Sam Beam of Iron & Wine performs at The Bomhard Theater in Louisville, Ky., in March 2022
Iron & Wine, Hiss Golden Messenger, Langhorne Slim, KAMAUU and Pom Pom Squad will perform full sets at the fifth annual Sound Mind Music Festival for Mental Health on Saturday, May 20 in Brooklyn, NY.
This year’s concert, presented as a free, all-day street fest, will also include DJ sets in partnership with venue House of Yes, holistic mental health programming experiences including movement and yoga, mindfulness and breath work sessions. Smorgasburg will provide food and drinks for the event, which will be livestreamed in partnership with YouTube Health.
“Mental health is such a significant part of our wellbeing and the advocacy work Sound Mind Live does by creating dialog and community through music is often an important first step to those in need,” said Iron & Wine’s Sam Bream. “I’m really happy to be involved and looking forward to taking part in this year’s event.”
"We're so proud to partner with Sound Mind on this amazing festival," co-founder of House of Yes Anya Sapozhnikova said. “Mental health has long been at the top of causes that House of Yes supports, and this gives us a wonderful opportunity to foster community and action around mental health in partnership with a united coalition of artists and organizations."
One in four young adults have contemplated suicide since the pandemic, according to 2022 data from the Centers for Disease Control, and PTSD symptoms have increased by 53 percent. Sound Mind Live is dedicated this year’s festival, which takes place during Mental Health Awareness Month, to fostering deeper community connections for healing, and elevating conversations and resources that can help those in need find affordable resources sooner.
"Over the past several years the world recognized that mental health issues impact us all in one form or another,” Sound Mind Live executive director Chris Bullard says. “We’re proud to open up this year’s festival for free for the first time ever—enabling artists, organizations and the whole community to join and advocate for a healthier future built on compassion, empathy and support.
In addition to the free elements, attendees will have the opportunity to make a donation to enjoy an elevated VIP experience.
Last year’s Sound Mind Live fest was a concert in Central Park headlined by Cold War Kids and featuring bands including Big Boi and American Authors. Previous fest performers include Fitz & the Tantrum, All Time Low and Matthew Logan Vasquez.
