When downtown Phoenix comes alive, McDowell Mountain Music Festival is one of the liveliest events that caters to those who love to live it up. It’s a place for love to foster, music to vibe, and for the sun to shine, all in the name of a good cause. Headliners comprised of Passion Pit, Trampled by Turtles, Widespread Panic, Beats Antique, Thievery Corporation, Portugal. The Man and more, made for a wide variety of genres.
The scheduling worked perfectly to showcase local bands in 30-minute intervals between the main stage acts. The local band spotlight exhibited and encouraged local talent in a really cool mood. This allowed for 30 minutes of main stage set-up, a bathroom break, and a drink fill-up. Deschutes Brewery offered their family owned brews to the masses; and the masses seemed happy to raise their glasses each time the Deschutes guy got up on stage to toast charity.
Something particular to the MMMF 2015 lineup was the authenticity of the music. For the most part, almost all of it was performed live, which is impressive in today’s entertainment industry. Phantogram and Passion Pit certainly were the most enwrapped in their acts. Portugal. The Man and Trampled By Turtles backed that up with a fluid style.
To say the least, MMMF brought together an eclectic group, and that group bonded. We became one over the beautiful sunsets and the continuous smiles. The smiles ever-encourage those dancing feet around. It all brings about a feeling that is best described: a unity of uniqueness.