Scratch the surface of Columbus’ music scene and you’ll find countless bands grinding away to build their audiences.
These artists may be small fish in a large pond, but lack of talent isn’t the obstacle to reeling in crowds. Local musician Yacobucci said it’s lack of awareness.
“There are artists in our community making great music who struggle to fill rooms because enough people haven't discovered them yet,” he said.
Project: Sell Out Ohio is a step toward changing that.
The two-concert, multi-artist showcase was conceived by Yacobucci to promote lesser-known acts and encourage the community to support homegrown talent.
The first show was on Oct. 3 in Akron, Yacobucci’s hometown, where “the energy was amazing and the response was incredible,” he said.
Now it’s Columbus’ turn.
The Oct. 10 edition of Project: Sell Out Ohio will take place at Summit Music Hall, 2210 Summit St. Doors will open at 6 p.m.
In addition to Yacobucci, the lineup will include Trek Manifest & The AYE-1 Band, SlimeTimeRich, Malcolm Westmoor, and The Dolfin Folken Street Band.
Ticket prices start at $12.33 at yacobuccimusic.com.
Scoring goals with Columbus Crew
Describing himself as “known to throw as many darts as possible at the wall to see what sticks,” Yacobucci, 26, has always kept several irons in the fire.
He started making music at 17, releasing his first mixtape, “Strong Static,” under the name "Lil Yac." While studying criminal justice at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, he busked in Times Square, subways and other New York City sites.
Yacobucci left college after a semester and lived in LA for four years, learning the ins and out of the music industry before coming to Columbus in 2023.
Eager for community engagement, Yacobucci was seized by an idea when he met Tyler Phillips, former manager of fan culture and development for the Columbus Crew.
“Sports and music are two of the biggest communities in Columbus, so I reached out and threw out the idea of throwing concerts before the Crew games,” he said.
Given the green light, Yacobucci teamed up with fellow local musician Joey Aich to curate a free pregame concert series during the Crew’s 2024 MLS Cup Playoff home matches.
He and Aich partnered again on the “Rhythm & Goals” matchday concert series for the Crew in 2025.
“We had such amazing feedback,” he said. “Some people who worked with the Crew for years said it was the best music they’d ever had before games.”
'Little guys,' big dreams
Yacobucci will be shooting a video later this month; for now, he’s shooting for a packed room at the Summit. But despite its name, Project: Sell Out Ohio isn’t only about ticket sales.
“It’s not just about coming to a cool show, it’s about helping people with bigger dreams," the pop-punk artist explained.
“Even if we don’t sell out, we can say we were able to do this, and (the community was) able to come out and help."
Yacobucci said he hopes Project: Sell Out Ohio will give attendees an appreciation for the Columbus music scene and inspire them to see more lesser-known artists.
"I want to see them showing up for the little guys, the underdogs that are just as good as nationally touring acts," he said.
Contact features and entertainment reporter Belinda M. Paschal at bpaschal@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Project: Sell Out Ohio founder aims to fill Summit Music Hall
