I almost didn't go to Wakarusa this year.  I had sworn never to go to Bonnaroo, the venue just being too large in my opinion, but the scheduled acts were just too sick to turn down.  Not thinking that I could swing both weekends, I made a hard decision based mostly on financial reasons.

The second day of the 10,000 Lakes Festival at the Soo Pass Ranch in Detroit Lakes, MN, dawned sunny and not as hot as the opener.  Festivalgoers crawled out of their tents relatively early to take showers and start their day with caffeine. A coffee vender was doing a brisk business.

Greetings All:

Grateful Web is currently putting together our review of the Wakarusa 2007 festival.  In the mean time, we invite you to check out some of the wonderful photos Amanda took on behalf of Grateful Web, including great band photos of Widespread, Yonder Mountain, Michael Franti, and tons of great festival-goer shots.   Her write-up will be coming soon…

Wakarusa 2007 photos!

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Donna Jean Thatcher (Godchaux MacKay) was born to sing, and over the course of time she's done so with people like Elvis Presley, Percy Sledge, Boz Scaggs, and Jerry Garcia. Now she has a new band that she's quite certain is on a creative par with anything she's ever done. "This band is a perfect fit for me as a singer/songwriter," she said recently, "and I hope to be doing this for a long time to come.

Grateful Web recently caught up with Ivan Neville while he was in Maryland. The phone interview had to be postponed for two hours while Neville enjoyed some crab cakes, reputed to be the best in the country. "I'm in Baltimore " he said. "You've got to have crab cakes, and I want to give them my full attention." While his meal was digesting, he spoke about his new band, Dumpstaphunk......

With recognition (by critics, peers and fans alike) snowballing daily regarding Diana Jones' position as one of the most distinctive, soulful and nuanced singer/songwriters in the country/folk idiom, Ryko Distribution has agreed with NewSong Recordings to make Diana's luminous 2006 independent release My Remembrance of You readily available to chain and independent buyers across the U.S., while Proper Distribution delivers the record to new audiences in the UK and Ireland.

Gathering of the Vibes 2007 has finalized the lineup for the 12th  Annual Music, Camping and Arts Festival, taking place August 9-12 at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT.  The diverse genres of musicians and bands performing on four stages include Legendary Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir and Ratdog, five time Grammy Award Winner Buddy Guy, Latin Rockers Los Lobos, New Orleans based Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Bass Virtuoso Les Claypool, Roots Reggae Favorites, The Wailers,  Southern rock

In a rare Grateful Dead booking configuration, this year's 10,000 Lakes Festival will feature not only found Dead member Bob Weir and his band Ratdog, but also Chicago's Mr.