Photo essay: This year’s Philly Music Fest highlighted the city’s best, breakthroughs and next ones up

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Multiple venues across the Philadelphia area were packed last week for sold-out shows during another successful Philly Music Fest. The nonprofit music festival benefits local musicians and music education for kids.

“Not every music scene has their strength as their bands. I would argue New York and Los Angeles’ strength is not their bands. Their strength is the industry,” said festival co-founder Greg Seltzer during Sheer Mag’s headlining show at Johnny Brenda’s in Fishtown. “When I look at our community, that’s the center, the hub and spokes.”

Recording artist Nik Greeley echoed Seltzer’s sentiments, saying, “The bands speak for themselves.”

“The talent, it’s endless. And now I’m watching a whole new wave of the next generation … I’m like, ‘Whoa,’” Greeley said. “It’s just going to keep going. As someone who’s been part of this community for a long time, I love that. You want to see that continue for years and years.”

The city’s growth in talent was also exemplified by Amos Lee’s soulful headlining performance at World Cafe Live on Thursday.

Proceeds from the week went toward music education organizations throughout the region, including Rock to the Future. Seltzer said music education programs feed the next group of festival headliners.

“They’re currently in high school, but let him do their thing, find their way, and that kind of recycling of the profits … ensures that our strength is going to just keep exponentially multiplying,” Seltzer said.

Other notable artists included Waxahatchee, Slaughter Beach, Dog, Devon Gilfillian and Marshall Allen of the Sun Ra Arkestra.

Play On Philly, Musicopia and the Settlement Music School also benefited from the festival’s proceeds. In 2022, Philly Music Fest raised roughly $100,000 for music education efforts within Philadelphia.