Nestled in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, Ceremony Fest celebrated the alternative, rock, indie, emo, pop punk music scene with a stacked lineup, including headliners jxdn and KennyHoopla. Cannery Hall was the perfect venue for the event, consisting of three stages: Main Stage, Row One, and The Mil. The night was full of show-stopping performances that pushed boundaries and electrified the audience.
The event was sponsored by Nashville is the Reason, Idobi Radio, Raw Material, Happy Dad Hard Seltzer, Hi-Wire Brewing, BadWorld, Visual Minds, Gibson, Daddy’s Dogs, Bad Luck Burger Club, Livvi’s Lunchbox, and Chic-Fil-A Metro Center.
Jaden Hossler, widely known as jxdn, is coming off a big year, releasing his second studio album, WHEN THE MUSIC STOPS, and touring across North America and Europe. There’s been a shift in his energy over the past year, and the crowd could certainly feel it during his set. He is more intentional than ever, writing “don’t sign me” on himself, urging his listeners to pay attention, put the phones down, and enjoy the music. jxdn’s set was filled with all the hits, including his hit songs “Friends With Benefits”, “STRAY”, “JUST LET GO”, and “IT MUST SUCK TO KNOW YOU”. He invited his friends Beauty School Dropout on stage to perform their iconic collaboration, “FREAK”. In the spirit of the holidays, he treated the crowd with his rendition of Blink 182’s “Happy Holiday’s, You Bastard”, before closing out his set with “Angels & Demons”.
The Los Angeles based alternative-rock band, Beauty School Dropout, opened their set with “i loved you”, a track from their most recent album READY TO EAT. With the addition of their new drummer, Colton Flurry. Songs like “YEAHYEAHYEAHYEAH” and “blow my high” kept the crowd engaged before bringing out Dasha to sing Royal & The Serpents verse of their hit single “Starphucker”, a fan favorite. Beauty School Dropout gave their fans a taste of what’s to come with two unreleased singles, “On Your Lips” and “Fever” and from the crowds reaction, I’d say they were a hit. They ended their set with a bang as they sang “FIGHT MODE”, a track that always gets the crowd off their feet.
44Phantom proves to be a rising star in the alternative music space with his angsty lyrics and raw vocals. The crowd was hooked as soon as he stepped foot onto the stage, with a setlist that was perfectly curated and included his most recent singles “Double Casket” and “Kansas”, as well as a cover of “Haunted” by Taylor Swift. He made sure to shift between the high energy tracks and the more intimate ones like “hurricane” and “control”. 44Phantom left the crowd buzzing after his performance of “don’t sleep, repeat”, a collaboration with mgk that put him on the map.
Mod Sun prepared the main stage for KennyHoopla and jxdn by hyping up the crowd with his enthusiastic energy. His stage presence is vibrant and nothing short of infectious. He memorized the crowd with his newest single “Hotel Lights” and even sang his inspirational collaboration with honestav, “I’d Rather Overdose”. The alternative singer brought out TAELA to help sing Avril Lavignes verse on their hit single “Flames”. He also performed his rendition of “Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls and if you thought the crowd couldn’t get more amped, then you’ve never heard Mod Sun sing his popular single “Stay Away” which features mgk. “Karma” was the perfect way to end his set, a song that allowed the audience to have a group therapy session before the main event.
sace6 set the stage for an epic night, surely leaving fans walking away wanting more. The New York native has quickly cemented his place in the alternative music space working with his close friend Noah Thomas, who also happens to play alongside him. He’s had a big year, supporting artists like jxdn on the When The Music Stops Tour in Europe and performed alongside other artists like Beauty School Dropout, Landon Barker, and Static Dress. There is something that feels so personal about sace6, with vocals that are melodic yet raw and lyrics that are honest and relatable. His setlist included some of his popular singles like “Corner”, “Bury My Head In My Hands”, and “Saturate”.
John Harvie, a Nashville based artist, brought a fresh take to rock to the Row One stage at Ceremony Fest. His stage presence is dynamic and energetic as he authentically engages with the crowd. After coming off his first ever headlining tour, this was the perfect way to close out the year. His setlist consisted of “Alaina”, “At My Worst”, and “Figure 8”. The singer brought out lil aaron to perform “Bleach (On the Rocks)” together.
Be on the lookout for 2025’s lineup!
