Live for music and compelling live performances but not so much the large ‘music festival’ crowd? Joshua Tree Music Festival may have just what you need! This sweet festival, happening since 2003, is unassuming, unpretentious, and as un-mainstream as it comes. Prepare for a festival experience that will leave you feeling rejuvenated and engaged, rather than depleted and overstimulated.
The Desert is Freedom, Music is Power, and Community is Crucial.
This simple but potent phrase underlies everything that Joshua Tree Music Festival is. In the lead up to the 14th Annual Fall Joshua Tree Music Festival, Oct 10-13, festival founder Barnett English elaborates.
The Desert is Freedom. The desert energy is undeniable, calling people to let go, open up, learn, grow, express. This energy is heightened even further at the festival. Potent live music, multidisciplinary musical, movement, and spiritual workshops, interactive art and yoga classes are all invitations for attendees to fully immerse themselves. Space is created to be present, seek connections, ask questions, express yourself. Leave that cell phone in your car until Monday and soak in everything the festival has to offer!
Music is Power. By design, the JTMF line-ups are a diverse, spicy gumbo of talented artists from around the globe. Variety is the spice! The weekend of music is like a live mixtape, sequenced to take you on a joyful ride.
Artists on the rise. Ones you don’t see at other fests. Many of the previous JTMF artists have gone on to have phenomenal music careers (Edward Sharpe, Trombone Shorty, Avett Brothers). So be prepared to have some new favorite bands – yes, plural – and to witness their goose-bump inducing magic up close and real personal!
Some not-to-be-missed performers on the roster for the upcoming 14th Annual Fall Joshua Tree Music Festival Oct 10-13 include; Hill Country trance blues maestros North Mississippi Allstars, New Orleans meets Bay Area soulsters The California Honeydrops, Mongolian heavy metal folk band The Hu on their highly anticipated first North American headline tour, live electro global funkateers Balkan Bump (with a live band), and the afro grooves of the Cole Williams Band.
Community is Crucial. The Joshua Tree Music Festival experience is community-centric, where family and friends share deep connections and communal emotions. In our modern digital times, the festival setting carves
space for much needed real human connection. Happiness and euphoria occur when we are a part of something bigger than us. The capacity for collective joy is encoded into us almost as deeply as the capacity for the love of one human for another. We encourage these shared experiences by having just one stage live at a time, so everyone witnesses a performance together.
“A long weekend of positive vibes, feel-deep tunes, and activities centred on centring yourself (or at least shaking off some of the stress burrs that life so predictably throws our way).” –NBC Los Angeles
“Take a trip to the Joshua Tree Music Festival and you’ll find a different kind of environment…It’s definitely not the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, but that’s kind of the point.” – San Bernardino Sun
“Everywhere I looked, there was an art installation or mural. I realized nobody was fighting and everyone was friends. There was no room for hate. We stepped, swayed, and sang together to gather all the precious moments we could.” –Bolder Beat
The 14th Annual Fall Joshua Tree Music Festival takes place Oct10-13, 2019 at the Joshua Tree Lake RV & Campground, 2601 Sunfair Rd, Joshua Tree, CA. If you’re looking for an event that’s true to its humble beginnings, where you can drop right in and feel like you’ve instantly joined the family, this is it!
More event info and tickets are available at joshuatreemusicfestival.com.
About Joshua Tree Music Festival
Founded in 2003, the Joshua Tree Music Festival takes place every May and October at the gateway to the world-renowned Joshua Tree National Park. The four-day festivals are immersive, inclusive, and inspiring experiences catering to music-loving funsters and families with a sense of adventure. Family and friends come together with passion, purpose and a mission to foster social interaction on a deep level, and to create positive, life-changing moments. For more info log on to: www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com
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Sason ParryArtist / Producer/ Music Editor FSHN Magazinewww.fshnmagazine.com