To pay for it all, this year saw an increase in sponsorships. It was tasteful though, and kept to the festival guidebook as not to change the festival’s look. Besides, it can only mean good things when the festival has Four Loko sponsoring the biggest tent, and a hydroponics company for the other tent.

As for the music, Wakarusa’s resident bands – Sound Tribe Sector Nine (STS9), Dirtfoot, Umphrey’s McGee, and Split Lip Rayfield – returned, and with them a promising smattering of bands from all walks of music. At the top were My Morning Jacket, Ben Harper, Thievery Corporation, and Grace Potter. In the middle though were the equally hopeful Minus the Bear, Mumford & Sons, Ghostland Observatory, and Bassnectar, to name only a few. The rest was a steady helping of dub, noodley jam bands, and electronica of all styles pumping until sun up. I’m still not sure when people slept.

Temperatures reached into the high 90’s, the humidity was uncomfortable and sticky. The much cooler nights helped tremendously though. It also was nice to see that Sunday, normally the day most people choose to leave, was fuller than in years past. This kept the festival alive a little longer. Really though, it was just another gorgeous year atop Mulberry Mountain.

-E.N. May
Senior Staff Writer

Thursday, June 2nd

Dirtfoot – Revival Tent – 1:30 p.m.

There are a number of bands that have become an annual part of Wakarusa over the years, and Dirtfoot owns them all when it comes to participation. This year saw the Shreveport, LA natives performing three sets over the weekend, and just for good measure, they also played each morning at a fan-hosted breakfast nook, called Chompdown on Wilderness St. For Dirtfoot’s second set over the weekend, the band started by debuting a preview of its recently released Live and In Prison DVD. Shot in an actual prison, it’s a mini-movie featuring a live performance inside Louisiana’s Wade Correctional Center.

Together, they played as loud and as hard as they could. The music translated very well from the tent to the main stage, filling the airspace with boisterous riffs and off the wall saxophone lines. The set threw out dirt-stirring punk rock rambles, tying it up with a tight country backbone. To close things out, the gypsy punk anthems got the crowd shouting along with “Break My Bones”, “My Girl”, and “Bad Train Sick”. And to think they did this all weekend.

Minus the Bear – Revival Tent – 5:45 p.m.

For an “out of place pick”, Minus the Bear certainly made themselves at home, complete with a packed Revival Tent giving them much love. Starting with “Knights”, the set started with the hook heavy work of earlier material, working everyone up for the back end of the set that focused on the newer, more melodic material. They also threw in a track from the bands recent free EP. The song translated heavier live, full of the band’s trademark glitchy guitar stops. By the end of the song, Jack Snider and Dave Kusdon were on all fours twisting the feedback into one whirl of an outro. The new work all received some fanfare, and the band ate it up, stating numerous times how excited they were to be on that stage. Maybe they were just being nice, but they certainly didn’t hold anything back.

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals – Main Stage – 6:15 p.m.

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals‘ reputation held strong during its early evening set. Hits like “Ooh La La” came off heavier and dirtier, pushing back the radio-friendly chorus for a real rock show. The biggest highlight came with “Sugar”, which included a quick segue into The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black”, before looping back into “Sugar” for a blown out finish. The band looked sharp in all black. Potter was her usual sexy self, being playful with her band and flirting with the crowd, offering one-liners like, “You know it’s a good show when you got the panties rolling out.” This was just another gig for the band, though, sticking to the formula of staying genuine and looking like they’re having a great time. Here though, they actually were.

Umphrey’s McGee – Main Stage – 10:15 p.m.

Staple of the festival scene (and hosts of their own), Umphrey’s McGee too know how to play to the moment, and this moment saw them as Thursday’s headliner. The thing to note about Umphrey’s is that they come with two types of sets. The rock set for the day shows, and the fusion set for the night shows. With a big production light show in tow, the group went for the jammier blend of big arena rock, mixing in electronic odds and ends. The long extended songs flowed together, with some reprising 10 minutes later. The only exception to that came with the new track “Puppet String”. The song brought out heavy Tom Morello-style riffs with a rattling bass bridge into the verse.

It was the slow burning tracks that brought the bands best Pink Floyd moves, the set hitting all the required points of a modern rock jam show. Umphrey’s is a band built on the live experience, so it makes perfect sense why they now have moved to the headliner status. By midnight, the audience’s collective ears were ringing.

The Shpongletron Experience – Main Stage  - 1:00 a.m.

When a performer brings a show labeled as an “Experience”, the bar is prematurely set high before they even take the stage. With an 18-foot structure to play from, this horned devil head of scaffold and projection screens built anticipation throughout the day as it sat shrouded on the main stage. When show time came, what was delivered was a collection of screen saver visuals and house lights that wasn’t so much an experience, but another Shpongle DJ set on stilts.

That being said, his high energy blend of classic electronic beats and world – Spanish, West African, and Brazilian etc.- rhythms sounded organic in the open air. This was the first year the main stage was used for late night sets, and from 18 feet up, Shpongle sounded great and kept the night hot. Next time, though, bring the band.

Friday, June 3rd

Cornmeal – Revival Tent – 1:30 p.m.

