Visit Detroit at the end of July and experience summery indie rock vibes. Mo Pop festival is back in 2019 and better than ever. Established in 2013, the Detroit festival has gotten bigger and better every year, and consistently offers music fans big name artists and memories that will last a lifetime. Some of my favorite experiences at the festival include moshing to “Yonkers” by Tyler the Creator, being overwhelmed by emotion by Brandon Flowers singing, “Smile Like You Mean It,” or dancing to an intimate Chromeo DJ set, and drinking craft beer while playing piano during a storm.
This year’s lineup is sure to draw music fans from all over the country with huge industry giants Vampire Weekend and Tame Impala. The fact that this festival offers such amazing bands every year at an accessible festival with affordable tickets will ensure Mo Pop will be the Bunbury or Lollapalooza of Michigan. At Mo Pop festival every spot in the crowd is a great view, as the stages offer the perfect balance between giant festival stage but small enough crowds that no one in the back is left behind. Mo Pop festival is great and visiting Detroit is even better.
Make Mo Pop festival your road trip of the summer. Less than a 5-hour drive from Cincinnati and so many things to do will make the end of July the highlight of your summer. Air BnBs are popping up all over Detroit at affordable entry points and there is so much to do in the city. Before the festival you owe it to yourself to hop on the Detroit People Mover train and take a 45-minute loop around the City. There are so many food, entertainment and urban sights to see along the ride. If you have extra time and a passport, I would recommend making the short drive to Canada to ensure that you are doing international travel in 2019.
Vampire Weekend and Tame Impala will be two of the best festival spots of summer 2019. Mo Pop lineups are quality over quantity and the feel-good sets that these bands will perform will be legendary. The shows during the day at Mo Pop are always great also, as the promoters of this festival are very skilled at picking the best up and coming artists and giving them a chance at the big festival stages. I have been exploring the full lineup on streaming services and what I am hearing is very good.
With the festival industry growing every year and drawing more and more crowds, Mo Pop is proving to be one of the best riverside parties of the year. Detroit is becoming one of the best cities to visit in the Midwest. The culture there is rich and vibrant. I try to drive to Michigan once a year at least. The people in Ohio and the surrounding states can learn a lot from the resilience and good DIY attitudes that the people of Detroit hold.
