I'm going to go ahead and get my negative attitude out of the way first.
I have a personal history of hatred for and confrontation with scalpers. And this year they are just plain out of control. The MPD has obviously given up, because I thought scalping used to be illegal.

I just find it horribly amusing to see middle aged men in turtlenecks getting shaken down by security at the gates, and not 50 yards away its pure scalper chaos. It's harassment all around for the people paying to be here and it makes our city look ghetto.

If you support them by buying and selling to them, you are part of the problem.

Anyway.

Malpais deserves all the good press they've been getting.

They were interesting and creative, with the talent to handle a wide range of Latin influenced styles. The variety and pacing really kept their performance exciting. I took a couple of years of college Spanish, but I couldn't really follow the vocals. Every time that happens to me I wonder if this is what Japanese people who listen to Elvis feel like.

I managed to catch the end of Janiva Magness.

Unfortunately I missed out on seeing her rather unique washboard, but I'll let you use your imagination. The show was quite engaging and I overheard an awesome comment from my pal Josh. "I've seen more jean shorts per capita here than at any festival in history."

I paused at Billy Lee Riley just long enough to confirm he was on his last legs.
(Last legs fest 2006)

The show was still pretty classy, in spite of his uncharacteristic cane.
(or maybe that helped)

This is what the "Classy Older Guy Stage" is all about to me.

Galactic was good if you enjoy that sort of thing and don't mind gyrating frat boys.

I haven't seen them in a few years. (I flatly refuse to pay $30 to do so)
But they were as energized and tightly knit as ever.

Then I ducked back into the Blues Tent for Robert Belfour.

His darkly heartfelt blues is the brand I like.
Not what my friends term "smokin Huey's blues."
This just makes you want whiskey.

Finally, I rounded out the circuit on the south end with 10 Years. They weren't quite as horrible as i expected. (yes, this is about as good a compliment as you get from me)
What's with the disproportionate number of front men with dreads these days?
At least this one could sing.
It just seems to me that most of this new young 93Xish stuff is all the same.
I don't find any of it particularly compelling.
Maybe I'm just a prick. I dunno.

Do you know who else I ran into?
The guy who was driving the horse carriage and blasting Pantera that saved my life Friday night.

And guess who that girl is? (I swear I wouldn't lie to you)
It's one of the drunken Mississippi girls he was riding around who couldn't find her car.
Way to go guy!
Good karma is a good thing.

All right then.