The 2025 XPoNential Music Festival brought three days of music, community, and discovery to the Camden Waterfront, reminding us once again why it is our favorite weekend of the year. Sunshine and clear skies set the backdrop for standout performances and a few memorable surprises.

Each day found its own rhythm. Friday opened with WAR’s genre-defying blend of funk, rock, and Latin grooves alongside Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s joyous brass celebration. Saturday stretched from Soccer Mommy’s bedroom indie pop to Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory’s commanding, cathartic headlining set. A performance equal parts moody, danceable, and emotionally charged. Sunday concluded with Craig Finn, the Spin Doctors, and a closing set from Courtney Barnett, who delivered her trademark mix of unhurried, deadpan storytelling and serrated guitar playing. Philadelphia’s own Kurt Vile joined her for one song, sealing the weekend with an unforgettable moment.

That same spark carried through the rest of the lineup, where local acts like SNACKTIME and Zinadelphia delivered performances with the same force and presence as the national names. Throughout it all, our team documented each note with photo galleries, audio archives, and written recaps that capture the festival’s essence. Whether you experienced it firsthand or followed from afar, scroll through below for a complete record of a weekend that proved once again that XPoNential is a festival like no other.

The Best of XPoNential 2025

Revisit the festival’s opening day with photos, audio, and recaps from WAR, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, SNACKTIME, Southern Avenue, Black Buttafly, and Fawziyya Heart.

Friday at XPoNential

Fawziyya Heart

Philly’s Fawziyya Heart is a soul singer as much as she’s a community-builder. She’s a member of the dance music collective Worldtown, and organizer of the Heart Beat songwriting and poetry showcase.

It was fitting that Heart opened her XPoNential Music Festival set with a brief guided meditation, an exercise in deep breathing. But from there, it was quickly into her upbeat, uplifting music. “All we have is right now,” she told the Marina Stage crowd. “And right now we’re here together.”

Heart dedicated the new song “Lavender” to her mom in the front row, won over the crowd with covers of “Sugaree” by the Grateful Dead and “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley.

She told the audience that they were testing out new songs that were upbeat compared to their regular output: “Usually, we make music that people can cuddle and fall in love to.” So the back half of the set was full of funky cumbia rhythms and discophonic atmospheres that had Wiggins Park on its feet, kicking off Funky Friday and the XPoNential Music Festival on a positive high. – John Vettese

Fawziyya Heart – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Black Buttafly

Black Buttafly – the genre-bending project of New Jersey’s own Kayla Childs – kicked off the River stage with irresistible funk and style. If you’re anything like me, Friday afternoons signal the start of the weekend. And while the transition from work to weekend isn’t always instantaneous, Black Buttafly’s set made sure that the XPN fest crowd loosened up and settled into the weekend spirit. “We’re here, we’re having fun,” declared Childs about halfway through, spurring on cheers from the crowd.

Black Buttafly’s most recent EP, Fly Free, is a collection of songs that explore self-discovery, the ups and downs of life, and, most importantly, love. The latter was front and center during the set, with Childs admitting “I love writing about love,” and she doesn’t plan to stop writing about it any time soon.

The band features a rotating lineup of musicians, but you wouldn’t know it from watching them play. Their chemistry onstage was electric, as if they’d been performing together for years. That energy carried into the crowd, especially when Childs called out, “If you’re in a seat, I need you to stand up.” The other thing about Fridays that was apparent throughout the set? On Fridays we definitely do funk! – Emma Zoe Polyak

Black Buttafly – Festival 2025

Southern Avenue

The first day of XPN Fest is always special. There’s nothing like finally hearing live the artists we’ve been listening to on the air since January. The crowd and I were especially hype to see Memphis’ very own Southern Avenue bring that mix of hospitality and funk that lives below the Mason-Dixon Line.