Cornmeal was back this year with another two sets of genre bending New Grass. The early afternoon set was the second for the weekend, and the group opened fast with Mississippi style blue grass. The set was kicked up though when the acoustics turned electric and all tradition went out the door. The fiddle wailed with distorted guitar solos for quite the wild blend before pulling it all in for a rock jam outro. For all the New-Grass bands out there, Cornmeal have found a way to stand far out by being as eclectic as possible with the simple instruments they have. This set only showed further how underrated they are in the scene.

Split Lip Rayfield – Revival Tent – 3:00 p.m.

Friday afternoon in the revival tent was all about the bluegrass, and as the third band in that hard picking line-up, Split Lip Rayfield brought things back to basics – and turned up the speed. The picking and strumming was fast and unrelenting, that gas tank bass adding punk rock ingenuity for an extra thud from the strings against the steel. The harmonies sounded great, and the musicianship kept loose. Nothing out of the ordinary here, just another carefree set.

Lucero – Revival Tent – 6:00 p.m.

Midway through the set, vocalist Ben Nichols admitted he didn’t think Lucero was a festival kind of band. Listening to the set it was easy to see his point as Lucero, in the simplest of terms, is a bar band. They channel Springsteen in the song writing department, turning life into poetry relatable to anyone in a tough spot. What they wouldn’t realize until later was that this kind of music is perfect for the festival setting. What’s more, Lucero carry a southwest twist to the rock they write. This makes their sound much bigger than the chord by chord alt country that is at the base. Along with Nichols’ rock growl and enduring subtle twang, the band sounded great. The set list itself started pre-planned, but was quickly thrown out for fan requests. The entire back half of the set was just that in fact. The crowd was small, but quite loyal, making for one intimate show.

My Morning Jacket – Main Stage  - 10:30 p.m.

It’s difficult to keep coming up with new ways to say just how incredible a My Morning Jacket set is. The reputation that precedes them is in every way true, and has been hyped appropriately. The set this past Friday was no exception as the band showed that they are a worthy headliner, and not just the undercard anymore. It’s about time, too.

Opening with “Victory Dance”, the band launched into the first two tracks from their latest LP, Circuital. They made sure to mix in older favorites as well, hitting “I’m Amazed” early on. The tried and true material was jammed out into extended versions; in fact, Patrick Hallahan shined bright here, as he massacred his drumset during a few solos. However, despite a few far reaching addition, it was the new album that took over the set. New single “Holdin’ on the Black Metal” arrived early on, “Outta My System” and “Circuital” could have filled a stadium, the songs translating even better live, and “First Light” blasted into a prog-rock freak show to close it out in a monumental way.

MMJ is a band that has grown with the festival scene, so all of its material is meant for the big open air stage. It was psychedelic, ethereal, and rocked hard for a full two hours. The thing is, with the way the audience and the band were feeling, they could have played for another hour easily. Satisfying is the key word here, and what more could there be for a headlining set?

Bassnectar – Main Stage  - 1:00 a.m.

With MMJ going over the set time by 30 minutes, the rest of the night would be pushed back. It was a minor detail though and one that no one seemed to mind. Besides, this was one of the more anticipated late night sets of the weekend, and by the time Lorin Ashton came out, the field was filled like he was a headliner in his own right. These days, Bassnectar is much too big for the dance tent, as it seemed the entire festival had shown up to see the set. Ashton also noticed the sea of neon, and with an opening Wu-Tang sample, the hour-and-a-half of womping bass was on.

For those who haven’t seen Ashton, his set is a mix of match ups and samples with unrelenting bass beats behind them. He uses hip-hop just as much as he uses rock, and loves to throw around some Nirvana. Every time the beat would drop, glow sticks would fly, and the neon party hit its peak. The energy was as persistent as the humidity, so when the set ended, Ashton had to come out for a quick encore, just to say goodbye to his biggest show to date – according to him.

Ghostland Observatory – Main Stage – 3:00 a.m.

This would be the latest set the main stage would see all weekend. By this point in the night, the audience had spread out to the several other late night shows going on, leaving a much smaller audience for Ghostland Observatory. No matter, though, as the Austin duo brought out all the tricks to lead the festival into the pre-dawn hours. They too are coming off a somewhat new, much more club-influenced album. The set was perfectly suited for the vibe of Wakarusa’s late night, and this band is made for only one time of the day anyhow. Lasers poured into the sky as Aaron Behrens and Thomas Turner pulsed out a heavy dose of glamtronica. Behrens was a wild man on stage, popping in and out of the fog and lights to thrust around and hype the crowd with his wild vocals. While most of the set stuck to the pure electronic material, they did bring out the old goodies, and the guitar for the punchy songs that got them noticed in the first place. Ghostland too has become a live force recently, pulling all the production punches so tracks like “Sad Sad City” can be a visual and audio trip. It was with out a doubt one of the best late night sets all weekend.

Saturday, June 4th

MarchFourth Marching Band – Revival Tent – 4:30 p.m.

