Update: Lineup additions are available at the bottom of this post.
After months of teasing and guessing (and an early morning Jambase banner ad leak), the Wakarusa 2011 official lineup has been announced.
For anyone who’s been holding out on Wakarusa since the music festival moved to Northwest Arkansas in 2009, this might be your year. The festival takes place June 2-5.
Word on the street has been that organizers were planning to make 2011 a big spending year when it comes to talent. After seeing the initial lineup, it seems the rumors were true.
Official Wakarusa release
At the top of the list is My Morning Jacket. If you ask us, this is huge. The band was rumored to be last year’s headliner, and when that didn’t pan out, many feared Wakarusa would never return to the days when crossover monsters like Wilco and The Flaming Lips led the pack.
Widespread Panic fans sure didn’t mind, as attendance nearly doubled for year two on Mulberry Mountain. However, there are a lot of curious, not-so-jam fans out there just waiting to see what all the Wakarusa fuss is about. If organizers were looking to break the 20,000 attendance mark for 2011, here’s our prediction: If MMJ can’t do it, nobody can.
A couple of others on our hot list include the Grammy nominated Mumford & Sons, and 26-year-old Grace Potter.
Of course, there’s plenty more to be excited about. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings will rule. Thievery Corporation and staples like STS9 and Bassnectar will draw well, too.
Add in Ben Harper, Umphrey’s McGee and Michael Franti, and the tickets are gonna go quick.
Saturday-only tickets start at $69, and full event passes start at $139.
Here’s the list. What do you think?
2011 Wakarusa Lineup
My Morning Jacket
Ben Harper & The Relentless 7
Thievery Corporation
STS9 (2 sets)
Umphrey’s McGee
Bassnectar
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Mumford & Sons
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
Toots & the Maytals
Ghostland Observatory
Modeselektor
Shpongle
Hallucinogen
Ozomatli (2 sets)
Rebelution (2 sets)
Galactic (2 sets)
Lotus
The New Deal
JJ Grey & MOFRO
Quixotic (2 sets)
Dark Star Orchestra (3-hour set)
North Mississippi Allstars
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Ryan Bingham
Lucero (2 sets)
The Heavy (2 sets)
Perpetual Groove
Wookiefoot
Budos Band
Grupo Fantasma
Split Lip Rayfield (2 sets)
Cornmeal (2 sets)
Ekoostic Hookah (2 sets)
MarchForth Marching Band (2 sets)
EOTO (2 sets)
Skrillex
Beats Antique (2 sets)
Stanton Warriors
Big Gigantic
The Beautiful Girls
Here Come The Mummies
Hot Buttered Rum (2 sets)
Langhorne Slim
Truth & Salvage Co.
Iration
John Brown’s Body
Delhi 2 Dublin
Dana Fuchs
Hugo
Ott
VibeSquaD
Peelander-Z
Roy Davis Jr.
Eliot Lipp (2 sets)
Karsh Kale (2 sets)
SBTRKT
Two Fresh
Resident Anti-Hero (2 sets)
Janover
Paper Diamond (Alex B)
ANA SIA (2 sets)
Syd Gris (2 sets)
Lance Herbstrong
An-Ten-Nae (2 sets)
Emancipator
TOKiMONSTA
Random Rab
Those Darlins
Jay Nash (2 sets)
Carrie Rodriguez
TFDI
Dubskin
Dirtfoot (2 sets)
The Pimps of Joytime
Ha Ha Tonka
Mountain Sprout (2 sets)
Mountain Standard Time (2 sets)
Lubriphonic
Papa Grows Funk
Papadosio
Hoots & Hellmouth
Scythian (2 sets)
Spoonfed Tribe
Zoogma
Family Groove Company
These United States (2 sets)
Josh Phillips Folk Festival
Big Sam’s Funky Nation
Marrakesh Express
Honey Island Swamp Band (2 sets)
Poor Man’s Whiskey (2 sets)
Spiritual Rez
Fronteir Ruckus
The Werks
Moon Taxi
Kinetix
The Congress
The Floozies
Somasphere
The Ben Miller Band
Radiohiro w/ MC Zulu
MO7S
TAKE
Spanakliscious
FSTZ
Jason Sterling
EZ Brothers
Dave Brock DJ Miss J
Lineup additions
Buckethead
Minus the Bear
The Stone Foxes
Chamberlin
FRESH2DEATH
Nadis Warriors
Quiet Corral
Mouth
2011 Waka Winter Classic Winners
Saturday Sirens
Coleslaw
Brother Bagman
Vibenhai
Totojojo
STEEZ
The Boys N’ the Barrels
The Workshy
iLLPHONiCS
MONTU
The Coop
Lightajo
Reelfoot
Where’s Lawrence?
