Life is Music™

So it seems 2010 is not going to be a great year for music festivals, or at least not in the upper Midwest. First, in December, Minnesota’s annual 10,000 Lakes Music Festival was cancelled indefinitely due to financial issues. Now the real dagger has just been announced. Rothbury Festival will not be back in 2010. Although rumors swirled in December that this festival too was having money problems, according to their website, Rothbury 2010 has been canceled due to the fact that they cannot put together a “cutting edge roster that everyone has come to expect from ROTHBURY”. This news will undoubtedly hit many music fans in the Midwest and all across the country hard, but if things go well, Rothbury should be back in 2011.

Here is the statement published on their website, www.rothburyfestival.com.

“During the past three years, all of us involved with ROTHBURY have greatly appreciated the tremendous outpouring of support for the future of the festival. For 2010, we have had to make the tough decision to postpone our efforts. A contributing factor in our decision is that, due to various artists’ recording and touring schedules, we now believe that timing will not allow for us to assemble the cutting edge roster that everyone has come to expect from ROTHBURY. The result for this year is that we are not able to move forward with the integrity and high standards that we demand from ourselves and for the festival.

Despite the 2010 postponement, we intend to move toward continuing ROTHBURY in 2011. This event is something very special, and we are unwilling to potentially tarnish what ROTHBURY is, and can become, by working under conditions that will produce anything less than a magical experience.

ROTHBURY is more than a festival. It is a mission intended to discover strength in community, and what it means to be a large-scale sustainable event in these times. Our efforts are certainly not coming to an end.

It is important for us to thank the people of Michigan, Oceana County, The Village of Rothbury, Grant Township, and the Double JJ Resort. Also, we thank our team members, volunteers, creative contributors, media partners, and sponsors. We have made many friendships that will last a lifetime.

To all who attended the first two years of ROTHBURY we thank you for the soul you gave the event. Those times entered rarified air because of your energy.

We hope you have a fantastic July 4th this summer.”

In 2008 and 2009, this nearly sustainable music festival held near the west central Michigan town of Rothbury has had the following musicians (to name a few) grace its stages: The Dead, Bob Dylan, Dave Matthews Band, Umphrey’s McGee, Sting Cheese Incident, Widespread Panic, Snoop Dogg, The Black Crowes, John Mayer, Willie Nelson, The Hold Steady, 311, Trey Anastasio, Primus, Michael Franti & Spearhead, The Black Keys, Drive-by Truckers.

10,000 Lakes Music Festival will not be back in 2010.  Announced today, the wonderful midwestern music festival held for the past seven years in Detroit Lakes, MN will be on an indefinite hiatus due to financial issues.  Minnesota Public Radio reported on their website that promoter Rand Levy said the costs involved were so large the event can’t pay for itself, and that only two of the seven festivals broke even.  Levy says he wants to take a year off and rethink, and the event may come back in another form in future years. 

“We want you to know we have heard your voices as community and the 10,000 Lakes Festival wants to deeply thank all of our fans, artists and attendees for seven amazing years at Soo Pass Ranch,” festival promoter Rand Levy said in a statement.

2009 brought in headliners Wilco, Widespread Panic and Dave Matthews Band.  Approximately 17,000 fans attended the 2009 festival, yet according to the Detroit Lakes Tribune, promoters were expecting a much larger attendance. 

Despite adding a more mainstream headliner, Dave Matthews, fans didn’t turn out in 2009 as organizers had hoped. Levy said before the event he expected 10,000 to 15,000 people to buy single-day tickets for the Matthews finale, in addition to those with full festival passes. Shortly before the July 25 headlining set, an organizer estimated overall festival attendance around 17,000.

10,000 Lakes Music Festival has hosted a mix of national touring acts and north country favorites since 2003. Past performers include: Dave Matthews Band, The Allman Brothers Band, Phil Lesh & Friends, Bob Weir & RatDog, Trey Anastasio Band, John Mayer, 311, Mike Gordon, Wilco, O.A.R., String Cheese Incident, the Disco Biscuits, Umphrey’s McGee, moe., Galactic, MMW, Leftover Salmon, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and The Roots.