Hype Building Over Inaugural Neon Desert Music Festival
With fewer than 10 days before the Neon Desert Music Festival, momentum is building.
The lineup now includes 29 bands — all which will play on four stages in a matter of 12 hours in downtown El Paso.
The bands include MSTRKRFT, with its electronic, indie beats; the make-you-get-off-your-feet-and-dance band Kinky; the melodic, sleek, happy sounds of Beach Fossils; and the modern feel and reinvented new wave-esque CSS.
El Paso bands are also in the lineup. Indie rock ‘n’ roll group The Royalty has a loyal following in the Sun City. One of the members is ABC-7’s Daniel Marin. Cigarettes After Sex, composed of Greg Gonzalez and others, is a modern 1980s, electronic, fresh band.
Executive producer of the festival, Zach Paul, is one of three native El Pasoans who had a musical vision for the border. He, Gina Martinez and Brian Chavez, with Splendid Sun Productions, now live in Austin, but the Sun City is always close to their hearts.
“Twenty-nine bands and four stages and 12 hours on a Saturday afternoon requires a big budget, and that’s something that we’ve been working on for a long time,” said Paul.
Paul did not want to reveal the total cost of putting on the festival. The young organizers have secured $20,000 from the city and nearly two dozen sponsors.
“It’s a lot more than just paying for bands; it’s paying for fencing, for porta-potties, staging, sound, lights; you name it. It’s been about trying to figure out the formula, kind of bring all these pieces together to form this puzzle,” said Paul.
It’s a puzzle that music connoisseurs will electrify downtown.
“It’s definitely a first-time event for us, and it’s a first-time event for the city of El Paso,” added Paul.
The festival has already sold out of its 1,000 allotment of $25 tickets. Organizers expect a turnout of about 8,000 for the inaugural event.
Tickets are $35 and available for purchase at the Neon Desert website, all Western Beverages locations, All That Music and The Headstand. Fort Bliss soldiers and their families can get $25 military discounted tickets on Fort Bliss.
Related Links:Link:Neon Desert Music Festival WebsiteVideo:MSTRKRFT – Beards AgainVideo:Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group Live In NYCVideo:Kinky – Hasta QuemarnosVideo:Girl in a Coma – Walkin After MidnightVideo:The Royalty – Chinese Fire Drill
