{"id":2376790,"date":"2026-04-16T23:41:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T23:41:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2376790"},"modified":"2026-04-16T23:41:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T23:41:22","slug":"diy-fest-new-festival-amplifies-ithacas-music-scene","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/diy-fest-new-festival-amplifies-ithacas-music-scene\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY Fest: New festival amplifies Ithaca’s music scene"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A few semesters ago, <\/span>senior Dominick Petrucci<\/span> had a dilemma: there were four shows happening in Ithaca on the same night, and he and <\/span>senior Nora Hernandez<\/span> wanted to attend them all. The pair ended up venue hopping between three downtown venues and a house show, spending the entry fee at each door and only getting to enjoy around <\/span>15 <\/span>minutes of music before speeding off to the next set.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Petrucci<\/span>, who has become an integral organizer of shows in Ithaca\u2019s music scene<\/span> in the past two years<\/span>, wondered if there was something that could be done to allow live music fans in Ithaca to see all of the musicians that they wanted to with no overlap.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI mentally asked the question of<\/span> \u2018<\/span>I<\/span>s<\/span> it possible for me to make a bill where we say yes to everyone,<\/span>\u2019<\/span>\u201d Petrucci said. \u201c\u2018What would that look like? How can you even do something like that?\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The answer came in the form of Ithaca DIY Fest: a brand new three-day music festival organized by Unknown Stage<\/a>, Ithaca Underground, Practice<\/span> At!, Fanclub Collective and <\/span>the Electrozone<\/span>. DIY Fest took place <\/span>April 10-12<\/span> on six different stages around Ithaca: Bernie Milton <\/span>Pavilion<\/span>, <\/span>K-House, Angry Mom Records,<\/span> t<\/span>he Nocturnal Caf<\/span>\u00e9<\/span>, <\/span>TreeHouse Studio <\/span>&<\/span> Lounge and a basement of <\/span>a<\/span> student house on Cornell University\u2019s campus.<\/span> One of the founding members of Unknown Stage, a DIY concert organization made up of Ithaca College students, <\/span>Petrucci <\/span>felt like he had made the connections and friends that he would need to pull off something like DIY Fest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis music scene is ready for this,\u201d Petrucci said. \u201cI wanted to be like, <\/span>\u2018<\/span>W<\/span>hat<\/span> if we all came together and did one thing, and we didn\u2019t limit ourselves<\/span>?<\/span> \u2026 What could we create together?\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The festival lineup not only featured <\/span>IC<\/span> students, Cornell students and Ithaca residents, but also touring acts making their return to Ithaca.<\/span> Sophomore Jake Smith<\/span>, Unknown Stage organizer, said that he felt like each demographic of musician in Ithaca was well represented in the festival lineup. Each concert organization selected bands for a single stage, allowing them the opportunity to feature artists that they frequently book. <\/span>Smith <\/span>said that to him, the festival lineup represented every band that he knows that plays in Ithaca.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

DIY Fest was larger in scale than anything Unknown Stage had organized before. <\/span>Senior Sophia Spring<\/span>, a key Unknown Stage organizer, said that<\/span> over 100 musical acts took the stage across the three<\/span>\u2013<\/span>day festival.<\/span> During the week leading up to the festival, <\/span>Spring <\/span>admitted that she was nervous.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I bounce heavily back and forth throughout every single hour between \u2018this is the coolest thing that\u2019s ever happened\u2019 to \u2018this is the most stressful thing that\u2019s ever happened,\u2019\u201d Spring said. \u201cAnd then I talk to Dom for 10 minutes, and then I\u2019m like \u2026 whatever happens happens, and it\u2019s just gonna be fun. And that\u2019s all that matters, that a few people have fun.