Who’s playing Philly Music Fest? Amos Lee, Sheer Mag, Devon Gilfillian, Catbite — and a mystery guest

Philly Music Fest will return in October with a lineup of all Philadelphia artists playing in six independent venues in the city and suburbs, over the course of seven nights.

Headliners at the eighth annual festival — which kicks off Oct. 21 at Ardmore Music Hall — are Amos Lee; Sheer Mag; Slaughter Beach, Dog; Devon Gilfillian; Mondo Cozmo; and Catbite.

The nonprofit fest, whose tagline is “Our genre is Philly,” was founded in 2017 and is programmed by Ballard Spahr attorney and music fan Greg Seltzer. This year, the lineup has one other bold-faced name listed next to Lee’s: TBA.

That’s TBA as in a Philly-connected act has been booked to play in Ardmore on the second night of the fest, that Seltzer is contractually not allowed to announce yet.

What that usually means is the artist has another date scheduled in the Philadelphia area before the PMF, that has not yet sold out. Back in 2022, PMF shows by Philly’s Mt. Joy were not announced until after the band had completed a date at the Mann Center.

So this year’s mystery headliner is likely an artist who is scheduled to perform somewhere in Philly between now and October. This mystery artist’s popularity is comparable to that of Lee — who headlined the Mann Center last summer and whose new album Transmissions is due on the Hoagiemouth label in August.

Here’s one more hint: it’s someone who has played the PMF before. So have at it, Philly pop music detectives: Sleuth away!

Besides the acts mentioned above, the PMF — which Seltzer said paid bands a total of $300,000 to perform last yea, donated $100,000 to local music education organizations, and pumped an estimated total of $500,000 into the local music economy — is presenting many up-and-coming acts.

Here’s how the schedule breaks down:

Oct. 21: Opening night at Ardmore Music Hall is a triple bill topped by Slaughter Beach, Dog, the Americana-leaning band fronted by Modern Baseball cofounder Jake Ewald, paired with exemplary power pop band Hurry and Santa Chiara, the project of Italian-born, classically-trained musician Chiara D’Anzieri, who is married to Philly rocker Ron Gallo.

Oct. 22: Also at Ardmore Music Hall, the aforementioned mystery headliner, plus a band called @. The duo is made up of Philly singer-guitarist Victoria Rose and Baltimore musician Stone Filipczak, who call their sound “hyperfolk.” Their charming, new five-song EP is Are You There God? It’s Me, @.

Oct. 23: Sheer Mag at Johnny Brenda’s. This is one of the fest’s many “underplays” when a band such as the mighty four-piece Sheer Mag performs at a venue that they can easily sell out. Philly garage punks Happy Body open.

Oct. 24: The PMF takes over both floors of World Cafe Live. Lee is the headliner, but the bill also includes rock band Cadre Noir, pop’s Anna Shoemaker, psych-folk 10-piece band Cosmic Guilt, and Superinfinity, the solo project of Rob Grote from the Districts.

Oct. 25: Philly ska heroes Catbite headline a MilkBoy show, which has a double dose of hip-hop with veteran rhymer Reef the Lost Cauze, whose new album is The Triumphant, as well as the rapper and harpist duo Kuf Knotz and Christine Elise. Self-identified Philly “grunge gazers” Queasy are also on the bill.

Oct. 26: A strong double headlining bill at Underground Arts with two Philly songwriters in Mondo Cozmo — the nom de rock of Josh Ostrander — and Nashville-based Delco-native Devon Gilfillian, who upped his game with last year’s Love You Anyway. The Tisburys and Emily Drinker open.

Oct. 27: The festival closes with experimental jazz at Solar Myth in South Philly. Vibraphonist Angela Outlaw shares a bill with the Glass Band, featuring Landsowne-raised ace guitarist Steve Gunn.

The PMF will also include Inside Hustle, a free networking event at Rec Philly in Center City on Oct. 26, where artists and other aspiring music industry professionals can meet experts from all aspects of the music business, including booking agents, managers, and radio programmers. Philly organizations that the PMF donates to every year include Rock to the Future, Settlement Music School, Girls Rock Philly, and Philly Youth Orchestra.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at phillymusicfest.com. All shows are ticketed individually.