryant Park lends out hundreds of free blankets on a first-come, first-served basis, or bring your own cotton or fleece blanket. To protect the lawn, please do not sit on waterproof materials such as plastic tarps, yoga mats, or inflatable chairs.
Take a seat in one of the pre-set chairs on the lawn or grab a chair from the gravel. You can use a chair anywhere in the park except for the center lawn "blanket zone".
Find a parachute, giant Jenga, and more fun on the east side of the lawn at select events.
We love dogs, but dog urine can leave the lawn with bald spots. Dogs are welcome on the gravel and bluestone, but please do not bring dogs on the lawn.
Performances are cancelled when it is unsafe to be outdoors. In some cases, the lawn may be too wet to open but the performance may continue. Follow @bryantparknyc on Twitter and Instagram for day-of event updates. You can also check the lawn status on the bryantpark.org homepage.
