See The Chainsmokers party with Ohio State fans before Texas game
Before No. 3 Ohio State defeated No. 1 Texas, EDM group The Chainsmokers won fans over with a surprise appearance and performance on campus.
- TEMPO is a new two-day electronic music experience coming to Civic Space Park in downtown Phoenix.
- The event aims to be an immersive sound experience in a unique, open-air setting.
- Headliners include Elderbrook on Sept. 26 and Duke Dumont on Sept. 27.
To RJ Largay of Oh Wow Company, the inaugural TEMPO is more an immersive sound experience than a two-day electronic music festival bringing Elderbrook, Duke Dumont and other top artists to Civic Space Park in downtown Phoenix.
“From my perspective, what this looks like is taking the roof off of concerts, especially dance music concerts,” Largay says of the event Oh Wow is bringing to the park the weekend of Sept. 26-27.
“It’s trying to create things in more unique formats rather than just putting the show on in a box. And by box, I mean a venue designed for music. This is a venue that is not designed for music.”
Oh Wow Company is also behind the 20,000-capacity Dreamy Draw Music Festival, a sprawling, multistage event at Scottsdale Civic Center that blends Americana, indie and Outlaw Country music with the Lumineers headlining Friday, Nov. 7, and Vampire Weekend headlining Saturday, Nov. 8.
Largay’s team collaborated with the artists on the TEMPO bill “to create something that’s never been seen before in a very unique space,” Largay says.
“This is not their tour package getting brought into a space. If you were to play the Van Buren, you would have your tour setup. You would have your designs from your art director and you would have your production that was being towed behind your tour bus. You would load it in, you would load it out and they would see something that was purely driven by the artist. This is much more collaborative.”
A big part of what drew the TEMPO team to Civic Space Park is Her Secret is Patience, the 145-foot aerial sculpture that makes the park such a distinctive setting.
“I think that LED net is so cool,” Largay says. “I think the imagery of a stage with no roof and a net over it is going to be a spectacle people aren’t familiar with.”
The idea is “to think outside the box,” he says.
“If it works, awesome. If it doesn’t work? You know, this won’t be the first or last time we threw paint against the wall and it didn’t stick. We like to do things that are a lot more immersive. That’s what drew us to festivals in the first place, and this is just an extension of that.”
TEMPO lineup for Civic Space Park in Phoenix
- Sept. 26: Elderbrook, Salute
- Sept. 27: Duke Dumont, Neil Frances, RaeCola
Where is Civic Space Park in Phoenix?
Civic Space Park is at 424 N. Central Ave. between Polk and Fillmore streets in Phoenix.
When do gates open for TEMPO at Civic Space Park?
Gates open at 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26-27.
TEMPO at Civic Space Park Friday set times
5:30-6:30 p.m. TBD.
6:30-8 p.m. Salute.
8:30-10 p.m. Elderbrook.
TEMPO at Civic Space Park Saturday set times
5:30-6:30 p.m. RaeCola.
6:30-8 p.m. Neil Frances DJ set
8:30-10 p.m. Duke Dumont.
TEMPO tickets for Civic Space Park in Phoenix
There are three ticket tiers, though the VIP+ tier sold out.
General admission for two days is $60 plus tax. Single-day general admission tickets are $40.
Two-day general admission tickets are available for $30.60, but you must select two tickets to get the discount.
VIP tickets, offering premium front-row viewing, expedited entry, a private cash bar and access to the VIP lounge, are $80 plus for one day or $130 plus tax for two days. VIP guests enjoy a closer connection to the stage, comfortable lounge seating and faster entry.
VIP+ tickets were $200 plus tax a day or $375 plus tax for both days. This limited-capacity tier includes everything in VIP, plus big-time perks: on-stage viewing, an all-inclusive open bar with cocktails, beer, water, and non-alcoholic beverages, access to a private backstage VIP+ lounge, and premium air-conditioned restrooms.
All tickets are limited in quantity to maintain TEMPO’s boutique atmosphere. Tickets for TEMPO are on sale now at ohwowcompany.com/tempo.
Ed has covered pop music for The Republic since 2007, reviewing festivals and concerts, interviewing legends, covering the local scene and more. He did the same in Pittsburgh for more than a decade. Follow him on X and Instagram @edmasley and on Facebook as Ed Masley. Email him at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com.
