Joshua Tree Music Festival returns to Joshua Tree National Park May 15 – 18
Independent music festival based in the Joshua Tree National Park is celebrating 12 years of bringing together a unique assortment of unsigned acts with Southern California music fans. This year’s festival takes place May 15 to May 18 features on-site camping, a full spectrum of daily yoga classes, didgeridoo play-shops and a global market.
Founded in 2002 by music enthusiast Barnett English, who boasts that the festival is run on corporate-free, community-centric power, focusing on up-and-coming artists. The festival has showcased many about-to-break names, from Deer Tick to Trombone Shorty, Edward Sharpe to Brett Dennen, the Avett Brothers to Toubab Krewe. Also among the diverse festival music have been legends such as Robbie Krieger (Doors), Thomas Mapfumo, Bernie Worrell (P-Funk, Talking Heads) and Eric Burdon (Animals).
On the music bill this year is the transcendent buoyancy of Nahko & Medicine for the People, live electronica from Future Rock, tribal beats of Australia’s Oka, Oumar Konate from Mali, Grammy Award winners La Santa Cecilia, house music pioneer Miguel Migs, gritty urban electro soul from Fly Moon Royalty, the anthemic and timeless Random Rab, the psychedelic bluegrassy space funk of the Magic Beans, the power-soul-punk songstress Elle King and from New Orleans the raging funk and roll experience that is The Revivalists among many more taking the festival stage.
Click here for more information on the full line-up, schedules and festival activities http://www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com. English took some time out of his busy schedule to talk to the OC Concert Guide about running a music festival and what is happening at this year’s event.
OCCG: When did the idea for the festival first come about and why in Joshua Tree?
BE: I have been traveling to music festivals selling organic coffee/tea/espresso with JavaGogo, a coffee company I started in ’93. I have been to over 600 music festivals and counting. Big, small, purple, yellow, all types. When I woke up one day at the Joshua Tree Lake Campground, I looked around and thought this would be a great place for a music festival. Beautiful place, amazing people. so I moved there and started a festival within 4 months… that was 12 years and 19 festivals ago (we have a fest in MAY and in OCT).
OCCG: Who was apart of the first line-up and what band has returned to play the festival the most?
BE: Orgone, Hamsa Lila, Medicine Drum and Mamasutra were some of the bands at the first fest. We strive to turn folks on to new music each festival, so we don’t have a lot of repeat performances. That said, a few of the artists performing here at the next fest have performed here once or twice before… Trevor Green, Stephen Kent, Scott Pemberton…
OCCG: What has been some of the most interesting experiences you have had running a camping festival?
BE: The most interesting part of a multi day camp out music festival is the human interaction that takes place. You engage others over and over at different times of day the conversations run deep. Positivity reigns supreme due to the inspiring music in a magical setting, and folks are on vacation, so they are not glued to their cell phone or laptop or working at home, etc. Folks leave having had seriously powerful positive life changing experiences! To witness that and provide the space for it is a big thrill.
OCCG: Do you always have a festival line-up worked out prior to booking acts or does it kinda come together based on who is touring during the time of the festival?
BE: I have a LONG LONG list of favorites artists that I’d love to have perform, but I also strive for a certain mix of styles. The festival is like a live mixed tape and you want folks to go on a musical journey. So, we start with our favorite list and see whose available/interested, who we can afford and go on down the line like that.
OCCG: The festival has a very unique experience for the bands backstage, with message tents and relaxing areas outside. Was that always a part of the festival or did that evolve in time?
BE: Artists have a hard time differentiating between artists and festival-goers. We have no VIP or backstage area. Everyone is a VIP, so the co-mingling and interaction is great. Our crew of friends and family are down to earth, fun loving souls, so the artists immediately feel at home. Because of that, most every time, they turn in a supremely inspired set!
OCCG: What do you hope festival-goers get out of the 3-day festival?
BE: No less than a life affirming, positive open hearted feeling that they take back home and share with their friends and family and co-workers.
OCCG: Why do you feel it is so important to work with independent, unknown artists?
BE: There are SO many talented performers who will never be heard. It is part of our mission to give those artists a stage to do their thing and share their passionate performances. These bands are hungry, driven, determined and spilling over with creativity. Their shows reflect that. We’ve had many bands play here as unknowns, and now they are extremely popular, like:
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Avett Brothers, Brett Dennen, Trampled by Turtles, Trombone Shorty, Deer Tick and more.
OCCG: This year the festival has yoga a big part of everyday, how did this idea get implemented into the festival?
BE: We’ve had Yoga classes at the fest for years, but as more people have a regular practice, we accommodate that by having amazing instructors leading classes from sunrise to sunset.
OCCG: While running the festival, do you get any downtime to enjoy the festival? What part of the festival do you enjoy the most?
BE: My goal is to dance and enjoy myself as much as possible at every festival. Half a year of planning, or more, goes into it, so I’d be crazy not to enjoy it! We have an amazing crew of family and friends that manage all the different departments, so I really have very little work to do during the festival 🙂