Wakarusa | 06.05 – 06.08 | Kansas
By Team JamBase Jun 10, 2008 • 4:22 pm PDT
Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival :: 06.05.08 – 06.08.08
Clinton Lake State Park :: Lawrence, KS
Ears: ringing.
Shoes: soaked and muddy.
Body: dull ache.
Another Wakarusa is officially in the bag. A few unexpected twists and turns made the experience unforgettable, from sword swallowing and impromptu mud wrestling to superb musicianship and the emotional roller coaster of learning your favorite band may not perform. And with that, “Let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Let’s get this show on the road!”
Thursday – Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
Welcome to tornado alley.
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HipHopotamus won our attention, as we assumed the name referenced the HBO comedy, Flight of the Conchords. While the ears may have been hungry for music, the band delivered a nice, satisfying performance. The five-piece group offered rapid-fire vocals over tight funk, with words that flowed over the music similar to Anthony Kiedis or Matisyahu. “Get Up and Groove” featured nice solos from both the guitarist and DJ, and at times it seemed they were more rock than hip-hop. A few songs later, and the guitarist was pounding the keys while the DJ spit on the mic center stage. “Hip Hop Is Lost” came late in the set, and typified the heart-on-the-sleeve appeal of the Tulsa quintet. HipHopotamus proved to be a solid party band, and one worth keeping tabs on.
I dipped out to catch the very end of Fatty Lumpkin in a tent about 50 yards away. My earlier opinion of the band wasn’t too favorable, as they sounded like a generic jam band with quick drums. While only catching the final five-minutes or so, the band had a trance-happy gallop that was enough to turn a couple dozen concertgoers into bobbleheads. After finishing the set, the band handed out free discs to anyone that stuck around.
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Apollo Sunshine was slated to hit the stage at 4:30, and wound up being the first of many bands to use their first 15-minutes as a soundcheck. After tweaking instruments and shrieking into microphones before an antsy crowd, the band finally started up. No more than 30 seconds in they had guitar issues. After letting out an unenthusiastic “woo,” they announced, “Personal foul on our guitar player – that’s a $20 fine.” Jeremy Black was aggressive behind the drum kit, providing a great crackle and snap to the reverb-riddled rock. Up-beat in a strange way, the trio had the crowd behind it with “Today Is The Day,” which gave Black an opportunity to solo. With 15-minutes left in the set, the bass amp blew up, providing reason to abandon Apollo’s ethereal rock in favor of Papa Mali.
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Up next was a bit of a hike to catch Deadman Flats on the Prairie Stage near the main campgrounds. The local bluegrass band describes themselves as wanting to bring “guns, whiskey, and bluegrass” back into mainstream music. A perfectly on-point cover of Split Lip Rayfield’s “Outlaw” was a highlight, and the band quickly gave props to SLR after the song, acknowledging other Kansas bands appearing at the festival. They provided intense playing, a jovial attitude, and scratched the surface of a pretty interesting musical terrain.
Some of the best bands were still to come: Bettye LaVette, Steel Train, Buckethead, Cosmopolitics, Lotus and the Everyone Orchestra.
On the way into Bettye LaVette, one concertgoer walking the other direction commented, “This is lame.” After mentally chastising the ingrate, we quickly discovered the source of his frustration, a staffer announcing, “Sorry, guys. No music because of the weather.” We were handed a sheet of severe weather instructions, and turned away at the gate. A line of thunderstorms had been working eastward throughout the day, with winds in excess of 60 mph, triggering a region-wide tornado watch. Aside from rumbling thunder and a steady rain, the storm was mostly bark with very little bite. The stages remained silent as concertgoers retreated to shelter for the evening, riding out the storm until daybreak.
Friday – Hip-Hop, Teletubbies and a Slice of Cake
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After getting the crowd loose with their own material, the band reached into the archives. P-Funk’s “We Want the Funk” came out first, the crowd assisting with an enthused, “Bow-wow-wow-yippee-yo-yippee-yay!” As the song slithered to a crawl, Shorty turned to his bandmates, and mouthed “Marvin,” which led to the unmistakable introduction of “Let’s Get It On.” Shorty shined here, holding one note for over a minute as the rest of the group circled around. The subtle guitar work provided a discrete platform as the song gained intensity, adding a tambourine and later clapping. The crowd worked into a frenzy, there was no way they could top that. Then, they struck the opening chords of “Back In Black.” Murano delivered some downright nasty guitar work, but the band wound up cutting the song short, asking, “Can we do something special?” After obtaining audience approval, the band kept the beat going while rotating instruments, a feat that was remarkable and likely inaudible on any recordings. The band closed by paying homage to their roots with the funky swing shuffle of “When The Saints Go Marching In.” Shorty led the brass offstage in a procession through the crowd, while the guitar, bass, drums and percussion held down the fort onstage. Absolutely killer show.
