Day Four…

After an exciting three days of non-stop music, both new and familiar, day four arrived with one last chance to shuffle from stage to stage to see all that I could. First, I had to stop off at the main stage for the second Dr. Dog (new record out July 22) set. This time around it appeared that the band was fatigued resulting in the set not being as strong as the day before. They stuck to the same set list of mostly new material, adding in a fan request from the previous day. Unfortunately, I could tell that the bassist/vocalist, Toby Leaman, was losing his voice. Aside from those issues, the set was still sharp and energized.

One of the issues with trying to catch everyone you want to see at a festival is that you will run into set overlap like I did many times this weekend, such as the case with Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk and the Yard Dogs Road Show. I was already in a prime location at the main stage, in my wheelchair with a foot on the gate which I had been doing all weekend at every stage, I was excited to see more great funk and blues from New Orleans at the festival. Dumpstaphunk was a fun and funky in all the right ways and perfect for a mid-afternoon slot.

After grooving the best way a man with a broken leg can, I headed over to catch the Yard Dog Road Show at the Revival Stage. I had seen these guys on a few festival bills, even making a stop off in my college town a year or so back. So after hearing lots of good things about them, they definitely lived up to the hype. The Yard Dog Road show is a type of Burlesque rock show meets vaudeville revival, bringing back the sexy variety acts of the old west. There were musical sketches poking fun at hair metal, and Mexican versus cowboy stand off, and a sword-swallower to top it all off. Oh, but how could I forget the gorgeous burlesque troop that graced the stage in various costumes that started off extravagant, and as the music built, to clothes fell off to reveal carefully coordinated. The finale brought all those elements together to a surprising and sultry cover of Muse’s “Feeling Good” off the record Origin of Symmetry, which now I will forever associate with sexy burlesque and sparkling pasties. I think I’m in love!

Since a cold shower was nowhere in site and there was no time to take a dip in Clinton Lake, I headed over to the Sun Up Stage to catch That 1 Guy. I had gotten a taste of him when he helped close out Buckethead’s set earlier in the weekend, and personally, he was the best part about it. Again, it was That 1 Guy and his “magic pipe.” This amazing piece of musical engineering incorporates buttons, strings, and sensors to create an industrial dance show reflecting Les Claypool style oddities and quirks throughout. However halfway through the set, which included songs such as “Butt Machine” and “Weasel Pot Pie”, the rain started they had to cut him, off due to water leaking on electrical equipment. As the rain got harder, the wind stronger, and with no let up in site, they had to cancel the Sun Up Stage, for the rest of the evening. As we waited under the tent, we also learned that the main stage, and Porch Stage had been shut down as well, leaving the revival tent to carry the headliners.

This is when the day got interesting. Already having to cut short acts such as Keller Williams, it was up in the air as to who would still play, who was even still around. David Grisman came back on to finish up his hour, with Zappa Plays Zappa still planning to close. What was supposed to be a lengthened set for the Avett Brothers due to Emmy Lou’s cancellation, was in turn cut very short due to the rain delays that plagued sound checks from finishing. Organizers decided to let the Brothers go on, at which point spirits were back up for some high energy “newgrass.” After a shot set, Split Lip Rayfield took over to fill the time before Zappa, and by the reaction of the crowd, these guys felt more like a closer than Zappa. Split Lip is another band associated with the newgrass scene. For a second there I almost forgot it was lightning and raining outside. Though when the reality of the weather set in, my group made the decision and we left on a high note. As I watched my good friend strip down to his skivvies and slide through the flooded muddy field, I knew that this was a festival to remember, and I’m really looking forward to next year.

Recap…

I have been seeking a quality music and camping festival for some time now and had heard about Wakarusa from friends back in Colorado. I must say I am extremely pleased with how things turned out, especially given that I was hindered by an injury. On that note, I must mention that the accessible camping and friendly staff made it very easy for me to get around and enjoy the weekend with out having to worry about anything. While they claim attendance in the tens of thousands, you never notice the numbers, and this I credit to the careful planning. I never waited in line once for food or merchandise, and I was always able to get to the front of the sage, especially since the other attendees were so friendly and understanding. I recommend this festival experience to anyone looking for a relaxing and carefree environment with a stellar line up and good food to compliment it.

Just watch out for the storms…remember, it is Kansas after all.

Categories: Features, Festival Features, Festival News/Rumor, News
Tags: Dr. Dog, Split Lip Rayfield, That 1 Guy, The Avett Brothers, Wakarusa Music Festival, Yard Dogs Road Show, Zappa Plays Zappa