As a resident of the state of Arizona, I feel we sometimes get quite neglected when it comes to great national music acts. I often have to travel to Colorado or California to see a live show of any of the bands I love…so, it’s with great anticipation that I tell you about the 5th annual McDowell Mountain Music Festival, which takes place this weekend (4/25 & 4/26) at Westworld Polo Grounds in Scottsdale, AZ. Gates open at 12 noon on Friday. The music begins at 1:30 p.m. and will continue until 11 p.m. If you plan on arriving early on Friday, don’t miss the Hooky Happy Hour inside Fender Village from 2-7 p.m.! Some people might go just for the wine and tequila tasting, or the free appetizers from Salty Senorita – but I have a feeling most people will go to enjoy some air conditioning while listening to some great acoustic music! On Saturday, gates open at 10 a.m. The music starts at 11 a.m. and will continue until 11 p.m. If you take advantage of the on-site camping (RV and tent), you won’t have to travel far after the music ends!
General Admission tickets are $55 per day (or $95 if you buy a 2 day pass). VIP passes are $200 per day and include unlimited food, 12 drink tickets, access to poser deck (side-stage), private restrooms, and comfy seating and shaded areas! The price of admission is definitely well worth all the activities this festival has to offer!! Speaking of shade – the weather is supposed to be beautiful! It’s supposed to be sunny with blue skies both days and temps in the upper 90s (don’t forget your sunscreen)!! Last year, an incredible dust storm moved through Saturday afternoon. Although it caused a brief pause in the live music, the show went on after the storm and everyone had an amazing time!
They are expecting about 10,000 attendees this year, which makes this a smaller, more intimate festival. You can really get as close to the stage as you want!!! There will be a great variety of music which will showcase well-known national acts, as well as 4 local AZ bands! You can get your fill of anything from rock & roll to soul…from reggae to bluesy funk. And just wait until John Popper starts blowing on that harmonica! You’re in for a treat!!!
Every festival always has one or two surprises for me…the surprise for me last year at MMMF was Grace Potter and the Nocturnals! I couldn’t be happier to see them back on the lineup this year! You’ll see what I mean as soon as she opens her mouth to start singing (if you haven’t been lucky enough to see them live previously). There are 2 bands playing this year that I haven’t had the privilege of seeing live yet: Robert Randolph & the Family Band, and the John Butler Trio. I am very familiar with their music and I have heard amazing things about their live performances, so I can’t wait to witness it with my own eyes and ears!
Here is the lineup for the festival so you can be sure to catch your favorite bands!
Friday, April 25th
1:30 pm to 2:15 pm – Mikel Lander & Meridith Moore w/ Friends
2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. – Steve Reynolds Band
3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. – the subdudes
5:00 pm to 6:30 pm – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. – Robert Randolph & the Family Band
9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. – Gov’t Mule
Saturday, April 26th
11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. – Peppermint James
12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. – Mojo Farmers
1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. – Toubab Krewe
3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. – JJ Grey & MOFRO
5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. – The Wailers
7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. – Blues Traveler
9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. – John Butler Trio
One other unique thing about MMMF is the Best Seat in the House raffle! You can purchase a raffle ticket for $10 and be entered to win 2 seats on the stage during your favorite band’s performance! The winners will also get free food and drinks while rockin’ out on stage!
One other unique thing about MMMF is the Best Seat in the House raffle! You can purchase a raffle ticket for $10 and be entered to win 2 seats on the stage during your favorite band’s performance! The winners will also get free food and drinks while rockin’ out on stage!There is also a Silent Auction, Marketplace, VIP Area, and Kid’s Zone. There will be a huge drum circle 2 times each day! Check the schedule and bring your drum!!! Creamy Radio is also hosting an acoustic stage and there will be 6 different acts throughout the 2 days! So, there will be plenty of things to check out during your stay at MMMF!
The best thing about this festival, besides all the terrific music acts, is the fact that all the proceeds go to charity! This year, the two charities are Phoenix Day (http://phoenixday.org) and Golden Gate Community Center (http://www.goldengatecenter.org). So, get out and support great live music while giving to some wonderful charities!
Be sure to check out the official MMMF website at http://www.mmmf.net for more information!
I can’t wait to see you all there!!!