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By mid-afternoon, the weather was surprisingly pleasant, sunny and around 80 degrees. We’d expected to see Paw finish at the Revival Tent, but instead found an MC riding a skateboard around the stage, serenading “party people” with an assured delivery and sparse beats. He handed the mic off to Del Tha Funky Homosapien like a baton in a relay race, creating a seamless transition for Del and A+. “Virus” from 3030 opened things early, and the duo dug into some vintage Hieroglyphics and Souls of Mischief tracks as well as cuts from the latest release, 11th Hour. Commenting on the weather the previous night, they announced, “We’re used to earthquakes, not tornadoes! But we’re feelin’ the energy here, so we’re gonna give it back.” Before too long, they slid into a nicely chosen cover of A Tribe Called Quest‘s “Awards Tour.” It was a non-stop affair, with a great back and forth between Del and A+.
While the stage was being set for Blackalicious, we scurried over to the press tent to talk with The Flaming Lips‘ frontman Wayne Coyne. He was seated in a metal folding chair with a small group of reporters and photographers forming a semicircle around him. Coyne mentioned that he felt national politics were important, but stressed the importance of acting locally: “As long as you take care of the few blocks around where you live, you can have a greater impact.” He insisted politics “should remain separate,” and that summer festivals should be a diversion instead of a soapbox. When asked about the importance of his band to other people, he responded by noting that on occasion people attend a Lips show with “a tragedy of some sort in their life. They get here and every once in a while we can change people’s attitudes, if only for a few hours.” He added, “It’s the greatest thing an artist can do. I’m just doing what I enjoy, and if that can transfer to other people, it’s just the greatest.”
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Blackalicious set up shop back at the Revival Tent. Chief Xcel started scratching while Gift of Gab waited in the shadows. They opened with the beat from “Pen and Pad,” opting for entirely different lyrics. “Blazing Arrow” and “Rhythm Sticks” were other set highlights, with “World of Vibrations” from The Craft batting cleanup. It was a good show, but Del and A+ were a pretty tough act to follow.
On the walk from Blackalicious to Buckethead, a couple dozen people had gathered around another stage to watch budding guitarists shred some cover songs on Guitar Hero. Meanwhile, a DJ opposite the main stage kept the hip-hop theme flowing with a “Gin ‘n Juice” > “Bonita Applebaum” combo while Buckethead’s crew was assembling the stage. Buckethead puts on a similar show each time, but it rarely grows old. The lanky guitar hero leapt into some fierce rockers to open the show, and simulated animatronic pivoting in his black Converse high-tops. He was flanked by white (Greek or Roman) bust sculptures, which made for three unchanging facial expressions center stage.
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Arrested Development teased the next song with “Take me ho-me” repeated several times. The song naturally progressed into a full-blown “Tennessee” as the overflowing Revival Tent was officially bumpin’. The band used the “Take me home” part of the song as an extended bridge, and Tasha nailed a high note that worked the crowd to a fever pitch. A sunny day number, “Stand For” was followed by an equally pleasing “Sunshine,” and AD vocalist Speech addressed the audience, “You’ve got 17 years of revolutionary, positive hip-hop music on stage right here!” The band’s signature song, “Mr. Wendal” followed, and later Speech introduced bassist Za to “share his gift.” Za delivered a rapid-fire bass solo a la Vic Wooten that morphed into “Billie Jean,” with the crowd supplying the chorus. A highlight among highlights though, was AD’s spin on “Redemption Song.” Speech began with affected vocals, his beautiful, fragile quiver approximating Bob Marley. The band owned the song, which gathered steam as Speech boosted his voice a few octaves to come closer to the I-Threes, finishing with a strong, vibrant chorus.
Cake was slated to hit the main stage next, but a delayed flight spoiled those plans. Galactic took one for the team, and traded time slots. While the crew was setting up the stage to the sounds of House of Pain’s “Jump Around” on the PA, Speech and Aisha from Arrested Development paid a visit to the press tent.