Just last month, singer Tierinii Jackson, her husband and guitarist / songwriter Ori Naftaly, and her sisters — drummer / vocalist / songwriter Tikyra “T.K.” Jackson and percussionist / violinist / vocalist Ava Jackson — were named WXPN’s Artist to Watch. A month later, they showed exactly why all eyes and ears should be on them. The family band kicked things off with “Family,” then got the audience moving with “Rum Boogie.” After months of hearing “Upside” and “So Much Love” on the radio, the crowd loved experiencing the live versions. Ori was a wizard on the guitar, T.K. kept the beat thumping, and Ava proved she could go wild on the violin. While Tierinii didn’t play an instrument, her energy matched the band’s sound — her spirit evoking prime James Brown with the way she moved her feet.

Tierinii reflected on starting out singing in church before stepping into secular music, especially the blues. The band followed with “Late Night Get Down,” showing they had the skill and soul to handle the blues with flair. They closed the set with “Sisters,” a fitting tribute in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection. Based on the XPNFest crowd’s reaction, it seems the city has embraced these three Memphis sisters as its own. – Abdur Rahman

Southern Avenue – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Preservation Hall Jazz Band

As the peachy sunset began, XPoNential festival-goers shifted back over to the River Stage, where seven sharply-dressed members of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band wielded trombone, trumpet, baritone sax, sousaphone, keys, drums, and piano.

The set was a showcase of masterful soloing; wailing trumpet, dueling trombones, and a breathtaking saxophone outro from Clint Maedgen on the group’s third song, “100 Fires.” All the wind instruments additionally provided vocals throughout, too. Trombonist Ronell Johnson capped off the inescapably groovy set with a growly gospel vocal performance of “Dear Lord (Give Me The Strength),” which appears on their 2013 release That’s It!.

The storied New Orleans jazz band’s appearance marked their third XPoNential festival; they showed out to back-to-back festivals in 2016 and 2017. At one point, bassist Ben Jaffe connected around half the current members through family history, while revealing his mother’s Philadelphia heritage and his father’s roots in Pottsville (not Pottstown), PA. Pres Hall is hitting the road this winter, and landing in Morristown at the Mayo Performing Arts Center on December 2. – Atticus Deeny

Preservation Hall Jazz Band – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

SNACKTIME

The last set at the Marina Stage was none other than Philly’s own SNACKTIME. Makes sense: this band of horns, percussion, keys, and guitars has become a favorite at XPN, not to mention among Philly’s sports teams (just ask the Eagles and the Sixers). This marked SNACKTIME’s first XPNFest performance with their newest member, singer Nico Bryant. He may be a fresh face, but the vibes were still the same — and still rocking.

XPNFest is a family-oriented event, but SNACKTIME opened their set with “I Don’t Give A Damn” and “S.D.T.S.,” making it clear they were cool, nonchalant cats who don’t give a funk! They followed with their new single “Sunshine,” a treat for the crowd who’d been hearing it on air for months. The band then surprised the audience with two covers: Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like an Eagle” and Lenny Kravitz’s “Fly Away,” a fitting tribute to our green and white birds. The rock-soul blend electrified the crowd, and when North Philly’s own Larry Monroe stepped to the front of the stage and shredded on guitar, it felt like lightning and thunder were about to strike.

With so much happening in the world, SNACKTIME closed with “Together,” a reminder to the XPN Fest crowd that no matter what, it’s important we stick together. Judging by the response, that message hit home. Day one at the Marina Stage was incredible, and I think the audience would agree — SNACKTIME’s set was definitely a good jawn! – Abdur Rahman

SNACKTIME – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

WAR

For the last half century, veteran funk band WAR has brought the sound and culture of Los Angeles to the world. Last night’s XPoNential Music Festival set was a perfect showcase of the band’s fun, sonically diverse catalog. Currently in the midst of tour for the 50th Anniversary of their seminal album Why Can’t We Be Friends?, WAR closed the opening night of XPoNential with good vibes and high energy.

On keys and vocals, founding member Lonnie Jordan lit the crowd up with some Sly Stone-style, churchified organ runs. He led the band with charisma, belting out songs and disarming the crowd with quips and sly jokes. During an organ break, Jordan chided the crowd: “I smell weed, and it smells good. I’m getting high…contact high.”

