As we await the unveiling of the heavily anticipated Arizona Roots Musical & Arts Festival this February 9th and 10th, we wanted to give you a sneak peek inside the great minds of its creators. We were stoked to be able to reach out to Dan Sheehan, the festival producer at Ineffable Music. They are the people to thank for the beautiful Cali Roots, and soon, Arizona Roots as well! Check out the lineup here.
FMF: What made you want to branch out to Arizona?
Sheehan: We are always looking for new markets to expand into, and the Arizona market met all our requirements. The bands we work with do great in the market, the venue is awesome, and our partners are strong. All recipes for success.
FMF: Besides the locations, what are some of the differences between Cali Roots and Arizona Roots?
Sheehan: Cali Roots took 9 years to build it to where it’s at now. From our greening to fan experience…it’s all been tested over time. I am a believer in starting slow and building a foundation for an event before you go crazy on certain elements. As far as differences go, I like to replicate what we have created in Monterey to other markets. For AZ, we are going to feature local food, and local vendors to really get the AZ flavor. Since it is the first year for Arizona Roots we won’t have our own branded beer like we do in CA, but for year two, we will definitely go down that route.
FMF: Where do you see the festival in the next few years? Keep expanding to more states? Or just Arizona and California?
Sheehan: We would love to go more to the north of California to Oregon and Washington state. Both are great markets for the music and the energy that our festival brings.
FMF: What is one of the coolest things you have ever seen at your festival?
Sheehan: I think for me the collaborations of the artist on our stages is incredible. A few years back we had a massive collab with Nahko, Trevor Hall, Jake from SOJA, Hirie, and Natali Rize on our main stage. A very iconic moment in the festival’s history. It’s a symbol of how the festival and brand as a whole brings people together.
FMF: A lot of people think that there is some controversy that Arizona Roots is the same weekend as One Love Festival. Is this just a coincidence?
Sheehan: Not aware of any controversy. We saw an opportunity to bring really good music to the AZ market and jumped on it. I personally don’t have time for the “music industry” drama that often exists.
FMF: What motivates you to continue to keep pushing the festival to the next level?
Sheehan: It’s about doing the right thing. Producing and putting on the best possible festival and outdoing ourselves from the previous festival is what drives me. Plus seeing how stoked everyone is at our events is definitely a cherry on top.
Thanks, Dan and the entire Ineffable Music team! We cannot wait to experience the magic of Arizona Roots in its new “second home.” Tickets and more information are available here.
Feature image by Chris Fortunato.