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We talked about Since The Last Time for a bit, and Speech attributed the easy-going nature of the album to their relaxed state when it was recorded. “We would hang out and play basketball between takes, and so everything about it just felt really comfortable,” he said. Discussing their performance, the two felt most people in the audience did not know them, and so the reunion also served as an initiation for many in attendance. The show didn’t feel like a nostalgia act in the least, and the band has their eyes set on the future. Speech said, “We’re back, and we’re not gonna stop again.”
Papa Mali was on the main stage, introducing, “The sole international representatives of a new generation of New Orleans’ excellence: Rich, Ben, Stanton, Robert and Jeff. You know ’em and you love ’em! Galactic, y’all!” After a few opening numbers, the band brought out Lateef the Truthspeaker as they indulged in a few tracks off From the Corner to the Block. Lateef knew the magic words to excite the crowd, “Make some noise like the Jayhawks just won it all!” The band covered Balkan Beat Box, which had some nicely defined grooves, and closed with a few recognizable tunes, including “Baker’s Dozen,” which was aided in no small part by Rich Vogel‘s work on keys. Galactic put on a good show, but it did not compare favorably to some of their other over-the-top performances in recent years.
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“Race for the Prize” was the opener, after which Coyne addressed the crowd, saying that some festivals last and others don’t, “but this is one of the great spots in the country. Our drummer is from Lawrence, so we feel it’s as much our home as it is his home. Let’s keep these festivals going. We’ll keep coming back here as long as you guys will have us. I swear to God!” Next up was the big cover for the show. The band shelved “Bohemian Rhapsody” in favor of getting the Led out. Coyne commented that he always visualized the song as having people running around naked, “So, here’s your chance.” The video screen behind the band played snippets of Robert Plant as the band launched into “The Song Remains The Same.” Somewhat surprisingly, the band nailed it with crisp drum breaks and spot-on guitar work. In the middle of the song, the crowd erupted as half a dozen completely naked college coeds danced around the stage, eventually circling around Coyne at the finish. That’s enough to frazzle anybody, and, in retrospect, it seemed to be the finish to an unbelievably good “Act One.”
“Fight Test” was another nice treat, while “Vein of Stars” was aided by fireworks from the crowd. After the song, Coyne commented, “Whoever was setting off fireworks, thank you! That was fuckin’ genius!” A stripped-down “Yoshimi” was more heartfelt than successful, and despite his stated preference to keep politics and music separate, Coyne talked more and more about the November elections between songs as the show progressed. The “Yeah Yeah Yeah Song” was stopped after a minute, as the crowd was given response instructions. When the song started back up, it sounded as though the bass was blown. They finished the set with “She Don’t Use Jelly.” The performance was one of the most visually appealing of the weekend, but after a promising musical start, the musicianship descended into a muddy sea of sound, and the flow was disrupted with excessive banter between and even during songs.
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Next, we were sucked into the sonic vortex that is Ozric Tentacles. Their intense space rock simulated an aural assault, with keyboardist Brandi Wynne going nuts on the keys. Guitarist Ed Wynne and bassist Vinny Shillito mixed in effects on occasion before Merv Pepler chimed in on percussion. After about 30-minutes, the band blew out the right speaker, which provided an excuse to check out Oakhurst next door.
Oakhurst was a pleasant surprise. The Denver band had some nice vocal harmonies that complemented the textured bluegrass well. The band can do some serious pickin’, giving the show a good bit of momentum. As with any bluegrass band worth their salt, Oakhurst proved to have a number of damn fine songs in their repertoire, including “Soon As The Sun Goes,” off their recent album, Jump In The Get Down. Drummer Chris Budin drove the song with exceptional timing, creating a real foot-stomper in the late night tent. When the tune ended, the band raised a glass to the audience, “Cheers!”
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EOTO was up on stage around 2:30 a.m. or so, and the percussion-heavy duo offered an assortment of bells and whistles for the late night crowd. Throughout the set, they made minor adjustments to the rhythms and riffs, which kept things interesting. By doing so, they retained an authentic, in-the-moment feel. With the bass pounding in front, the duo turned the tent into a dance hall.
Coinciding with EOTO was the Everyone Orchestra back at the Revival Tent. They created a virtual clown car on stage, with between one and two dozen people assembled, with a single ringleader acting as conductor or traffic cop, instructing different sections on how to proceed. Papa Mali was probably the strongest in the band, and the set remained relaxed and pleasurable throughout. EO has a worn-in, down-home appeal strung around loose jams that provided a subdued finish to a long day.
