10,000 Lakes | 07.22 – 07.25 | MN
By Team JamBase Aug 1, 2009 • 9:22 pm PDT

10,000 Lakes Music Festival :: 07.22.09 – 07.26.09 :: Soo Pass Ranch :: Detroit Lakes, MN
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Wednesday, 07.22
We arrived Wednesday morning somewhat exhausted from the marathon drive the night before but surprisingly refreshed. Whether it was from the bright shining sun of a new day or the collective energy from an excitable crowd eager to get in, I couldn’t tell. Maybe it was both. The line to get into the Lake Sallie campground stretched for about two miles, and within an hour we were inside.
I’ve always enjoyed the camping at 10KLF, which has plenty of trees for shade – one of the key elements when determining the quality of your festival experience. A good camping spot can make or break your weekend, and 10,000 Lakes has plenty of choice spots if you know where to look. “The Soo Pass Ranch is a privately owned piece of property,” says Dave Weissman, media coordinator for the fest. “It comprises over 600 acres of land – mostly wooded – but also fields, the concert bowl, and more.”
Originally used as the site for WE Fest, a country music festival that draws upwards of 60,000 attendees every year, the Soo Pass Ranch was eventually chosen to host the first 10,000 Lakes Music Festival in 2003. Headliners that year included Widespread Panic, The Allman Brothers Band, Gov’t Mule, Leftover Salmon, and OAR. A resounding success, that crucial first year would pave the way for the evolution of this popular Midwest festival.
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The festival staff I encountered over the weekend was all friendly and in good spirits. The vendors, a mix of both local and regional suppliers, offered the standard festival fare, which was pretty much everything from funnel cakes and hot beef sundaes to hammocks and $6 sunglasses. And for the lazy, tired or hopelessly intoxicated there were cab rides on decked out golf carts for three bucks per person.
But, the best part was the stages. Situated within proximity of one another in the concert bowl, 10KLF’s stage setup makes it easy for one to float around and catch music while minimizing travel time between stages.
As for the music itself, it was clear that much thought and effort was put into the scheduling this year. There were very few conflicts between the major artists’ set times. This is one of the most important aspects of a well-planned festival. So with my gear unpacked and my campsite in order, it was time to slam some drinks and head down to the concert bowl for 10KLF 2009.
Gomez kicked things off at the Main Stage at 6 p.m., and although it was still early in the festival and the crowd for the set was at far less than capacity, the five-piece British outfit nevertheless set the tone for the weekend with their heavy, psychedelia-tinged blues rock.
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After Panic I walked over to the Field Stage for the first time, where Colorado-based duo Pretty Lights was well on their way to getting the crowd heated up and ready for a weekend of partying and pure debauchery. The sun was down and the critters were out in full force. Glow sticks and flashy toys were everywhere as I moved through the throng of people – a giant, moving mass of bodies completely under the control of the heavy beats of electronic producer Derek Vincent Smith and drummer Cory Eberhard. Now I’m not normally the biggest fan of DJs, but this was something else, and thanks to those two for helping to get the party started.
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Playing the late night show over at the Saloon was Carney, a Los Angeles four-piece that features Reeve Carney on lead vocals and guitar and his brother Zane on lead guitar. I was only able to catch the last couple of songs because although the band was slotted to play till 2 a.m. they were cut off at 1:40. I don’t know whether it was from technical problems or they were just shut down, but from the little bit I did see I was impressed. Reeve is a great singer. He was howling into the mic when I walked in, pouring sweat and putting everything he had into that voice of his, which is one of the best I’ve heard recently. Pure emotion. His brother Zane is no slouch either, and was shredding on the slide guitar on one knee when the sound cut out. I’m not sure what Carney’s style is as a whole (since I witnessed less than 10 minutes of their set), but based on what I did hear these guys are pure rock & roll.
Continue reading for Thursday’s coverage of 10KLF…
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After Pete Francis and Barefoot Truth it was time for Railroad Earth to take the stage. I love these guys. I have been blown away by Railroad Earth’s performances time and time again, and Thursday’s show was no exception. Starting out with “Old Dangerfield,” the band blasted through a set that featured a number of great tunes such as “Bird in a House” and “The Forecast,” a mystical, mostly instrumental piece that feels like a really good acid trip. And “Like a Buddha” is always a crowd pleaser and a good channel for positive energy. After “Long Way to Go,” the band finished off with a double encore of “Mighty River” and the bluegrass number “Little Rabbit.” All in all, a five-star show, almost epic.
The headliner Thursday night was Wilco. Friends have long been telling me to check these guys out but I just never had a chance to really listen to them until this set. Shame on me. I knew they were good, but I had no idea how good they really were. Plus, they’re from Chicago, so I should’ve been on top of this band from the beginning. Oh well, better late than never.
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After Wilco I headed back over to the Field Stage for a change of pace, where Atmosphere, like Pretty Lights the night before, had taken control of the crowd and had the whole place moving. The very distinct hip-hop of rapper/MC Slug and producer Ant was straight-up party music, and the people sucked it down. A funky R&B mix of creatively textured beats and solid hooks paired with lyrical genius, Atmosphere laid it down dirty and kept the party bumpin’.
