The first thing one has to immediately acknowledge about Gem and Jam Festival is how much this desert gathering has evolved and come into its own over the course of 10 years. What started as a handful of geological enthusiasts throwing their own party after the world renowned gem show, has matured into quite the event.
Upon first receiving the Gem and Jam festival lineup, I was pleasantly surprised by how many notable international acts were going to be keeping the party moving over the course of three days. The Gem and Jam 2016 lineup had a fantastic blend of artists that shined light on many local up-and-comers, as well as, big names like Beats Antique, acid jazz pioneer Mark Farina, or Tycho (who was performing a DJ set, rather than a live band rendition).
A standout set for this author with was Sunday’s headliner, Lettuce. These guys are the gangsters of funk. Adam Deitch, (who was pulling double duty with his other band, Break Science, with bandmate, Borahm Lee) brings his formidable technicality to the drum kit, while E.D. Coomes on bass rounded out the rhythm section. These guys were chopping up grooves so hard that the thought crossed my mind that this brand of funk is probably illegal in some countries. You know, the kind of funk that has you contorting your face and wrinkling your nose from the pure nastiness being unleashed on the crowd.
I personally enjoyed nearly every artist on the bill at Gem and Jam Festival. From the Desert Dwellers bringing their visceral tribal trance to the dusty dance floor, to Brothers Gow returning to their home state and always keeping their set full of surprises and closing their performance with a cover of Beastie Boys’ “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party),” and local boys, Spafford, who have become an incredibly impressive jam experience since their early days of playing clubs around northern Arizona, every band did their part and a whole lot more.
The Gem and Jam Festival grounds themselves were easy enough to navigate, too. There were two main stages essentially separated by the Onyx building that acted as the main performance hall for DJ sets, along with other vendors and lounges dotting the landscape. We’ve all been to mega festivals that have us trekking 20 miles throughout the weekend, so having such a stellar collection of artists and musicians in a more intimate layout is a welcome change of pace. When I was torn, for example, between Nahko & Medicine for the People on the Quartz Stage and Spafford on the Jade Stage, I was able to dart back and forth and enjoy a musical two-for-one. You know, the crushing feeling of compromise when you have a to choose between two great headliners, and have to show up an hour early so you’re close enough that the musicians don’t look like Lego’s? Not at Gem and Jam Festival!
The only part of the experience that I noticed was having its challenges were the campsites. Being in a climate drier than a popcorn fart had the camping population enduring a rather dusty weekend. Oh well, the primary demographic looked like they would be headed to Burning Man in August, so a little dust just comes with the territory. For those looking to keep the party going into the wee hours of the morning, there were plenty of late night sets from a host of performers at various locations off-site.
And the Jams weren’t complete without the Gems; Gem and Jam Festival is as much about the vendors, sculptors, painters, visual performers, jewelers and other wonderful craftspeople, as it is about the music. Plenty of eye candy surrounded me as I casually strolled the festival grounds over the course of the weekend.
Flagstaff native, Bonz Blessit, lead OrgoneEyez booth carried an astounding array of energy healing pendants (also props on having the hands-down coolest custom-made A-Frame business sign!), while another vendor was demonstrating his impressive custom ball cap line made from exotic textiles from around the world. Visual performers were coming correct with impressive aerial silk shows, and, there was even one badass human on a unicycle wearing a praying mantis outfit (props on best theme outfit, my man!).
Watching live painters while enjoying the music was endlessly rewarding, and I managed to fill my pocket with plenty of business cards should I ever make enough money to start filling my house with the stellar pieces of artists like Carey Thompson or Chris Dyer.
With plenty of art and music from an impressively diverse collection of genres, Gem and Jam Festival stands out as my Manny Pacquiao of festivals. It packs an impressive punch for its relatively modest size. Kudos to all the amazing individuals that made this year such an enjoyable experience. If you have the means to make it to Gem and Jam 2017 in the southern desert, I recommend you do so.
