On January 31, Tucson, Arizona will be hosting a massive 3-day camping festival! We had the opportunity to interview the creator Gem & Jams one of Tucson’s biggest festivals, Toby White.
With Gem and Jam going on its 13th year, how are you going to celebrate such Milestone?
Taking a year off was a really wise decision for us to recalibrate and focus fresh energy on the event. That being said, we are really dialing in all facets of the event to create the best experience possible. We look at every year as a celebration, but this one should be pretty special.
Do you find it difficult to bring together electronic music and other genres under one festival?
Not really. Although the music we bring to the festival is pretty diverse, there’s a ton of crossover with the genres musically, as well as what our attendees like to listen to. I feel like it blends together nicely and there’s always something for everyone.
How did Gem and Jam go from an idea to a reality?
Gem and Jam started in 2006 as a very simple idea. A friend of mine who had been in the demand mineral world brought up the idea of putting on an after party. At the time, there wasn’t much happening during the gem show in Tucson, so I saw this as a great opportunity to do something cool. It was a completely untapped market at that time. I took that idea and got excited about it, so I went a little further and turned it into its own self contained gem show with several musical acts. The first year had a lot of flaws, but the people seemed to really enjoy it, so I kept the momentum going on it.
What struggles did you face then that you still face today?
The biggest struggle we deal with every year is the vulnerability of putting on a festival. There’s many variables that can seriously affect the outcome of the festival. Some are in your control and some are not. The weather, the weekend we choose, the competition, the acts we book, misbudgetting, all have major impacts on how the event does. If the event has a bad year, it’s hard for it to move forward. We always have that fear in the back of our heads, but we love and believe in what we do and try to keep moving forward.
How long is the process to bring the festival to life?
Usually about 11 months. We give ourselves a little downtime to recoup after the festival and then start all over again. The more time we have to plan it, the more organized it is. Taking the festival off in 2019 gave us a lot of time to plan the event for 2020, which really helped us get the event much more structured.
What are your personal favorite highlights of Gem and Jam?
There’s so much I enjoy. I love working with my team and watching it all come together. I love poking around from stage to stage, watching people enjoy themselves. I love the Grateful Dead Sunday night jams. I could really go on and on…. Each year has had so many different highlights for me.
How has your team grown and evolved throughout the years?
The team started out with about 3-4 people. Over the years it has grown to about 100+. Much of the same crew members have been part of the team for many years now. We have been much like a family as we have moved along through the years.
What parts of the festival do you recommend that the public pay more attention to? Either that be the music, the activities or the community?
We are an eco conscious festival that strives to be as sustainable as possible. I think most festivals try and do their part, but a ton of events don’t care. I think it’s important to play your part and try and make a difference. I hope everyone can help contribute towards this movement.
We are also really into integrating the local Tucson community into the festival. We hire a lot of our staff, musical acts and performers from Tucson. I think it’s crucial to give back to the local community. We are only there for a short time and we want to make sure we make the locals feel good about what we are doing.
Out of the stellar line up this year, who would you pick to watch and why?
Personally, I am most looking forward to seeing TH3, Billy Strings, Pink Talking Fish, Dirtwire and the Grateful Dead tribute band. I grew up listening to Phish and the Grateful Dead, so my heart lies in the jam band world, but that’s not to say I am not excited about seeing most of the acts on the lineup. Tipper and Big G are gonna be pretty epic as well.
What is your fondest memory of Gem and Jam?
Well, I have to say having my whole team bring me on stage to sing Happy Birthday with the crowd right before STS9 came on probably stands right at the top.
How has Gem and Jam impacted your life? Positive or Negative.
The festival has given me more passion than anything I have ever worked on. Watching how it has evolved over the years has made me a much more passionate person in general. Gem and Jam has really helped form who I am. Unfortunately the negatives impacts are usually about how the event does financially. If the event doesn’t do well, it can really affect my life in a negative way. It’s a tough industry to be in.
What are your future plans for Gem and Jam?
We are just taking things year by year. We are just focused on this upcoming event, and we will see where that leads us…
Toby White – Founder & CEO