Alt Citizen Plots 15th Anniversary Concerts Across New York City

Marking its 15-year milestone, the influential indie music platform Alt Citizen is organizing a multi-venue festival across New York City. Dubbed Music Discovery Is Everything, the celebration will run for six nights from September 9–14 and include more than 20 artists. Passes for the complete event are now on sale.

The festival will take place at several well-known local spots, including Night Club 101, TV Eye in Ridgewood, Brooklyn’s Baby’s All Right, and Dad’s Dojo on Atlantic Avenue. Opening night on September 9 will see performances by Lulu Van Trapp, Promiseland, and Suo, while the final evening at Market Hotel will close out with Computerwife, Push Ups, Epoxy, and a DJ set from Quiet Luke. More artists will be announced in the weeks ahead as the nightly lineups are finalized.

Founded in 2009, Alt Citizen has built a reputation as a key tastemaker in the underground music world, championing emerging artists through its print magazine, digital articles, and curated live shows. The outlet has long advocated for human-led curation rather than algorithm-driven playlists—a principle that continues to guide this anniversary event.

Nasa Hadizadeh, the publication’s founder and editor-in-chief, shared her vision for the festival: “This is my way of giving back to the music community that I cherish and want to protect.” In a recent conversation, she urged attendees to participate authentically, stating, “Go because the music moves you. Musicians aren’t idols—they’re communicators.” Rejecting the notion of a manufactured “scene,” she framed the event as “a space where people can connect and heal through shared experience.”

This outlook aligns with a wider movement toward more meaningful and collective cultural experiences, particularly as streaming services often encourage more solitary consumption. As live events regain momentum, gatherings like this underscore the lasting power of in-person artistic engagement. As one industry analyst noted, “In an age of digital saturation, festivals that prioritize curation and community offer something irreplaceable.” Hadizadeh’s final words sum it up: “Music discovery is everything.”