For its first year, True Music Festival made all the right choices. From free water to no over-lapping sets, fans had little room for complaints after spending a beautiful sunny day in Scottsdale, Arizona this past weekend. In only one day, they packed such a diverse range of artists, not including the fantastic vendors and art installations scattered throughout the grounds for festival-goers to explore. The entire day from start to finish was a blast, and here are our top five reasons that True Music Festival was our favorite inaugural event.
5. Amazing Food Vendors & Free Water
Throughout the grounds of Salt River Fields were several different types of food vendors all offering various styles of food. Some of my key favorites were the Island Noodles booth that had wok fired Soba noodles with mixed veggies, and a pizza place that sold New York style slices for only $7 a slice. Good food at a festival has become an absolute must for me, and it was fantastic to watch it being prepared and cooked right in front of you.
Also, there was FREE water. And I don’t mean the pseudo-free, buy a $20 water bottle and we’ll fill it up for you. No, the EMT/medical tent was handing out free plastic water bottles to anyone that wanted one. At 3-4 pm when the Scottsdale sun started warming up, fans were grateful for the free hydration.
4. HAD to Explore
TMF had an ingenious schedule, a full day of artists spread between two stages with no overlapping sets. Even though you could hear the music across the entire property, the line-up was designed so people would move around.
How many times have you been stuck at a stage all day, and don’t even get to see what else the festival had to offer? Since there was such a diverse range of acts, chances were there were a few artists you weren’t dying to see. So, this break was a great time to re-coop, use the bathroom, eat, check out all of the AMAZING live art, or one of the booths, maybe all of the above?
The breaks in the schedule truly made it feel like you were at a festival. This made for a much more relaxing environment, and gave festival-goers a chance to really experience all that TMF had to offer.
3. Awesome VIP Section
This event had one of the best VIP sections I have ever seen, and for the best price. VIP tickets were $130 and included a private viewing area only 4 ft. from the stage, a VIP only bar, exclusive restrooms, and backstage access to VIP area. The “True VIP” packages, which were box suites that rose 12-16 ft. over the grounds for the perfect view. In light of being a “True VIP”, the suites also came with a personal body guard and bottle service.
For the price, getting VIP was 100% worth it. You even got a fancy lanyard that told everyone you were a “very important person”. Next year, be sure to take advantage of this incredible opportunity to be one of TMF’s “True VIPs”.
2. Fantastic Art & Entertainers
The art at this festival was one of the aspects that blew me away the most. There were three classic art cars, of which have only previously made their debut for Burning Man. These were perfect spots for taking a break and resting your feet, you could even climb aboard and enjoy an elevated view atop the roof of the old Volkswagen van.
There were also live art painters, which is something I think should be implemented at every festival. Watching someone display their passion while creating a beautiful work of art is one of the most wonderful gifts we can receive. It was incredible to see a blank canvas transformed into a full-color painting in a matter of a few hours.
Before
A Few Hours Later
As well as the incredible live art, there were also fire dancers, and after Wiz Khalifa performed, fans looked to the skies to catch sky divers dropping in to join the festivities! These extra surprises are what really made the first-annual True Music Festival one to never forget.
1. ‘True’ Music Acts
Of course, the number one reason True Music Festival was our favorite inaugural event was the impeccable line-up. Adorned with soulful live music acts, as well as a few well-name artists that will always bring a large crowd, this year’s musical guest list was truly centered around the power of music. Between the two stages were both huge name acts, as well as local artists. The acts were unique, all entirely different and brought a different vibe to the festival. There were indie funk bands, a bass-heavy DJ, and even a rapper.
The afternoon artists brought the funk and the rock, and kept everyone moving that sunny Saturday in Scottsdale, Arizona. With Lord Huron and GRiZ on the main stage, and Black Carl and the Kopecki Family Band on the Solar Stage; it was a day full of high energy and groovy vibes.
Capital Cities rocked the grounds during the sunset, and it was a fantastic moment to see all of the beautiful colors dancing across the mountains. I’ll admit it, Capital Cities wasn’t really at the top of my list of artists I was excited to see, but ended up being one of my favorite acts of the day. Not only did they have a full live band, but their trumpet player is incredibly talented and their stage presence is amazing. I would definitely recommend catching Capital Cities for a show sometime in the near future.
Once the sun was down, the atmosphere changed. The lights came on, and the grounds were illuminated with magic and fun. The art cars were lit up, the fire dancers came out, and the party was just getting started. Once Wiz Khalifa took the stage, it was time to light up and turn up.
Then, Hello Goodbye rocked out the smaller stage, and when they played “Here (In Your Arms)” my 13-year-old heart lept for joy. After was the pivotal act that many people had been waiting for all day, The Flaming Lips. An act that is an absolute must-see, they take live performance art to the next level. With crowd interactions and art installments unlike any other, seeing The Flaming Lips live is an entirely ethereal experience.
To close out the evening, Bassnectar turned up the bass and mesmerized the crowd with his winding sounds. He played several new tracks such as “Take You Down”, and teased the crowd with a new “Bass Head” remix that is rumored to be appearing on his latest album. He also played some not-so-new favorites like “Freestyle”, “Vava Voom”, and his remix of Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good”.
This diverse range of acts brought a variety of different people. The blending of genres led to a melting pot of unique individuals that came together for one purpose: to enjoy the music. This was an all-ages event, but with a very mature vibe over the grounds. This event was not a drug-centered “rave”, but an eclectic selection of worthwhile true music in a festival that combined all the best parts of an event into an entire experience.
True Music Festival showed that it’s dedicated to bringing a truly musical experience, and in its first year were able to execute a flawless event. This will soon become a festival on everyone’s “must attend” list, especially when you want your festival fix in the middle of December and it’s 70 degrees in Scottsdale, Arizona!
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