The independent, multiday festival will again treat South Florida music fans to intimate performances over three days and nights at the outdoor Miami Beach Bandshell in North Beach.
Like previous iterations of GroundUp Music Festival, Grammy-winning jazz ensemble Snarky Puppy will play host with performances all three days. Other artists in the 2023 lineup include Wilco guitarist and singer Jeff Tweedy, Madison Cunningham, Lizz Wright, the Mark Lettieri Group, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert bandleader Louis Cato, and guitarist Isaiah Sharkey, who will serve as the festival's artist-at-large throughout the weekend.
GroundUp also will treat attendees to a deep lineup of artists from around the globe. The international roster of musicians includes Silvana Estrada (Mexico), Bassekou Kouyate (Mali), Gisela João (Portugal), Edmar Castañeda (Colombia), Grégoire Maret (Switzerland), and Meshell Ndegeocello (Germany).
Since first taking place in 2017, GroundUp Music Festival has achieved underdog success status as a truly independent music festival amid a North American festival landscape dominated by giant corporate heavyweights. Rock 'n' roll icon and 2017 GroundUp performer David Crosby once told New Times, "I don't think you'll get a better shot at hearing real music than at this festival."
Since its inception, the festival has been organized by cofounder Paul Lehr alongside Snarky Puppy bandleader Michael League. Together, the two have spent the past six years cultivating a community of musicians and music fans who want to experience this one-of-a-kind event along the shores of Miami Beach.
"The way that we curate, we now have a reputation where people put their trust in us and understand what they're going to get is something that will open their eyes," Paul Lehr told New Times earlier this year. "They're going to discover new artists they've never heard of who are now their favorites in their playlists."
Like previous years, the 2023 event will also see the return of its trademark artist workshops and masterclass events for fans to engage with and learn from the participating musicians in an intimate and casual setting.
"The idea is that at this festival, it's not just about the things that happen on stage," League told New Times in April. "The artists are mingling with the audience and engaging with them in a way that gives the audience an opportunity to see a behind-the-curtain view of these musicians' artistry."
All performances will take place at the outdoor Miami Beach Bandshell, followed by late-night sets at the nearby Faena Theater at Faena Miami Beach. The late-night lineup hasn't been revealed, but the shows will be limited to 250 tickets per night.
Early bird tickets for the 2023 event are now available through November 24 at groundupmusicfestival.com.
Here is the complete 2023 GroundUp Music Festival lineup:
- Snarky Puppy
- Meshell Ndegeocello
- Madison Cunningham
- Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco)
- Silvana Estrada
- Lizz Wright
- Bassekou Kouyate
- Kurt Rosenwinkel's Caipi
- Keyon Harrold
- Gisela João
- Isaiah Sharkey Quartet
- Rachel Eckroth
- Edmar Castañeda & Grégoire Maret
- Becca Stevens & Attacca Quartet
- Shaun Martin Three-O
- Mirrors (Louis Cato, Justin Stanton, Gisela João, Becca Stevens, and Michael League)
- Mark Lettieri Group
- Jamison Ross Quintet
- Isaiah Sharkey
