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WAKARUSA FESTIVAL THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2007
9
ummer
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
This year's Wakarusa Festival is scheduled to feature more than 100 bands during the four-day event.
Assembly of Dust ready to play "hick funk" at festival
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
scarlson@kansan.com
Music lovers who attended last year's Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival will see at least five familiar faces at this year's event. The band Assembly of Dust will play two of the four days, just as they did last year.
Reid Genauer, band leader, calls his
band's music "hick funk," and formed the group five years ago by picking up members as he played solo gigs. The band first played together in 2002 and released their first album. The Honest Hour i
album, The Honest Hour, in 2005.
"We draw from elements of Motown and roots music like bluegrass and blues, and rock," he said.
"You wind up playing in front of crowds considerably larger than you might have had had you played on
Genauer said he enjoys playing at what he calls "huge congregations of fanatical music fans."
your own," Genauer said.
Wakarusa, however, isn't just any festival, Genauer said.
"It's been a great way to get in front of a lot of people who have a predisposed liking to our style of music," he said, adding that the beautiful setting of Clinton Lake State Park enhances the experience.
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- Behind the scenes with "Assembly of Dust"
Another member of the band
Nate Wilson, keyboard player, views Wakarusa as a unique event.
Assembly of Dust has played at several festivals, some featuring only jam bands. Wilson said.
"Honestly, I get bored seeing one thing over and over again when I go," he said.
Wakarusa offers a nice change of pace, Wilson said.
"They do a good job of getting a good variety of artists," Wilson said.
And just as the specific genre of
lay weekend
those days we can see the m business and sales."
izza restaurant, located es east of Clinton Lake, peal to festival attendees it serves a full buffet for zares said.
staurant will run with a and extra food products e weekend, he said.
e other side of town,
d Planet Imports, 846
setts St., will sell festi-
sunglasses, hackey-sacks,
and "other things they formanager Melissa Padgett.
Planet will also be a vene
the festival and Padgett
egative publicity about
and crime crackdowns
ast year's festival won't
ic fans from turning up in
"Usually a lot of them stay a couple days after the festival ends and you'll see them around." Sims said.
droves at this year's festival.
— Edited by Joe Caponio
Sarah Sims, a 2007 University graduate, is an employee at Sunrise Garden Center, 1501 Learnard Ave., which traded a variety of plants to be used in backstage and VIP areas at the festival in exchange for tickets to the festival.
Sims, a Lawrence native, said the majority of her money for the festival will be spent on beer. She said she will be staying overnights on Wakarusa campgrounds, but she said that many other festival goers will be coming into town to spend the evening.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY RON RANERE
The band "Assembly of Dust" will perform Saturday from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. at the Campground Stage. They will perform again Sunday from noon to 1 p.m. at the Sun Down Stage.
the group's music is uncertain, the origin of the band's name is also a bit unclear.
"I would categorize it as uplifting and fairly happy music. It's not all that dark. I felt like the band needed a little darkness," Genauer said of the choice of name.
The band released their newest album, Recollection, in March.
Genauer said there's no substitute for watching them live.
"I think you get a more true read on the band by seeing us live," he said.
Assembly of Dust will play Saturday from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 1 p.m. Tickets are still available at www.wakarusa.com.
Edited by Ben Smith
Widespread Panic Saturday, 8:15-Midnight, Sun Down Stage
Headliners
Ben Harper
Friday, 10-Midnight, Sun
Down Stage
Yonder Mountain String Band
Saturday, 6-7:45 p.m. Revival tent
Saturday, Midnight-1:45 a.m.
Sun Down Stage
Les Claypool
Sunday, 10:30-Midnight, Sun
Down Stage
Citizen Cope Sunday, 4:45-6 p.m. Sun Down Stage
Medeski, Martin and Wood Sunday, 6:30-8 p.m. Sun Down Stage
Michael Franti
Sunday, 8:30-10 p.m. Sun
Down Stage