Desert Hearts Festival founders and performers chat about the upcoming event

We gave you a heads-up in April about the Desert Hearts Festival, which is scheduled for July 3 to 7 in the lush greenery of the Coconino Forest. The lineup, ticket information, and some history are included.

Now, the event’s founder and some performers have more to say about this EDM event, which happens in partnership with Phoenix’s Walter Productions and features 72 non-stop hours of music on the main stage under what the festival calls “one stage, one vibe.”

“Walter and Desert Hearts, two very established dance music communities coming together, just creating this unbelievable vibe and magic,” Festival founder Mikey Lion says. “It was something that I think even I underestimated a little bit.”

While this year’s event might not have as many household names as previous installments, it still boasts an impressive lineup of established and up-and comers, including deep house producer Justin Martin, Claude-Vonstroke-protege Nala, and even sets from the founder Mikey Lion and a special b2b set featuring other members of the Desert Hearts crew (founders Lee Reynolds, Marbs, and Porky are all set to take the stage).

“(Desert Hearts) is kind of like the Super Bowl for me of all the DJ sets I play,” Lion says. “I'm playing everything from house to tech house to deep house and speed garage. I got a lot of new music to unleash for the first time, so I'm really excited." While the festival dubs itself a celebration of house and techno, there is something to be found for everyone, with bass (Destructo, Mary Droppinz), funk (The Sponges, Ranger Trucco), and even acid jazz (Mark Farino) artists taking the stage, as well as over a dozen local Arizona artists and DJs. This year, Lion and Kirk Strawn, the president of Walter Productions, have shifted the lineup slightly to match the growing rise of genres like hard dance and techno in the Valley.

“Faster BPMs (and) a little bit harder music was more well received than some of the slower, ethereal melodic music,” Lion says, referring to last year’s festival. “So we focused our lineup a little bit harder this year. We still have plenty of moments where it's going to be melodic and ethereal, but we also are bringing the heat this year, for sure, on the music.”

But Desert Hearts is more than the music. The festival strives to be more than the typical big-venue, corporate festival, highlighting the beauty and importance of art, nature, spirituality, and community.

One of the artists on the lineup, multi-genre artist Tara Brooks, has been performing with Desert Hearts for over a decade, holding a spot on the festival's lineup each year as well as Pile Palace, Desert Hearts' residency stage at Burning Man Festival.

"We both heard about each other during the early days, and the rest is history," Brooks says. "The sound, vibe, community, dancers, love, and energy are always at the highest level of quality, and every resident brings their absolute best tunes! I'm proud of their evolution and success, keeping it real and staying true to their sounds while adapting to the times.

Another artist, house music producer Kevin Knapp, will be returning to this year's festival, performing a b2b set with DJ Minx that Knapp teases will be "soulful and sonically nurturing." Having lived in California previously, Knapp was first invited to play at the festival when it had roots in California (though he himself was living in Berlin at the time) and has been closely associated with the team since.

"I’m proud of the DH team for finding such a lovely home for the festival and I’m stoked for us all to kick our feet up on the proverbial couch and get god damn comfortable this year," Knapp said. "I can’t think of one artist on the lineup, especially the core, that I don’t adore in some manner and genuinely respect. So for me it’s a chance to kick it with genuine friends without pretense, and those kinds of moments are invaluable to me." Guests are immersed in an arena of immersive theme camps and complex installations, including a forest of fire-breathing sculptures. The festival serves as a platform for local artists and businesses, with dozens of vendors available around the festival grounds for food and shopping. Another festival highlight is an interactive fashion show where participants can show off their unique sense of style and best looks.

“There's really nothing like getting out with a group of close friends and experiencing a few days of camping where you leave your normal life behind, where you're accepted (and) you can express yourself without fear of judgment,” Strawn says.