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Zona Music Festival 2022: Closing an amazing weekend with Portugal, the Man, Japanese Breakfast, so much more

The rain let up, the clouds parted and the field turned to treacherous sludge, but the show must go on for Zona Music Festival day two! Sunday’s lineup drew impressive crowds throughout the day and Atlas was back in the thick of things for all the best acts! 

Sitting on Stacy and Flor Bring Sunshine to the Secondary Stage

San Diego TikTok exports Sitting on Stacy played early on the Ronstadt Stage but had quite the audience ready to dance. The trio’s sonic energy can be compared to ska (without the horns) and they successfully got the audience to churn up the slippery ground even more with their jumping. Like a magnet, the band pulled in even more people over the course of their 40 minute set and we had a tough time pulling ourselves away from their sunny songs.

Another sunshine band came in the form of Flor’s return to Arizona. Decked in earthy colors, the group’s last show of the year was a jolt of contagious positivity. Fans crowded along the barricade while casual listeners filled in the back with their plethora of local food and drink offerings and as we watched, it was impossible to ignore Flor’s stellar vocals and blinding smiles.

Get Up, Get Moving with Mothé and Beach Goons

Two Atlas favorites and staples graced adjoining stages at nearly the same time, so naturally we bounced between the two for a party like no other. Mothé is having an absolutely killer moment- as they should- and pulled an enthusiastic crowd into vendor village for their packed set.

In the meantime, Beach Goons got the pit started and kept it going with their Spanish-tinged punk sound. As always, the band whipped their fans into a frenzy of jumping, moshing and some of the first crowdsurfers of the weekend. They closed the wild ride with their breakneck cover of “La Bamba” as everyone dispersed to cool off in the rapidly warming afternoon air.

Girl Power Dominates Day Two

The Regrettes were also back in Arizona for their last show of 2022 and delivered a powerful set of fan favorite songs to close their touring year. Vocalist Lydia Night got the crowd fully involved in the set, jumping from the stage to get up close and personal with a sea of adoring fans. The common theme of the day was the smiles- every band we had the privilege to watch looked thrilled to be back in front of an audience and the attendees reciprocated that love all weekend long.

The sun went down and the muddy field became increasingly dicey to navigate but that didn’t stop everyone from heading over to the main stage for Japanese Breakfast. Michelle Zauner was given a gong and a big stick with which to strike it and we all vibed through “Paprika”, “In Heaven”, “Tactics” and more. May Michelle Zauner never play anything less than the biggest stage we can find- her energy was immaculate.

Closing an Epic Weekend with Portugal, the Man

Night two’s mainstage headliner bathed the stage and the massive conglomerate of observers in a spectrum of yellows and blues to close out the evening. First, they allowed members of a local Native American band to take the stage, letting Native voices be heard before all of their sets for the year. With that high note to kick us off, the rest of the evening was spent swaying and singing along to “Chicago”, “Waves” and the festival closer “Creep in a T-Shirt”. It was a stunning end to a wild and wet weekend in downtown Phoenix.

With so many amazing acts to watch, the tastiest local food to try and an atmosphere that remained upbeat even through the unforeseen setbacks, Zona Music Fest was a wonderful start to what is hopefully a new Phoenix festival staple. We’re looking forward to what 2023 will bring to the desert!

Check out all the photos from day two!

Story and photos by Olivia Khiel