Music

Wakarusa

Party like it's 1969 in a Lawrence field.

By Aaron Ladage 

Smile — you're on Wakarusa camera! Just kidding! The Douglas County Sheriff's office tells us that this year, no hidden cameras will be used to monitor attendees at this year's Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival. So relax. But don't overdo it because, between June 7 and June 10, more than 15,000 music fans and 100 bands will descend on the fourth-annual festival, whether your anti-establishment ass is there or not. And if you think jam-band festivals can thrive only on farms in the middle of Tennessee, here are a few musicians — all of whom will perform at this year's Wakarusa — who would like to have a word with you.

Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals: Realistically, Ben Harper is as close as Generations X and Y will ever come to having their own Bob Marley. Musically, Harper is a bit more eclectic than his predecessor, mixing Marley's signature reggae beats with Curtis Mayfield-style soul and good old-fashioned funk and folk (10 p.m.-midnight Friday on the Sun Down Stage).

Widespread Panic: If this name doesn't ring a bell, you might be better off staying home. Since the death of Jerry Garcia and with the approaching demise of the String Cheese Incident, Widespread Panic has emerged as the pinnacle of the jam-band hierarchy. Like most other bands in the genre, Widespread shines brightest onstage; unlike the others, singer John Bell and crew never play the same show twice (8:15 p.m.-midnight Saturday on the Sun Down Stage).

Son Volt: No matter how many pennies you throw in that old wishing well, Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy are never going to reform Uncle Tupelo. You might as well cut your losses and check out Farrar's Son Volt at Wakarusa — especially because he'll probably play a few tracks from the band's well-received new album, The Search, its first in two years (10-11:45 p.m. Saturday in the Revival Tent).

Les Claypool: If ever there was proof that festival-rock fans are an accepting bunch, Les Claypool's regular appearances at said shows must be it. The innovative singer and bassist — best known for his time with bizarro-metal act Primus and, of course, for composing the South Park theme song — brings his one-of-a-kind sound to an entirely different audience (10:30 p.m.-midnight. Sunday on the Sun Down Stage).

Son Volt on The Late Show, perfoming a song from new album The Search: