Another year has come and gone, and with that brings the beginning of festival season. I freaking love festival season! Many people are starting to make their spring, summer and fall plans, and because of that, festivals are now starting to announce their initial line-ups. Usually one of the first to announce their list of bands, Wakarusa has revealed to first group of names that will be taking over the festivals six stages throughout the weekend of June 3rd to the 6th. Included in the initial line-up are a slew of electronic, jam, bluegrass and roots bands who will be playing till all hours of the morning at Mulberry Mountain, the festivals second year at the Ozark, AR mountaintop venue. Topping the list are two electronic-based instrumental groups Sound Tribe Sector 9 and The Disco Biscuits, bands that are very similar in stature and genre, with both having a pretty die-hard following. Also making their way to Wakarusa for the 2010 event are reggae rockers Slightly Stoopid, Australian roots group John Butler Trio, harmonica master John Popper and 90's alt rockers Blues Traveler and the first appearance of Zappa Plays Zappa after the torrential downpours canceled their set at Waka in 2007.

Check out the initial line-up after the jump!

Wakarusa 2010 Initial Line-up

STS9
The Disco Biscuits
Slightly Stoopid
John Butler Trio
Blues Traveler
Dweezil Zappa Plays Zappa
Bassnectar
Railroad Earth
The Machine performs Pink Floyd
JJ Grey & MOFRO
Lotus
Rebelution
ALO
Tea Leaf Green
Boombox
Black Joe Lewis
Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk
EOTO
James Zabiela
Split Lip Rayfield
Hayes Carll
Sub Swara
Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers
Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band
Trampled by Turtles
Wookiefoot
Mishka
Big Gigantic
Truth & Salvage Co.
Fort Knox Five
Mountain Sprout
Band of Heathens
Last Waltz Ensemble
Cash'd Out
Earl Greyhound
Bluetech
Uglysuit
Passafire
Simplified
Hoots & Hellmouth
Resident Anti-Hero

While this is only a partial list, and we are still looking forward to a slew of additions (they promise 150 sets of music!), it's still lacking in a lot of ways. We are missing a true headliner (Cheese, WSP...), and are extremely heavy on the untz. I would really like to see the addition of several bands, such as The Avett Brothers, Dr. Dog, Keller Williams and Yonder Mountain String Band, that have already made a name for themselves at Wakarusa, and bring a certain breath of fresh air to the numerous electronic and jam oriented acts that are already listed. I am really looking forward to seeing ALO again, it seems like they never tour outside of California. Also, Black Joe Lewis, Split Lip Rayfield, Hayes Carll, Steven Kellogg & the Sixers, Rev. Peyton's Big Damned Band, Trampled By Turtles, Wookiefoot, Truth & Salvage, Co., Band Of Heathens, The Last Waltz Ensemble and Earl Greyhound should all be pretty great!

Looking forward to the additions!

-Eggs