From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

Taking its name from Emma Lazarus' 1883 sonnet inscribed on the Statue of Liberty, The New Colossus Festival embodies New York City's spirit as a home for all and for artistic expression. 

The sixth edition of the festival took place from 4-9 March 2025 across twelve independent venues in the Lower East Side, one of NYC's coolest neighbourhoods. Over six days, the showcase welcomed 200 emerging artists from 40 countries. 

Alongside the live music, the festival hosted the Colossal Conversations conference, networking events and a series of industry panels designed to support artists and their teams. Kindness and openness punctuated the whole experience. Everyone we spoke to was just bursting with love and enthusiasm for live music and art. 

Here's a snapshot of our week in NYC.

At the heart of the festival was Pianos, a two-room live venue with an unbeatable disco ball energy and $6 frozen margarita happy hour. Opening night featured standout performances from cerebral indie-rock quartet Hotspit (Richmond, Virginia), freaky 80s punk gang Big Fat Head (Columbus, Ohio) and self-coined Caribbean jazzgaze trio Seafoam Walls (Miami, Florida).

Catching up with Big Fat Head after the festival, singer and guitarist Nate Wilder told us: "Most times we come to NYC we punish city slickers with never-ending midwestern smalltalk, but this time we got it right back. The crowd was super sociable, folks seemed to be hailing from all over the country and Europe, which maybe accounts for this bubbliness." And he's right, the crowd did give it right back, and with love! Their show boiled over with freewheeling euphoria against the backdrop of throbbing synths and raucous riffs. A lovely, loud and slightly silly welcome to the festival.

The NYC Music Scene panel led by Sam Sumpter (Bands do BK), Adi Har-Shemesh (band manager), Alisa Ali (WFUV Radio), Nick Bodor (grassroots venue owner) and Shilpa Ray (music artist) provided a platform for thoughtful discussion. The panellists painted a vivid picture to an outsider. They touched on the importance of the "NYC sound" and the delicate ecosystem that sustains it, as well as the challenges of the shifting cultural zeitgeist from tapes to playlists, and records to streams.

Much like the UK, the NYC music infrastructure is held up by many hands doing heavy work. Dedication keeps the scene alive but it's being tested by rising living costs, soaring studio fees and the consequent closure of affordable DIY spaces. Despite the grimness, the panellists' closing statements were ones of essential hope:

Go local; keep making art; resisting is ok.

This talk tied it all together, and looped in with a later conversation with Kristin Wallace, co-founder of MakerPark Radio on Staten Island. The station is powered by over 120 volunteers and has become a vital community hub for artists and music lovers. MakerPark Radio streamed live from Pianos, hosting interviews and capturing the essence of the festival with artists after their sets. The power of community pulls this operation - and the festival - together.

Throughout the week, we were blown away by the ingenuity and diversity of talent. A particular highlight was the gothic underbelly of NYC's thriving underground scene. 

Blurring the lines of early 80s minimalist synth, gothic dark-wave and poppy new-wave, Public Circuit transported the audience at Berlin (Avenue 25 A) to a sweaty 3am nightclub in Berlin (Germany). Public Circuit pioneer Ethan Biamont echoed the earlier panellists' sentiment: "NYC is the best city in the world, but it's probably the hardest place to be in a band." With good but cheap practice space scarce and lugging gear around on the chaotic subway a relentless pain, it's no surprise. With that all said, the payoff is priceless: "Being surrounded by an amalgam of artists all creating new and inspiring things and the rewarding nature of being able to rise through the noise and bustle of the city as you grow as a band."

No-wave provocateurs, Genre is death, echoed this feeling and told us how easy it is to immerse yourself in music when everyone around you is making art. On the importance of the DIY scene, Ty Varesi and Tay Lee said: "It is NY's music culture. The heart of it at least. Every artist starts out independent and great things happen at the nascent stage of choosing to make anything at all." Moving to the city from suburban Atlanta 18 months ago, the punk twosome have chosen to make their own rules. They rip up the songwriting rulebook and make music that's both industrial and challenging, poetic and thought-provoking. Booming drum machine, Ty's razor guitar and Tay's pounding bass coupled with deep, icy vocals, well and truly opened the Goth/Dark-Wave Party at Bowery Electric.

