The sixth annual FORM festival was an experience like no other.
Situated an hour north of Phoenix in Yavapai County lies the experimental city of Arcosanti, nestled between breathtaking views of massive cliffs and canyons. The unique location where the festival is held was envisioned in 1955 by Italian architect Paolo Soleri as a futuristic urban development designed for sustainable living in harmony with the surrounding natural environment.
Billed by organizers as a "creative retreat at the Arcosanti urban laboratory," the three-day festival was founded by members of art-rock band Hundred Waters, who wanted to create an experience unlike the larger and more popular corporate festivals.
Complete with morning yoga classes, wellness activities, site tours, pool parties, panel discussions, meditative audio experiences and live poetry, FORM is a carefully curated festival intending to spark curiosity, mindfulness and community living. Attendance caps out at just 2,500 visitors.
Just like the previous five years, the festival brought a diverse lineup with headliners such as Florence + the Machine, Anderson .Paak and Skrillex. Furthermore, FORM seemed to have a better gender balance than most festivals with standout acts being woman artists like Kelsey Lu, Pussy Riot, Miya Folick, Kilo Kish and Sasami.
And unlike most traditional music festivals, there was no overlap between artist performances, thus preventing a massive rush between stages and allowing fans to fully enjoy each set as they were meant to be experienced.
The festival ran smoothly for the most part, albeit a few hiccups with sound issues at the amphitheater stage causing American Football and Japanese Breakfast to cut their sets short. However, this resulted in a one-of-a-kind intimate experience with Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast doing an impromptu acoustic performance in the crowd.
As some other mainstream fests continue to struggle and others' very existence is in doubt, FORM seems to have struck a perfect balance and has managed to create what may have been our favorite of 2019.
See the full gallery below, all photos by Tojo Andrianarivo.
