The making of CounterPoint: An interview with MCP Presents’ Jon Fordin

MCP Presents — the brains behind Lights All Night and Camp Bisco — and Lollapalooza organizers C3 Presents have teamed up to bring one of the most anticipated music festivals of the season to Atlanta later this month, Sept. 27-29.

CounterPoint, which features an absolutely stunning musical lineup for its inaugural event, will also highlight some of the best Atlanta and the South have to offer in terms of art, restaurants, food trucks, microbrews and local music talent.

“No other event out there has what we have and it will show in every detail,” said Jon Fordin, owner of MCP Presents, in an interview with Electronic Midwest.

The festival will be held on the same 8,000 acres of land along the Chattahoochee River as Echo Project in 2007, though no comparable event has been attempted since.

“We have been waiting five years for the right opportunity to come back and CounterPoint is the perfect opportunity,” said Fordin. “It is a chance for us to do something unique from every event out there in the market and a chance to spotlight both Atlanta, and the South as a whole, as the cultural hub it is.”

The lineup for the three-day festival includes Bassnectar, Skrillex, Pretty Lights, Avicii, Steve Angello, M83, Excision, Laidback Luke, Alesso, Crystal Castles, Big Goi, Zeds Dead, Big Gigantic, Wale, Ghostland Observatory, A-trak, Atmosphere, Feed Me, Porter Robinson, Lotus, Toro Y Moi, Mim0sa, R3hab, 12th Planet, Beats Antique and many more.

Fordin describes CounterPoint as an “escape, a rejuvenating oasis in a busy world where people from all walks of life, backgrounds, jobs, and interests can come together to share a common love of music.”

For the full CounterPoint experience, we suggest camping onsite at the festival grounds. But if camping isn’t your thing, there’s also shuttle service running to-and-from downtown Atlanta hotels.

Three day general admission tickets are on sale for $165 ($180 with camping) with VIP packages starting at $365. Buy them here.

Check our full interview with MCP Presents’ Jon Fordin below:

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EMW: How did you decide what talent to bring to the festival? How do you balance the variety of genres?

Fordin: There are so many different and equally good styles of music out there that it is difficult to find the right mix of artists and balance of genres. It is our job to watch trends and keep our ears to the ground so that we can pick the right acts and best representation from a wide gambit of musical styles that you all will enjoy as well as booking some up and comers that deserve the exposure because of their talent. We feel we have done that with the lineup of CounterPoint… A wide array of varying styles of electronic music with indie rock, hip hop, jam bands and more all mixed into one expansive lineup that works as a whole. Many festivals have one genre and book every act within that genre, but who actually listens to just one specific genre of music? We aim to provide something on the lineup that everyone will like and something on the lineup that people have never heard and will find enjoyable.

EMW: With so many festivals to choose from (some of which you produce), what are some of the more unique/unexpected things attendees will find at CounterPoint?

Fordin: This is the first festival of its kind in Atlanta. We have set out to make this a world class event, while still being uniquely Atlanta. With local restaurants, food trucks, craft brews, and artists on top of the great lineup of Atlanta’s own musicians this festival will showcase the city and culture that is unique to this area. Plus, the land is one of the most beautiful pieces of property you have ever seen! No other event out there has what we have and it will show in every detail.

EMW: The land has a history of being used for other music festivals. Were you involved in those at all and what gave you the inspiration to create CounterPoint?

Fordin: We were involved in the Echo Project in 2007 and are so thrilled to be back! We have been waiting 5 years for the right opportunity to come back and CounterPoint is the perfect opportunity. It is a chance for us to do something unique from every event out there in the market and a chance to spotlight both Atlanta, and the South as a whole, as the cultural hub it is. We are really excited for everyone to come out and see what we have built and are excited for the opportunity to grow and improve year after year.

EMW: Many of us frequent the festival scene, but how would you describe CounterPoint to someone who has never been to a similar event?

Fordin: An escape, a rejuvenating oasis in a busy world where people from all walks of life, backgrounds, jobs, and interests can come together to share a common love of music. It is a place where you can let go and enjoy life without a worry about what is happening outside of the festival grounds. A place where new friends are met and old friendships are cemented. A place where you realize that in the end we are all the same in so many ways and that our differences all make us beautiful. There is no real way to describe an event like this except FUN. Come, let loose, be safe, and a good time is guaranteed!

EMW: Any tips on what to bring/not to bring?

Fordin: Bring good friends or plan on meeting new ones, bring a good attitude and a smile, bring enough food and water or enough money for those things for 3 days, bring an open mind and your love for music. Don’t bring anything dangerous (gas, fireworks, weapons or anything else that might cause someone or yourself harm), don’t bring an attitude, and leave your worries behind.

See you there!

 

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Kent Otto

Kent is founder and editor-in-chief. He's always had a love and passion for music of all types, but didn't discover the music festival scene and community until moving to Southern California during his early post-college years. He returned to his roots in the Midwest in 2011 and has since been determined to share the magic and beauty of the music scene with as many as possible. Email kent@edmcalendar.com.