Philly Music Fest founder Greg Seltzer shouts out acts in this year’s lineup for Ears We Trust

Philly Music Fest is celebrating 10 years in 2026 and starts Monday with Gregory Alan Isakov and Caiola at Ardmore Music Hall. So for this week’s Ears We Trust, we got a hold of PMF founder Greg Seltzer to see what he’s been spinning lately.

And what do you know: he’s shouting out acts that are set to perform at this year’s festival!

“I don’t always listen to music from Philly, but when I do, I listen to the bands playing Philly Music Fest,” he said.

Check ’em out below.

Euphoria Again — “Nah Nah Nah”

Euphoria Again has been in my ears nonstop for about nine months. Euphoria Again collaborated with Dogwood Tales (from Virginia) to create the Destination Heaven album (both bands are on Born Losers). “Nah Nah Nah” features John Klein from Euphoria Again on lead vocals (John is a PMF alum, playing in 2023 with Knifeplay). Klein’s vocals on “Nah Nah Nah” are equally ragged and tender, as the verses take on the former while the chorus reflects the latter. Euphoria Again will play an extended set on Oct. 17 at Underground Arts, opening for Marietta. Euphoria Again will be joined onstage by Dogwood Tales.

Remember Sports — “Across the Line”

This track doesn’t need fancy words and unique descriptions (not sure any track does). “Across the Line” is perfect—rhythmic vocal cadence, range, accessible instrumentation, killer guitar solo, a subtle Petty reference, and a smart pre-chorus build into the chorus-driven outro. We rarely repeat bands at Philly Music Fest, but Remember Sports played the first PMF in 2017 (when they were just called Sports). Remember Sports supports Sweet Pill at Underground Arts on 10/16, along with Wax Jaw and Midfield.

Marietta — “God Bless Eric Taylor”

Summer Death, released in 2013, was the record that embedded me squarely in emo revival, fourth wave emo, some say Midwest emo—whatever. Every track is great, but needing to choose one—easy, have to go with the nod to Friday Night Lights and Coach T. Of course, there’s no Friday Night Lights or Eric Taylor reference in the lyrics, but the track is about youth, drinking, and friendship; topics embraced by both emo and Friday Night Lights. Marietta plays Underground Arts on Oct. 17 with the aforementioned Euphoria Again, as well as Bleary Eyed and Máty.

RJD2 — “1976”

Anything with the numbers “76” just feels Philly, so this was a layup. I’ve been listening to RJD2 for almost 25 years (which is crazy), since “Ghostwriter” and “Smoke & Mirrors” in 2002. The combination of jazz, electronic, funk, and jam is the perfect companion to the glamorous work of a festival producer (artist riders, media access, merch quantities, set times, and budgets). Seriously, I’m so excited for RJ to play the tiny MilkBoy venue with two drummers and a bassist (RJ on turntable, guitar, and piano). RJD2 plays MilkBoy on Oct. 15, with support from Solar Circuit and Angelo Outlaw Trio.

Madi Diaz — “All the Small Things”

Excluding this track would not be consistent with my eventual Spotify Wrapped telling me it was my most played song of 2026. Why would I exclude it? I don’t know—it’s a cover and the show Madi Diaz is playing for Philly Music Fest is already sold out? I kind of missed the blink-182 thing, as I got into pop punk a bit later in my journey (circa 2007 with The Wonder Years, The Starting Line, and The Menzingers). Madi Diaz covered the entire Enema of the State album by blink-182—and it’s stunning. Madi plays solo acoustic, almost demo-sounding and just rips the heart and sophomoric vulnerability out of every song, regurgitating it with naked simplicity. You might think at first that Madi took the punk out of the pop punk, but the punk is totally in there—she actually removed the pop. Madi Diaz supports Gregory Alan Isakov at Ardmore Music Hall on Oct. 13 (join the waitlist for a chance to buy tickets).