Wakarusa has a thing for variety acts. One sneaks in every year and surprises an afternoon crowd looking for shade in the big tent. This past Saturday the festival brought in the punk vaudeville troop MarchFourth Marching Band, for an hour-and-a-half’s worth of big brass funk and ska. Part of the vaudeville came in the form of dancers on stilts hyping the crowd and showing off some impressive acrobatics. The other was in the from of a little burlesque. They had the marching band look, 13 pieces, and the big hats, flags, and dance routines. It was easy and entertaining; altogether, text book funk and west coast ska. Band geeks eat your heart out.

Mumford & Sons – Main Stage – 6:00 p.m.

As the latest “break out” band to be driving in its debut, Mumford & Sons 15 minutes remain in full swing. Coming out in the heat of the day to a swelling crowd, the latest folk heroes played right through their acclaimed LP, Sigh No More. The Celtic bluegrass ballads sounded straight from the album, though they turned up sections for the sake of the live show. People ate it up, sang along, and screamed with the first notes of “Winter Winds” and “Little Lion Heart”. It was a hot dusty mess with all the dancing, and the band relished in it. Two new songs were debuted, as well. “Below My Feet” used the standard Mumford equation of quiet intro into revelry of strums. The other, “Lover of Light”, ventured into Dave Mathews territory, sounding more like an acoustic pop song. The band is embracing this mainstream success full heartedly, and with a show like this, its 15 minutes will be on for quite a while longer.

Ben Harper and the Relentless 7 – Main Stage – 8:00 p.m.

Ben Harper, in any form, really works best in the festival setting. His tunes are easy going, socially conscious rock. Insert agreeable positive political statements and you have it in a nutshell. As for the Relentless 7, this is Harper’s true to form rock band. Festival anthem “Burn One Down” opened the show, which, with the haze over the crowd, was very appropriate. From there it was two hours of middle of the road rock, with a few solo acoustic throw backs to Harpers earlier material. The good thing about Harper is the size of his catalogue, and his musicianship. When he lets it fly, it makes for some quality moments. For this band, and this set, it came in the form an electric steel slide. After a glitch in the sound (it went completely down for a quick minute), the band punched back with a solid cover of the CSNY staple, “Ohio”.

Playing as the sun went down made Harper’s set the perfect time to relax. He’s a charismatic, humble musician who connects with the crowd (gave a shout out to the Razor Backs) and does his job right. In all, Harper with The Relentless 7 provided the pre-game.

Thievery Corporation – Main Stage – 10:30 p.m.

As U.S. ambassadors for world beat electronic music, Thievery Corporation’s showcase is quite the spectacle. With its rotating cast of vocalists and full live band, the gamut of world sound was covered. While Rob Garza and Eric Hilton sit at the top of Thievery, the live experience is very much so a band effort. The songs have been deconstructed and assembled for the show, improvising and forming each song into its own familiar but new experience.

Opening with a bouncy sitar, the introduction wove its way right into “Lebanese Blonde”. The South Asian styles created a very mellow atmosphere to start out with, but the funk-dub fusion that came next is what set off the set with “Radio Retaliation” and “38-35” making the cut. There is the activist side to the duo, which came out on the anti-IMF “Vampires”. Bottom line: The show was fantastically eclectic, and a perfect way to kick off the last full night of music.

Sound Tribe Sector 9 – Revival Tent – 12:30 a.m.

Wakarusa wouldn’t be the same without STS9 holding down at least one late night slot. This year there were two STS9 sets, an evening one on Friday, and this, the late night set in the Revival Tent. First off, a band this big shouldn’t be in a tent. The surrounding space outside the tent was just as congested as the space inside, and it should have been on the main stage. That’s why the festival organizers kept it running later this year, right? Oh well, though, because the night went off, and it was easily the best of the band’s sets that weekend.

Bassist David Murphy has only recently come back from cancer treatment. The fact that he’s back on tour playing like the day he left is unbelievable. On stage, he looked great – fatigued, but ecstatic with the swelling reception in front of him. STS9 came out playing the heavy club-ready material, packing a heavier wallop in the beat between the signature spacy guitars and breakneck drumming. Dominic Lalli of Big Gigantic came out to lay down a sax line over some steady synth lines for a quick jam, making for a killer collaboration. Given the two are cut from the same cloth, it was a wild few minutes of hot saxophone over a wall of drum and bass. It made a huge impact on the weekend. When STS9 are on, they really turn on, and this was a set for the books.

Big Gigantic – Outpost Tent – 2:30 a.m.

Watching a band grow at a festival is an exciting thing. Big Gigantic have, up until this year, been only a hidden gem in the line-ups of festivals all over the country. This year that’s all changing however as the livetronica sound (samples/DJ with live drums) has taken off. This left the small Outpost Tent feeling extra tight as all weekend the hype was swirling about the set. With tons of new material out, there was plenty to get to in the set. Remixes and re-worked older tracks were slipped seamlessly in as every beat drop drew a roar from the bouncing crowd. For just about two hours, the energy never dropped. Thick layers of bass were smoothed out by Lalli’s saxophone, using it to reprise songs throughout the set, and bring home the remixes. The story here is with the newer material however. It’s a welcome step up in Big Gigantic’s game as they’ve fully embraced the audience’s love for thicker and more sustained bass drops. The band spent more time on the samples making the new material forward and fresh, and it worked. The crowd ate it up, and Big Gigantic far surpassed the hype.

