The Inaugural Zona Music Festival Epitomizes “The Show Must Go On”
When it rains, it pours — even in Phoenix, Arizona, where the inaugural Zona Music Festival welcomed thousands of fans who sloshed through the mud to see the indie-heavy lineup of artists on December 3rd and 4th.
The city’s Margaret T. Hance Park is no stranger to festivals, playing host to local institution M3F Fest and The Maine’s 8123 Fest, plus artisan markets and food-related events. That’s to say it makes for the perfect location for a spectacle like Zona. And it’s a large factor in the equation of why the Valley was optimistic about a new music festival: an experienced promoter in Psyko Steve, little to no regional competition, and a slew of bands who are either from Phoenix or have solid fan bases here. Also, in theory, good weather in early December.
Alas, light to moderate rain permeated the first day of Zona and could have impacted the turnout, but fans from near and far showed up in their limited weatherproof gear and made this first event one to remember. We were on site all weekend and caught bands from the main stage all the way to the vendor village at the edge of the grounds.
Here’s a taste of what you missed.
The Setup
Four stages named after Arizona musicians: Nicks, Ronstadt, Mingus, and Eddy. A dozen food trucks hawking goods from craft pizza to Korean hot dogs. A pop-up arcade modeled after Cobra Arcade Bar with free Pac-Man, Galaga, and plenty of other classic games. Recreations of downtown Phoenix’s other can’t-miss watering holes. An entire vendor village featuring Zia Records and small boutiques. Lawn games and coloring. Twelve thousand steps per day of things to see and do.
The Locals
A key differentiator of Zona Music Festival was the space it gave its beloved local acts. For those unfamiliar, Phoenix has a strong music scene with both established bands (hi, Jimmy Eat World) and up-and-comers who graced the stages all weekend.
Sydney Sprague kicked off her tour on Saturday on the Nicks main stage as the sky opened up. And Miniature Tigers brought the 2013 nostalgia for their second post-pandemic set, complete with “Swimming Pool Blues” and “Tell it to the Volcano.” The set was especially significant for Arizona State alumni who were involved in the university’s radio station, where MiniTigs were in heavy rotation.
Sunday was an all-time day for Phoenicians when “sparkly pop rockers” Diva Bleach opened up the festival followed by Breakup Shoes and Hhharpies. The bands’ friends mingled easily with early arrivals, creating sizable and enthusiastic crowds. Later at sunset, Arizona-raised, L.A.-based Upsahl gave a shoutout to her hometown and thanked the crowd for giving her the opportunity to pursue music full time.
Also on the bill? Playboy Manbaby, Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra, Black Carl, Pariah Pete, Snailmate, and Glixen. There was no shortage of acts who have called Arizona home.
The Hits
Headliners Beach House and Portugal. The Man drew massive crowds, each with their own distinct vibes. Beach House in the rain was just as dreamy as you’d think with blue light twinkling through the mist and the crowd rapt and unblinking. A direct contrast, Portugal. The Man’s fans danced their way through “Purple Yellow Red and Blue,” “Live in the Moment,” and smash success “Feel it Still.”
At the other end of the grounds, the Eddy stage was consistently packed with festivalgoers who wanted to experience the lesser-known acts. Mothé’s crowd was having the time of their lives on Sunday afternoon, and the area was almost full for Luna Aura’s evening set. It was a nice surprise to see the popularity of the smallest stage and the foot traffic it provided the vendor village and the local-focused beer garden.
Of course, the musical hits were also some of the weekends’ highlights: “Monday” by The Regrettes, “Hold Me Down” by The Happy Fits, “Cradles” by Sub Urban, and “hold on” by flor. And we’d be remiss to not mention Beach Goons’ cover of “La Bamba,” which made the already wild crowd go fully feral.
The Misses
Not failures, but rather the acts that were literally missing. Lucy Dacus was the first to pull out of the festival, citing back issues. Tegan and Sara were close behind when Sara came down with the coronavirus. So did Waxahatchee.
Early speculation on the changing lineup and the weather forecast had us thinking Arizona’s new festivals might be cursed. But despite the rain and the acts dropping like flies, Zona was quick to respond with schedule changes that gave crews a bit more wiggle room for changeovers.
Perhaps the biggest miss — this time talking failures — was the lack of water. Hydration stations were set up throughout the grounds and then never refilled. Updated protocols allowed sealed water bottles and re-entry, but staying hydrated would have been far easier with onsite refills.
The Iconic Line
Nothing will top Bleachers closing out “I Miss Those Days” and hearing Jack Antonoff take the mic and yell, “And f*** Kanye West! We are not the Jews from back then; we will beat the sh** out of you!”
The line came halfway through an incredibly memorable set featuring Antonoff’s dad on guitar, the anthemic “Rollercoaster,” and a cover of Tegan and Sara’s “Call it Off” with a guest appearance by Bartees Strange. The stage also lost power during “Stop Making This Hurt,” but the crowd carried the band through the song acapella style. On a personal note, the performance was very special.
The Outlook
Zona Music Festival has a real future in Phoenix, judging by the reception it got from Valley fans and travelers. There were plenty of challenges, but aside from a few hostile fans on social media, attendees took the fluctuations in stride and (very literally) danced in the rain.
The lineup alone shows potential for longevity with solid picks who largely fit the off-the-beaten-path theme — not too trendy, not a flash in the pan. And around every corner was an opportunity for discovery.
All in all, kicking off Arizona’s tourist season with a music festival in the middle of the thriving arts district might finally break the curse. Only time will tell.
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