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Petrucci <\/span>said by the time progressive rock band <\/span>Raindrop Collector<\/span> took the stage at <\/span>t<\/span>he Nocturnal Caf<\/span>\u00e9<\/span> on <\/span>Saturday afternoon<\/span>, the venue had hit its 225 person capacity. <\/span>Petrucci <\/span>said they sold 400 tickets to the event, but <\/span>did not <\/span>track exact attendance numbers venue<\/span>\u2013<\/span>to<\/span>\u2013<\/span>venue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Attendees could purchase a three<\/span>\u2013<\/span>day pass for <\/span>$38 online or $45 at the door<\/span>. There was also an option to pay a daily cover at each venue<\/span>,<\/span> which ranged from $15-$22. <\/span>Petrucci <\/span>said that all day Saturday, Angry Mom was just under capacity and K-House sold so many drinks that they had to restock their bar twice over the three days.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A broken guitar string and bleeding finger did not stop senior Carson Mrozinski from keeping up the energy at Bernie Milton Pavilion with \u201cLife on Vibrant\u201d as the band played a set of their \u201cindie eruption\u201d songs. (Parker Anne Devine<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

DIY Fest had something for every music taste: indie rock, hard rock, hip-hop, folk, punk<\/span> and more. In <\/span>an Instagram post to-do list<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>attendees were encouraged to find their new favorite band or artist. First-year student Ryan Callinan<\/span>, guitar player of psychedelic rock band <\/span>Gecko<\/span>, said that playing their first festival within <\/span>Gecko\u2019s <\/span>initial year of being a band was a surreal experience. Playing between a punk band and a noise rock band, <\/span>Callinan <\/span>praised the festival for bringing a diverse group of musicians together.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alex Burns \u201925, who raps <\/span>under stage name AKABURNZYY<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> said that he was honored to be included in DIY Fest\u2019s celebration of the music scene. As a solo performer, <\/span>Burns <\/span>said that it can be more difficult to feel connected to a scene that seems dominated by rock and indie bands. <\/span>Burns <\/span>said that an opportunity like performing at DIY Fest meant that artists he looked up to were saying they considered him part of the scene.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think anyone likes to feel like they\u2019re a part of something, especially something<\/span> so artistic and DIY,\u201d Burns said. \u201cThat\u2019s an amazing accomplishment itself<\/span> \u2026 just have a bunch of people who care about the music and <\/span>the<\/span> scene <\/span>and <\/span>the community to come together<\/span>. <\/span>\u2026 <\/span>I\u2019m very fortunate and blessed to be a part of such a great event.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Burns <\/span>performed <\/span>Saturday afternoon alongside IC\u2019s Music Production club and Atlanta<\/span>\u2013<\/span>based rapper Michael Malachi, known as Overpade. Malachi<\/span> fit the \u201cIthaca music scene\u201d criteria for DIY Fest after performing at <\/span>Community Slope Day<\/span> in <\/span>May 2025. <\/span>Community Slope Day was organized by students after Cornell University removed singer<\/span>\u2013<\/span>songwriter <\/span>Kehlani<\/span><\/a> from the headlining spot at Slope Day, a yearly concert on Cornell\u2019s campus. <\/span>Malachi <\/span>said that <\/span>Joseph Wolff, member of Cornell<\/span>\u2013<\/span>based band Good Head<\/span>, connected with him at Community Slope Day. <\/span>Overpade and Good Head performed together as one of the final performances of DIY Fest on April 12.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The genre of sets at each venue not only changed day<\/span>\u2013<\/span>by<\/span>\u2013<\/span>day but also hour<\/span>\u2013<\/span>by<\/span>\u2013<\/span>hour. Where a crowd swayed along to Lost Marys<\/span>\u2019<\/span> and <\/span>Rebecca Porter\u2019s<\/span> folk-y songs at <\/span>Angry Mom Records on Friday night,<\/span> a particularly enthusiastic<\/span> B.C.M.E.<\/span> listener did backflips during the punk band\u2019s <\/span>Saturday afternoon <\/span>performance<\/span>,<\/span> less than 24 hours later.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Senior George Bailey<\/span>, drummer of IC band <\/span>Life on Vibrant<\/span>, said that DIY Fest was evidence of the ever<\/span>\u2013<\/span>growing music scene in Ithaca.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially with how many venues are closing as of lately around [Ithaca] it\u2019s been so sad,\u201d Bailey said. \u201cSo building another [festival], especially if it\u2019s an annual thing, would be so cool. It\u2019s so good for the music scene.