“One for the record books.” – ARISE Festival 2018 Attendee
Thievery Corporation, Slightly Stoopid, and Trevor Hall carved their names into music history with headlining performances at the 2018 ARISE Music Festival in Loveland, Colorado.
Over 200 acts and performers shared their talent on seven stages from August 3-5.
A mixture of wild weather added a level of danger to the festival.
The road to the ARISE Music Festival sits along the edge of the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
In 2017 Samantha Harvey was able to cover ARISE for our outlet. It was a big honor to return to Sunrise Ranch with Samantha and RJ to help provide coverage for the event.
Friday, August 3
We arrived on Friday evening and got setup with parking and camping. The festival provides camping, but for general admission, the hike between the campsite and the car can be exhausting. I tend to camp in my Jeep, but everyone has their own style.
The weather was cool and calm on Friday evening. One element that I noticed about ARISE compared to other festivals was the sincerity throughout the staff and crew.
This marked my first year at Sunrise Ranch, and I quickly found my way around the different stages with Stick Figure performing on the Eagle Stage.
Lil Smokies stole the show within the electric atmosphere of the Starwater Stage. The bluegrass group from Montana was on fire Friday night.
There was a distinct vibe to each stage when I arrived. Reggae music with Stick Figure was on the Eagle Stage, electronic music was rocking on the Green Tree Stage with Ayla Nereo, and bluegrass was in full swing within the Starwater Stage area.
The diversity of music provided options for guests to check out in a live setting. It marked my first time seeing Slightly Stoopid. A lot of their set was fun and uplifting. Their cover of ‘Franklin’s Tower’ went over well.
West Coast vibes took over the main stage area on Friday evening. Ott. provided late night entertainment that showcased his international talent.
Saturday, August 4
Saturday started off with intense heat and sun covering the festival grounds. Later in the afternoon a storm producing strong winds and small pieces of hail collided with installations, vehicles, guests, and campsites.
As ARISE Music Festival does every year, it bounced back from problematic weather conditions and moved forward.
I attended some workshops to learn more about the economical benefits that hemp can have on different industries, as well as getting rest during day.
ProbCause and Lunar Fire both performed on the Green Tree Stage on Saturday evening. Each set had an electronic style of music, but they each had a mixture of different cultural influences.
Rob Garza, co-founder of Thievery Corporation, sat down for a group discussion covering his latest solo record, Dissolve. Preview the title track on YouTube. During the press conference Garza also provided insight on his latest business endeavors.
One of the most intriguing parts of the interview was when a member of the press asked about the sound and style that Garza plans to use for the upcoming Thievery Corporation record.
“I think the next record is going to be a bit more electronic and get back to The Mirror Conspiracy sounds.” – Rob Garza
Living Legends brought a layer of hiphop to the event. I did appreciate their efforts with bringing awareness to cutting down the amount of plastic containers we throw away unnecessarily.
Thievery Corporation hit the Eagle Stage with gusto. During the press conference Garza mentioned that the band specifically wanted to play ARISE Music Festival, and their performance mirrored that desire.
Late night music continued into the night with a solo DJ set from OPIUO.
Sunday, August 5
In addition to music and environmental awareness, ARISE also provides a large amount of different forms of yoga to try out.
During the final day of the ARISE Music festival guests were not slowing down with multiple live performances scheduled to take place.
Samantha, RJ and myself connected with guests around their campsite and within VIP leading up to an interview with Paul Bassis, one of the producers at ARISE.
Paul and I spoke last year during an interview, and I wanted to meet him in person to thank him for all his work. On Sunday, August 5 he entered the media tent in high spirits. Bassis went on to cover the people that collectively make up the event.
“It’s about the quality of the people.” – Paul Bassis
He provided insight on the mission for the festival. In the past, I’ve been conditioned to report news with a statistical point of view. During the talk with Paul, I started to realize that the numbers are good to note, but the quality of the interactions between guests is far more important.
Quality and Quantity
The ARISE Music Festival digs deep to provide one of the best music festival experiences within the United States. The staff delivers a genuine connection with each conversation.
On the final day of the festival the crowd started to thin out, but there was also this never ending spirit that carried through the campgrounds.
The Kitchen Dwellers provided one of the best performances on Sunday. Vince Herman joined the band for their set and performed the song ‘Up On the Hill’ together.
The festival provided intimate performances within the Big Sunrise Dome. On Sunday we checked out Vince Herman along with two younger acoustic musicians. They went over background information regarding their songs, and the process they use to create new material.
In conclusion, ARISE is one of the best events that our outlet is able to cover. Their impact on the environment, as well as society will continue to be felt year round.
ARISE Music Festival will return in 2019 on August 2-4.
ARISE Music Festival 2018 Photo Gallery
Photography by Samantha Harvey
