On Site at McDowell Mountain Music Fest

Martin Cizmar | April 25, 2009 | 3:17pm

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Hula-hooping hippie chicks. Deadhead flags. Dudes twirling Devil Sticks. Naked babies running around in circles near their napping parents. A full-on tie-dye revival. Yes, we're living it up at McDowell Mountain Music Fest, an event we were seduced in to attending by the promise of a show by the decidedly un-hippie Flaming LIps but which, so far, is a lot more Phishy than anything else you'll come across in Arizona. Right now, The Young Dubliners are finishing a marathon 2-hour set that's got the crowd doing their Michael Flatley impressions. Thoughts so far:

1. There are a hell of a lot of tents out here. Organizers told us they've got a healthy contingent of campers and it shows. It never ceases to amaze me how many hippies can show up to something when they know it's hippie-friendly.

2. I haven't played with devil sticks (you use two sticks to twirl a third, larger stick) since I was in high school but I picked it up pretty well again. Wish they weren't retailing for $50 in the vendor area, or I'd pick up a pair. Love me some hippie games.

3. Speaking of which, I wanna play some hackey sack nowish. Man, I should have been a hippie... If I'd have known I could be a hippie and listen to the Flaming Lips instead of String Cheese Incident, I may have been. Sigh.

4. The VIP area has killer margaritas made with Cruz Tequila, which is owned by a Scottsdale company. I'm usually a bourbon man, but those babies could swing me.

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