Arise Music Festival was such an incredible experience, it was a gathering of beautiful souls, a family all of who returned home for a reunion all meanwhile having gained new members to our community. A collective of artists, musicians, staff, families, and friends who all came together to create a fantastic festival experience for all.  

First and foremost a salute and praise to the Arise staff, without them none of this would be possible. The staff members were absolutely incredible, consistently going above and beyond to make positive, substantial impacts throughout the entire festival. They constantly switched from work to play, vibing and thriving. Without the beautiful staff who put it all together, the dream would never have become reality. From the top of the staff to the bottom, a shout out to everyone for everything they do. 

The way Arise is set up on the beautiful piece of land it is held on, took your breath away. The props, stage design, and overall layout carried you through the festival. It entices you to explore all the little wonders hidden around in the festival grounds. From the pyramid with projections lighting up its sides to all the small decors and art, to the perspective box. Each and every place you chose to adventure or wander in the grounds greeted you with a sense of wonder. 

The first night musicians who really stole the stage included: Pepper, Ayla Nero, Quixotic, Slightly Stoopid, and Ott, interacted with the crowd or just gave it their all. They made their sets their own and each was completely unforgettable. Pepper drew in the crowd, laughing and jamming with all the Colorado love. Ayla’s absolutely beautiful music went hand in hand with her message for everyone, radiating love into the crowd. Quixotic bringing in a lively set with perfect timing, getting everyone nice and limber for the rest of the night. Slightly Stoopid had an immense stage presence, performers, and musicians coming together to put on a spectacular performance.  Ott was by far one of the best sets of the weekend. He brought a spicy medley of vibes, moving from throwing down filthy jams to slow and melodic sounds late into the hours of the night. 

Saturday was full of talented musicians such as Dragondeer, Skydyed, Charles the First, Thievery Corp, and Opiuo, each burned as bright as the fire at their sets. Dragondeer with its gypsy jams breathed new life into the crowd on day two. Skydyed jammed out on the side stage, but without a doubt deserved the main stage slot with the way they performed. Charles gave us a trippy glimpse into a story told through music, his manipulation of sound waves enticed the crowd to travel down the rabbit hole.  Thievery Corp was an all-out blast who showed how they pump up the crowd all while maintaining an uplifting message. Opiuo was like the thunder after lightning leaving you waiting in anticipation. The boom that he brought was everything you anticipated at the first flash and then some. 

Sunday fun day. HirokiOkano, KitchenDwellers, Dynohunter, Gasoline Lollipops, BassPhysics, and TrevorHall were un-missable. Hiroki Okano was a flawless first set of the day with his enchanting flute and passion so clearly radiated through his music. Kitchen Dwellers were down to this earth, jammed their hearts out, loving and laughing on stage and let me tell you it was contagious. Dynohunter shook the stage like a Jurassic hoedown, but we expected nothing less. Gasoline Lollipops set fire to the soul through their music. Bass Physics was throwing down like a mad scientist, you could feel the love and joy bubbling up and out from his music as he played from deep in his soul. Trevor Hall was a perfect fit for the last main stage set of the night and honestly was all we could ask for.  He showcased how to properly close out the main stage at such a lovely festival.