Digging Atmosphere it was hard to leave, but over at the Saloon stage something was unfolding. I’d heard of My Dear Disco but knew absolutely nothing about them. From the name I figured it was some sort of indie rock band, but the “Disco” part of it is what intrigued me. The possibility of a dance party will always pique my curiosity, so I made my way over and I’m glad I did. My Dear Disco is an eclectic, ’80s style group from Ann Arbor, Michigan that fuses electro-pop, funk, rock and techno in a style that the group calls “DanceThink.” Though the Saloon was completely packed I managed to squeeze my way in and get a closer look at the band. They have an incredible stage presence, especially charismatic singer Michelle Chamuel, who seems to possess a certain amount of that elusive star quality. The audience, as a result, was completely floored by the band’s performance. And so was I.
Continue reading for Friday’s coverage of 10KLF…
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Legendary guitar virtuoso Steve Kimock and his band Steve Kimock Crazy Engine was one of the acts I had been looking forward to all weekend, and I was not disappointed. Kimock’s son is a pretty damn good drummer, and I didn’t even realize Melvin Seals was in the band! Seals, who used to play in the Jerry Garcia Band, is a beast on the keys. The set was mostly instrumental, but there were a few with vocals (a great rendition of “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” comes to mind). Kimock’s got a great tone, and the music ranged from funky to super jazzy, and at times had a mystical Eastern quality to it. This was definitely one of the best shows of the weekend.
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When Panic hit the stage for the second time this weekend all reservations I had were quickly put to rest. This time the boys brought the heat. Between the rich vocals of John Bell, the driving, thumping bass of Dave Schools and Jimmy Herring‘s precision shredding on guitar, Panic more than made up for their performance on Wednesday. “Angels On High” was a treat, as was the “Tear The Roof Off The Sucker (Give Up The Funk)” tease in “Little Kin,” and the double encore of “Airplane” > “Pilgrims” was a perfect way to close out the set. However, it was the “Chilly Water” > “Smokestack Lightning” > “Drums” > “Bust It Big” > “Chilly Water” sandwich that really had my jaw on the floor. Sorry I ever doubted you guys.
The 11:30 p.m. timeslot featured a triple whammy of WookieFoot, BoomBox and The Macpodz. I ventured first over to the Field Stage for WookieFoot, where I grooved to their unique brand of psychedelic reggae jam rock for before heading over to BoomBox at the Barn. BoomBox, which features producer/DJ Russ Randolph and guitarist/vocalist Zion Godchaux (son of Dead alumni Keith and Donna Godchaux), is the product of two individuals with very diverse musical backgrounds. Their style is an interesting mix of rock, funk, and jazz that combines Randolph’s DJ skills with Godchaux’s guitar and smooth vocals. The crowd’s response to the duo was overwhelmingly positive, which just goes to show that there will always be a market for truly creative material.
After a quick stop at the Saloon to catch the tail end of Ann Arbor, Michigan jazz-rock outfit The Macpodz it was time for some much needed rest before tackling the final day of 10KLF ’09.
Continue reading for Saturday’s coverage of 10KLF…
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Umphrey’s McGee was the first band of the day to take the Main Stage, and rocked a set that I – someone who’s never really been a fan, though I’ve seen them eight or nine times – found to be a really tight performance from the Chicago-based group. As I was heading up to the Saloon I heard them do a great cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” that made me wish I would’ve stuck around.
After checking out the folksy Americana of Breckenridge, Colorado’s Paper Bird, I headed back down to the Main Stage for the Dave Matthews Band. I don’t listen much to Dave Matthews these days but man does he have a great backing band. Boyd Tinsley is a master violinist, and Tim Reynolds knows how to shred a guitar proper. Then there’s saxophonist Jeff Coffin, whose virtuosic abilities can also be heard in Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. Dave Matthews, always up to the task of playing a good show for his fans, incorporated a varied mix of material into his set, from “Jimi Thing” and “Why I Am” to “Spaceman” and “Cornbread,” and even covered the Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House” and Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower.” Great performance from a bunch of super-pros.
After checking out the Saloon for a glimpse of another Chicago band, The Hue, I made my way back to the Barn to check out the North Indiana All Stars. Featuring guitarist Jake Cinninger, keyboardist Joel Cummins and drummer Kris Myers (all from Umphrey’s), the North Indiana All Stars brought a new groove to the final night of the fest. With Myers and bassist Tony Franklin as the backbone, the stage was set for the jazzy, funky, smooth improvisational work of Cinninger, Cummins and trumpet player Willie Waldman (who also plays with Snoop Dogg).
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The final band of the festival, Pert’ Near Sandstone, played to a Saloon that was so packed they had to shut the doors to prevent anyone else from coming in. What a pleasant surprise these guys were. I’d never heard of them but this hard-driving string band from Minneapolis really made an impression on me. Their sound is gritty, raw and pure – as roots music should be. Although completely beat by this point, I found myself dancing with all the crazy late-nighters in the Saloon – and those stuck outside – until the end of their set at three in the morning.
Reflecting later back home on the rooftop of my South Side Chicago apartment, looking out into the darkness dotted with the glittering lights of the city skyline, I was filled with a sense of calm. Listening to the cars flying by down below, there were moments when the warm summer wind died down and I could hear, far off in the distance, the faint pounding of bongo drums and the roar of 18,000 free spirits, and I knew I was not alone.
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Continue reading for more pics of 10KLF 2009…
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JamBase | Well Watered
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