Electronic And Hypersonic

Over the past three weeks, Wakarusa officials have steadily rolled out the lineup for the 2012 edition of the festival, which will take place May 31 through June 3 on Mulberry Mountain near Ozark.

And the lineup gives us an indication the annual festival is rolling along quite well.

Topping the bill are electronica act Pretty Lights, folk/punk outfit The Avett Brothers and eclectic progressive band Primus.

Others near the top of the heap include Weir, Robinson & Greene Acoustic Trio (featuring Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes and songwriter Jackie Greene), Umphrey’s McGee, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and more.

Here are some of my initial thoughts on the lineup:

Wakarusa has catered to electronica fans for several years, first with a dedicated stage and then with an ever-increasing presence on the main stages. The 2012 festival exceeds the electronic offerings of years past. This year’s headliner, Pretty Lights, is among the heavyweights of the genre, and many other marquee names such as Girl Talk, Big Gigantic, Mimosa, EOTO, Michal Menert and RJD2 are on the roster. Other artists, such as Balkan Beat Box and Beats Antique, are not electronica acts in the genre’s most classic definition but incorporate many elements of the sound.

The festival finally landed a Grateful Dead group. Festival messageboards always reverberate with demands for Deadrelated acts (such as Further). I can’t find much information online about the Weir Robinson Greene Acoustic Trio, which features former Dead guitarist Bob Weir.

However, one online setlist I found for the trio indicates they played several Dead or Jerry Garcia songs, such as “Friend of the Devil,” “Sugaree,” “New Speedway Boogie” and “China Cat Sunflower.”

Many of the festival’s staples are making a return performance in 2012. Les Claypool has performed at three previous Wakarusa festivals, although mostly as a solo act. He will play with Primus in 2012. Perpetual Groove makes its third appearance in the past four years. Other familiar names such as Split Lip Rayfield, Mountain Sprout, Railroad Earth and Umphrey’s McGee are also on the bill.

Speaking of Umphrey’s McGee, music fans in Northwest Arkansas will have the chance to preview several of the artists heading to Mulberry Mountain for the festival. Specifically, Umphrey’s McGee is playing a two-night run at George’s Majestic Loungein Fayetteville on April 17-18. Other Wakarusa artists passing through George’s in the next few weeks: Perpetual Groove on Feb. 2, Railroad Earth on Feb. 6, MartyParty on Feb. 28, Heartless Bastards on March 8 and NiT GRiT on March 13.

Although the festival had a higher total when it was located in Kansas, last year’s Wakarusa set an attendance record for its three years in Arkansas, with more than 22,000 fans converging the Franklin County location.

Wakarusa is a small festival compared to giants such as Coachella, Bonnaroo and Lollapolooza, but our local festival has received national press for its steady growth and homegrown feel. Let’s hope this year features more of the same.