GroundUP Music Festival continues to push the envelope, combining diverse soundscapes with a 2023 lineup running the musical gamut stretching across genres, continents, and generations. Now in its sixth year, the three-day event returns to the oceanside Miami Beach Bandshell February 3-5 with Grammy-award winners Snarky Puppy at the helm of a roster of all-star eclectic talent including Meshell Ndegeocello, Jeff Tweedy, Lizz Wright, Madison Cunnigham, Silvana Estrada, and many more.
Joining them will be a mind-boggling array of international artists including 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 (featuring The Late Show with Stephen Colbert bandleader Louis Cato plus Justin Stanton, Gisela João, Becca Stevens, and Michael League), Mark Lettieri Group, Jamison Ross Quintet, and Artist-At-Large Isaiah Sharkey.
Festival hosts Snarky Puppy will be performing all three nights, playing the highly anticipated North American debut of soulful tracks off their newly released album Empire Central, which blends influences of blues, hard rock, classic soul, modern gospel, funk, new tech, fusion, and jazz.
Founded in 2017 by Snarky Puppy bandleader and Artistic Director Michael League and GroundUP CEO and Miami Beach native Paul Lehr, the festival is a standout among musical experiences. Showcasing both established and emerging artists, the event is beloved for its wildly eclectic, dynamic lineups of hard-to-define talent and intimate, communal atmosphere.
GroundUP Festival has always had the same spirit,” says League. It’s always been about curating a wide range of music experiences you would never otherwise have all at one festival. We create a blank canvas for these artists to paint on, while keeping the same ideology behind the festival completely consistent. The integrity of the GroundUP experience is very, very important.”
Over the years, GroundUP has amassed a diverse following of artists and fans from around the world who share their love music through a kaleidoscope of immersive experiences including a full calendar of intimate oceanside masterclasses such as songwriting seminars and improvisational workshops. New this year, GroundUP’s infamous Late Night Sets, which run from 12 a.m. until 4 a.m. nightly after The Miami Beach Bandshell sets conclude, will take place at the iconic Faena Theater at Faena Hotel Miami Beach. Only 250 Late Night tickets will be available per night and will be sold exclusively to festival ticket holders.
During the day, The Miami Beach Bandshell, newly recognized this year in the National Register of Historic Places, sets the scene for unforgettable performances under a canopy of string lights, swaying palms, and sea breezes. With alternating performances on two stages, fans won’t miss a beat. The adjacent Palm Grove Park and beachfront complex complete the GroundUP grounds where attendees can swing in hammocks or catch beach time between sets, all in a family-friendly atmosphere.