Silent Mass transformed the Bowery basement into a shadowy sanctuary with their blend of goth-rock and ethereal-wave. Led by vocalist and songwriter Ammo Bankoff, the quartet enveloped the audience in haunting vocals, expansive guitars and primal percussive rhythms. Sharing the stage with artists from diverse perspectives and influences was a real highlight for the band, as they were able to play with musicians they might not have otherwise had the chance to perform with. On this subject, Ammo and guitarist Rob Duncan told us: "Independent festivals are vital for not only the local music scene but also for the city itself." Festivals like New Colossus underline the power of shared experience - essential not just for personal joy, but for a sense of collective liberation.

This appreciation for New Colossus was at the forefront for Brooklyn-based Pons, whose noise-punk-glitter-glam angular rhythms ripped through Berlin. Jack Parker on synth and vocals praised the festival for their global approach, noting: "It's hard to get your foot in the door of the NYC scene as an out-of-town band, so they're really doing a great thing by bringing so many international and touring artists to the city." Jack added that as bigger festivals become more corporate and financially univable, "stuff like this is the future." We couldn't agree more. The convergence of so many sounds and styles was amazing. Whilst Pons loved this meeting of NYC outsiders, we in turn loved how distinctly 'New York' Pons felt in their idiosyncratic artistry.

Glimmer showed us that great rock music synonymous with NYC is still alive and very, very well. Their shimmering 90s grunge-gaze sounded huge, with layers of heavy, fuzzy guitars and dreamy, swirling reverb. Reflecting on their experience at New Colossus, and really rounding off what we heard from all of the New York bands we spoke to, frontman Jeff Moore emphasised the importance of independent ventures and the promise of meeting like minded people: "Anything that celebrates live music and brings together artists who may not otherwise meet is awesome." That same spirit of contrast and connection runs through the band itself - split between the quiet of New Paltz and the rush of Brooklyn, they record in the calm, perform in the chaos and meet somewhere lovely in the middle on stage.

The end of our Saturday night at Sour Mouse was blessed with two fine Philadelphia exports: Snoozer's lo-fi alt-rock and Wax Jaw's surfy new-wave. 

On their hometown, Snoozer brothers Mike and Tom Kelly said: "Philly can be very cliquey but NY feels very exclusive so I think they both have their barriers but ultimately both places have the capacity to feel like the heart of the entire music universe, so it’s worth putting up with the bullshit (for the most part)." Having grown up at basement shows and sharing stages with local legends like Alex G and Blue Smiley, the comparison they draw between Philly and NYC is an insightful one. It's at once encouraging and frustrating but nonetheless a testament to just how vital both cities are to local and global music culture. We only caught the last few songs of Snoozer's set, but they hit and stuck with us.

On a similar note, Wax Jaw told us that the cities have plenty of parallels with small clubs and great sounds but that "the basement scene of Philadelphia is really something special - house venues feature some of the most unique and memorable artists out there." With this image in our minds, their high-octane 1am show made sense. Abundant energy, rallying cries and rapid hooks had the crowd on their toes but everyone was pulled into the dance pit when their guitarists and bassist tore across the floor - all gas, no brakes. Fronted by the dynamic Shane Morgan, this was the band's fourth time playing in New York and was made "even sweeter with a lively and diverse crowd attending New Colossus."

French quartet You Said Strange perfectly summarised the NYC effect: "For a moment we felt like a part of the ant colony, like we were contributing to the cultural emulsion in this gigantic city." Their contribution? A fusion of 90s shoegaze and 60s psychedelia, characterised by heady riffs, alluring rhythms and hypnotising extended instrumentals.

Discussing the contrast between French and American music cultures, they observed that while France offers state support for music and culture, allowing venues to host small bands with a complete soundcheck, full fridge and dinner on the table, the US (and UK's) system forces artists onto a tightrope, creating a unique intensity to performances. As lead vocalist and guitarist Eliot Carrière put it: "It's the violence of this system that makes things way less boring... we focus on the essentials and search within ourselves for the greatest sincerity to be as effective as possible."