The show culminated with Lonnie Jordan and WAR inviting members of SNACKTIME and Preservation Hall Jazz Band to the stage. At this point, the de facto horn section of Martin and Kashmar was augmented with the Preservation Hall horns, and all three bands were primed for a rousing performance of “Low Rider.” Played with a tight reggae swing, the song is just as catchy and indelible as ever. As the audience joined the band in a big, joyous sing-along of the chorus, the vision of WAR becomes clear. At their core, WAR is a global jam and a sincere mixture of cultures free of pretension. WAR is the rare band whose music is cosmopolitan yet grounded, stylistically broad yet distinct. – John Morrison

Read the full review here.

Check out Saturday’s standout sets through photos, audio, and recaps featuring Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, Molly Tuttle, Soccer Mommy, Richard Thompson, Kathleen Edwards, Tune-Yards, Owen Stewart, and Maxwell Stern & The Good Light Band.

SATURDAY at XPoNential

Sadie Gust

It’s officially day two of XPoNential Music Festival, and it couldn’t have gotten off to a better start. For the second year in a row, Saturday’s festivities opened on the River stage with the winner of WXPN’s 24 Hour Song Challenge. This year, that honor went to local singer-songwriter Sadie Gust, whose warm, soulful voice carried throughout Wiggins Park.

She opened with the jazz-inspired “Attendance Record” before moving into “Gasoline,” dedicated to her mom. Midway through the set, the crowd was treated to an unreleased track, “Undertow,” a song co-written with her dad and keyboardist, David Gust. A haunting track, it was undeniably Sadie: introspective and charming, with powerful vocals.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Sadie’s winning track: “Split.” Written in just a day for this year’s 24 Hour Song Challenge’s prompt “Belong,” it was easy to see why it won over the votes.

Although this was her first festival appearance, Sadie is no stranger to the XPN circuit. Last year, she played a Key Studio Session under the name Sadie Leigh. And, as the winner of the 24 Hour Song Challenge, she has a busy fall coming up. She’ll be playing at this year’s Philly Music Fest in October, and if you can’t wait to see her again, she’ll be at Wooder Ice and MilkBoy’s End of Summer Block Party on September 27. – Emma Zoe Polyak

Sadie Gust – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Maxwell Stern & The Good Light Band

“Is everyone staying hydrated?” When Maxwell Stern asked this of the Marina Stage crowd, they honestly weren’t sure. It was only 1 p.m.; the day was less sunny than yesterday. He smiled, shook his head, and said “Gotta work on that!” And then went into the gnarly indie-roots riffage of “Memory Fireworks.” That’s Stern in a nutshell: cool, caring, conscientious, and ready to rock.

Stern’s roots lie in Cleveland, Ohio, but he’s been living in Philly and making music for a decade, both in the DIY punk bands Signals Midwest and Timeshares, and as a solo artist, where his music is gritty and twangy, like Tom Petty and early Wilco, with maybe a touch of sonics that have rubbed off from Philly peers Kurt Vile and The War on Drugs. Last year, he put out his sophomore solo album, In The Good Light, and it’s packed with uplifting hooks, gnarly melodies and solos, and radiant positive energy.

Between songs, Stern reminisced about his history in Philly, and with WXPN, including a time nine years ago that he invited me out to a basement show; “There were only like 15 people there,” he said, but I can tell you played with the same conviction in that setting as he did for the cheering crowd on the Marina Stage lawn. From here, he kicked into the pensive and lyrically astute “Light Later Lately,” a song he noted Mike Vasilikos and I have played, and he got the audience vibing to the jangle rock of “You Deserve A Great Love” and “Pull The Stars Down” from his solo debut Impossible Sum. And before exiting, he once again checked in to be sure the crowd was keeping hydrated. This time, the cheer was much more robust. – John Vettese

Maxwell Stern – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Owen Stewart

Sometimes having 12 people in your band just ain’t enough. You need 13. That’s the size of the group that just tore our heads off on the River Stage at XPoNential when Owen Stewart took the stage. Two guitars, bass and drums; three horn players and two background vocalists; a percussionist, a keyboard player, and Owen on lead vocals. And don’t forget the guy in back playing harmonica!

