10 K revisited
The new permanent stage at Soo Pass makes concert promoter Chyrll Sparks eager to do a variety of more shows, though on a smaller scale than WE Fest or even July's 10 K, which averages about 16,000 fans.
She can see a 5-6,000 gig of "classic rock, but hip."
Not sure what that means, but I'm curious.
Likewise I'm curious to see who is booked for next year's 10 K. According to Sparks, rock acts don't book as far in advance as country acts, so the headliners won't be announced until late fall, unlike WE Fest, which already announced two 2010 headliners.
And while next year's 10 K may seem far away, the headliners won't be too far out.
"10 K will be slightly more mainstream," Sparks said. "Dave Matthews Band is a little left of center. We need to be more in tune with people who live here. We can't rely on people driving 220 miles from the (Twin) Cities, because they can see (shows like DMB) there."
DMB, which was Saturday's mainstage headliner, failed to bring in the 10-15,000 extra fans organizers were hoping for, despite being the highest paid act in that festival's seven-year history. But left of center? Isn't a little left of center what 10 K is all about?
Posted by: john lamb on 8/6/2009 at 9:24 AM | Comments (5) | Permalink
Chilling at WE Fest
32 Below better not live down to their name today. The Fargo-Moorhead's country group plays the second slot (4:445 p.m.) here on the first day of WE Fest. (Another local band, Silverado, opens. Problem is, the weather here is freezing! Almost as cold as the group's name - mid 40s this morning!
The cold isn't much of a concern for WE Fest promoters as temps are supposed to peak in the mid-70s and neither is the forecast of rain through Saturday night when Tim McGraw closes out the festival.
"Tim McGraw usually brings rain," Chryll Sparks, co-owner and VP of the festival said yesterday.
Probably not quite the definition of "rainmaker" festival organizers were hoping for.
Rain or not, Sparks and co. aren't too worried.
"We've never cancelled a show here," Sparks said. She talked about a 2003 McGraw show that was delayed until after storms moved through. When the music started again after midnight revelers came out even as lightning was sees in the distance.
Lots of overhead
Part of the reason Sparks isn't too concerned with rain is the new permanant stage, a major investment for the festival.
Sparks wouldn't say how much the new rig cost, but says it took 13 semis and a week to put up and tear down when it was a touring stage. As a permanant structure it can withstand winds up to 120 miles an hour when the wind scrrens are down.
With such an investment in the Soo Pass. It seems unlikely organizers are still trying to sell WE Fest and 10,000 Lakes Festival.
Posted by: john lamb on 8/6/2009 at 7:44 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Tags: 32 below, tim mcgraw, we fest
3rd day 10 K: In the bag
Jam band fans who may have been concerned that 10,000 Lakes Festival organizers were leaving their roots after Thursday's lineup (Wilco, Atmosphere, Junior Brown among others) were likely thinking, "Thank Garcia (Jerry, that is) it's Friday."
The third day's bill was back to some festival favorites, like main stage headliners Widespread Panic, Trampled by Turtles and Wookiefoot.
I stayed through the day, but having seen Widespread Wednesday night, I cut out around 8, to upload photos. You can see a 10 KLF gallery at The Forum's site.
With the better part of half a day, I got my music's worth from Trampled by Turtles. The Duluth, Minn.-based, five-piece string band absolutely shred it. Even sitting down they held the audience's attendence for their 90-minute set. Makes you wonder if Old Crow Medicine Show is on promoters' wish list.
Posted by: john lamb on 7/25/2009 at 10:21 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
10 K: Day 2 in review
All apologies for my tardiness in posting – if anyone is even reading this.
All this writ-twit-pic-posting is more work than I thought. And quite honestly, sometimes I guy just wants to catch a band.
I’ve done a bit of that - though not as much as I’d like – so I can tell you what you missed. And if you think I missed something – if anyone is even reading his – let me know.
By far, Thursday’s highlight was Wilco. I’m not a super fan like my friends from Bismarck, N.D. who travel three hours to see them, but I like them, even if the last two albums didn’t really grab me.
But having seen two shows in the last 16 months it seems Wilco is settling in as one of the best live rock bands in America. I’d imagine most of the people there would agree. Thursday night’s set was one of the top five concerts I’ve ever seen, right up there with one of last year’s headliners, the Flaming Lips.