Tyrannosaurus Chicken
Soul Rebel and the Beast
Carrie Nation and The Speakeasy
Vagabond Swing
Holding Space
Ugly Lion
Trichome
James and The Devil
Mumford & Sons AND Ghostland Observatory?!?
Well played, Wakarusa. Might have to go this year.
MMJ, Mumford & Sons (!!), Sharon Jones (you’ve heard of The Dap Kings right, backing band for Amy Winehouse Back To Black), The New Deal (from Canada, rarely tours the US), Ryan Bingham (Crazy Heart soundtrack Grammy fame and a guest on my radio show Honest Tunes on KXUA last year)…
Very exciting roster so far! I hope they will add a few more bands to round-it-out, maybe a few more of the Wakarusa regulars from past years. In any case this is outstanding news for our Northwest Arkansas region. It will sell out in advance. See you at the festival.
Tune in KXUA 88.3 FM Honest Tunes on Tuesday nights for preview radio shows featuring the music of all bands from this line-up.
Dgold
Is that Ryan Bingham interview online anywhere? I’d like to hear it. Sorry I missed when it was on.
Yes stream mp3 Ryan Bingham KXUA Honest Tunes radio blog (or download the podcast from) here:
http://dgold.info/radio/webcast2010/music527
44 minutes, interview with Ryan and he plays 3 songs solo acoustic. Let me tell you it was amazing sitting 3 feet from him for this. He is completely genuine, humble, and his voice is absolutely for real, with the ragged edges.
Also can be found in iTunes store (free DL) if you search for Dgold, Honest Tunes, Ryan Bingham.
I have youtube footage of the 3 songs as well, which I have not uploaded yet. Need to get on that.
yes you do need to get to it. Thanks for the help!!
Wow. Just wow.
I may be attending this year. MMJ was on my list of bands I really hoped were on last year’s lineup (as well as my list of bands I wanted to see come to the area). Would love to see Band of Horses added as well.
THIS LINEUP IS SICKY SICK!!!!!!!!
If you’re craving some live music now, I found this awesome website that has awesome live footage of shows!! Check out roxwel.com – they have live interviews and performances from Mumford & Sons, Ghostland, Lotus and lots and LOTS more (those are just artists in the waka lineup!)!!!!!!! Here are the links:
Mumford & Sons Performance: http://www.roxwel.com/player/mumfordandsonsliveperformance.html
Mumford & Sons Interview: http://www.roxwel.com/player/mumfordandsonsinterview.html
Ghostland AWESOME interview and performance: http://www.roxwel.com/player/ghostlandobservatoryinterviewandliveperformance.html
Lotus Performance: http://www.roxwel.com/player/lotusliveperformance.html
CHECK THESE OUT AND PREPARE FOR WAKA WAKA WAKA!!!!!!!!!!!!
wonderful line up!
OMGWTFBBQ!!!!!!1 That is an incredible lineup. Wall done, organizing powers that be! Guess I’ll be breaking my rule about no festival concerts… My Morning Jacket in Arkansas: proof there is a Santa Claus.
Toots & the Maytals + Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings = :)
Count me in !
Sounds great Boyd, BOH, Ween and Fang Island would make it the ultimate festival for me. They should add Slayer for the metal fans, but I think it looks pretty good as is ;-) Jim James will be worth the price of admission. See ya’ll there!
Turn on KXUA 88.3 FM now for Wakarusa 1 hour preview set on Honest Tunes with DGold
My Morning Jacket
Mumford & Sons
Sharon Jones
Grace Potter
Ghostland Observatory
and more
Anyone else hearing that there will be another major Wakarusa headliner announcement added?