On the dark walk back to the campsite near 4 a.m., the weather was accommodating with temperatures clinging to the 70s, only a whisper of a breeze and the chorus of crickets piercing the silence.
Saturday – Pinball Wizard
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On the walk to the main stage, orange and yellow confetti from the previous night’s Lips show still fluttered through the air on 30 mph winds. A string of Allman Brothers tunes provided the soundtrack for the stage crew, as State Radio was primed. The band came out with a reggae-rock vibe, serving as indie’s answer to Sublime. After a few tunes, they commented, “We learned all that fancy guitar stuff from Pete Francis,” who had just finished performing. The band issued basic, straight-ahead, amiable rockers, and the highlight of the set was “Revolutionaries,” a rare treat for the few die-hards in attendance.
The Gourds brought their neo-country act to the Revival Tent, doling out yodels and twang-y lyrics against a sturdy backbeat. The honky-tonk stomp of the show brought together the best elements of modern country, and by the time the band unleashed “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” it was an all-out hootenanny.
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Brett Dennen was up next on the main stage. Barefoot and bandana-clad, he began with a song that was basically a surf-rock version of Clapton‘s “Running On Faith.” At times dabbling with a little Eastern percussion, Dennen provided a nice afternoon refresher set, suitable for dozing off in a backyard hammock. This “pastel rock” was breezy enough to make Keller Williams seem like a stressed-out thug. It’s clear he has some talent but at the same time, you almost come away wishing he had broken a sweat.
Back over at the Revival Tent, Alejandro Escovedo. With a tight black shirt and jeans that seemed painted on, Escovedo started off loud ‘n’ proud. Not knowing a thing about the band aside from effusive recommendations, I was pretty much knocked out. He’d let massive strums of the electric guitar hang in the air while his band pounded out the rhythm. Escovedo tossed out “Real As An Animal” from his similarly-titled Real Animal album due out June 24. He then paid homage to past punk rockers including the New York Dolls, dedicating “Sister Lost Soul” to their memory, which featured touching vocal harmonies. The thing that separates Escovedo from the pack is how he offers graceful hard rock, which is generally a more rewarding listening experience than the majority of single-speed rock bands.
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During Ozomatli’s set, an unfortunate incident occurred on the lawn as a concertgoer was taken into custody by park police for smoking marijuana. The arrest was low-key and handcuff-free, only noticed by a small number of people. I spoke with one Wakarusa security guard, who witnessed what happened: It seems this was a relatively isolated incident, with police handing out minimal tickets and arrests over the four days. “And so it goes.” Whether knowingly or not, Ozomatli played “Magnolia’s Soul,” featuring the lyrics, “Let the good times roll/ Let the bad times go.” Turning our backs on the incident, we headed over to Porter-Batiste-Stoltz.
“PBS is in the building!” greeted the crowd, and formed the chorus for the opening number. After a call to “get funky,” the band slowed things down and turned the bass up. With “All We Want to Do (Is Get Funky With You, Tonight),” Porter and Stoltz had a bass/guitar standoff, eyeballing each other ten feet apart, exploring the depths of the song. Stoltz carried the burden on “I Get High (Every Time I Think About You),” with a climbing solo, proving his flexibility in playing in the pocket as well as venturing out. For some reason, for the majority of the show, the band members gave instructions to stagehands and sound engineers, though no one in the crowd seemed to care. The band was all smiles, firing on all cylinders, and rewarded attendees with a funky interpretation of Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone.”
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Over at DIA Airport (Revival Tent), the Old 57’s were gearing up. At least that’s what the pre-show hype guy screamed out. The bewildered look on his face upon hearing the audience’s resounding disapproval was a real knee-slapper. Upon realizing his mistake, he reintroduced the Old 97’s, earning a better response. Frontman Rhett Miller introduced the group, “We’re from Dallas, and we just started our band a few days ago.” In a way, it lessened the guilt anyone had for not knowing the band. For some reason, this band has stuck around for the better part of two decades without reaching the levels of success predicted by critics. In a way, they are today’s Little Feat – a great live act, well respected by many but unknown to most. Unfortunately, the sound mix was wretched during the show, with Miller’s vocals nearly indecipherable. They played well, they played hard, but it’s tough to become immersed in a show that is marred by technical difficulties, especially with so many other acts to see.
