The McDowell Mountain Music Festival has come a long way in its 14 years. What was primarily a roots and jam festival early on has now blossomed into a mini Bonnaroo of sorts with three days showcasing a variety of genres with quirky modern rock, EDM and jam taking top billing. This year M3F brought top headliners to Margaret Hance Park in Phoenix that included Flume, The Shins, Chromeo, and Grouplove. The lineup also featureed numerous national artists such as Gov’t Mule, Turkuaz, and Bob Moses, The Record Company, Railroad Earth and more.
While the 2016 festival was overshadowed a bit by another Phoenix festival going on the same Saturday (Viva Phoenix), this year festival organizers planned accordingly and laid down the festivals on consecutive weekends. So with McDowell Mountain Music Fest throwing around its new M3 logo and owning downtown Phoenix, it surely laid its foundation as one of the premier small city festivals in the country. It doesn’t hurt that security is chill, making your way to the front of the stage area is effortless and then grabbing beverages and food is possible without missing a song. The booking is usually spot on as each day is carefully laid out to be genre specific within its already eclectic categories. Along with the music, charity is part of the DNA that fuels M3F. From its inception, the Festival has donated over $1,000,000 for local Arizona charities. In the most recent years, M3F has teamed up with two local, family-based nonprofits: Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation and UMOM New Day Center. With all the good things coming behind the music and charity, we shed some light on the five biggest highlights of the weekend.
Second Stage Goes National
This year the festival grew their stage some and instead of being a local stage as in year’s past, it staged national bands on an intimate second stage. With more national bands on the bill, the value of a MF3 ticket increased dramatically. The Record Company (opening arena tour for John Mayer), Turkuaz, Emancipator Ensemble, SunSquabi and Heaps N Heaps were some of the national bands that heated up the stage that was pretty much it own beer garden. The Record Company in particular,proved why they have been making the rounds nationally and why they were nominated forr Best Contemporary Blues Album at the 2017 Grammys.
The Shins – 9 of 11 New Songs
On the day they released a new single “Painting A Hole” from their then forthcoming fifth LP, Heartworms, the new look Shins showed why they belonged as headliners for the second time in four years. Performing nine out of eleven songs from their new LP, The Shins were showcasing their big band sound that was heavy on drums, bass, and other flourishes. James Mercer, hero to the sensitive minded made a lustful and inspiring presence and allowed his wistful voice to transcend the crowd and make all goose bumpy. Although he really is “The Shins,” the newer band members who are more versatile than the Chutes too Narrow days, helped give the band an attacking style, not unlike Broken Bells. Spontaneity played a role too as Mercer effortlessly dropped into Tom Petty’s “American Girl” during a brave rendition of “Wincing the Night Away.”
Govt Mule Greatest Hits For The Newbies
Most fans come to see Mule attack the older catalog of songs but this particular show focused on Gov’t Mule’s greatest hits. If that might have been a disappointment for some, it’s no suprise that Phoenix isnt exactly a jamband hot bed, and what many might consider a predictable show was just what the Doctor ordered for new ears.”Blind Man in the Dark,” “Thorazine Shuffle,” Soulshine” and “Beautifully Broken” were all nailed, although some of the most played tunes in the Mule repertoire. Highlights included an instrumental take on Bob Marley’s “Lively Up Yourself” as well as Radiohead’s “Creep.”
Chromeo Lets It Loose
Having flown out for just the occasion, a Chromeo show is a rare sighting these days as its been a few years since the duo put out anything new. As Saturdays at M3 have transformed into the younger demo day of the fest, Chromeo got people dancing but made it a bit hard to distinguish what was real and what was pre-recorded. The French Canadian funk-dance duo, with lady legs holding their synths up, made no false pretention what their motives were and that was to get the party going and the ladies dancing. Mission Accomplished.
Brunch With Whiskey Myers
With influences strongly coming from Lynyrd Skynyrd and some ‘70’s outlaw countryWhiskey Myers band was full of spirit as they ran through their all too short set. Led by the two Cody’s (Cannon on vocals and Tate on guitar), they’ve released four albums total including 2016’s stellar Dave Cobb produced LP Mud. While most of the youngsters had their fill the night prior with Flume, Whiskey Myers proved the perfect brunch band where the sunshine and roots vibes recharged batteries and got many of the one day ticket holders ready for a more organically band driven Sunday.
