Hi everyone! Today I’m finishing up my review of Day 2 at Neon Desert Music Festival. Day 2 was filled with SO much fun and excitement! Despite the hot temperatures throughout most of the day, I had a great time! I spent my afternoon and night at the 15-block downtown festival. Festival organizers said this year was the most successful for them! There was 40,000 in attendance both days. I think the festival will continue to grow for many years to come.

I wanted to catch local rock and hip-hop group Stan Z so I went early. Former The Voice contestant and El Pasoan Elia Esparza performed “Shine” with the band. Esparza is known for singing her rendition of Selena’s “Como La Flor” on The Voice last year. It’s safe to say the Americas High School graduate put El Paso on the map in a big way. Stan Z has accomplished quite a bit too. The band released their album, “The Z Album” in March. They’ve performed several shows regionally. Stan is 20 years old and an El Paso High School graduate.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see local band Frontera Bugalú’s show. However, I heard some of their music as I was walking into the festival. The band was founded by accordionist and composer Kiko Rodriguez in 2011. Their music is fast paced and makes you want to start clapping and dancing a lot. If you aren’t much of a dancer, you might start bobbing your head. Their music sort of reminds me of Carlos Santana and cumbia style music combined. A cumbia is a fast-paced dance that originates from Africa and Colombia. Note to self: I need to catch these guys at a local show in the near future. I also had the opportunity to check out the local rock bands Dayluta Means Kindness and Polaroids. Both bands had a really unique sound to them.

Since I enjoy all types of wine, I sampled Electric Sky Wine. Electric Sky has a really sweet and fruity taste. It’s almost too sweet to be considered wine. Since I’ve always had a sweet tooth, its taste was a big plus for me. Although there’s different flavors, I only tried the Moscato. Another plus is that the wine comes in cute plastic containers. You can say goodbye to those annoying corkscrews and wine openers! The containers are stackable and recyclable. I’ll be sampling other Electric Sky flavors in the near future. Please stay tuned for another review. If you’re in El Paso, you can purchase Electric Sky at: Zeke’s Pueblo Mexicano, Vista Market and Barron’s Superette. The wine comes in a 4-pack and sells for $12.99. Electric Sky can also be purchased online via Binny’s, Minibar Delivery and Liquorama. It’s also sold at music festivals around the U.S. Celebrities like Lady Gaga, Mandy Moore and others have offered it to their guests at parties.

 

Another NDMF highlight was getting to see 19-year-old R&B singer Khalid perform. The Americas High School graduate told the crowd he earned his high school diploma exactly one year ago to the date. Khalid’s been extremely busy these days. He recently performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. I was stuck in the middle of a huge crowd for over an hour to see him. It was worth every second to watch him perform hit songs like “Location” and “Saved.” I can’t wait to see what else is in store for Khalid. Two other HUGE sets were Migos and pop rock band Foster the People. I enjoyed both sets more than I thought I would. I didn’t catch all of Foster the People but I liked what I heard. Until next time NDMF! I can hardly wait for 2018! You can follow NDMF on their social media sites via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

 

 

Khalid, Migos and Foster The People photos courtesy of NDMF staff.

Disclaimer: Although I attended the festival with press credentials, it did not guarantee a positive review. My truthful opinion is reflected in this review.