Stewart has a huge classic rock voice: that raspy style like Fogerty, Seger, Chris Robinson or yeah sure, the artist he’s most compared to – Joe Cocker. Along with his BIG BAND, they hit with a sonic force like the sweetest punch – and like the greats, they know how to roll at least as much as they rock. For all that muscle on stage, it’s not chaos; the songs are arranged pretty tightly, powered by Owen’s voice but leaving room for the guitars, horns and singers to find spots to step to the front. For anyone that says there’s no one making new classic rock these days, I’d offer Owen as exhibit one to prove that wrong. And while you hear elements of a lot of the ingredients and inspirations from the past, the songs sound fresh and exciting – alive, not derivative.

It was cool to see the crowd grow and grow during their set, just bringing people in and together. With so many members in his crew, every gig is an occasion, and Owen Stewart and the big band sure made it special for us all at this year’s XPoNential. – Jim McGuinn

Owen Stewart – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Tune-Yards

The Oakland-based duo Tune-Yards returned to the Philly area this afternoon, following their NON-COMM performance back in May. Now with their sixth studio album Better Dreaming out — as well as a spontaneous EP release from September — XPoNential got to experience a slew of new and old tunes from the multi-instrumental duo.

Merrill Garbus, the main brain behind the majority of Tune-Yards’ material, bounced between electric ukulele, toms, lead vocals, and an SP-404 electronic sampler. Nate Brenner added bass, backing vocals, and analog synth to the mix. Watching Garbus sing while creating and triggering loops on her sampler was an insanely impressive showing of multitasking, frequently using her bare feet to control her vocal chops and recording the drums in front of her into complex, layered rhythms.

As a truly non-genre-conforming act, Tune-Yards’ performance was a one-of-a-kind moment in 2025’s XPoNential Festival, combining elements of electronic, folk, dance, and soul music. They will be continuing their US tour through October, and ending the year in the UK. – Atticus Deeny

Soccer Mommy

It’s almost fall, and Soccer Mommy is on the River Stage at Wiggins Park, sounding exactly like she does in my headphones. The Nashville bred indie singer’s real name is Sophie Allison, and she’s been putting out music as Soccer Mommy since at least 2016.

To the crowd she asked, “Does anyone like Stardew Valley?” before leading into the new “Abigail,” a love song to one of the main characters in the game. Purple-haired and a little weird, Abigail loves chocolate cake, shooter games, and loitering in the local graveyard (things that come up in the lyrics). Stardew Valley is a game about small towns, farming, grief, and love. It shows a simpler life where a community cares about each other. Allison reflects on this make-believe relationship with the same intensity one might yearn over a too-realistic dream.

She opened her set with the notable “Circle The Drain,” off her 2020 release color theory, and ended it with “Your Dog” off her third record, Clean. Soccer Mommy is one of those bands whose music you just subconsciously know; I didn’t realize how many lyrics to “Circle The Drain” I remembered until it was played right in front of me. – Danielle Ciampaglia

Richard Thompson

Richard Thompson’s got songs he wrote last week and songs he wrote in 1969 in a hotel squat, and every point in between. And each of them echo down, through, and on with time. Over the years, you may have seen him with all kinds of combos, but he has always been and remains a singularly captivating performer with just a guitar and his own deep, omniscent-narrator voice. The ‘69 song in question this afternoon is “Genesis Hall,” an etched-in-marble Fairport Convention classic that here has some fresh immediacy; “Johnny’s Far Away” strikes a sea shanty vibe here on the river with its (in this case thundering) audience call and response of “the rolling sea!” (If you like this mode of Thompson, do check out his most recent LP, 2024’s Ship to Shore.) He’s maybe most topical today with “Pharaoh,” with its sendoff, “We’re all working for the Pharaoh.”

