T.H.E. Show Launches T.H.E. Music Festival

T.H.E. Show has announced the launch of T.H.E. Music Festival, which will run concurrently with T.H.E. Show’s premier audio shows, starting with this year’s T.H.E. Lone Star Audiofest in Round Rock, Texas and T.H.E. Show SoCal in Costa Mesa, California. Having already launched T.H.E. Film Festival in 2025, America’s longest-running high-end audio event continues its seemingly endless expansion into new experiences. 

This new venture will offer artists a unique opportunity to perform for an audience of audiophiles, industry leaders, and music enthusiasts. T.H.E. Music Festival will be directed by Matthew Moran, a Los Angeles–based guitarist and songwriter. Artist submissions are now open for both T.H.E. Lone Star Audiofest (May 22-24, 2026) and T.H.E. Show SoCal (June 26-28, 2026).

T.H.E. Music Festival is described by its creators as “an all-genre celebration of music and sonic excellence, welcoming acts from all musical backgrounds.” As with T.H.E. Film Festival, the organization does require performances to be appropriate for audiences of all ages and free of excessive profanity or offensive content, in order to maintain the “inclusive and community-focused atmosphere” of T.H.E. Show.

We are officially launching T.H.E. Music Festival to bridge the gap between the studio and the stage. Our mission is to champion the visionary artists who create the music that should be heard on the world’s most incredible high-fidelity audio systems. We aren’t just looking for “acts” — we are looking for performers whose craft deserves a level of sonic transparency and technical excellence that only T.H.E. Show can provide. By performing at T.H.E. Music Festival, artists are not just playing a gig; they are entering a multi-media ecosystem.

— T.H.E. Enterprises, parent company of T.H.E. Show

T.H.E. Music Festival Director Matthew Moran will be key to the success of this new project. In addition to being a guitarist, songwriter, and performer, Moran is a published author and business coach. He reportedly brings decades of creative and entrepreneurial experience to the festival, with his own music blending “Americana, folk, and acoustic-driven rock with thoughtful, story-driven lyrics,” according to T.H.E. Enterprises. Recently, Matt has jumped more fully into recording and producing while guiding others as a business coach.

I’m excited to work with Emiko and the rest of T.H.E. Show team to help create a place for musicians to share their talent, creativity, and passion! My excitement is both that of an artist and that of a fan. The opportunity to work with musicians and their teams is a natural next step in my professional and musical journey.

— Matthew Moran, Director of T.H.E. Music Festival

T.H.E. Music Festival is about championing artists whose work deserves to be heard on the world’s finest audio systems. By holding the festival concurrently with our main T.H.E. Show events in Austin and Costa Mesa, we are giving artists a direct connection to a community that truly listens AND giving audiophiles the chance to find their next most favorite artist. 

We welcome all genres and look forward to discovering the best new talent to showcase on our stages. We look forward to expanding this to our properties in New York and Las Vegas as the year goes on.

— Emiko E. Carlin, CEO of T.H.E. Enterprises

Submissions Now Open

Musicians and bands interested in performing at T.H.E. Music Festival in either Texas or SoCal can submit their applications now. For submission guidelines and applications, visit: theshownow.com/themusicfestival.