Jam Bands Take Flight at Arizona’s McDowell Mountain Music Festival

This week it’s the McDowell Mountain Music Festival from Phoenix, Arizona. And if it’s Arizona, longtime ND readers will know right off the bat that C. Elliott will be there to share her photos with us. 

Now in its 14th year, the festival is a nonprofit whose belief system is based on community, culture, and charity. Geographically, it is located in a modest-sized outdoor space in downtown Phoenix, between the library and an arts center. It is also perhaps the most family-friendly music festival I am aware of, lots of families around, at least during the daytime. So much so that what money it sees above expenses goes to a children’s hospital and a day-care center.

Much to the city’s credit, and as with many other locales, Phoenix has embraced the festival knowing that music festivals are part of a city’s vibrant community – both culturally and economically

It also has an interesting lineup, from headliners The Shins and Gov’t Mule to the duo Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold that draws its name from a Townes Vam Zandt song.

What follows is Elliott’s highlights of the festival, with photos below. While it’s a three-day festival, Saturday was devoted to electronica and other music that was so loud that it would have required earmuffs to shoot. As ear-guards were not in her camera bag, she sat that day out. I understand only too well — we only get one pair of ears.

Friday

The Shins headlined for a second time in five years. Following their their first well-received release in 2011, Mercer, the only original member of the band, and company released their latest a year to the day before their set here. They have seen a bit of a turnaround. Starting off as a reaction to the sense of playful irony they saw as pervading the indie scene, they now contrast their own, and others’, earlier sense of self-importance. 

Always rebelling against something, like Brando in The Wild One, Mercer, when he was asked what was he rebelling against, nonplused, replied, “Whadaya got.” Similarly, not a question, but a statement. The Shins do it their way, pretty well I might add, mixing up those new tunes with older ones to the crowd’s delight.

The Record Company was wonderful. They played high-energy blues explosion mixed with roots, rock and roll, and a bit of punk thrown in for good measure. The trio is led by singer-guitarist Chris Vos, who also plays lap steel and blues harmonica. They played their hits, including “Rita Mae Young” and “Off the Ground,” and even threw in a blues-rocking cover of the Beastie Boys’ “So What Cha Want.” If this band comes to your area, you definitely want to check them out.

Sunday

The first band of the day was a local favorite Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold, the guitar and banjo-rocking duo of Tyler Matock and Jesse Young, who mix bluegrass with blues with a rock sensibility. Before going for broke on “Orange Blossom Special,” they told the crowd, “We’re going to play fast and loud, if that’s OK.” Why is it that everyone seems ask a crowd if something is OK, if they are going to do it anyway? That out of the system, they gave a spirited set, ending with two similarly titled blues classics with “killing floor” in them. The kicker here, of course, is the omnipresence of the banjo in all of this. One of last year’s unexpected treasures was Red Tail Ring’s use of the banjo on Skip James’ “I’d Rather Be the Devil.” I think folks are finally catching on that the banjo can be used in in many different ways to great satisfaction.

Whiskey Myers are Southern rock/blues revivalists. They were truly amazing, from lead singer Cody Cannon’s raspy vocals to their several excellent dual-guitar harmonies. There are seven players in the band, and most were rocking sunglasses, beards, cowboy boots, and cowboy hats. Cannon sported a Willie Nelson T-shirt and collectively looked like a bunch you’d not want to meet in a dark alley. 

They’ve been called Southern-rock revivalists, but I wonder where those folks are from — the Allman Brothers were just the start of the genre. It is going strong. The highlight was definitely a drawn-out “Headstone.” Wow.

The newgrass band Railroad Earth’s set was, as always, a jam-band stage performance, with the band improvising on traditional bluegrass instruments — banjo (again), fiddle, mandolin, and upright bass. Withe the spirit of the Dead always present in their music, they mixed a bluegrassy “Dandelion Wine” and wandered blissfully though “Chasin’ a Rainbow.”

The highlight of their set was when Warren Haynes sat in, playing slide guitar on two of the songs. Included was perhaps the singular line spoken/sung from the stage that weekend: “You can add my voice to the voices of those who have had enough.” Leaving no doubt which side they are on.

Haynes returned, of course, with Gov’t Mule, to close out the festival. Haynes is one of rock’s most talented and legendary guitarists. There’s good reason why Haynes identifies as a jam-band musician, as that’s what he does best. That best came early in the “Mountain Jam” that also touched base with, of all people, Donovan’s “Mountain” song. As if to make the point that a jam band knows no limits or borders. They also, more characteristically, mixed in Bob Marley, Howlin’ Wolf, and Led Zeppelin. 

It was more than a fitting climax to a climatic weekend in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. Not a flatbed Ford in sight.

Now check out C. Elliott’s festival photos.