This sounds serious, but it all comes with the man’s warmth and humor, both between the songs and during; and more often as not, that guitar is propulsive, almost rockabilly in the way takes the place of a whole band. As he’s playing a classic (and foundational WXPN tune like) “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” before a packed audience on the Marina Stage under a perfect September sky, to hear them under the trees like this makes you think: If there were ever to be a Grateful Dead-like community devoted to following around a singer-songwriter, Thompson would have to be the lead contender. I’d bootleg the shit outta this show. In fact [remembers server password], I think I just might! – Joey Sweeney

Richard Thompson – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Molly Tuttle

Fresh off the August release of her fifth studio album So Long Little Miss Sunshine, Nashville’s Molly Tuttle rocked the River Stage in the afternoon Day Two. Previously booked for the COVID-cancelled 2020 XPoNential Music Festival, this performance was redemption for her. “I’ve been wanting to play this festival for so long!” she exclaimed during the set.

The five-piece group came out with intensity, engulfing the crowd to their brand of fiery, rocking bluegrass with “Everything Burns,” off the new album. Mandolin, upright bass, steel guitar, and fiddle were incorporated as the set progressed. Her ethereal reimagining of Icona Pop and Charli xcx’s “I Love It” served as a downtempo moment, in large contrast to the original club classic. The following song, she liberatingly threw off her wig — a key part of her new project, as she discussed on World Cafe — revealing her naturally bald head.

Throughout her career, Tuttle has been recognized for her exceptional skills on guitar as well as her standout songwriting. Each track brought another acoustic guitar solo, with sharp riff after sharp riff. Tuttle’s US tour is continuing through December; check out her new album So Long Little Miss Sunshine now! – Atticus Deeny

**photos by Ellen C. Miller and Emma Zoe Polyak**

**photos by Ellen C. Miller and Emma Zoe Polyak**

Kathleen Edwards

“Who loves Kathleen Edwards as much as we do?” asked XPN’s Bruce Warren as he welcomed her to the Marina stage. Judging by the cheers that erupted from the crowd, the answer was a lot of people.

With a smile on her face and her folk-twinged songs carrying out across the stage, Edwards closed out the Marina stage in style. Her set also marked a milestone – she officially joined the XPoNential “five-timers club.” And if that’s not an official club, it is now, thanks to Edwards! It’s easy to see why she’s so beloved by XPN audiences. With a charismatic stage presence and quick humor between songs, Edwards had the crowd captivated.

Midway through her set, she pulled out a surprise guest: a Gritty plushie, which she jokingly introduced as her husband. She quipped that Gritty takes equity very seriously and has been faithfully supporting her on tour. Apparently, his favorite track from her latest album is “Little Red Ranger.”

Edwards kicked things off with “Billionaire,” the title track from her sixth album, released this summer. It’s hard to believe that she’s been releasing music for over twenty years – her debut, Failer, was released in 2003 – yet her energy and charm onstage make her feel as timeless as ever. – Emma Zoe Polyak

Kathleen Edwards – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory

Sharon Van Etten’s rich, weathered vocals are a beacon in indie rock’s emotional landscape. Since winning us over with the soul-stirring ambient tones of “Love More” 15 years ago, Van Etten has been a fixture on the WXPN airwaves. On her newest album, she and her live band The Attachment Theory creatively collaborate in a way they haven’t in the past, crafting expansive sonic environments tinged with 80s goth and new wave atmospheres, soundtracking her unflinching examinations of relationships, mental health, and personal growth.

Click here to read Amber Miller’s full review.

Sharon Van Etten – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Look back on Sunday’s finale with coverage of Courtney Barnett, Greensky Bluegrass, Spin Doctors, Craig Finn, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, Michigander, Zinadelphia, and Emily Drinker.

SUNDAY at XPoNential

Emily Drinker

It’s day three of XPoNential Festival, and Philadelphia singer-songwriter Emily Drinker set the tone on the Marina Stage with a warm, upbeat, and thoroughly wholesome performance. For Drinker, the moment was especially meaningful. She told the crowd that playing XPN Fest has been a dream of hers since she started as an artist in 2017, and her gratitude radiated clearly throughout the set.

Her songs blend folk, jazz, and a bit of rock to create a groovy sound that compels you to dance. And the festival crowd needed little encouragement – between the band’s solos and Drinker’s playful dance breaks, the people around me were clapping, swaying, and dancing, firmly leaning into the energy of day three.