Sunday, June 5th

The Stone Foxes – Outpost Tent – 3:30 p.m.

The rock scene at Wakarusa is a sneaky one and it likes to hide early on Sundays. San Francisco’s seventies rock loyalists The Stone Foxes brought out a storm of overdriven blues rock to a mostly vacant Outpost Tent. It may sound like a sad sight, but the band didn’t seem to care as it felt more like a garage show than a festival set. They joked with the 50 people huddled in the front, and it was an intimate treat for everyone. The guitar wailed like Jack White giving psychedelic break downs and solid loud riffs. There’s nothing new about what The Stone Foxes are doing, but they can play, and play hard.

Zoogma – Outpost Tent – 8:30 p.m.

The winner of band with most flyer litter goes to Zoogma. Signs and posters reading, “What the fuck is Zoogma?”, could be found on posts in the camp sites, and on the grass in lieu to the festival. Why not though, the still mostly unknown band was playing two sets this weekend. It was Sunday’s set however that got the biggest reception. Zoogma is a young band in the electronic jam scene, taking all its cues from its predecessors like STS9. While the band members are obviously very talented, they have yet to find a niche, but it’s certainly being worked on. The choice in synth beats helps, going for an 80’s pop feel in the hooks and synth tones. Those made the biggest impact, and filled one last need for a sound that’s taken over the jam scene, and Wakarusa for that matter.

Ozomatli – Revival Tent – 10:00 p.m.

With the majority of the people headed to get a last fix of bass elsewhere, a thin crowd stuck around for Ozomatli’s second set as defacto Sunday headliner. One more time they brought out the world beats and conscious rhymes. The mix of Latin, reggae, and hip-hop is always a safe bet. Throw in uplifting social messages and you have something everyone can agree with. It provided a nice alternative for the overheated electronic sets as more people trickled in over the hour or so. The energy was there, and Justin Poree got a cheer for having just been bailed out of jail from the night before. Getting arrested during a festival? Now that’s rock and roll.

That aside, the set took the festival into one more late night, and for those who stuck around, it provided yet another close up encounter with a relatively big band. The last of the fireworks were shot off (not official festival fireworks, just the work of fans with good timing), and so went another Wakarusa.

2010 proved to be a landmark year for Wakarusa. It was the culmination of years of enduring the politics of festival organizing and coming out on top with a premier mid-level event. After settling in to their new home last year, Waka was able to step up their game and build the festival they’d been dreaming of for this past weekend. Even though this was its seventh year, it felt like the first, but with the same intimacy and charm they’ve had all along.

With a brand new main stage, a full carnival, and expanded camping, you could tell from the first day that things were going to be bigger. The new Satellite Stage placed off in the south woods created an oasis for those looking for an all night party. And with music running 24 hours, if you wanted to rave at seven in the morning you most certainly could. Singer-songwriters started the day early on the Outpost Stage, and Oklahoma’s Mud Stomp Records provided open showcases as you walked by the shops. If what you saw on the way to main stage wasn’t enough, another side street of vendors was added through the main camping area. How they were able to get so much in such a small space shows that they’ve gone above and beyond to solidify the best possible festival experience.

What’s more, a jaw dropping line-up was gathered that pulled from the Jam scene’s biggest players (some getting two sets), as well as choice acts to flesh out the days. Thursday through Saturday were stacked with “must see” sets going into the early hours. Sunday would be the most relaxed with only the tents running, and many choosing to get home before the workweek. Those that stuck around were treated to intimate performances from some big names and one last chance to take a dip at the waterfall.

Organizers did their homework, however, and as a result they were able to pack the mountain to the brim with tickets selling out the week before. The days were scorching with temperatures in the 90’s beating those who braved to be out in it, but the music was absolutely rewarding, distracting you from the impending sunburn. The nights were a different experience altogether with everyone adorning the neon way with the weekend’s top sets as the backdrop. I say it every year, but there really is no festival like this, and with the momentum they’ve gained, Wakarusa’s not going anywhere.

Thursday

Split Lip Rayfield:

Split Lip is no stranger to Wakarusa, and every year they play, their momentum builds at the festival. Hitting the main stage early they brought the high energy beat up bluegrass, playing it out like a rock band. Jeff Eaton’s gas tank upright bass added serious momentum with his metallic slap carrying the set along side fast and furious mandolins and banjos. Dust was kicked and the heat was shrugged off with the fire on stage even being even hotter.

Somasphere:

With the strong move of the jam scene to embrace the electronic, Somasphere hosted a packed Outpost tent in the mid afternoon pulsing with knob tweaking improvisational rock. With the electronic drum and bass holding a steady beat, they let the live drums carry the set with guitars dancing around samples and loops. Songs moved from straight thumping electronica into guitar and bass jams, the six-string eventually taking over. The set proved them to be a band to watch for in their scene, and was a great introduction to a sound that’s quickly taking over.

