Well, it’s over. The much-anticipated inaugural Zona Music Festival was held in Phoenix on December 3-4 at Margaret T. Hance Park. It was not without its challenges, as with all things.

Here are the results of what we hope will be the first Zona.

Best Vibes

Arizona is a place you have lived for your entire life. You are used to the rain. Although you may not always love it, it does happen infrequently enough to warrant a little bit of sacrifice during certain times of the year. This tendency was especially evident on Saturday, when it was met with heavy rains that lasted most of the day. It resulted in large mud puddles and fewer places for people to sit. Fun fact: It was actually a record-breaking rain day, so congrats ZONA. We’re a resilient bunch in this desert area, so while it was a logistical challenge, the whole thing created some truly great vibes. People huddled together around heaters and gracious bands thanked everyone for their commitment. There was lots of socializing, even if it meant sharing sweet, sweet body heat. The result was a feeling that we were all actually in this together and were there to celebrate some essential thing through all the chaos. This is the kind of reaction you want when things don’t go according to plan. It also proves that the right attitude can make something enjoyable and endearing, no matter how wet your socks. Christopher Coplan

Worst: Food Options

This is an important distinction. I was quite pleased with the food that I tried. The Mega Churro was a nice, sweet treat on a rainy Saturday. The cheese fries were also very good, especially considering the muddy and gross conditions on Sunday. The main problem is that many of the food choices felt somewhat limited. There were many of the same food options at every fest. This is a bit disappointing given the abundance of delicious culinary choices in the Phoenix area. For “exotic” food, there was only one birria truck at this fest. The prices are outrageous. $15 for a grilled cheese sandwich can be both highway robbery as well as a side effect of choosing vendors that don’t open spaces for cheaper, smaller options. And, while I don’t want to make a big deal about the Mega Churro, $5 for a grilled cheese sandwich is a lot. But, for $5, I would expect something larger in size. It was great food, but it felt more like an event than a representation of the city’s vast, infinitely varied culinary culture. 

The Best: Mingus Stage

The fest’s layout was somewhat odd. (More about that later. There was some bleed-over between the two largest stages, Nicks & Ronstadt. The Eddy stage was also tucked under the bridge, so it was isolated but had to share space as well with local vendors. The Mingus stage was the obvious choice for best stage of the weekend. The stage was close enough to have all the amenities but far enough away that the sound didn’t cause any problems (generally speaking). There was also some great seating available. Fans took over the steps and other architectural features of the park, near Burton Barr library, to help spread the crowd. It also featured one of the most diverse and robust lineups with everything from cumbia (Tatiana Crespo), to pure punk (“Destroy Boys”). This stage was essential in capturing the best of what the fest did, and it also exemplified all that the festival could offer. The Mingus stage, like its namesake was cool and ahead-of-the-curve. CC

The worst: Lineup changes

Band dropouts at music festivals are just as common as drunken patrons or long lines at bars. These complications can be especially severe if you are a first-year festival. ZONA experienced quite a few of these shakeups. Tegan and Sara both dropped out of the festival due to COVID. Waxahachee followed them quickly for similar reasons. There were also some rescheduling’s like when Pom Pom squad was moved to Sunday afternoon instead of Saturday. These aren’t as significant as, say, extremely muddy conditions, sound problems, or other logistical hiccups. Perhaps not. They can be annoying and irritating to fans and make them feel a little hesitant about returning to festivals in the future. The smallest changes can cause people to lose track of their plans, which can impact who sees the other bands. This is proof that people don’t have to accept every inconvenience at fests. CC

Video Games: The Best

Festivals are meant to be fun, so have fun with others and do some posturing to increase your coolness. Even James Dean would not be hip enough to skip a long visit if there was a whole tent full of nostalgic video games. The video game tent provided a safe haven from the rain and mud on day one. It was also a great place for 30 minutes of wasted time between sets, barring any issues. The games served to remind the city of the fest’s inclusiveness and unabated commitment to being true to its fair city. (Despite some recent closings, we have a decent list of excellent video game bars throughout the Valley. While being hip is great, organizers made sure to make room for bad rock ‘n roll. Mortal Kombat . We are pretty certain that Zoltar, the Fortune Teller You may have foreseen Saturday’s severe weather. CC

The Best: Artists’ Attitudes

Many fans were angry and frustrated by Saturday’s weather. The bands, while they were at greater risk of getting electrocuted or slipping on the stage, seemed to have a better attitude. Some made jokes about electric shock (Phantom Planet), while others tried to incite those emotions (TV Girl). They all expressed gratitude and appreciation in some way. That sure helped to unite everyone in the (less-than perfect) moment of celebrating what really matters (art and community). Although it wasn’t always the same soothing effect on every stage, this level of engagement and care felt like a great way of trying to build something meaningful about the fest despite all the logistical problems/concerns. ZONA felt even more vital because this was the first edition. Bravo to all the good people! CC

The Layout: The worst

There are many things to be said about the location of the four stages and how it caused a lot of sound bleed-over. This is a common problem at urban festivals, so it can be forgiven for not being too severe. There were also other kerfuffles that seemed a lot more important. There was, for example, a large VIP area near the Nicks stage, but it was not used beyond select bands. Another VIP area near the Ronstadt stage was affected by the same problem. Both of them ate up valuable space that could have been made more accessible to the public. There was also the issue of not enough seating or food (at least, away from the food truck food trucks), as well as a lot of wasted space at the festival grounds near the rows of food trucks. This is especially problematic when you consider that M3F’s layout is usually very well designed and functional. Although it was a minor problem in the end, it meant that there were some issues that could have been fixed. Fans had to come up with solutions when organizers are not usually able to. It was clear that the fest placed a lot of emphasis on VIPs, which often went against the core values of family and community. CC

The Best: Entry (and Re-Entry)

It can feel like you are going into the woods when you pack a bag to take with you to an all-day festival. You will have limited resources so make sure you bring everything you need. Zona originally decreed that VIP wristband holders would be permitted re-entry to the festival. This was a bit elitist but it is still a good idea. After the torrential rains arrived, festival officials posted on social media that all passes holders would be allowed to re-enter. On Sunday, the festival repeated the same statement, even though it was not raining. Re-entry allows for some relief from the anxiety that comes with being in an environment where any one of many unexpected events can make your day miserable. Zona was able to get through the long queues at Innings Fest without any problems. We were able to get in with minimal hassle every time we arrived. It’s a great thing that festival attendees arrive at your event feeling relaxed and not stressed. Jennifer Goldberg

The Mud is the worst

I was at Woodstock 1999. I got muddier at Zona Fest. It is not my fault. It’s not your fault. Record-breaking rainfall combined with bone-dry soil and thousands of people walking around creates an inexorable mess. On Saturday, the smallest, most slippery patches of mud I tried to avoid because it was not solid ground were the best places to go on Sunday. Much of the festival space had become a soupy, muddy pit that sprayed onto everyone’s clothes with every step. Some people found it a deterrent. “I want to stand closer to Japanese Breakfast, but it would require me to cross the mud field, so I’ll just hang back here,” while others went along with it. One man in rain boots was seen happily running and splashing in the worst. Hance Park was damaged with just two months left before the Super Bowl. It was heartbreaking to see. Our shoes will not, we know that.

 

@kallen.media Zona music fest was a great time! Who was your favorite act this year? #zonamusicfest #phoenix #beachhouse #indie #alternative #rock #musicfestival ♬ Love You So – The King Khan & BBQ Show