Drinker also took care to shift the mood when needed. She slowed things down to dedicate “Ode to Bernice” to its namesake, Bernice Johnson Reagon, a civil rights activist and an influential figure in Drinker’s own songwriting. She quickly snapped back with the sass of “At My Door,” a song that prompted even more movement from the crowd.

Dressed in green, she closed the set with a crowd-pleasing twist: her own version of the Eagles fight song. (Go Birds, naturally.) Earlier this year, Drinker released her album To Feel Alive, and will play at Johnny Brenda’s this November. – Emma Zoe Polyak

Emily Drinker – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Zinadelphia

“I love this city so much. Everyone here is making music because they truly love it, not because they’re trying to move up in the game,” Zinadelphia told the adoring crowd as she launched into “Love Over Glory,” the last of nine songs she played Sunday afternoon on the River Stage.

The ode to those who stay true to their art and their hearts was a fitting way to end her set, which also included tributes to her grandfather (“Advice from Ray,” inspired by his advice that women should take up space and be unapologetically loud) and her biggest inspiration (“Calling Up Nancy”…Sinatra, that is! With a playful nod to Penny Lane’s record shop speech from the film Almost Famous).

Her acrobatic vocals danced effortlessly over her well-crafted vintage pop and R&B songs, which at times touched on reggae (“The Magazine”) and used beats of silence as a powerful instrument in their own right, driven by her incredibly tight band. Zina’s impressive musicianship, cool style, and warm stage presence made it clear that — whether or not it’s her goal — she more than deserves to move up in the game.

We look forward to her next EP, which she says will be a “nighttime” companion to the two she has already released. The Magazine and Lucky are available now. – Kristen Kurtis

Zinadelphia – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Michigander

After two Free At Noons, 2025’s NON-COMM, and an Artist To Watch feature last year, it’s about time Michigander came through and rocked the XPoNential Music Festival. With the release of his self-titled debut album this February, Jason Singer rounded out years of singles and EP releases with a bold, indie pop project through his own Totally Normal Records.

Michiganer’s live band consisted of bass, drums, and two electric guitars, one played by Singer (who was, of course, singing as well). The crowd got especially hype for the relatable chorus of “I’ll Be Ok,” as well as the XPN fave single “Giving Up”. “We don’t say this everywhere, we love coming to Philly,” Singer said. “We got a whole day planned, we know where we’re going.”

Born in Michigan, now based in Nashville, the band’s sound was reminiscent of the late 2010’s, indie pop energy from bands like Neon Trees or Two Door Cinema Club with a bit more of an organic edge thanks to Singer’s rough and soulful vocals, and it resonated in a big way with the Marina Stage crowd. Michigander’s U.S. tour goes through November; their debut album is out now everywhere. – Atticus Deeny

Michigander – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Jade Bird

What is the XPoNential Music Festival nowadays without a solo Jade Bird appearance? The British singer-songwriter surprised the audience with a surprise, pop-up performance on the River Stage, marking her third festival — and her second in a row.

“This is my first time playing the big stage!” she shouted gleefully. Bird’s brief, 20-minute set kicked off with two tracks from her new album Who Wants to Talk About Love?, the single “Dreams” and the frequently-spun “Save Your Tears.” She then went into classics “Uh Huh” and “Lottery,” before wowing the crowd with a U.K. twinged rendition of “I’ve Been Everywhere” by Johnny Cash. The infectious “I Get No Joy” was the closer of her efficient, mini-set.

What a treat it was to have Jade Bird swing by the 2025 XPoNential Festival and share her nonstop energy with us. Listen to her new album now, and see if she’s coming your way later this year. – Atticus Deeny

Spin Doctors

With “Shadrach” by Beastie Boys blaring in the speakers as Spin Doctors walked onstage, the message was clear: the veteran alt rockers were going to take us way back. 30-some years on, they’re still tight as players, Chris Barron is still charismatic as a frontman and vocalist, and even their newest songs — like the set-opening “Rock ’N’ Roll Heaven,” with its rousing rootsy groove — hearken back to the golden years of the H.O.R.D.E. Tour era. Think gnarly licks, big choruses, and positive vibes.