Singer/guitarist Jeff Tweedy seems relaxed and comfortable in the spotlight, even copping some mock rock star poses during the group’s first song, “Wilco (The Song)” off the album “Wilco,” released in June.
From there Tweedy and co. cruised through “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” and “Shot in the Arm” before easing into “At Least That’s What You Said,” the first song to really unleash the full range of the group’s dynamics and showcase the explosive playing of guitarist Nels Cline.
Wilco may be Tweedy’s band, but Cline was the guitar god on main stage Thursday night and when he let loose, all eyes were on the flailing, lanky axe man.
And when Cline teamed up with Tweedy and guitarist/keyboardist Pat Sansone on tracks like “Impossible Germany” and “Spiders (Kidsmoke),” the group delivered a mighty powerful prog rock wallup.
While Cline with his guitar (and a table of technology) Tweedy delivered his licks verbally.
“I swallowed a lot of bugs,” he said early in the set. “That’s OK, I had a light lunch. (pause) Thanks, I’ll be here all week. (pause) Have you swallowed a lot of bugs? You should, they get you really high.”
And with that, the group lit into (pun intended) “Handshake Drugs,” though it’s not like the crowd needed prompting.
Tweedy played with the fan’s fire all night. After avoiding a few volleys of glow sticks he adopted a faux-paternal tone and demanded “you guys” to throw their glow sticks up on stage. His mistake as wave upon wave of hurled lights flew to the stage. After joking the crowd didn’t know how to throw glow sticks, one hit Cline, seated to play slide guitar, in the head.
“Keep in mind it’s only Thursday and you’re going to need those glow sticks the rest of the weekend,” Tweedy lectured. “In this economy you can’t afford to throw glow sticks away.”
He then offered back all the glow sticks “and a show, not mine,” if the glow throws ceased, which worked.
The group ended with the playful “Hoodoo Guru,” a fitting touch since Tweedy was in such a joyful mood. Sometimes listens to his albums don’t reveal how much fun the man can have on stage, as he did Thursday night.
And he gave as good as got.
Still rocking the vote: From what he played during his Thursday main stage set, Mason Jennings' new disc, "Blood of Man," due out Sept. 15 on Jack Jonson's Brushfire label, will be pretty political - even if it's nearly a year after the '08 election.
Best blast from the past: The Honeydogs' "Rumor has it," still hits hard, especially with the new horn section. But what happened to singer/guitarist Adam Levy's drumming brother Noah?
Priceless?: Cost for average food entree: $6. Cost for cup of Summit beer in compostable cup: $6. Service charge for on-site ATM: $5.95
Disappointment of the night: While the lightning storm was the best light show of the evening, the weather limited Atmosphere and Junior Brown sets to an hour.
Posted by: john lamb on 7/25/2009 at 12:31 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Tags: 10 klf, honeydogs, john lamb, mason jennings, wilco
10K - 1: First day breakdown
Today will be the first day to see how organizer's efforts to broaden 10,000 Lakes Festival's fan base will go.
While some acts, like singer-songwriter (and friend of Jack Johnson) Mason Jennings seem like an easy fit, Wilco could be a bit more of a challenge to the traditional jam band fans. Along the same line, it will be interesting to see if the group gets into the spirit of the Fest and unwinds for some long jams, or if they'll stay close to recorded versions of the songs. At the group's Fargo show in 2008, they showed how much they like sonic dynamics and fooling around with feedback. Guitarist Nels Cline will certainly be up for some noodling. Then again, Widespread had some heavy jams Thursday night and the fans seemed to eat that up happily.
Minneapolis hip-hop act Atmosphere will only push the envelope further at 11:30 p.m. True, fans are here to have a good time and most are showing that by dancing. DJ Ant will surely drop some bumping beats, but I doubt the hardcore hippies will give them much of a chance. My guess is they'll head over to see honky tonk guit-steel-tarist Junior Brown, appropriately at the Barn Stage.
I just hope the rain holds off from about 6 p.m. until at least midnight.
Posted by: john lamb on 7/23/2009 at 9:06 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
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