"Have Fun - Do Good!"
The 9th Annual McDowell Mountain Music Festival
By Mariah Fleming and Dave Cooper
Along with the Valley's beautiful spring weather, it's the season for one of the premiere music festivals of the year. Come on out to the McDowell Mountain Music Festival, have fun, and become part of their festival motto. "Have Fun - Do Good!"
On April 13-15, the Compound Grill in north Scottsdale will host the 9th Annual McDowell Mountain Music Festival. The 3-day music festival features live performances by more than a dozen bands from all over the country. Since 2004, the McDowell Mountain Music Festival has become one of the Valley’s preeminent destinations for a 3-day celebration of music, arts, and food.
This family-friendly event features, among other things, multiple stages, a marketplace, drum circles, silent auctions, raffles and kid’s activities. Aside from being an entertaining event, the MMMF is especially worthy of support. The MMMF donates 100% of the proceeds from the festival to Valley-based non profit organizations. The mission of the MMMF is to help support the community, the arts, and the underprivileged. Proceeds from this event will go to Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Ear Candy Charity.
Although the McDowell Mountain Music Festival is held in the Compound Grill’s parking lot, the asphalt undergoes an extraordinary transformation. Roll upon roll of lush, living sod is laid upon the asphalt to create an urban, park-like oasis. Maintaining a constant flow of music, two outdoor stages will host the bulk of live performances, alternating between acts. The Main Stage presents well-known and national acts. For the seventh straight year, Creamy Radio, a Valley-based Internet radio station, presents up-and-coming local bands and artists on the Creamy Radio Stage. Inside the Compound Grill, their stage will host live music throughout the festival. Separate ticket purchases are required for these shows.
The main stage kicks off late Friday afternoon from 5:00-6:00pm with Endoplasmic, a musical collective that prides itself on improvisation. This dance band is sure to get things jumping . Next up, from 6:30-8:00pm, the celebrated Los Angeles culture-mashers Ozomatli hit the stage. This fourteen year old band has long followed a key mantra: they will take you around the world by taking you around the L.A. urban Latino-and-beyond sound. The members of Ozomatli have gone from being hometown heroes to being named U.S. State Department Cultural Ambassadors. Now that's cool!
After Ozomatli, Galactic follows from 8:30-10:30pm. Formed eighteen years ago in New Orleans, they cut their teeth playing the biggest party in America: Mardi Gras. Closing out Friday night’s live music is Motet, performing a late-night, after hours gig from 11:00pm – 1:00am inside the Compound Grill. The Motet sound is rooted in jazz, afrobeat, funk, salsa and samba, The Motet keeps their audiences in a dancing frenzy by layering house and techno rhythms into a style that is uniquely their own. (Separate ticket is required.)
The Creamy Radio Stage fills in the gaps in the main stage schedule nicely, with up and coming Arizona bands. PHX, from 5:50-6:30pm, takes its influences from rock, blues, funk, reggae, and latin. This is a high energy sonic blend of music with no boundaries.
On Saturday, opening the main stage from 12:00-12:45pm are The Nameless Prophets, who burst on to the Arizona music scene in 2010 and have since played over a thousand shows. Tramps and Thieves follow from 1:00-1:45pm, bringing their unique southwestern sound. Tramps and Thieves continues to play to packed houses, including shows with Jason Isbell, Los Guys, Shurman, Ghetto Cowgirl and one of Arizona's most treasured bands, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers. Next up from 2:00-3:00pm is Trevor Hall. Hall’s music is an unconventional mix of acoustic rock and reggae that serves as a vibrant landscape for his thought-provoking, inspiring lyrics. Musically, Hall's music spans several genres.
Anders Osborne, a musician from Sweden who came to settle in New Orleans, takes the stage from 4:00-5:30. His music illustrates that sometimes, the most interesting and true portraits of American life come from those who have come from outside our borders. Osborne has worked his magic for other performers, writing “I Was Wrong” and “A Better Man” both Grammy-winning songs from Keb’ Mo’s album Slow Down. Big Head Todd and the Monsters, an Arizona favorite, bring their funky, lilting, and melodic sound from 6:00 - 8:00pm. Wrapping up main stage events, from 8:30 -10pm, the Dark Star Orchestra draws from the extensive catalog of Grateful Dead songs. Touring nationwide for eleven years, the band’s commitment to “raising the Dead” has drawn national media attention.
