This weekend, a new event featuring EDM will bring beats and bass back to a unique local setting.
The inaugural TEMPO, a two-day downtown Phoenix music festival and “immersive sound experience,” takes over Civic Space Park on Friday, Sept. 26, and Saturday, Sept. 27, headlined by DJs Elderbrook and Duke Dumont.
Electronica act Neil Frances, DJ duo RaeCola and Australian-born producer Salute are also scheduled to perform during the 21-and-over event.
Janet Echelman's aerial sculpture "Her Secret is Patience" at Civic Space Park in downtown Phoenix.
Chris Rycroft/CC BY 2.0/Flickr
TEMPO is the brainchild of Phoenix event promoter RJ Largay of Oh Wow Company, which is also producing the annual Dreamy Draw Music Festival in Scottsdale this November. He stated in a press release that the new event is more than just a weekend-long outdoor EDM rager.
“TEMPO is about creating an atmosphere that’s as much about the setting as it is about the music,” Largary stated. “We’re bringing together some of the dance scene’s top artists in an iconic downtown space, and giving fans an experience that feels both intimate and electric.”
Civic Space Park is no stranger to DJs, EDM or festivals. Locals like DJENTS, HartBreaks and Sean Watson participated in regular jam sessions at the park in the 2010s. And Arizona concert promoter Relentless Beats launched its annual PHX Lights festival at the venue back in 2015.
In recent years, music events at Civic Space Park have been scarce, aside from a portion of The Maine’s annual 8123 Fest being staged at the venue in 2022. TEMPO will be the first festival-like music extravaganza at the park in years.
And according to the Oh Wow Company, TEMPO will be different sort of event. The two-day event will “transform into a music experience that wraps around the artists on all four sides” while providing “an up-close, personal connection between artist and audience.”
Here's what else to know about TEMPO in downtown Phoenix this weekend, including ticket prices and set times.
What time is TEMPO in downtown Phoenix?
The TEMPO Music Festival in downtown Phoenix takes place Friday, Sept. 26, and Saturday, Sept. 27, at Civic Space Park, 424 N. Central Ave. Gates open at 5 p.m.TEMPO Phoenix Friday schedule
- 5:30 p.m., TBD
- 6:30 p.m., Salute
- 8:30 p.m., Elderbrook
TEMPO Phoenix Saturday schedule
- 5:30 p.m., RaeCola
- 6:30 p.m., Neil Frances (DJ set)
- 8:30 p.m., Duke Dumont
How much are tickets to TEMPO Phoenix?
Tickets are TEMPO at Civic Space Park in Phoenix are available at ohwowcompany.com/tempo. Single-day general admission tickets are $40. Two-day general admission tickets are $60.Single-day VIP tickets to TEMPO Phoenix are $80. Two-day VIP tickets are $130. Perks include front-row viewing, express entry and access to a private bar and lounge.
VIP+ tickets are $200 each day or $375 for the weekend and feature on-stage viewing, an open bar and access to a backstage area.