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While DIY Fest signified the birth of a new music festival in Ithaca, the weekend also had its bittersweet endings. As some bands were playing their very first festival sets, others were playing together for the last time. Bands like <\/span>Beer Cat, B.C.M.E., <\/span>The Brood <\/span>and Bisexual Lighting <\/span>closed out their time with final performances at DIY Fest. <\/span>Petrucci <\/span>said that bands like <\/span>B.C.M.E.<\/span> and <\/span>Beer Cat<\/span> had already decided that they were breaking up to pursue different musical projects, but were willing to do one last show together to help out the festival.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAlex Siegelson [of Beer Cat] told me very specifically, he said<\/span> \u2026 \u2018Beer Cat was going to finish every single show that we promised,\u2019\u201d <\/span>Petrucci <\/span>said. \u201cI was like<\/span>,<\/span> \u2018<\/span>W<\/span>hat about the one that was eight months out?\u2019 And he was like<\/span>,<\/span> \u2018<\/span>T<\/span>hat one too.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

On April 12, the final morning of DIY Fest, <\/span>many bands that had played previous slots of the festival played acoustic sets at TreeHouse Studio <\/span>& <\/span>Lounge on <\/span>South Cayuga Street<\/span>. As morning light streamed in the windows, audience members sat on beanbag chairs and couches, close up to the performers. Each performer played covers and original songs alike. In addition to performing his own acoustic set as <\/span>Tiny Bandit, senior Noah Robinson<\/span> stuck around for little slicer and awdam\u2019s acoustic sets, supporting his friends.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Robinson <\/span>has been an active member of the music scene during his time as a student at IC. He played a part in planning DIY Fest during the Fall 2025 semester, but knew he would be attending the Ithaca College Los Angeles program in the Spring 2026 semester. <\/span>Robinson <\/span>flew across the country to see DIY Fest come to life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels like the most full circle anything could ever be,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cThe fact that this is how [my time at IC is] <\/span>ending<\/span>, <\/span>\u2026<\/span> i<\/span>t <\/span>feels like a really strong way to wrap it all up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The final stage of DIY Fest was an unspecified basement, labeled on the official schedule as <\/span>\u201cDM for Address\u201d<\/span> in typical Ithaca house show fashion. An added note read \u201cyes we\u2019re serious, this is the DIY Fest after<\/span> all.\u201d Familiar to many of the college students organizing, playing<\/span>,<\/span> and attending the festival, the basement show felt almost like an afterparty after three days of music at the downtown venues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before <\/span>Good Head<\/span> played the final song of their collaboration set with <\/span>Overpade<\/span>, <\/span>Nick Wilson<\/span>, <\/span>Cornell senior and bassist of Good Head<\/span>, called <\/span>Petrucci <\/span>and <\/span>Spring<\/span> up to the front of the intimate stage to celebrate the hard work that they put into the festival.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEverything that these two incredible people have done for DIY Fest over the past few days is such a gift,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cAnd so many other people across IC, Cornell, local folks coming together. It is an absolutely beautiful thing that we\u2019ve built here.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Part of the inspiration for DIY Fest came from <\/span>Petrucci\u2019s <\/span>experience attending <\/span>South by Southwest <\/span>in <\/span>Austin, Texas.<\/span> Petrucci <\/span>said that instead of the typical music festival setup (giant field, a few stages, crowds of people milling around), SXSW made Austin the venue by holding shows across the city\u2019s local stages. Ithaca DIY Fest lived up to this inspiration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a dream come true the whole weekend,\u201d Petrucci <\/span>said<\/span> via email<\/span>. <\/span>\u201cI realize in retrospect what I was trying to accomplish, I just wanted to bring SXSW closer to where I live, with a lineup of my best friends and favorite musicians. It\u2019s surreal that so many others share the same passion for this scene, and I\u2019m excited to see where it goes next year.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

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