7 Walkers:

Festivals and The Grateful Dead are one in the same, and in the early evening we got a taste as to why they fit so perfectly together. The Dead’s master of the beat, Bill Kreutzman, brought his latest project with some friends from Tea Leaf Green and Pap Mali having fun with The Dead’s classic sound. There were new jams from the project, and old ones from a bygone era. Kreutzman showed off with the rest of the band more than keeping up, letting Mali take over for his own noodley blues guitar licks. The improvisations worked through all the classic styles that Kreutzman and Mali pioneered, and for that moment the Dead Heads got their fill.

Pimps of Joytime

As one of the biggest surprises of the festival, Pimps of Joytime put an electro spin to heavy New Orleans funk. Lead guitarist/singer Brian J was ripe with hot solos and blues guitar stomps. Electronic bass and hooks were thrown in every so often to throw you off, but it was perfect for the grand scope of the modern funk party they were throwing. It was a combination of sounds you’d never think would be thrown together, and proved surprisingly infectious and unforgettable.

Robert Randolph and the Family Band

With Robert Randolph, you know what you’re going to get, and he delivered like he always does to a hot packed field. The set was filled with takes from Colorblind showing off his impressive slide guitar work. “Ain’t Nothing Wrong” provided the hype into “Homecoming” and the bigger than life “Deliver Me”. Throwing in top 40 tie-ins to older favorites felt cheesy, but the music and show spoke for itself. They’re perfectionists with an undeniable high energy, but there is a sense that this is it with the band, what you see is what you get. With everyone on stage shooting for over the top it was pure entertainment without having to be anything else.

Disco Biscuits

Over the past couple of decades, Bisco’s taken on a whole new life, evolving far past its days as a rock band. The group’s set showed why jam has embraced the keyboards and MacBooks, adding them to their set up, as the next wave of jam takes over. The best moments come from the older tracks and the more established jams. The massive glow stick wars erupted early in the set, the music keeping the field in a neon frenzy. Being the self-proclaimed official start to the festival season for the band, the energy was gleaming off the stage as they soaked it all in. The Biscuits are at the top of their game, and the show Thursday night was just more proof.

The Machine: Pink Floyd Laser Show

For any Pink Floyd fan, this is the ultimate spectacle. The band has put together musically the show that many never had the chance to see. Every moment so carefully planned so that when the guitar solo in “Money” hits with note for note perfection the hair on the back of your neck stands. By having them in the largest of the tents, the lasers (used sparingly) filled the space in a wash of colorful rays and blankets of reds blues and greens. The set pulled from the greatest hits and rare deep cuts from Floyd leaving everyone more than satisfied, and very much in awe.

Lotus

One of the more anticipated sets of the weekend, Lotus threw down their take on trans-jam to an overflowing tent. There wasn’t a body still within earshot as they held the crowd in the palm of their samplers. Still being mostly rock, the electronics provided infectious sugary hooks resulting in one of the best sets of the night.

Friday

Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears

Dressed to kill for an early slot on the main stage, Lewis didn’t just play the blues, he owned it. Riding high off his excellent debut, the set shined with a backing horns section highlighting Lewis’s Buddy Guy like swagger. Full of attitude, the funked up “I’m Broke” brought a new generation to the working mans blues. The band is built for the live experience, and while only one album in the game, they own every moment to final note.

Earl Greyhound

Earl Greyhound’s a powerful band. Even with a sparse crowd, they played like it was for a packed house letting Kamara Thomas’s heavy raspy bass rumble while Matt Whyte tore into his guitar. With a new album out, the fresh material sounded just as thick and penetrating. “Oye Vaya” and the epic set closer “Misty Morning” showed that there are several sides to this bands music, taking you from a quiet mystique to in your face sonics with twisting feed back. The set was high on the new material side, the garage blues building on elements of grunge, all just adding more power to the blow your hair back sound. A sleeper set, but another of the best from the weekend without a doubt.

Dirtfoot

Louisiana band Dirtfoot is a bit of an anomaly in the world of jam. Combining hillbilly punk with New Orleans style you get a kind of energy that sucks you in. They’re regulars for the festival and have the following to pack a wooded stage. Playing with the harsh six o’clock in their eyes on the tiny backwoods stage, they sweated out the hour and a half and kept the crowd a movin’.

Umphrey’s McGee

By this point, Umphrey’s McGee has figured out how to transcend just being another jam-rock band. Their sets are heavy, breaking out double bass and stadium size guitars that are just too big for any stage. On the first of two sets, they brought the prog-rock jam bliss, opening with the rare “13:48”. With ripping duel lead guitars, they continued to establish themselves, not just as a jam staple, but as a live force to be recon with. They can work in quick covers from just about anyone, like a nod to Motley Crue, but the pinnacle coming from the high end of a blistering build up before falling perfectly into Pink Floyd’s “Time”. It was a surreal moment, Umphrey’s delivering as they always do with a set full of surprises and non-stop rock power.

Big Gigantic

Thanks to technology, a lot of sound can come from a minimal place. Big Gigantic only describes the rumbling dub-step, and not that it’s coming from just two guys. With one on drums, the other from the multi instrumentalist tying in hip-hop hooks with his own smooth saxophone lines. The loops and layers sparkled, with the live drums fueling the set. While certainly not the first to incorporate that style, it was all in their delivery, and that little extra from the brass to break up the electronics, they’ve found their niche.

