Wakarusa Music Festival 2015: Heaven on Earth
Where and how to start? Honestly, I’ll use the approach I always use when it comes to everything: I just let it flow organically. Living like this led me to a milestone weekend in my life. I could not have scripted it any better. I probably would have tried to go over the top with something I wasn’t ready for at this time in life. I found myself doing exactly what I wanted to be doing, with the right people for this experience. I am thankful to for my FRIENDS and everyone involved in the Wakarusa experience, where I witnessed overwhelming instances of community, love, and freedom as we got down at a peculiar, funky, and badass party!
I remember a few years ago researching different festivals across the country. The Wakarusa Music Festival (June 4 – 7) always stood out to me like Rudolph in Santa’s pack of reindeers. This year was no different. I saw that my favorite musical act was playing, along with other artists whom I appreciate to the core. I immediately planned on going. With the help of a few miracles, the path to the Ozark Mountains was clear. Over the past year I have continually been encouraged to take more action in creating my personal expression to be shared when people gather. So, here I am this year acting on what has been handed to me by expressing my travels through writing and photography to inspire others. Waka was an affirming portal that I went through. My spirit floated around in awe at the beauty of life and enjoyed each moment while I reflected each moment of the weekend. It was a place for me to soak in joy, peace, and understanding to propel me into the next level of living out my purpose.
With so many people and perspectives, all I can do is share my experience. I will highlight some of my favorite shows. Wakarusa’s versatile line up had over 200 performances! I am a fan of all genres of music; some I gravitate to more than others. Waka provided plenty on their musical buffet to quench my pallet. An event like this with so much to offer required me to pace myself, so that’s what I did to ensure I experienced everything on my Wakarusa bucket list. Building a festival schedule takes into account musical taste, friends, camping distance, the waterfall, and sleeping.
Yoga, meditation, and kirtan were happening each morning near the outpost stage for those who wanted to get centered and grounded. I was able to participate as well as photograph these joyous moments. Everything was so aligned for me throughout the weekend. People make the world go around. I made friends with a group of people who ran an Indian food truck. They took me in for the weekend and allowed me to use their space for a base, so I didn’t have to hike back to my campsite all the time. I was welcomed with open arms, as I helped them serve food. In return I was gifted with love and free food. What else can one ask for? My life was overflowing with abundance.
The hike to the waterfall is absolutely necessary for a full Waka experience. It is deep in a national forest at the edge of the festival grounds. You have to hike down a mountain to get there. I crossed paths with a few musicians and a snake on the trail. It was the first of two snakes that crossed my path while walking with a friend. Which is universally symbolic for transformation and shedding skin. Yup. That’s what the two of us were experiencing at this special time in our lives. This festival lives up to its description of “Where music meets Mother Nature.” The sights and the water are literally breath-taking. Mulberry Mountain and Wakarusa have something special that may not be able to be topped when it comes to the landscape and environment on the festival circuit. There are small streams scattered everywhere, along with a giant waterfall for people to jump from. I found myself on the trail and in the water three out of the four full days. My favorite moment may have come on one occasion, just enjoying life near a stream with a friend while reflecting and connecting.
I sure hope I can efficiently fit my experience into this article, because I want to share it with everyone. Let’s move on to some music, because that’s the glue that binds everything together. I spent most of daylight on Thursday getting acquainted with everything there was to offer and finding each stage. After my trial run I was prepared for the marathon. My favorite performances from Thursday included several bands. First was The Devil Makes Three, whom I saw on the main stage. This trio will get you to kick dirt while you dance. It can get really difficult to put musical artists into genres. I say imagine some whiskey bluegrass combined with a standup bass and a female to bring in that loving intention. I continued my journey capturing moments through my camera to the revival tent where I saw Dopapod, who embodies progressive rock with electronic frequencies that provide instrumentals as smooth as liquid. A little later my surprise discovery of the festival was found in The Hearts of Darkness from nearby Kansas City. I fell in love with them. They are somewhere in the history books where Fela Kuti meets The Roots. This family of musicians includes men and women of all ages, shapes, and colors; five horns, three female vocalists, bass, guitar, keyboard, drum kit, congas, and a lead chanter/lyricist! They were full of life, culture, and soul. “What a gift,” I thought, as I stumbled upon them at the Outpost Stage, which happened to have the best sunsets as the sun went to sleep behind the mountains.
Friday brought many gifts into my life, as festivals tend to do for everyone. The best gift was a new friend I made in the sea of people. Cali had a glowing presence about her that anyone can recognize. We instantly clicked and were mirrors of positivity for each other throughout the entire weekend. After walking around the first day mostly on my own, I hoped to find a close friend to share the experience with. Little did I know she had the same intentions. The power of a photograph brought us together. The time at Wakarusa seemed to move at a slower pace than the rest of the world, as people got swept up in the depth of each moment. I felt so much love for one’s fellow human going around the festival with encouragement, hugs, high fives, laughter, dancing, helping, sharing, smiling, and just celebrating being alive together. The people play the music, paint, build, organize, teach, and serve the food. They are the essence of it all. That’s what it’s all about, right? To travel, meet new people, and gain life-giving stories. Honestly, Cali and the rest of the people were my favorite part of the experience. We all just want to be happy and to make our world more peaceful. Gathering in such a way really transforms our culture and moves each of us on individual level to take action for our collective world.
