Category Archives: live music

NASHVILLE: Renaissance Certified Fall Showcase Set for Saturday, Nov. 8

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Tour season may be over for us, but there’s still plenty happening back in Nashville to keep things warm into the winter months.

For one thing, our friends at NuRenaissance — owned and operated by UnderDog and NEXT2RISE artist Nicolas Soul — are hosting their Renaissance Certified Fall Showcase this Saturday, November 8 at 615 Main St., Suite G1 in Nashville.

Join us from 8-11 p.m. for “a night of pure fire and unforgettable vibes.” This hip hop and R&B showcase is hosted by Jazzy the Uncontrolled Goddess and coordinated by Amore Dear, with sounds by DJ Sage. The lineup features performances from Nashville-based artists Itz Jaleel, Miles Creed, Simone J’Nae, Durtyhues, Southside MAB, and B. King.

Watch the official trailer below, and be sure to get your tickets here!

Apply to These 2026 Festivals & Conferences

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After last week’s epic trip to New Orleans for NOLA MusiCon — and a year that saw UMC everywhere, from Austin to London — we’re already dreaming of more travels in 2026.

Fortunately, new adventures are always on the horizon, for both artist and educator alike. In fact, some of our favorite haunts from the past couple years have open submission processes ongoing right now. So, if you’ve been bitten by the travel bug — and want to scratch the itch by doing your thing in new markets — we’ve compiled information on a few of our favorites right here.

SXSW London

Dates: June 1-6, 2026
Location: London, UK
Deadlines: November 24 (Performer), December 7 (Speaker)
Notes: The European edition of SXSW — now in its second year — has an open application process for those looking to make their mark overseas in 2026. Both emerging and established artists, as well as organizers of forward-thinking lineups, are encouraged to submit for performance consideration. That deadline is coming up quick, but you still have time. If you’re a speaker, you have a couple extra weeks to get your proposal together!
Link to apply: SXSW London 2026 | Public Submissions Now Open

Musikfest

Dates: July 31-Aug. 9 (Festival); Aug. 2-4 (Conference)
Location: Bethlehem, PA
Deadlines: November 15, 2025 (Conference), February 28, 2026 (Festival)
Notes: Musikfest itself is entering its 43rd year in 2026, and is the nation’s largest free, non-gated music festival, bringing nearly 1.5 million people to downtown Bethlehem in 2025. The Musikfest Industry Conference — now in its second year — aims to put world-class ideas and music industry knowledge (like yours) in front of the artists who comprise this growing, talent-rich regional arts hub (and UMC’s original hometown).
Links to apply: Festival | Conference

Gussapolooza

Dates: Aug. 21-23
Location: Cookstown, ON, Canada
Deadline: January 31, 2026
Notes: Our favorite weekend getaway is on for next August! This all-independent, three-day festival — nestled just an hour or so north of Toronto — brings some of the most notable rising acts from across North America together in the name of music, art, and community. Gussapolooza also invites vendors and artisans across the creative landscape to get involved. In that spirit, we’ll include the vendor application below, as well.
Links to apply: Festival | Vendor

Which events should we know about? Did we miss any? Let us know, and we’ll add them to the list!

TUNE IN: UnderDogs Across Borders, Live from New Orleans!

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The UnderDogs are in New Orleans, getting ready to take the Big Easy by storm all week long during NOLA MusiCon.

It starts tonight at 5 p.m. with a double round of Have You Met…?, featuring interviews with six creatives from Nashville and beyond. Jazzy the Uncontrolled Goddess interviews Yonna Jones, Joe Baze, and yours truly at 5 p.m. Then, our friend Mandy Ortiz from DAWn Audio will sit down with DJX, Amelia Ray, and Mac Infinity beginning at 6 p.m.

Then, stay tuned as we present UnderDogs Across Borders: Live from New Orleans beginning at 7 p.m. A stacked lineup of artists from New Orleans, Nashville, and beyond will take the stage at Cafe Istanbul (2372 St. Claude Ave., New Orleans), and we have plenty of surprises in store. Tune in below, and don’t forget to donate to help our artists elevate in their careers!

THIS MONDAY: UnderDogs Across Borders Reaches New Orleans!

