To co-opt a line from Matthew McConaughey’s townie sleazeball David Wooderson in the movie “Dazed and Confused,” I keep going to music festivals, and the other concertgoers there stay the same age.
Festivals such as our local Wakarusa event cater to college-age music fans, and they are smart to do so, considering the kind of vagabond spirit with free time in the summer (and disposable income!) that dominates the festival scene.
Courting a younger crowd for Wakarusa means finding music a youngish crowd can enjoy, and that has shifted the lineups over the past few years. Rosters for the festival when it took place in Kansas once included acts such as Robert Randolph, Guided by Voices, Wilco, Cake and a host of bluesy bands such as North Mississippi Allstars.
Acts of the same ilk still perform at Wakarusa, notably in 2011, when our local festival attracted My Morning Jacket and Mumford & Sons. Those were big names, and they are acts that do not play in Arkansas without a festival to draw them.
The festival has in the past few years shifted toward electronica, catching some of the biggest names in the genre in the process: Skrillex, Bassnectar and Pretty Lights. It’s kept Wakarusa growing, if ever so slightly, since its arrival in Arkansas for the 2009 season. It comes back this year June 4-7, and when it does, it brings the normal selection of electronic acts, jam staples and a few surprises.
Important names in the lineup, which was released in three parts over the past three weeks, take fans in new directions. Umphrey’s McGee and STS9 — no offense to any of their fans — perform every year. They’ll come back in 2015. But acts such as The Roots and Chance the Rapper are welcome additions to the lineup. Aside from Snoop Dogg a few years ago, Wakarusa has generally been light on rap acts. This goes a long way to fixing that oversight, and I can tell you that The Roots put on one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen when they performed at Barnhill Arena in April 2007.
A considerable amount of electronic party music remains on the lineup, with acts such as The Floozies, Big Gigantic and Paper Diamond occupying that part of the bill. The third of three Wakarusa lineup announcements also dropped some big names in the electronic world — Major Lazer (a Diplo-created project), Thievery Corporation and EOTO. If anything, it shifted the festival to almost 50 percent electronica. That might not be my ideal configuration, but I’m not 19, and I’m covering the festival for the newspaper, not driving halfway across the country to see my favorite act. Tickets, which begin at $179 for a four-day pass, are already on sale via wakarusa.com. A full lineup can also be found there.
Importantly, there will also be a Northwest Arkansas presence on the mountain, with acts such as Mountain Sprout and Shawn James & The Shapeshifters named to the bill. We’ll have at least one more local band on the roster courtesy of the upcoming battle of the bands competition called Waka Winter Classic on Feb. 6 at George’s Majestic Lounge. Good on Wakarusa for including some local talent in the mix.
There are several indie rock acts to catch as well, with Portugal. the Man and Givers leading that charge. I could argue that the festival should have more indie rock acts on the lineup, but that’s a selfish request born out of personal taste more than anything else — because Wakarusa doesn’t cater to me. I could point out a half a dozen acts I’m excited to see (The Old 97’s, Glass Animals, The Devil Makes Three, etc.) and a half dozen that don’t excite me (I’m not going there). But the important part is there is a great variety of acts on the lineup, from reggae to rock to jam to some random combination of many of those elements.
The one element Wakarusa doesn’t really include is country music, and it’s no coincidence organizers at Pipeline Publicity also have a country music festival on the same festival grounds. That event takes place later in June. And while Thunder on the Mountain organizers released the lineup for the event weeks ago, more artists were added yesterday. Among the acts coming to Arkansas June 26-28 are Big & Rich, Sara Evans, Roger Creager and Whiskey Myers and others. Each will perform in addition to already announced headliners such as Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band. A full lineup can be found at thunderonthemountain.com.
The demographic there is different than the one at Wakarusa, and it’s different altogether from Yonder Mountain String Band’s Harvest Music Festival, which takes place each fall on the same Mulberry Mountain grounds.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’m getting older, and I can still find a reason to go.