BENEFIT announces SHAED as headliner for its 2023 Crossroads Music Festival
Multi-platinum D.C.-based trio to perform on Friday night of live music event benefiting nonprofits in Loudoun County
LEESBURG, Va. (August 17, 2023) – BENEFIT’s Crossroads Music Festival is back and bigger than ever. Expanding to two evenings of live music, Sept. 15 and 16, to raise funds for nonprofits serving the Loudoun County community, the event will feature SHAED, a multi-platinum Washington, D.C.-based trio, headlining the Friday evening segment.
SHAED
SHAED — Chelsea Lee, her husband Spencer Ernst, and his twin brother Max Ernst —spent much of 2018 and 2019 supporting their global breakout single, “Trampoline,” which has nearly 2 billion streams to date, has received feverish radio play — #1 on the Alternative and Rock Airplay charts — and has been used in multiple television shows. The trio has toured worldwide both as a headliner and at festivals, including performing with Coldplay at FedEx Field in June 2022. SHAED’s debut album, “High Dive”, launched in May 2021, features collaborations with Two Feet, ZAYN and Lewis Del Mar. The band also teamed up with Sting and Steve Aoki to release the single, “2 in A Million”.
BENEFIT is a coalition of musicians and community leaders uniting people with music to raise funds and awareness for nonprofit organizations serving Loudoun County. Over 35 musicians and bands will be performing original music for BENEFIT’s 2023 Crossroads Music Festival.
“This is the fourth year BENEFIT’s Crossroads Music Festival will be held in downtown Leesburg,” Ara Bagdasarian, BENEFIT co-founder and president, said. “We are thrilled that we are able to expand the festival to two evenings of live music performances and that we have SHAED joining us to perform on Friday evening. We have such great talent in our region, and it’s wonderful to be able to highlight all these musical artists at an event that supports our Loudoun community. SHAED’s roots are in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area, and we’re excited that a music group from our region that has received international acclaim will be performing at our event.”
The Friday, Sept. 15, segment of BENEFIT’s 2023 Crossroads Music Festival will start at 7:00p.m. on the lawn at the Loudoun County Courthouse, located at 18 E. Market Street in downtown Leesburg.
The Friday evening segment of BENEFIT’s 2023 Crossroads Music Festival is a free concert — no festival pass is needed for admission.
No smoking, coolers, alcoholic beverages, or pets will be allowed on the grounds of the Loudoun County Courthouse during the Friday and Saturday performances. If you have your pet with you, we ask that you remain on the sidewalk.
The Saturday, Sept. 16, segment will be held on 12 stages at 11 different venues in downtown Leesburg from 5-10 p.m. Each artist will perform a 60-minute set at their designated venue.
Passes for the Saturday evening segment of BENEFIT’s 2023 Crossroads Music Festival can be purchased in advance online at www.CrossroadsMusicFest.org or at each performance venue on Saturday, Sept. 16. Festival passes purchased in advance online are $20 and those purchased on-site will be $30.
With the purchase of a festival pass, attendees will receive a wristband at check-in. Wristbands will provide attendees access to Sept. 16 event-day specials at participating music venues and a collectible 2023 Crossroads Music Festival T-shirt (T-shirts will be available while supplies last).
Passes are not required for entry at any venue participating in BENEFIT’s 2023 Crossroads Music Festival. However, proceeds from festival pass sales benefit nonprofit organizations that serve Loudoun County.
BENEFIT was able to award a total of $25,000 in grant funding among eight nonprofits from the proceeds of its 2022 Crossroads Music Festival. Remarks recognizing the grant recipients will take place during the Friday evening segment of the festival.
“We are so excited about the continued expansion of Crossroads Music Festival,” Amy Bobchek, BENEFIT co-founder and vice president, said. “Growing to a two-day event with more venues and artists than ever before means we can make this year a record-breaker for fundraising. We want to engage the community in supporting local nonprofits, shine a light on the incredible musicians who are performing this year, and continue to create a culture of giving here in Loudoun."
Funds raised from proceeds of BENEFIT’s 2023 Crossroads Music Festival will be distributed in spring 2024 to nonprofit organizations through a grant application process.
BENEFIT would like to thank Toth Financial, Keane Enterprises, Loudoun Now, Music Planet Radio, Risr Media, SoundView Services, Birkitt Dental, Apple Federal Credit Union, Coldwell Banker Realty – Leesburg, ProJet Aviation, Greensorb, Loudoun County Department of Economic Development, and Leesburg Arts & Cultural District for their support of BENEFIT’s 2023 Crossroads Music Festival, and Where’s the Music? and the Town of Leesburg Department of Economic Development for their support as co-presenters of the Friday night event.
Festival pass, performer lineup, schedule and venue information for BENEFIT’s 2023 Crossroads Music Festival can be found at www.CrossroadsMusicFest.org.
Updated 8/18/23
Updated 8/24/23