16 June 6th-June 12th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | four-day event from Thursday to Sunday, a few shows are scheduled on the days on either side as well. Ross jokes that he and Clyne say “mas o menos” (more or less) a lot when discussing the festival. Also, Circus Mexicus is affordable, making it easy to go for the entire extrava- ganza. An advance general-admission ticket for four full days (and two partial days) of music costs only $135, or $40 for ages 14-24. Most fans now rent resort-style condos or VRBOs rather than tent camp on the beach, which is no longer allowed, but it’s still the closest drive to the ocean from Phoenix. RCPM fans also enjoy the camaraderie and cooperative spirit that Circus Mexicus fosters. They like quoting the song “Mekong”: “If your bottle’s empty, help yourself to mine.” It’s not out of the ques- tion for fans to carpool and room together, even if they’ve never met. This dovetails into the philanthropic arm of the festival. Since 2008, Ross says, Circus Mexicus has donated $150,000 to family-oriented, educational and animal charities in Rocky Point via fundraisers, a raffle and a golf tournament. Not to mention, Rocky Point is highly dependent on tourism, and RCPM contrib- utes greatly to its economic health, which fans admire. Circus Mexicus, another annual festival called January Jam, Clyne and the band’s popular Banditos bar and JJ’s Cantina, which Clyne invested in, bring in healthy sums for the town. Clyne says that’s one of the most impor- tant aspects of his involvement in Rocky Point: It helps the residents, and they recognize and respect him for it. “I meet street vendors, and they know who I am, and I’m trying to buy some silver and blankets for friends while I’ve got a mimosa buzz on a Sunday, and they won’t let me pay for it,” he notes. “I love that other people are prospering, too, from this event.” Let’s go down together A fervent following is another reason Circus Mexicus is integral in the Phoenix music scene despite its location in a Sonora fishing village with a population of about 62,000. Although people now come from dozens of states and a few countries, 80 percent are still from Arizona; of those, 80 percent are from the Valley, according to Ross. The most dedicated RCPM fans can sing every word of every song, have trav- eled extensively to see them dozens or more times and describe their admiration affectionately as “an addiction.” They’re receptive to new music they hear at the festival, whether rock, reggae, country, punk or acoustic sets. “Every year, I find a new band that I’ve never heard of and that l like,” says Dan Erlandson of Scottsdale. He and his wife, Christine, love RCPM and the festivals so much that they bought a house in Rocky Point. John Teefy’s wife, Kelli, has seen RCPM 148 times. But the couple have become fans of, and friends with, other bands like other bands like The Black Moods. They’ve put up acts in their kids’ bunk beds at their Mexico home and hired them to play private parties, which have become legendary in Circus Mexicus lore. Sharing a huge, devoted audience at the festival helps other bands broaden their fan base back home and elsewhere. The Black Moods, who will perform their newest single, “Heaven,” at the gig this year opening for RCPM on Friday, say Circus Mexicus helps put bands on the map beyond Arizona. Black Moods bassist Jordan Hoffman says, “It’s fun to go to New York and hear, ‘We’re fans because we saw you at Circus Mexicus.’” There’s no specific formula for choosing which bands to invite to Circus Mexicus each year, says RCPM drummer Naffah. They aim for a mix of genres and mostly focus on fellow Valley-based bands, though he said he’s “totally jazzed” this year about The Samples out of Colorado. “You never know what the fans are going to like or not like,” he says. “You put people on a bill and you hope for the best.” And fans generally do, packing Borracho Cantina, Chango’s, Wrecked on the Reef and the others just as they do Banditos and the main stage. What’s more, the festival has boosted a vibrant live music scene in Puerto Peñasco, which was pretty sleepy after dark a couple of decades ago. John Teefy says, “Roger really started this whole music scene that’s this Tempe- to-Rocky Point bridge.” Kelli Teefy adds, “Now, all the bars have live music even when Roger’s not there.” Clyne takes some credit for spreading the music scene across the border. “It’s funny to have someone point at our band and say, ‘You guys are the inception point of that,’” he says. “I can’t say we’re the cause, but we’re the catalyst.” However, Clyne tips his hat to fans for eagerly supporting live music. “They’re another reason it’s succeeded,” he says. “Their word of mouth, their endorsement, their hospitality.” Flowers keep on flowerin’ As Circus Mexicus has grown up, so have the fans. Clyne was a wink over 30 when it started and his fans now have kids that age. Povio, the founder of the Facebook fan page, says, “I’ve been going since I was 16 with my parents, and I’ve taken my kids since they were tiny.” Her daughter was born in 1987 and still The Black Moods out of Tempe, a favorite at Circus Mexicus, credit the festival for helping expand their fan base. (Photo by David Majure) Down Mexico Way from p 14 >> p 18