STS9

Another Wakarusa staple, Sound Tribe have become the must see band in the live-tronica game. It could be that they helped bring it to the foreground, but every set is a blistering spectacle of light and sound. Technical issues kept the set to a slow start, but once the ball was rolling it was the onstage acid trip everyone was waiting for. Impressively David Murphy played the set with an injured wrist, a hole cut in the cast for his two fingers to get to the strings of his bass. While not at their best, it fed the need for the larger than life electronics that the people craved.

Bassnecter

Winner for biggest party of the weekend easily goes here. Lorin Ashton lived up to his reputation with an unrelenting throbbing, cutting synths and samples between sub-bombs. Part DJ, and part dub, the blend created a mass of sweaty thick beats, not one person left still in the over flowing Revival Tent. The place was hot and sticky, but so was the earth rattling noise. Every beat thundered as he dropped it, his long locks flying around his head with relentless strobes behind. He’s the king of the late night electronic set with an energy that never came close to easing during his hour and a half blow out.

Tea Leaf Green (Late Night)

A band really is only as strong as their rhythm section, and for Tea Leaf Green’s Reed Mathis, he was the band. Mathis ran circles around the songs, taking the lead and squeezing in extra parts whenever possible. It’s hard to find a bassist that commanding, taking the spotlight to show off, removing the set far from being just another late night jam. It was a night of ruckus blues bar funk that fit perfectly in the early morning hours and provided a break from the constant thumping of the subwoofers at the other stages. You don’t need pretty lights and a laptop at three am; no, a wailing rock band and a stripped down stage were all it took to get the festival to sunrise.

Saturday

Tea Leaf Green

After the late night jam, TLG got in one more round in the early afternoon, this time on the main stage. The set was tailored to the unusually hot start of the day. More upstrokes and surf inspired, it was a brighter, and easier going set that still let Mathis show off even more. This time, Josh Clark stepped out the guitar more for a not so bass heavy, cooler jaunt. The set qued in the cool breezes with their floating harmonies making it the best way to wake up.

Blues Traveler

For a band that was once threatened by the dreaded ‘one hit wonder’ tag, John Popper and company have completely reinvented themselves. Stepping out, their set was ready made for the festival scene. They leaned heavy on the songs that let Popper rip into his harmonica, or Ben Wilson the keys with equal expertise. Radiohead’s “Creep” was a bit of a surprise, the blues revision kept desperate enough to stay in touch with the original. It’s safe to say that a harmonica can make any song better. Two of Spoonfed Tribe’s percussionists stepped in on the congas for Traveler biggest songs. The jams were impressive with that endless harmonica that gave them their name. With a set like this, they fit right in with the rest of the festival regulars, providing an impressive second life for the band.

The Black Keys

With the sun at its hottest, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney took to the main stage. A Keys live show is much heavier than the records, sporting gritter guitar work with bigger distortion. The band has created their own rock show for the big stage, revamping older favorites like “Stack Shot Billy” and “Remember When” with sonic steel slide break downs and blow out finishes. For the new material, they’ve enlisted help from two other musicians to help with the odds and ends found on their most recent record, Brothers. You can tell that they’re still getting used to the bigger band, the chemistry being worked on, just as is the new material. Back to back they played from the latest, with “Next Girl” bringing the show to its peak, Auerbach yelling out on the chorus. The band seems to be finding the right place for the new songs in their set (e.g. Auerbach taking a moment to figure out his falsetto on “Everlasting Light”, but turning “Howlin’ For You” into an instant live classic), though without a doubt, this band is made for bigger stages.

Dweezil Zappa Plays Zappa

Of all the legacies to be kept in tact, Frank Zappa’s son, Dweezil, has been keeping his dad’s freaky rock traditions alive and well. Note for note Zappa jumped right in to a set filled with old rarities and favorites, calling on classic albums like the infamous Live at the Fillmore, “you know, the white one?” he reminisced. The people new it well, and took in another dose of nostalgia. Zappa’s guitar was spot on and clean, his job only to tell a story of what was, making you wish the real thing was still around. It’s the ultimate in tribute bands touting family in a son with just as much natural talent. That alone makes this as close to the real thing as you can get.

Widespread Panic

Three hours is a long time to spend with any band, but some have enough power and presence to leave an audience begging for more. With hundreds of songs to pull from, it seemed like every last person was standing in that field with a density that reached as far back as it could. It was a marathon set of ripping southern guitars that never seemed to quit, the energy only building until the final moments. As is becoming tradition, impromptu fireworks were set off in celebration of the culmination of a weekend. Every note and word clung to as the southern rock tearing up the stage seemed exhaustingly endless. It was a magical thing to experience, a kind of harmony in song unifying everyone in that moment. Panic proved again why they’re at the top of the jam game, and why they’re the perfect way to headline a festival like this, or any festival for that matter.

Sunday

Zoomga

After a quick set shuffle due to the loss of the Dirty Guv’nors, Zoomga brought one more take on the newly sprouted live-tronica scene. As goes with these bands, live drums and bass make up the backbone with a network of synths over top. Guitars end up taking over bringing the songs through to their climax. Zoomga added more rock intensity, though, throwing in a sample of “Eleanor Rigby” that worked its way into the set and off the computer. This is the future of improvised music, and as such there are plenty of bands fighting for their place. Zoomga is another one of them, loaded with strong musicians, but still fighting to stand out amongst the pack.