Hot Buttered Rum was one of many San Francisco bands making it to Waka this year, and they succeeded in putting on a tremendous show. Notably, they were one of the few bands that seemed to have a fully functional light show, which greatly enhanced the experience. “It’s nice to be in a place where there ain’t no city lights,” they offered before a song that featured an acoustic guitar jam that bled into a violin solo. They paid tribute to “so many great San Francisco bands,” including ALO and New Monsoon. “But right now we’re going to pay tribute to another San Francisco band,” as they led into a crowd-pleasing “Sugaree.”
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Meanwhile, Sound Tribe Sector 9 was busy unleashing the fury on the main stage. I’ll admit, I was lukewarm at best coming into the show. What I heard changed my mind. STS9 was relaxed, confident and unhurried, producing big-ass riffs peppered with precise notes. The thump of the bass could be heard from the vendor area, about 250 yards away, and the setlist was expansive in nature, setting the scene perfectly for late-nighters to dance up close or watch from a distance. The set featured older hits like “Hubble” mixed with newer tracks. Later in the set, “F. Word” and “Baraka” proved to be a nice 1-2 combination. Overall, it was a spectacular, fluid set that rivaled any other during the day.
Sunday – Dreadful Wind And Rain
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Meanwhile, a carnival of a different sort was gearing up: Yard Dogs Road Show. A banner affixed to a supporting beam at the back of the stage read, “Black & Blue Burlesque.” The band appeared one-by-one, entering through a red velvet curtain, as ringleader Eddie Joe Cotton told the crowd, “We want you to enjoy yourself to the fullest extent of the law,” before the trumpets started blaring. What happened over the next hour is tough to say. It was as much performance art as it was music, with each bandmember selling their character effectively. It was a bizarre combination of burlesque, vaudeville and carnival acts, like something out of a Les Claypool dream. A trio of comely lasses rocked different bikinis throughout the performance, which also featured tap-dancing, accordion jams, melodic gargling and sword swallowing. In one of the final acts of the show, Tobias the Mystic Man appeared to swallow a balloon, only to pull out a full length of rope… and a chicken! Didn’t see that one coming. Well played, Yard Dogs, well played.
An unexpected announcement dampened spirits at Waka a bit. Emmylou Harris would not be performing due to illness. The tall tales grew as the daylight waned, and within hours, reports of her “throwing up for three days straight” emerged.
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After sticking around TLG for a bit, we ran off to see if the buzz around 4th of July was merited. It was. Though we only caught the last 15-minutes of the set, it was clear that something special was happening. They had kind of an indie-Townes Van Zandt feel; whatever it was, each composed section of their songs seemed utterly convincing. This is a young, up-and-coming band that should remain on the radar.
Keller Williams and The Transmitters were due on the main stage, and the opening few minutes sounded like an alternate take of the beginning to “Harry Hood.” After seeing Keller on a few different occasions, it was nice to see him with a full band, producing funked-out island dub. “I’m A Ninja” provided an early example of Williams’ vocal dexterity, after which he inquired, “Anyone fly to the festival? This is for you,” as he led the band into “Doobie In My Pocket.”
We forfeited the next couple songs to catch That 1 Guy. He’s generated quite a stir with his homemade instrument that resembles an oversized harp, which is essentially a series of pipes and strings with triggers attached to effects processors. “Weasel Pot Pie” was one of the more impressive songs as he devolved a freestyle, rhyming “home” with “trombone” and “saxomophone” with a little help from the crowd. Visually dazzling, the Guy just makes some cool sounding racket with each movement of his limbs, a slightly hipper version of Dick Van Dyke’s musical chimney sweep character in Mary Poppins.
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This is when things got confusing. Emmylou Harris’ cancellation caused about half a dozen different time changes for other bands, including Grisman, The Avett Brothers and Split Lip Rayfield. Now, caught between a rain delay and a strict 11 p.m. curfew, it was clear that some acts would either be cancelled or shortened. The problem is that there was no method of disseminating information to concertgoers – heck, even some strategically placed whiteboards would’ve done the trick. As a result of uncertainty and the severity of the storm, there was a steady stream of vehicles exiting the festival grounds shortly after 5 p.m.
