Tempe Beach Park has hosted major concert fests and outdoor gigs over the last decade -- a lot of 'em, in fact. However, few are as high-profile and star-studded as this weekend's four-day Pot of Gold Music Festival at the park.
It's definitely one the longest, as the springtime music event will take place over four days and nights that will encompass Saint Patrick's Day weekend and the actual holiday itself. And, as you may have heard, there are a lot of great bands and performers to catch each day.
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Outdoor concerts at the park around St. Pat's have become a big thing, most notably with Flogging Molly's yearly stop in Tempe that would draw thousands. And if you happen to be one of those who is still bummed that the rock band ceased the tradition last year, Pot of Gold offers the chance to hear bagpipe-laced rock on the drinking holiday, thanks to the fact that Korn is headlining the festival's final day on March 17.
The sounds coming from Tempe Beach Park won't be limited to just the squeals and drones from a Celtic wind instrument, however. Everything from smooth hip-hop flows and irie reggae vibes to the crunch of hard rock and jubilant indie pop will carry through the air each day as Pot of Gold's diverse slate of musicians perform for what's expected to be a big crowd.
With close to 30 groups and artists scheduled to perform on two different stages across four days, however, it would help to have a game plan of who to see and when. To that end, we've prepared a guide to the entire festival that might provide some assistance, as well as what to expect at the event.
It also contain all the information you might need, a head's up concerning what you can and can't bring into the park, and other tips that will help one get the most out of Pot of Gold.
Time/Place: All four days of the festival will take place at Tempe Beach Park, 54 West Rio Salado Parkway, with opening times varying. For instance, Pot of Gold kicks off at 3 p.m. on Friday, March 14, and runs until midnight. However, on Saturday, March 14, and Sunday, March 15, however, gates will open to the public at 12:30 p.m. Meanwhile, the final day on Tuesday, March 17, starts at 3 p.m. and goes until 10 p.m.
Price: Tickets are $49 per day (plus applicable fees). There is no re-entry allowed, however, so make sure you've got everything you need once you've stepped through the gates.
Age Limits: The festival will be an all-ages event. That said, organizers recommend parental supervision for anyone 12 or under and that individual tickets are required for each person. It also goes without saying that you have to be 21 or older to drink.
Weather: You'd better dress for warm weather as daytime temperates will be in the mid-80s or higher throughout the run of the festival
Getting There: There's a Valley Metro light rail station two blocks from the park at Mill Avenue and Third Street, which will allow you to get to and from the concert without having to worry about where to stash your car or if you've had too much to drink.
If you are driving to the event, however, there is parking available at the Mission Palms Hotel, 281 South Mill Avenue, for $2 per hour, and at the Hayden Ferry Lakeside Garage, 68 East Rio Salado, with fees of $1 every 20 minutes with a $5 daily maximum. Additionally, there's also lots located throughout downtown Tempe, as well as the parking structure just north of the Marquee Theatre on Washington. Rates vary for both.
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You can also avail yourself of some of the many pedicabs working the area, which generally cost around $10 to $15 for a short ride.
Food and drink: When you get thirsty, which we're guessing will eventually will happen since its gonna be warm, try hitting up any of the vendors selling beverages both alcoholic (beer, mixed drinks, cocktails) and non-alcoholic (water, soda, energy drinks) to get refreshed. If you're stomach's rumbling, however, there will be a variety of food available for purchase for both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.
Bring: Given the weather, you'll want to have sun block, sunglasses, a hat, Chapstick a personal mister, and up to two sealed bottles of water no bigger than one liter, all of which is allowed. Other permitted items include empty Camelbaks, small point-and-shoot cameras, lighters, and a small backpack or purse (both will be searched by security at entry). And if you get a nic fit, regular cigarettes and e-cigs are allowed, but the latter will have to be filled before entry as bottles of e-juice are forbidden.
Some cash is also recommended, since it allows you to speed of the process of getting food and drink, although ATMs will be available at the park (and there's likely to be a fee for using 'em).
Oh, and don't forget to bring a good attitude, a willingness to rock out, and a sense of fun.
Don't bring: As per most concerts at Tempe Beach Park, forget about bringing in outside food or drinks (save for the aforementioned sealed bottles of water), weapons, illegal drugs, professional cameras or recording equipment of any kind, fireworks, laser pointers, coolers, squirt guns, and lawn chairs. Also be sure to lock up your bicycle or scooters outside and leave any blankets, towels, umbrellas, inflatable items, skateboards, strollers, or any animal at home (other than your party monster friends).
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What to do: Watch some great bands and musicians do their thing outdoots. Get pumped when your favorite song is played. Dance, pump your fist, unleash some hook'em horns, or scream your brains out. Have a beer or three. Brag on social media about how you're at the festival. Score some shade between sets. Most importantly, have a blast.
What not to do: Start fights, act disorderly, harsh the vibe, make a complete ass of yourself, get destructively drunk, or ruin anyone else's good time.
Lineup and Schedules:
What follows is a complete rundown of all the bands and artists that are scheduled to perform at Pot of Gold on either of its two stages. The first acts start anywhere from 45 minutes to 90 minutes after the gates open each day with the park closing approximately 15 minutes after each night's headliners finish their respective sets.
In other words, any possible encores won't last too long.
At any rate, here's who will be playing and when.
Friday, March 13
Gates open at 3 p.m.
Joywave (4:30-5:30 p.m.)
Future Islands (5:30-6:30 p.m.)
Bleachers (6:30-7:30 p.m.)
Girl Talk (7:30-8:30 p.m.)
AWOLNATION (8:30-9:30 p.m.)
Chromeo (9:30-10:30 p.m.)
Bastille (10:30-11:45 p.m.)
Saturday, March 14:
Gates open at 12:30 p.m.
Aer (1:15-2 p.m.)
Grieves (2-3 p.m.)
Tribal Seeds (3-4 p.m.)
Hoodie Allen (4-5 p.m.)
The Expendables (5-6 p.m.)
Dirty Heads (6-7 p.m.)
KONGOS (7-8 p.m.)
Slightly Stoopid (8-9:15 p.m.)
Schoolboy Q (9-10:15 p.m.)
Kendrick Lamar (10:30-11:45 p.m.)
Sunday, March 15:
Gates open at 12:30 p.m.
Grizfolk (1:15-2:15 p.m.)
Big Data (2:15-3:15 p.m.)
Knox Hamilton (3:15-4:15 p.m.)
New Politics (4:15-5:15 p.m.)
Echosmith (5:15-6:15 p.m.)
Rebelution (6:15-7:30 p.m.)
Milky Chance (7:30-8:30 p.m.)
Fall Out Boy (8:30-10 p.m.)
Tuesday, March 17:
Gates at 3 p.m.
Rite to Remain (4:30-5 p.m.)
Chevelle (5:30-6:30 p.m.)
Godsmack (7-8:15 p.m.)
Korn (8:45-10 p.m.)
What to Expect:
Find any show in Metro Phoenix via our extensive online concert calendar.
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