Desert Daze was an experience that I will carry on for the rest of my life. Nothing will live up to the time I spent there for a very long time. The music festival lasted three days from Oct. 12-15 at the Institute of Mentalphysics.

I first attended Deap Vally’s set, consisting of drummer Julie Edwards and guitarist/ singer Lindsey Troy, who filled the entire room with originality and pure raw emotion. Troy’s ability to play the guitar in such a way filled the gap between not having a bassist or second guitarist.

I then rushed to go watch Ty Segall. He was easily the best performance of the first day. A combination of punk, indie rock and garage rock, Segall’s sound brought more life into the crowd. I felt that every act would top the one prior.

The headlining act of the night was Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile (and the Sea Lice). Both Barnett and Vile play guitar with their band, the Sea Lice, covering bass, drums and keyboard. They had a more laid back sound that was a mix of folk and indie. This was a drastic change in style compared to Segall who had played right before.

The next two best acts of the night, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard and Iggy Pop. Wow. Just, wow. Hailing from Melbourne, Australia and comprised of seven members, the band featured three guitarists (one of which played a 12-string guitar), a bassist, a keyboard player, and two drummers. I remember one part specifically when singer Stu Mackenzie threw his 12-string on the ground and suddenly whipped out a flute and started soloing over one of their songs. From the structure of their songs, showmanship, and their outstanding musical abilities, seeing King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard was truly incredible.

Finally, it was time for the man, the myth, the legend: Iggy Pop. He wasn’t scheduled to start for another hour, so I did what any person would do: I made my way to the front and waited. Everybody was calm while waiting for Iggy, but once the first note of the first song began, the crowd turned into a war zone. He opened up with The Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” jumping all around the stage.

Spectators were either pushing each other or crowd surfing; there was no in between. It didn’t even matter that I waited an hour to get that front row spot because I ended up in a completely different spot once the show ended. Somehow these people even managed to mosh to “The Passenger,” which, if you are familiar with the song, you would know that it’s not fast or wild. Nonetheless, seeing Iggy Pop live was truly a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. The fact that I was so close to one of my idols and witnessing him perform my favorite songs was mind-blowing.

Overall, Desert Daze was definitely a remarkable experience that I will carry for the rest of my life. I highly recommend attending next year’s Desert Daze, as it will truly be an experience you will never forget.