Over 300 musicians performed in 100 different bands at last weekend’s Maximum Ames Music Festival.

As the festival drew to a close Sept. 28, co-director Nate Logsdon took a moment while performing with Mumford’s at Deano’s to reflect on the weekend.  

“From Chris [Lyng, the festival co-director] and I’s perspective, this has been the best year ever,” said Logsdon. “Respecting each other, listening to each other. It’s not any individual that does that, it’s the community as a whole.”

Attendees didn’t need to look far to see that community spirit in action. Ames legend Happy Jack swayed gleefully back and forth while Gloom Balloon performed in the center of a capacity crowd at the Iowa Music Store.

Fans rapped along with every word as Sage Francis performed in complete darkness at KHOI Radio. Septuagenarians laughed and danced with the youngsters while The Depaysement tore the house down at Deano’s.

Hundreds turned out to support the diverse artists who performed at this year’s festival. Crowds were large and enthusiastic, giving equal support to the technically proficient and the rough around the edges.

Perhaps most supportive were the musicians themselves, turning up at one another’s shows and loudly cheering one another on. Elliot Burke, who performs under the name Lesbian Poetry, danced shirtless in the crowd while MR NASTI unleashed a smoke machine and makeshift toilet paper gun on the crowd. The sisters who comprise Columbia, Mo., folk band Dubb Nubb provided loud, enthusiastic backing vocals while Little Ruckus performed as a one-man techno band.

On Sept. 26, each of the festival’s headlining acts performed to sold-out crowds in rather intimate settings. For example, Logsdon said that the smaller venues, like the one Sage Francis played at, allowed audiences to experience the performers in a very unique way.

“The energy and the power in the room was almost scary,” Logsdon said. “At the beginning of the show, he put on a Strange Records flag and wore it as a cape. He performed completely in the dark. Earlier this month, he sold out First Avenue in Minneapolis. You’re never gonna see him in this environment again.”

In addition to giving audiences the chance to get up close and personal with performers, the venues at this year’s festival were in close proximity to one another.

While previous years’ concerts took place in locations as widespread as the Maintenance Shop and the Ames City Auditorium, this year’s festival was the first to be located entirely in the Downtown area. Logsdon says walkability played a key role in the success of this year’s festival, both in terms of planning and logistics.

“It was easier to coordinate the festival downtown,” Logsdon said. “In the past, with shows around town, we’d be sending people in cars, sometimes miles away and fighting traffic. It was so smooth to run things this year. It was an improvement not only for patrons but also for us running the festival.”

Among the downtown venues were the recently opened Iowa Music Store and the auditorium at the Ames Public Library. The two spaces offered drastically different atmospheres, mirroring the diversity of the festival of itself.

While the Iowa Music Store was host to sweaty dance parties featuring the likes of MR NASTI and Little Ruckus, the Ames Public Library featured acoustic performances by BeJae Fleming and various singer-songwriters.

Logsdon was characteristically enthusiastic as he looked back on the festival.

“We’re just so appreciative of all our sponsors and everyone who came out and the musicians themselves,” said Logsdon. “[The festival] really is a reflection of the community.”

Though he says that this was the best festival to date, Logsdon and the Max Ames crew are making plans to top themselves next year.

“We actually started planning next year’s festival a few weeks ago,” said Logsdon. “Next year is going to MAMF five, and we have big plans. It’s going to be crazy.”

Logsdon said that they do not yet know the exact number of passes and tickets bought for the festival.