The Martin Stage Melee is a contest to find YOUR favorite artist in the Philadelphia region. 32 acts will compete in 8 sets of 4 to advance to a final round where one act will receive a coveted headlining slot on the Martin Guitar stage at the 60th Annual Philadelphia Folk Festival August 18-22, 2022. Attendees in person and virtually via the livestream will be able to vote for their favorite to win! Support your favorite act or take a chance on a night of incredible new-to-you artists.
Tickets are available IN PERSON at the PFS Venue or streaming Online here at folkfest.org
Erin Fox has performed in various outfits in the Philadelphia music community for nearly two decades before stepping out to record her own music. She began working on her first full-length solo album, “Forbidden Youth” in 2017 and subsequent EP, “Your Joy” in 2018. She previewed much of the material from her new album, “Fuzzy Logic” for NPR’s Unprecedented Sessions series in Winter 2021.
Fox’s compulsive expressions encompass a dark ambiance of quirky chord structures, poetically intense lyrics, and distinctly haunting harmonies that amuse a vast range of emotion all the while continuously documenting life’s challenges.
A modern folk poet-performer gem, Lara was described in The Boston Globe as “a luminous voice and a buoyant stage presence… big-hearted lyrics embrace the sum of life… Herscovitch’s music blows on the embers of a lagging spirit…” Sound Waves Magazine calls her music “expertly written prose… songwriting at its best… good for your ears AND your soul.” AcousticLiveNYC adds, “She possesses not only a huge reservoir of musical talent and a voice with a bell-like clarity, but a keen sense of global concern and a fierce intellect… It might seem too good to be true, but true it is.”
RACHEL EVE
Rachel Eve writes and sings from a place that is at once personal and universal, drawing from her own experiences and observations of the world around her; several of her songs are directly inspired by her work as a music therapist. Rachel’s voice has been described as “soulful,” “passionate,” “songbird-like” and her diverse and lyrical songwriting infused with folk, jazz and blues. Rachel released her first full-length album, “Songs for the Morning” in 2019.
Sarah Murdoch’s haunting, sultry voice seeps into your bones and transfixes you from the moment she opens her mouth. Described as ‘honey for your insides,’ she channels the power and depth of singers from another era, while maintaining a contemporary edge. Ranging from traditional folk music to original songs played on a baritone guitar, she’s been compared to Florence Welch, PJ Harvey, and Lera Lynn.
She’s performed at venues including DROM, Sidewalk, The Knitting Factory (where she opened for Gaelynn Lea), the Folklore Society of Greater Washington, and house concerts all along the East Coast.
