From the start, concerts and unique live performance events have been the heartbeat of Music in Common. Our band is comprised of a rotating cast of all-star musicians and human beings who believe fervently in the power of music to connect people regardless of their differences. The venues we perform at are as diverse as the musicians in the band and the people in the audience. Festivals, performing arts centers, universities, coffeehouses, music clubs, street corners, houses of worship, living rooms, community centers, and even a bomb shelter are just a sampling of the places where we’ve made music (see venue listing below). But the common denominator between them all is audience members connecting with one another, leaving our shows inspired and hopeful (see testimonials below).

Music in Common’s genre-blending concerts showcase the many songs that have come out of our JAMMS sessions and other programs as well as originals written by band members and select covers aligned with the spirit of MIC to connect and uplift. The band tours as an acoustic duo all the way up to an eight-piece electric band and everything in between.

New York City is not known for being delicate, but Manhattan-born singer-songwriter Leo Sawikin breaks that mold. His soulful explorations of life’s highs and lows, of love’s exuberance and humbling loss, take listeners on achingly familiar journeys.

On stage, Leo is accompanied by his brother William Sawikin, aka Professional Extra, on keyboards, drummer Max Yassky (Skorts /Abby Jeanne), bassist Nick Katz (BRKN LOVE) and Josh Cruz (Shyness / Blac Rabbit) on lead guitar. In the recording studio, Leo and the band’s sound has been honed by master producer Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes / The Shins / Built to Spill), across three projects, including the recently released EP, The Edge of Everything, as well as on his upcoming 2027 full length album. “Burning Love,” the first single off this record, is out now.

In 2024, “Till You’re Somebody Else,” the title track off Leo’s last album, reached #1 on the Mediabase A/C Independent Artists Chart and #26 on Billboard’s AC Chart. Another highlight of that album was Leo’s most streamed track to date, “The Same Mistakes,” which still resonates with fans globally, from the U.S. and U.K. to Brazil to Indonesia. Celeb Mix raved, “…a low-slung, softly gleaming guitar topped by Sawikin’s oh-so evocative voice, at once tender and wistful…rolls into a delicious, throbbing rhythm.”

Recently, Leo has toured the country opening solo for fellow singer-songwriter Jon McLaughlin at such storied venues as NYC’s City Winery and LA’s Troubadour. When he’s not on the road, Leo and the band can be found playing the city’s small, buzzy clubs and sought-after secret house parties. If you’re lucky enough to catch them, you’ll be treated to ballads and bangers that bring an indie edge to a classic pop sensibility. In between gigs, Leo can often be spotted at the Union Square Greenmarket, sourcing the best ingredients for one of his famous pasta dinners.