The band mixed in their latest with, of course, their classics; “What Time Is It?” from their much-loved debut Pocket Full of Kryptonite landed at 3:05 p.m., approximately an hour and 25 minutes early for it’s iconic “four-thirtAY” lyric to be accurate, but it was still fun. Another new single, “Boombox,” is a lyrically nostalgic number about listening to music in 1983 “on a portable cassette player.”

“Every song you hear tonight is a total banger,” Barron said with a touch of ironic bravado (even if he wasn’t incorrect, as it led into another Kryptonite number, the lovelorn ballad “How Could You Want Him When You Know You Could Have Me?”). Even the not-yet-proven-bangers, like the new “Margarita,” recalled known-and-loved bangers — in this case, Blues Traveler’s “Run Around.”

As the show wound down, it was a hit parade: “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues,” “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong,” a cover of Prince’s “Purple Rain,” into the band’s “Two Princes,” Barron whipping the mic around Roger Daltrey style the whole time as the beaming crowd sang along. It was the pure joy of nostalgia, sure, but it was also a skilled and seasoned band rocking XPoNential the best way they know how. – John Vettese

Spin Doctors – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country

Artist To Watch Daniel Donato felt right at home on the Marina Stage – bringing his unique mix of music to what could only be described as a love-fest audience. In the wake of three sold-out nights at Ardmore Music Hall, this master picker and band leader took his sultry sounds familiar to XPN listeners and amplified them with a overdose of enthusiasm. I had the pleasure of chatting with former XPN staffer Tess Coffey (also a big Donato fan) right after his set, and she summed it up nicely: “Daniel brings out the bloody wall, the yea-ha yelp that’s been sitting in your soul but wants to be in your bones!” – Robert Drake

Daniel Donato – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Greensky Bluegrass

This Michigan-formed group is on top of the modern bluegrass world. Now 25 years (hence the name of their new project, XXV) and soon-to-be ten studio albums into their reign, Greensky Bluegrass filled the River Stage with stringed instruments and upbeat tunes as the final day of the festival neared its end. The group was booked for XPoNential 2024, but unfortunately had to back out, making this year’s set even more anticipated.

The dudes on stage wielded banjo, mandolin, acoustic and dobro, plus an unusually skinny upright bass. Not a drum was in sight. Festival goers filtered in and out of the swarm in front of the stage as the band’s bouncy melodies urged them to get up and move. Greensky made sure to include “Atlantic City” by Bruce Springsteen — a frequent cover for them. You could call the swing dance circle that formed during the group’s final extended jam an “XPoNential Mosh Pit”.

“I get in my mom or dad’s car and I put on XPN,” the dobro player Anders Beck said, as he described visiting his parents in the area. “Support public radio, we need it!” Greensky’s appearance at the festival marked their first official XPN performance. They’ll be at XL Live in Harrisburg on October 2, and their new album XXV comes out October 31. – Atticus Deeny

Greensky Bluegrass – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

Craig Finn

Here at XPN, we’ve long been fans of singer, songwriter, and guitarist Craig Finn, who holds positions in rock and roll as the lead singer of The Hold Steady as well as his own solo career. He brought the solo side of his very literary-minded storytelling to the Marina stage, performing songs from his recent album, produced-by Adam Granduciel of The War On Drugs: Always Been.

Joined in Camden by Drugs’ keyboardist Robbie Bennett as a special guest, Craig paced the band through songs from his recent LP, including set highlights “Luke & Leanna,” an extended version of “I Walk With A Cane,” and “A Man Needs A Vocation.” When the performance arrived at “Blankets” from his 2019 album I Need A New War, it was an ideal song to end the set with: complemented the cast of characters that fill Finn’s songs about life’s losers and almost winners and the impact their often misguided choices have on life. – Bruce Warren

Courtney Barnett

Australian indie rock singer-songwriter renowned for her witty, conversational lyrics and distinctive guitar tone. Her observational storytelling covers everything from mundane daily life to deeper existential themes, delivered with a laid-back vocal style that perfectly complements her fuzzy, melodic guitar work.

Read the full review here

Courtney Barnett – 2025 XPoNential Music Festival

WXPN - XPoNential Music Festival 2025

XPoNential Music Festival 2025