Watch Sundance ASCAP Music Café Highlights From Chris Stapleton, St. Vincent, Mikel Jollet, MILCK And More

The Sundance Film Festival wrapped up its virtual events this weekend with showcases of a wide variety of upcoming thrillers, comedies, documentaries and tug-at-your-heartstrings dramas. Music is always a big part of the festivities, as songs and music scores provide critical cues for mood and advancing storylines.

In lieu of live in-person performances this year, ASCAP’s Sundance Music Café was an online affair for all registered attendees. Now that the event has wrapped, though, ASCAP is sharing the music for all to see and hear on their YouTube page. Compelling new music from Airbone Toxic Event frontman Mikel Jollett, Pedrito Martinez, Time For Three and Hailey Whitters are a few of this year’s debuts. The performing rights organization also opened its vaults, going back to 2007 and sharing rarely seen performances from Chris Stapleton, The Civil Wars, St. Vincent, David Gray, ZZ Ward and more.

While all the performances have their own unique intimacy, some of the highlights include: St. Vincent looping vocals before attacking the guitar and playing lead lines sans guitar pick on “Jesus Saves, I Spend” at a 2011 showcase; under the radar artist MILCK delivering a powerful rendition of her song “Quiet,” a song “for anyone who’s been silenced,” which went viral during the 2017 Women’s March; and Chris Stapleton performing his underrated song “If It Hadn’t Been For Love” from a 2014 CMA songwriters in the round format, which also included Lee Ann Womack, Brett James and Brandy Clark.

The performances are free to view on ASCAP’s YouTube music page. Watch videos of Chris Stapleton, St. Vincent, MILCK, Mikel Jollett, Sting, Pedrito Martinez and David Gray below.

Chris Stapleton – If It Hadn’t Been For Love – Sundance ASCAP Music Café – Through the Years (2014)

St. Vincent – Jesus Saves, I Spend / Sundance ASCAP Music Café – Through the Years

David Gray – Babylon / Sundance ASCAP Music Café – Through the Years (2012)

MILCK – Quiet / Sundance ASCAP Music Café – Through the Years (2019)

Mikel Jollett – Duet – Sundance ASCAP Music Café 2021

Sting – Every Breath You Take / Sundance ASCAP Music Café – Through the Years (2016)

Pedrito Martinez – Tuve Una Revelación (I Had a Dream) – Sundance ASCAP Music Café 2021

“This unique opportunity to showcase the music and composers that bring stories to life across global screens makes this event so special to ASCAP,” said Loretta Muñoz, ASCAP Assistant Vice President, Membership. “In our 23rd year, the Sundance ASCAP Music Café continues its dedication to shining the spotlight on the magical relationship of music and film. Though we can’t all be together in person this time, we are super excited to once again share performances from some of our favorite new talents with an even wider audience, engage some of our leading composers in conversation and also share an entertaining look back on the Cafe’s incredibly rich history of stunning and unforgettable performances.”

The full playlist of artist performances below can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/c/ascap/

Swell Season – 2007 – Falling Slowly (5:51) 
Damien Rice – 2009 – Cannonball (3:27)
The Civil Wars – 2011 – From This Valley (3:23)
Rodriguez – 2012 – Sugar Man (2:15)
Ryan Miller (Guster) with Mike Viola – 2012 – Satellite (3:36)
David Gray – 2012 – Babylon (4:40)
Jon Batiste And Stay Human 2013 – St. James Infirmary (7:32)
Brandy Clark – 2014 – Hold My Hand (4:03)
Chris Stapleton – 2014 – If It Hadn’t Been For Love (3:46)
Leon Bridges – 2015 – Let You Down (2:02)
Sting with J. Ralph – 2016 – Every Breath You Take (4:32)
Yoshiki of X Japan – 2016 – Endless Rain (7:04)
Antonique Smith – 2017 – All We Really Have Is Now (2:58)
Lakeih Stanfield (Moors) – 2018 – Kingdom (3:54)
Seidah Garrett – 2018 – Man in the Mirror (5:31)
Anthony Ramos – 2018 – Freedom (6:16)
Blaze (Ethan Hawke, Charlie Sexton And Ben Dickey) – 2018 – Clay Pigeons (4:15)
Milck – 2019 – Quiet (7:30)
Fantastic Negrito – 2019 – The Shadows (4:43)
Seu Jorge and Jaques Morelenbaum– 2019 – S’Wonderful (5:30)
ZZ Ward – 2020 – The Dark (2:55)
Jorge Arago and Gene Back – 2020 – Improvisation (4:21)
Matt Berninger of The National – 2020 – Serpentine Prison (4:26)