The music on Friday took me to The Revival Tent again, where Natural Child provided me with a serving of Rock n’ Roll. They definitely keep the tradition alive with rowdy blues and off-the-wall ideas of everyday folks. Following the flow, I eventually I got to see Thomas Jack for my first experience at the highly anticipated Satellite Stage. It exceeded my expectations. The stage is at the bottom of a hill. The incline of trees scattered throughout gives it a jungle-like feeling with art installations, slack lines and canopy nets in the branches that one can climb up to relax under the leaves. It’s eclectic spaces were the best spots to kick back in. Each stage has its own personality. This one embraces electronic musical currents. The atmosphere is unmatched; you can feel the electric energy of the crowd bouncing through the auras of everyone. I promote The Satellite Stage to the fullest!!!
My next sunset at The Outpost Stage was hosted by Dilated Peoples, who came to as ambassadors of West Coast hip-hop. The duo keeps the true elements alive through positive feel-good music and a traditional DJ who brought the down-to-Earth beats as the duo unleashed the flowetics. They represented the genre to the fullest. My next musical highlight came on the Friday schedule, although it technically started at 5 am on Saturday morning. I took a nap from around midnight until then to make sure I had enough energy to check out The Human Experience’s sunrise set. The festival soldiers show up for these shows to tap into that early morning force that most people don’t. The Human Experience has worked on a project with Rising Appalachia. My favorite tracks of the set were the two songs he played from their collaboration and his remix of Outkast’s “Rosa Parks.” Doctors should prescribe that for breakfast, because it gave me all the fuel I needed, as I stayed awake for the next 24 hours for the day I anticipated the most.
Saturday was the day. Rising Appalachia gifted us with soulful melodies that embody being human and making a positive difference in the world. Their world-influenced music filled with deep appreciation for cultural heritage of all kinds was blessed with an appearance from their close friend and musical shaman Nahko Bear. He returned a couple hours for his performance at the same stage of The Revival Tent. His music and spirit without a doubt reflect revival, healing, and truth for all those who hear his message. I may be a little biased, because Nahko and Medicine for The People are my favorite musical act. This was my sixth event, seeing them perform, and each time is equally as powerful, blending vagabond folk music with spirit-filled angelic voices and a hip hop flow to relate to each individual’s personal life experience. If you are in attendance, you will be hit in the soul and at one sharing lyrics with everyone in the crowd when he allows them to finish his words. Goosebumps filled my being as I continued to be inspired to fulfill my role in the bigger picture in life. It is normal for people to cry during their performances. I really can’t express enough that I was in awe at how fortunate I am to be living my bliss. I was exactly where I wanted to be, capturing these moments through my camera and sharing these emotions with my friends and strangers who feel like family. I believe these festivals evoke this, as people from all over join forces and find those who feel just like them. His set was topped off when his beloved former bass player, Dustin Thomas, brought his bright presence to the stage. The finale brought the entire Rising Appalachia crew back on stage for a folk-hop explosion. One can truly feel the mystic in the air when Medicine for The People humbly transforms the energy of the crowd and festival with their unconditional soul food.
I was in heaven even more so because The Growlers played at sunset directly after at The Outpost Stage. I have been obsessed since the first time I heard their music through a friend, when I couldn’t tell what decade the music was made in. One can mistake them for a ‘60s or ‘70s psychedelic rock band. They are random; they like to party; they are BAND. Their music is not heavy at all. It has this subtle mystery of sensual sounds that seep smoothly into the skin and slither through the veins with quirky love songs. They are a nonchalantly, elegant garage-style group who just got off a tour in Japan. Their disco sound makes one move about the dance floor in whatever fashion he or she feels like dancing. It’s my favorite music to dance to.
Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals capped off one of the most memorable days of my life at the main stage with a calm, cool, and direct set. His passionate approach has made this man an undisputed legend who has been delivering us music since 1992. He played all of his classics, as he continually switched out with different styles of guitars. His band is smooth, and they know it. I am sucker for love songs and positivity, so I was in my happy place.
My friend and I hopped through the entire festival again into the wee hours of the morning. It was filled with people watching and uncontrollable laughter around a campsite with new friends. We kept soaking life in until our last drop of energy made us sleep for a few more hours as we get nourished for Sunday. The sun was beaming and everything seemed to be perfectly timed as Cali and I returned from our hike to the water and heard Medicine for The People begin their next set at the main stage. The weather and people were beautiful. This wouldn’t be the last time the medicine family was on stage. Dustin Thomas, who is now touring solo, was joined by his brothers later that day on the intimate Backwoods Stage. Radiance poured from the microphone as he distributed divine melodies and beat-boxing.
Whoa. I could write for days, but after saying farewell to some camping neighbors. My Wakarusa festival came full circle as I sat on the ground behind the Indian food truck and shared food with Cali. Matisyahu was playing his hopeful and popular song “One Day” on the nearby stage as the final sun sank under the mountains. She and I fully realized we didn’t need anything, that we were perfect the way we were, and that life provides us with all that we need. In that moment everything was perfect. Thank you Wakarusa.