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Before NOLA MusiCon officially kicks off this Tuesday, we invite you to get a head start on the festivities — whether you’re in New Orleans, or anywhere in the world with internet!

Immediately following our Have You Met…? interview broadcast, we’ll stay put at Cafe Istanbul (2372 St. Claude Ave., New Orleans) to offer you a special UnderDogs Across Borders lineup, featuring artists from across the Southeastern U.S. Several UnderDogs are making the trip to perform alongside rising stars on the New Orleans local scene, offering an exciting preview of the magic to come throughout the week.

The event is open to the public for a $10 suggested donation, which will directly support our ongoing UnderDogs Across Borders campaign. And, if you can’t attend in person, we have good news: this one will be broadcast on YouTube, as well! Funds from this campaign help us connect our creative community to amazing opportunities across the musical landscape — just like those we’ve helped create this year in the Big Easy!

As for the lineup? We think you’ll like it! It features performances from (in order of appearance):

Jazzy the Uncontrolled Goddess
Ja Fearce & Azure Skyz
Yonna Jones
DJX & DJ Agie Gee
Kelsey Muse
Kyle Alexander

Want to reserve your spot? Get tickets here, or make your donation to support UMC as we bring our UnderDogs Across Borders once again!

Meet the UnderDogs (and Special Guests) Monday Night in New Orleans!

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We’ve been talking about NOLA MusiCon for months, and it’s finally almost time to take the Starship UnderDog down to New Orleans and do this thing!

We’ve already told you about this amazing conference, and the official Crescent City Crossroads showcases that we’re co-producing alongside our friends at DAWn Audio and Tunetrax.

But… what if we told you there is more to the story? (Around here, there always is!)

Before the conference officially gets underway, we’ll be at Cafe Istanbul (2372 St. Claude Ave., New Orleans) this Monday, October 27 as we preview this year’s NOLA MusiCon with a special UnderDogs Across Borders live event. Join us in-person or online beginning at 5 p.m. CT, as we present two rounds of our popular Have You Met…? interview series. Round 1 (5 p.m.) will feature some of our Nashville crew, while Round 2 (6 p.m.) will highlight creatives from the Big Easy and elsewhere!

Round 1 (5 p.m.):
Host: Jazzy the Uncontrolled Goddess
Guests: Yonna Jones, Joe Baze, Gerard Longo

Round 2 (6 p.m.):
Host: Mandy Ortiz (DAWn Audio)
Guests: DJX, Amelia Ray, Mac Infinity

You’ll want to stick around after that. Beginning at 7 p.m., we’ll remain at Cafe Istanbul to bring you an UnderDogs Across Borders interstate showcase, featuring live performances from an array of artists. We’ll be dropping that full lineup a bit later this week, so stay tuned!

Inside Nashville’s New Alabama Shakes Tribute (ft. Mandy Moon)

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An all-star ensemble of Nashville musicians will storm the famous Acme Feed & Seed this Saturday, October 11 for Sound & Color: A Tribute to Alabama Shakes. One of the organizers — Mandy Moon — joins us on The Quinn Spinn to discuss the journey of co-producing this first-of-its-kind event alongside friend and fellow musician Chelcie Jette.

Also, we manage to sneak a shoutout to Lowbar in East Nashville, whose Saturday night karaoke hosted by Brandon Jazz is always a good time. #FreeTito

Opening theme: REVEL 9 – All I’ve Become

Follow The Quinn Spinn: https://umcworldwide.com/thequinnspinn
Follow Mandy Moon: https://instagram.com/mandymoonmusic
Learn more about the event: https://umcworldwide.com/event/sound-color-a-tribute-to-alabama-shakes/

Announcing Crescent City Crossroads: The Official NOLA MusiCon 2025 Showcases!

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We’re getting set to head down to New Orleans once again for this year’s NOLA MusiCon, taking place in the heart of the Big Easy Oct. 28-30.

What we’ve been dying to tell you is that there’s more to the story this year…

See, we got together with our friends from the conference, including partners Tunetrax and DAWn Audio, to plan something special. Now, we can officially announce that we’ve joined forces to create Crescent City Crossroads, this year’s official NOLA MusiCon after hours showcases!

