A landmark indie film soundtrack is getting its moment on stage as Zach Braff has announced a 20th-anniversary concert celebration of Garden State. The Grammy-winning compilation will come to life on March 29, 2025, at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre, though not every contributing artist is confirmed to appear.
“It’s been 20 years since my film Garden State came out, and I never could have imagined that the film and the soundtrack would still be resonating with people two decades later,” Braff shared in a promotional video. “So, we had an idea; what if we got together the brilliant musicians from the Garden State soundtrack, live onstage for the first time ever, to raise money for a great cause?”
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The confirmed lineup features an impressive roster of artists from the original soundtrack, including The Shins, Iron & Wine, Frou Frou (featuring Imogen Heap), Colin Hay, Thievery Corporation, Remy Zero, Cary Brothers, Bonnie Somerville, and Sophie Barker from Zero 7, per Deadline. Notably absent from the announced performers is Coldplay, who contributed to the original album. Any appearance by the late Nick Drake, another featured artist on the soundtrack, is obviously impossible, as he passed away fifty years ago.
The concert will benefit The Midnight Mission, a homeless support organization that is combining nostalgia with charitable giving. The soundtrack’s significance extends beyond its commercial success, as it helped introduce a generation of filmgoers to indie music while demonstrating the impact of carefully curated licensed songs in cinema.
The 2004 film, written and directed by Braff during his Scrubs stardom, follows Andrew Largeman, a 26-year-old actor-waiter returning to New Jersey after his mother’s death. The semi-autobiographical story was filmed in Braff’s hometown of South Orange and featured an ensemble cast including Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Ian Holm, Jean Smart, Armando Riesco, Jackie Hoffman, Method Man, Denis O’Hare, Jim Parsons, and Ann Dowd.
Music played a central role in crafting the film’s emotional landscape, with Braff personally selecting tracks that reflected his creative vision. His connection to music was also evident in Scrubs, where Colin Hay, who appears on the Garden State soundtrack, made several appearances performing different songs.
While the event promises “special guests,” speculation remains about potential appearances by Braff and Portman, whose presence would add another exciting element to the celebration of this cultural touchstone.
Tickets for this one-night-only event are currently available through both the Greek Theatre’s website and Ticketmaster.