Flagstaff, AZ – Making its debut this year, Coconino Campout was an absolute blast full of vibrant energy and unforgettable moments. The intimate one-stage festival of less than a couple thousand attendees fostered a tight-knit, chill, family-like vibe. Epic bass-fueled sets from the likes of Liquid Stranger, A Hundred Drums, Detox Unit, Zingara and several more pulsated all weekend through a lively crowd with smiles on their faces.
The Venue
The 3-day festival took place last weekend, September 20-22, at Pepsi Amphitheater in Flagstaff. Located within Fort Tuthill County Park and only one and a half miles from the Flagstaff Airport, the venue was situated in the perfect location. The grounds are within the beautiful Coconino National Forest, with towering Ponderosa Pines providing shade for all of the attendees.
📸: @speyerphoto
The main stage was the Amphitheater itself, and it featured a roofed section with a dance floor and seats, and a grassy hill behind with plenty of room to dance or set up blankets and chill. There was a much smaller stage in an area called the Quad, which played music from 11 AM until the amphitheater opened up at 3 PM.
The dance floor in the amphitheater was a bit small and could get packed, and the sound there was loud enough to need earplugs. There was plenty of room in the back lawn section, where the view of the stage was better anyway. I could fully appreciate the lasers and LED displays from the hill. The sound quality was also better in the lawn section, as it was directly behind the sound booth, and most of the time I didn’t need earplugs and could appreciate crystal clear, bone-rattling bass.
Vendors & Activities
Within the amphitheater there were four food trucks: tater tots, BBQ, ice cream, and smoothies. I would have appreciated more food variety. The tots were quite delicious and they served a variety of loaded tots with vegan and vegetarian options as well. However, for $13 – $19 for a bowl of tots, I wish the serving sizes were more filling.
There were additional vendors a short walk away from the Amphitheater, in an area called The Quad. This area featured several fashion and merch vendors, as well as another food truck. During the day, The Quad hosted DJ sets from around noon until 3 pm, when the Amphitheater opens up. There were also fun activities and workshops in the morning and early afternoon, like tie-dye, painting, and group games.
I spent a couple hours on Sunday at the kandi making activity and Kandi’s World merch booth. Trading our freshly-made kandi and conversating with fellow ravers uplifted me and had me feeling connected with the community.
The Music
Coconino Campout’s bass-heavy lineup definitely filled the gap of last year’s event that took place in Flagstaff during the same weekend, Ursa Major. Some of the same artists who performed at Ursa Major last year played incredible sets this year at Coconino Campout, like Atlanta-based electro-soul producer Daily Bread and jamtronica trio Sunsquabi. Both of their sets were packed with energy and had me dancing and jumping with excitement the entire time.
I visited The Quad on Sunday to enjoy sets from local and underground artists and was blown away by their talent. EYECHRONIC from Tempe, AZ played a funky and uplifting electro-soul set that created the perfect vibe for kandi making. Arboreal, a duo from Phoenix, brought a spiritual, chill bass-infused sound that reminded me a lot of the late CharlesTheFirst.
I appreciated that each day of the festival featured talent from female producers like Canabliss, Zingara, CloZee, A Hundred Drums, and Seppi—especially in a music industry that has historically lacked gender diversity.
My favorite sets were definitely from LSDREAM and CloZee. I appreciated how both artists masterfully blended melodic, psychedelic, spiritual, and uplifting elements with deep, trembling bass lines.
With LSDREAM performing on Friday and and CloZee on Saturday night, I was delighted to hear each of them play their collaborations with GRiZ—“FUNKONAUGHT” and “Color Of Your Soul”—respectively. This felt appropriate since GRiZ headlined Ursa Major, and many attendees in the crowd could be seen rocking GRiZ merch. Hearing these songs made me feel nostalgic, reminding me of GRiZ’s incredible performances and making me hope that he returns soon.
While I would have loved to see a set from LSZEE (CloZee and LSDream’s side project), it was still a pleasure to hear both artists play LSZEE tracks during their sets. LSDream played “French Dream” during his set, and CloZee played “CHRYSALIS“ track after saying, “Shoutout to LSDream! We’re working on new music when I get back to the hotel, and we’re releasing our album next week.” Their self-titled debut album “LSZEE” drops on September 27th.
Overview & Vibes
Overall, Relentless Beats organized the event very nicely. I didn’t wait in any lines for car entry or on-foot entry, and security checkpoints were a breeze. Production was done well, with great audio quality and stunning laser and light shows.
There were plenty of playful moments of connection that put a smile on my face, like trading kandi with strangers, sharing flow toys, or seeing an attendee with a loaf of bread passing out pieces during Daily Bread’s set. Clowns on stilts, forest creatures and feline friends danced and mingled through the crowd. They were so friendly and such a delight to interact with, that I couldn’t tell if they were paid performers or just attendees adding to the fun. On top of all that, I didn’t notice any rudeness, pushing, shoving, or overly intoxicated individuals, which are unfortunately all too common at larger festivals.
In a world full of massive festivals with endless stages and offerings, the simplicity and georgeous natural setting of Coconino Campout was a breath of fresh air. With just one stage playing music at a time, there was no FOMO or pressure to be somewhere else. The amphitheater’s close proximity to camping and parking provided an easy-going experience that felt like halfway between a concert and a festival.
I left the Coconino Campout feeling recharged and filled with lasting memories of a phenomenal bass-filled weekend. The only other Relentless Beats event that I’ve attended so far was Decadence AZ in Phoenix. Both Decadence and Coconino Campout were stellar yet vastly different experiences, leaving me intrigued and wanting to keep returning to Arizona for more.