That 1 Guy

More of an engineer than a musician, Mike Silverman has built a sizable loyal following as his second set for the weekend filled up the tiny space in front of the Backwoods Stage. His live style over the years has been honed and perfected, creating a odd blend of kraut-funk that can rock like metal, and groove like Les Claypool. He’s mastered the single man show turning his weird genius into something anyone can dance to. As musician you have to see to believe there’s a clear novelty about it all, but you can’t deny his originality.

State Radio

This band has the college festival crowd on lock. Reggae under tones, up-stroked guitars and a penchant for lefty politics make them all too agreeable, and lets be honest, harmless. That aside when it came to the live aspect, there’s no doubt that they can put on a show. There were plenty of sing along moments to fill the hour and a half, moving from bouncy reggae rock to ska like alternative. They were cheered back on for an encore, and threw out one last blast of rock with punk speed, stretching the vocals into a ripe yell before thanking the audience one more time. There was a lot of love for the band, and as their only U.S. festival appearance, the set was a real treat for the fans.

John Butler Trio

With a packed tent for one more set, John Butler came out to a deafening roar. The show kicked off with his more popular material hit early on, “Used to Get High” setting the pace. Once underway, he gave the real Butler show, just him and his guitar blowing minds with what was coming out of the speakers. One-man heavy rock tracks took over the middle of the set, furiously plucking and strumming, adding distortion and slides as the pace got quicker. Later while back with the trio he took that same prowess and put it into what ever he picked up, be it banjo or a lap slide. From alt rock to bluegrass and everywhere in between, Butler proved once again that he’s a master of anything with strings and a fret board. The set provided a vast improvement from last year’s closing day, with more fireworks being set off in the campsites for one last moment of celebration. With Butler at the helm, another year of Wakarusa went into the history books.

Photography courtesy of Priscilla Raba

The Euros:

More than a few major European music festivals have unveiled their 2010 headliners over the last week and if their selections are any indication, then Muse, Pearl Jam, and Pink will be the flavors of the summer. Belgium’s Rock Werchter has tapped all three; Portugal’s Optimus! Alive and London’s Hard Rock Calling both sport Eddie Vedder and Co.; Muse is confirmed for Roskilde and the Rock Am Ring & Rock Im Park; The Netherland’s Pinkpop Pestival will see John Mayer, Kasabian, Pink, Rammstein headline; London’s Wireless Festival has also tapped Pink. For additional information, click on the numerous links proceeding this sentence.

Coachella Music Festival:

On the Coachella front, CoS can independently confirm Phoenix’s Indio appearance, while The Big Pink and The Cribs appear to be solid possibilities. Perhaps the biggest item of note, however, is the possibility of a Beastie Boys headlining performance, as hinted at by the trio’s Adam Yauch in a recent interview. What’s more, there also appears to be a chance that Billy Corgan and his current band, still somehow known as the Smashing Pumpkins, will be playing as well. Of course, Coachella has yet to make anything officially official.

Summer Camp Music Festival:

Chillicothe, Illinois’ favorite annual three-day music festival has announced its 2010. The Summer Camp Music Festival will return to Three Sisters Park from May 28-30. And not surprisingly, the festival has already confirmed moe. and Umphrey’s McGee’s participation. Tickets are currently on sale via eTix.com.

Three days of music and beer were back again, with Saturday tickets selling out like they do every year. Three hours of free beer and Buddy Guy would excite anyone; I mean, would you say no? While there were some unfortunate last minute line-up losses with Xavier Rudd and St. Jude, organizers were quick to fill the gaps by grabbing Colorado natives Big Head Todd and the Monsters (and by giving Lubriphonic some stage time the day before their late night jam).

Friday, September 18th

Friday kicked things off with a little sunshine and some serious harmonica from Jason Ricci and New Blood. Looking like a scrawnier Billy Idol, Ricci showed his southern-fueled blues-rock chops with scorching harmonica solos, not to mention the huge guitar sound coming from Shawn Starski who was proving his 2008 ranking as one of the top ten new guitarists, according to Guitar Player. Everyone was riled up and enjoying the last moments of dryness before the field was swamped with rain.

Otis Taylor’s African Orchestra proved to be one of the best sets of the day. His African-inspired blues kept the Animal House-like atmosphere that was in full swing going, peaking with a harmonica battle between Ricci and him. At one point, he disappeared, only to show up again at the front of the crowd, leaning over the stage alongside Ricci, as the two passed licks back and forth.

By this point, the electrified masses were soaked, and the reoccurring mud pit-come-dance floor was forming in the right front corner of the field. Big Head Todd and the Monsters stepped up for the challenge of keeping everyone moving, and were quite successful. The clouds let up, but you could see your breath in the air as the temperature dropped. However, Todd’s blend of 90’s jam rock managed to keep everyone warm. Not bad for a band that until two weeks ago wasn’t even playing. In retrospect, they are local favorites.