Montreal-based avant-pop duo Bibi Club also experienced this soul searching, telling us that the showcase festivals are always a logistical challenge but the New Colossus crowd and staff were generous and kind. Adèle Trottier-Rivard and Nicolas Basque added: "It's a strange timing for us Canadians to go to the USA with all that has been happening with the Trump administration." A subject we know is close to many artists. Thankfully, the diverse vastness of New York's indie scene made them feel at peace and at home.​ Another wonderful reminder of the unifying power of music.

Our favourite discovery of the week, Bibi Club transformed Arlene's Grocery into a daytime discotheque; the perfect tonic for Sunday sore heads and sore feet. Despite their minimalistic set up, every inch of the venue was filled with their uniquely infectious and immersive music. We soaked in their pounding drum machines, expansive guitar textures and bilingual vocals that floated beautifully between French and English.

Rolling from Bibi Club into a stream of UK bands, we revelled in the back-to-back lineup at the Pianos closing party. Representing our seaside hometown of Brighton, Shady Baby brought their grunge-tinged indie rock, striking a sweet balance of heavy, fuzz-laden guitars and new-era Britpop melodies all wrapped up in earnest lyricism. It was the band's first time stateside, and project leader Sam Leaver told us: "We're really grateful to the festival organisers for taking a punt on a band like ours." Having only played a handful of shows outside Brighton, performing in NYC was a surreal experience. As Sam put it, "to be playing to full audiences halfway across the world was a real pinch-me moment." Props to New Colossus for creating that opportunity - for both the band and the crowd.

Shady Baby were sandwiched between London-based Dutch Mustard and World News. Led by Sarah-Jayne Riedel, this was also Dutch Mustard's first American adventure. SJ told us that playing in NYC felt like a dream: "The number of times the team and I would look at each other and say, "I can’t believe we're here!" was ridiculous." Oozing with appreciation for the whole experience, she told us that New Colossus triumphantly brought together genuine people with a shared love for music, underscoring that: "Festivals like this make all the hard work feel worth it. They give artists that feeling of being heard." Their show delivered a blend of dream-pop and alt-rock with SJ's versatile vocals that soared from delicate whispers into powerful bursts of light.

New Colossus was World News' first time playing outside the UK. Catching up with bassist Rory Evans after the festival, he explained that they had suspected their style of music might resonate more in the US than in the UK, and that their assumptions were confirmed: "It feels like everywhere you go in bars and public spaces, they are playing decent guitar music rather than Top 40s or something equivalent." World News certainly captivated the Pianos audience with their distinctive blend of melodic jangle-pop and post-punk of the new-wave variety. There's a warmth and nostalgia to their sound that feels instantly familiar, yet it's threaded with a fresh edge - each musician bringing sharp, skillful energy to the mix.

Our festival came to a very noisy end at Baker Falls with Cloudsurfer’s punky mutant strand of psych and garage rock. The Dutch band were scheduled to play two shows at the festival, but the venue owner offered them their third and final last-minute midnight slot. The band said yes without having any equipment, and borrowed guitars, drums and other gear from the artists on the lineup to make it happen. Their double drum kit setup created a rhythmic frenzy that propelled their chaotic but controlled sound into the early hours of Monday morning. Reflecting on their dreamlike week in NYC, guitarist Pieter Sloot told us that festivals like this are "a key step in a lot of international music careers."

Despite our best efforts, the fabled festival dilemma struck again: there simply aren't enough hours in the day to see everything. Nevermind see everything in the coolest city in the world. A long list of must-see acts remains on our radar, and we'll be keeping an eye out for them on UK soil soon. Here's some of our sad-we-missed-them: 

12090 A.D. (NY), Amiture Music (NY), DD Island (NY), Touchdown Jesus (OH), Flowers for the Dead (DC), Truck Violence (CA) and Suichu Spica (JP).

The New Colossus Festival is testament to the chaos and creativity that defines NYC. Launched in 2019 by Lio Kanine, Steven Matrick and Mike Bell, it continues to grow each year, expanding lineups and forging new partnerships with venues across the city. If this year was anything to go by, 2026 is sure to be one you won't want to miss.

Applications for The New Colossus Festival 2026 are now open.