On the Creamy Radio Stage Saturday from 12:45-1:15pm, it’s Synaptic Soul. Founded by musician and professional music therapist Stephanie Bianchi after years of observing the profound transformative and healing effects of music, this group came together to use music as a vehicle for local, national, and international causes. From 3:20-4:30pm, Future Loves Past is up. 
Musically best described by the term “Harmony Rock,” the band creates rich and complex harmonies with five voices, over interesting, upbeat melodic hooks that make you groove. From Prescott, Spafford takes the stage from 7:50 to 8:30pm. Using captivating vocal harmonies, unique riffs, and solos from each member of the band, Spafford is known for “bringing the jam” wherever they go. Inside the Compound Grill, Saturday night’s after hours show features the eclectic EOTO from 11:00pm–1:00am. This 100% improvised dubstep/breakbeat/house/drum & bass/trip-hop duo is the country's premier late-night party band. A separate ticket is required for this show.
On Sunday, with gates opening at 11:00am, the McDowell Mountain Music Festival features main stage gigs starting at 12:00-1:30pm. First in the line up are the critically acclaimed Carolina Chocolate Drops. Rolling Stone Magazine described the Carolina Chocolate Drops’ style as “dirt-floor-dance electricity”. Ask the band, and they'll tell you that is what matters most: yes, banjos and black string musicians first got here on slave ships, but now this is everyone’s music. Next, Bob Schneider performs from 2:00-3:30pm. Schneider's many faces are revealed through his solo work and through the bands that he fronts – The Scabs (performing this year at the Austin City Limits Music Festival), Texas Bluegrass Massacre, and Lonelyland.
From 4:00-5:30pm, Soulive, brothers Alan and Neal Evans, on drums and Hammond B-3 organ, respectively, form two-thirds of this soul/groove trio. Rounding out the group is Eric Krasno on guitar. Then slamming it home for main stage performances, from 6:00-8:00 pm The Travelin’ McCourys with Keller Williams tear it up. The Travelin’ McCourys are the latest incarnation of the most awarded band in the history of bluegrass – The Del McCoury Band. Keller Williams is respected as one of the most innovative solo singer/songwriters of this generation.
From 3:20 to 4:00 pm, Decker hits the Creamy Radio Stage. Crafting songs that are not quite rock, not quite folk, his acoustic-based psychedelic Americana balladry draws upon a variety of influences; from Leonard Cohen to Tom Waits, and Cat Power to PJ Harvey. Next commanding the Creamy Radio stage, from 5:20-6:00pm, Flagstaff's hot Voluntary String Band. The VSB has shared the stage with many of the West’s finest modern roots-oriented bands. They've played three of the much anticipated annual Pickin’ in the Pines Bluegrass and Acoustic Music Festivals in Flagstaff, where they shared the stage with the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience, Chatham County Line, Crooked Still, the Claire Lynch Band, the Steep Canyon Rangers, Run Boy Run and their local buddies Muskellunge Bluegrass.
Being a top-notch festival, you can expect lots of other things to experience. Drum circles will be conducted at various times during the festival. There is an arts and crafts marketplace that will be fun to browse. Event items and other things will also be for sale. Beer gardens and food stations will be on the property. And the kids will have fun things to explore.
Two non profit charities will benefit from this year's McDowell Mountian Music Festival.
Phoenix Children’s Hospital which has been serving the Valley and the Southwest region since 1983 is well known for excellence in providing specialized healthcare and treatment for children. Phoenix Children's Hospital is known nationwide, receiving accolades and high rankings in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals issue. Ear Candy Charity was founded in 2007 by Nate Anderson. Ear Candy continually works to provide greater access to music education with several innovative programs such as Instrument Drives®, Backstage Class®, musical field trips and other activities. You can read our recent interview with Ear Candy founder Nate Anderson which was featured on MusicandMore AZ.com in 2011.
For complete MMMF information including tickets, parking, do's and dont's on what to bring and any schedule changes, and to learn more about the McDowell Mountain Music Festival’s history, check the MMMF website. A lineup with expanded artist bios is available there. And don't forget, if you want to make a weekend of it, take advantage of the special lodging accommodations available near the Compound Grill/MMMF festival site at the Sleep Inn of Scottsdale.