Gregory Alan Isakov to Headline Philly Music Fest's 10th Anniversary
Caiola and Madi Diaz will provide support at Ardmore Music Hall for the festival's milestone celebration.
Philly Music Fest announced surprise headliner Gregory Alan Isakov as it celebrates its 10th Anniversary this October 12-18. Isakov will perform at Ardmore Music Hall October 12 with support from Caiola and October 13 with support from Madi Diaz. Tickets will be available for pre-sale for artist, venue and festival fans on Tuesday, August 25 and on sale to the public on August 26 via the venue and festival websites. Isakov joins PMF's tradition of surprise headliners performing for 600 concert go-ers for an intimate, unforgettable experience – which includes previous PMF surprise headliners Dr. Dog, Mt. Joy and Waxahatchee. The songwriter immigrated from South Africa and was raised in the Philadelphia area.
'Being able to host Gregory Alan Isakov - who just headlined The Mann Music Center - at Ardmore Music Hall for 600 Philly Music Fest fans is not only exciting, but really captures what PMF is all about: creating undeniable experiences for the Philly music scene as well as raising money to ensure that the next generation of Philly musicians are guaranteed a chance to grow, learn, and prosper so that they, too, can perform at PMF and keep the scene flourishing,' says PMF producer and founder, Greg Seltzer.
Philly Music Fest celebrates its tenth annual event October 12-18 with twenty-five bands playing independent venues including Johnny Brenda's, MilkBoy, Underground Arts, Ardmore Music Hall, The Fallser Club, and Solar Myth. This year's lineup includes headliners The Dillinger Escape Plan, RJD2, Sweet Pill, Marietta, Mo Lowda & The Humble, Immanuel Wilkins and Owen Stewart, along with support from Madi Diaz, Caiola, Noah Richardson, Remember Sports, Euphoria Again, Bleary Eyed, Wax Jaw, Solar Circuit, Nik Greeley and The Operators, Sug Daniels. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased directly from each venue or via PhillyMusicFest.com.
Philly Music Fest is a non-profit organization founded by a local husband and wife team, Greg and Jenn Seltzer. Greg produces the festival, including booking, curation, and operations, while Jenn handles merchandise, hospitality, and accounting. After a string of headliners that included Japanese Breakfast, Mt. Joy, Alex G, Amos Lee, Dr. Dog, Kurt Vile, The Wonder Years, and Waxahatchee, PMF returns in 2026 with a stellar and genre-diverse lineup. PMF estimates an annual economic impact of $750,000 on the Philadelphia music economy, including an annual donation to music education of $100,000.
On October 10, Philly Music Fest will host Inside Hustle, in partnership with WXPN and Philadelphia Music Alliance, the networking and information event for music business professionals at Drexel University. PMF created Inside Hustle in 2019 to amplify the business aspects of the music community to support musicians. The event is free with RSVP and also convenes monthly on the third Wednesday of each month at the Philadelphia Ethical Society for intimate regular sessions. Each event features an informative and practical panel and a plethora of industry experts to serve as 'Tableists' and mentors.
Philly Music Fest maintains a strict policy of no corporate advertising or banners and has not accepted government money. Seltzer insists, 'the focus must be on the musicians and the mission. Corporate and donor support is essential, and frankly - the engine of the business model - but when people attend a PMF show, I want them to be present and focus entirely on the musicians, then know in the back of their mind that the profits of the experience are going to kids and not corporate dividends.'