Jackie Greene stepped up next with his sleek guitar moves and Dylan-like swagger. The rain returned, making Greene’s killer cover of The Beatles “Don’t Let Me Down” even more perfect. The set was awe-inspiring indeed, even rivaling the night’s headliner, Joe Cocker.

Joe is getting old. If you couldn’t tell that from his cameo in Across the Universe, you could Friday night. That didn’t matter to most, however. As the waterfall from above grew heavier, people bundled up and huddled together for a great moment: Cocker’s raucous rendition of “Feelin’ Alright”. He had it down, everything from the trademark shaking to the painful looks in his face during every gritty note and yell. And man, did he sound good. With another Beatles take, this time with a sleek rendition of “Come Together”, that heavy and infamous bass line rang out into the night. While he carried on, the weather grew worse, though many remained standing. Of course, for some, great songs can’t compete with warmer places.

Saturday, September 19th

Saturday would prove to be the unruly day that it always is — after all, it’s the actual weekend. This meant people thoroughly enjoyed the festival’s other half, the brews, which were flowing like a river. Over 150 beers in all kept patrons busy while the funk and R&B played in the background. Musically, the day would bring the best bands of the weekend. So, having said that, let’s put this in perspective, shall we? Lots of excellent, rare beer and lots of excellent, rare music. In other words, heaven for the greater majority, and boy did they treat it like that. In retrospect, Saturday felt like that toga party scene in Animal House, only for 9 hours and much muddier.

People were slipping and sliding from brewery to brewery, throwing mud, and sipping everything from oatmeal stouts to apple ales and I.P.A.’s galore. Over on the stage, however, one of the weekends best acts was in full swing. Coming from Mali (that’s in Africa in case you needed a globe), Vieux Farka Toure enthralled the audience, and milked the tame weather for all it was worth with their African funk jams.

Anders Osborne and his big old beard added a dose of psychedelics to the blues with a little help from a sousaphone and drums for the rhythm section. An interesting combo to say the least, with the unique piece of brass being a perfect base . That, along with his fancy fret work, sucked you in well enough and stole the show.

A little less blues, a lot more jam, Umphery’s McGee brought a mellower than usual set to the stage. With a little more focus on their earlier days, the set brought out some good old-fashioned rock and roll. It seemed to work, though, and everybody was getting into it, but then again, everyone was loaded anyhow. It made sense why Umphrey’s toned it down though. They would be saving the more progressive set for their late night show, where they busted out the heavy jams and electronics for all the noodle dancing hippies out there. Instead, the day was centered around the Buddy Guy side of music, which meant were longer, Guy-inspired jams, in addition to old school covers, all leading up to the night’s hero.

Buddy Guy is a beast. Not only can he steal a show, he can steel a weekend, playing all the right songs with all the heat of his hay day. He had soul, he had energy, and he played the style of blues-rock he set to stone. Talk about a perfect night for a well lubricated crowd. Sheesh.

Sunday, September 20th

The closing day would be one for the books, so a huge pat on the back for everyone that stuck around, which seemed to be, well, everyone. It rained like hell, and after a fleeting moment of blue skies, the clouds rolled back in, reflected the sunset, and followed with some pebble sized hail. Earlier sets lucked out, with the Lee Boys and Super Chikan and the Fighting Cocks bringing in some barnyard, delta blues. Steel slides and funky homemade guitars helped narrate the story telling and rowdy jams.

When the weather turned, however, so did the music. During the worst of it, Ryan Shaw had to step in for a quick line up change. Yes his voice was incredible, but what people needed was something to keep warm and move to — not slow R&B. As a result, people fled for warmer pastures. Even Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” couldn’t keep people from seeking shelter under tarps and in their hotel room just a couple blocks away.

Relief came with the weekend’s final spectacle, the Bontaj Roulet. Billed as such, it was a combination of Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal each playing solo sets, then coming together at the end for a Prairie Home Companion kind of stage show. Thus, the crowds returned.

While Mahal is indeed a legend, Raitt would blow his more traditional set out the water. The songs were technically impressive, but his energy took a while to kick in. Yes, both are very professional, but Raitt is a true performer, beckoning the crowd in her sassy country way. Even the old tired songs came to life with everyone in the house singing all the words. Her energy was huge, as it ebbed and flowed from her to the audience and back.

When it came time for the Bontaj, Mahal was much more alive, having put down the guitar (and opting for a lyric sheet this time). Throughout the set, he and Raitt would beckon and call eachother with classic country blues duets, and this collaboration bled into their solo numbers, as well. The duo proved to be a celebrated finish for the festival and a real treat for the weathered and muddy audience. It didn’t matter that it was 40 degrees, it was only a minor detail compared to the two powerhouses on stage.

Looking back, Blues and Brews really is a beautiful experience. There’s a dynamic between artist and patron that doesn’t seem to exist at any of the other festivals out there. It’s a meeting place for long time friends both in front and back stage. The music is chosen to fuel the party, and strays far from the summer festival pissing match. It’s about the music, and this year proved to be no different with headliners and day sets that brought all they had, even through some of the worst weather the mountains could muster. But that’s just how it goes at Blues and Brews, and the patrons, knowing this, return year after year. It’s true, you just can’t deny the Blues.

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