The 15-minute delay doubled, then doubled again. And again. The rain was coming down in sheets, with a brief spatter of light hail tossed in for good measure. Nearly everyone was scrambling for shelter, and with each roll of thunder, the crowd in the Revival Tent responded with equally loud cheers. Chants of “Wa-ka” accomplished little. Backstage, security guards expressed doubt there would be any more acts, saying, “Nobody’s going to want to touch anything electrical with standing water during a lightning storm.”
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Though the rain dissipated, the lightning lingered, forcing the main stage to shut down, as it lacked basic overhead protection from the elements. About the time DGQ was set to hit the stage, word was circulating that the Mickey Hart Band (with Porter and Kimock) and Zappa Plays Zappa would not be performing. Ouch.
Adding insult to injury, we came to learn there’d been an unannounced impromptu acoustic jam involving the members of Leftover Salmon and more than a dozen other musicians in the small tent known as the “Porch Stage.” The general consensus from those in attendance? F-in awesome.
I would have bet anything that Grisman would open with “Dreadful Wind and Rain.” I mean, c’mon, a two-hour rain delay? The Quintet wound up opting for an opener that allowed each member to introduce himself with a solo. “Thanks for waiting,” said Grisman, as they slid into “Bluegrass at the Beach.” The smoke machines onstage kicked on, which produced a nice effect coupled with the recent rainfall, and Matt Eakle won the crowd over with some spirited fluting. After a couple selections from Grateful Dawg, the band finished the truncated, 45-minute set with “Shady Grove.”
In the middle of setting up for The Avett Brothers, some of the crew stopped and stared. They called other co-workers over with a smile. Just outside the Revival Tent, several girls were mud wrestling. Before long, a group of close to 100 formed a ring around the action, and photographers unsheathed their cameras from protective covers to document the occasion. At the very least, it provided a nice distraction.
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Once again, Split Lip Rayfield closed the festivities at Wakarusa. The crowd was juiced, and the strong, slow cadence of “Ro-ck Cha-lk, Jaaaaaay-hawk, K-U” brought some confused looks from out-of-staters. As with other shows during the weekend, Split Lip had sound issues. While technicians tinkered for the better part of half an hour, the trio chain-smoked while fiddling around on instruments. The adjustments were becoming comical, and Wayne Gottstein (mandolin), picked on one of the sound engineers, “How do ya like Jimmy’s little yellow overalls?”
At 10 p.m., the band kicked things off with the complimentary “(She’s Lookin’ Good As A) Hundred Dollar Bill” from Should Have Seen It Coming. The band caught their breath, announcing, “We’re Split Lip Rayfield. From here! You guys are the Wakarusa soldiers! Everyone else went home already!”
“Livin’ on Easy Street” contained some of the better harmonies in the set, and was accented by a concertgoer setting off fireworks outside the tent. “Never Make It Home” was a great selection, not only for the kazoo, but for the recurring “muddy water” lyrics. “This is a song about Lawrence,” prefaced “Redneck Tailgate Dream,” and Gottstine stepped out front for a blistering solo. After slowing things down, they addressed the crowd on a more somber note, commenting that it was their first Wakarusa without Kirk Rundstrom. “Let’s make some noise for Kirk!” they encouraged, holding up their drinks in a toast. The hastened pace of “River” came late in the hour, as a light drizzle began to fall. Soon, rainwater was pouring down the flaps of the Revival Tent, pooling inside. After Eric Mardis threw down a tasty solo, Gottstein introduced him to the crowd: “That’s Eric BanJovi Mardis on banjo.” He paused, grinning, “Sorry.” The lightning formed spider veins across the sky, as the 11 p.m. curfew drew near. The final song of the one-hour set and the final song of the festival? “Kiss of Death.”
Wakarusa 2008 will go down as one of the more memorable festivals in recent years, not necessarily because of the variety or quality of music, but because of unforeseen problems with weather and – let’s face it – the cancellations. Two out of the four days were cut short due to inclement weather. Chances are, one of the bands you’d hoped to see was unable to perform. “And so it goes.”
Continue reading for more images of Wakarusa 2008…
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 Arrested Development | |
 Del Tha Funky Homosapien | |
 Everyone Orchestra | |
 Ben Ellman – Galactic | |
 The Flaming Lips | |
 The Flaming Lips | |
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 Hot Buttered Rum | |
 Keller Williams | |
 Ben Folds | |
 George Porter Jr. | |
 Tea Leaf Green | |
 Trevor Garrod – Tea Leaf Green | |
 STS9 | |
 Yard Dogs Road Show |
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