What is Crescent City Crossroads? It’s two diverse nights of live music in New Orleans, featuring artists from all over the U.S. (with a healthy dose of NOLA artists on the bill, of course). We’ve spent the past couple of months working together to think of some of the most exciting artists we know, and put them all into a musical gumbo pot as flavorful and exciting as Cajun cuisine.

Dates, times, and lineups are below. Each one has its own ticket link, which you’ll see attached to the corresponding night. Advance tickets are $10, increasing to $15 day of show. The price remains at $10 for those with a NOLA MusiCon badge or Halloween costume (because it is #SpookySZN, after all).

Still need that conference badge? Get it here for 25% off using the coupon code UMC25 at checkout!

Tuesday, October 28 | 8:30 p.m.
Cafe Istanbul (2372 Saint Claude Avenue, Room 252)

NOLA All-Star Band | Rantz Davis | Amber Sweeney | Jason Da Hater | Darnell McKenzie & Esteban | c’beyohn | Craig Greenberg | Amelia Ray

Wednesday, October 29 | 8 p.m.
The Rabbit Hole (1228 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard)

Ray$av & Mac Infinity | Ronday | Brother Dusty | Lapis | Da’ Healerz | PLUS! A live Beat Battle, hosted by DAWn Audio

Gussapolooza 2025: Day 2 (ft. Across Waves, Blast Toronto, and Jeff Gutteridge)

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The Quinn and Pierce are back for Day 2 of Gussapolooza 2025 after an exciting Day 1! We sat down with more of the artists and supporters who make Ontario’s music scene special for some exclusive conversations about the festival, their creative platforms, and the landscape of art, music, and creativity in 2025.

Opening theme: REVEL 9 – All I’ve Become

Follow The Quinn Spinn: ⁠https://umcworldwide.com/thequinnspinn⁠

Across Waves: ⁠Instagram⁠
Blast Toronto: ⁠Instagram⁠
Jeff Gutteridge: ⁠Instagram

Can Sound Heal? DJX Aims to Find Out this Friday in Nashville

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On Saturday, we became officially acquainted with DJX. The South Carolina native has arrived in Nashville, delivering a short, high-energy set last weekend as part of our UnderDogs Across Borders showcase during the Nashville African Street Festival.

Consider that an appetizer for what is coming this Friday night, as DJX seeks to answer the question: can sound heal?

DJX: The Public Experiment will take place this Friday, September 26 from 6-9 p.m. at Helping Our Music Evolve (615 Main St., Suite G1, Nashville). This live experience is part concert, part ritual, part science lab featuring Four artists, three rooms, and one goal: to test what happens when music, technology, and human energy lock into the same circuit.

From live rap and cyber-trap, to acoustic resonance and soulful R&B, each set becomes a pulse that shifts the crowd’s frequency. EMF pyramids anchor the space. WiFi interference is tracked and visualized. Audience resonance is measured at the door and again at the exit.

By the end, you’ll have proof of how sound changed your system. This isn’t just entertainment—it’s Frequency Training.

RSVP HERE

The Quinn Spinn: Live from Gussapolooza 2025 Day 1!

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In August, we traveled all the way up to Cookstown, Ontario, Canada to once again take part in Gussapolooza, one of Canada’s premier independent music festivals. We took it upon ourselves to bring the ol’ 12-channel mixer and invite attendees to chat with us throughout the weekend — whether artist, industry supporter, volunteer, vendor, patron, or any combination thereof.

On Day 1, we sat down with singer-songwriter John Peterkin, punk rocker (and 2025 Gussapolooza Battle of the Bands winner) Feura, Jake and Mike from Bad Music Club, and LA-based genre-bending artist Edi Callier.

Opening theme: REVEL 9 – All I’ve Become

Follow The Quinn Spinn: https://umcworldwide.com/thequinnspinn
Gussapolooza: https://gussapolooza.com
The Peterkin Project: https://instagram.com/the_peterkin_project
Feura: https://instagram.com/feura.mp3
Bad Music Club: https://instagram.com/badclubmedia
Edi Callier: https://instagram.com/edicallier

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