As we drove into this year's 10KLF at about 1:30 in the afternoon, I thought we'd have to wait to get into our campground. We'd even gotten some subs to tide us over while we waited. Instead, we were the first car at the gate at that moment in time, no line, and not many people in the field at the entrance. We noticed that the Viking and Blue Ox campgrounds were empty.

I had wondered how high gas prices and the introduction of a new festival this year would affect attendance at all of the other festivals. And, it did. I was told that this year advanced ticket sales were down by 4,000.

It certainly wasn't due to the lineup this year. With acts like Mickey Hart, Phil Lesh, Michael Franti, and Flaming Lips, it was sure to draw fans. But I also saw more car pooling that I have ever seen, too. So, it had to be gas prices and the economy.

Nevertheless, fans were enthusiastic, even with the threat of imminent rain, which occurred in sprinkles all afternoon as campers set up. When Gold Standard and Comosapiens started things off at 6pm at the Barn Stage and the Saloon, it was starting to rain with some seriousness. I wondered how The New Primitives would fare at the open air Field Stage. While I gathered my gear to cover the evening events, Stan Kipper and his band mates were delving into the first songs of their set. By the second song, the rain had stopped and the sun came out. The band that is known to set the tone for this festival could even change the weather!

There were half hour breaks for outloading the band that had just finished playing and setting up the new band. While New Primitives broke down their instruments, the crowd flocked to the Barn Stage to catch the last bit of the Family Groove Company. Fans packed the hillside and spilled into benches surrounding the Saloon.

Papa Mali took the stage right after and cooked up some swamp rock, blues, and funk. The crowd just went nuts.

I caught the last bit of the Rhinestone Diplomats in the Saloon as I made my way to the Barn Stage to see Extra Golden. I was a bit concerned that this year security was limiting access to the Saloon. I realize that people shouldn't be served if they're underage, and there were two outdoor beer vendors around the Saloon, but many fans were turned away. The Saloon is also the venue for many regional unsigned bands that are popular among college students. The Rhinestone Diplomats had a handful of people watching them while they pumped out their signature blues rock. This band worked really hard.

That was equally true for Enchanted Ape that usually packs in a crowd. These bands looked so disappointed!

Extra Golden, though, was enjoying a good crowd who lapped up their African benga dance music like it was sweet wine. These guys really got into their music and fed off of the crowd. They played all of the songs from their latest album as well as a couple of older tunes.

Finishing out the night were Redux in the Saloon, the British hard bop/bugaloo rockers The New Mastersounds, and Dark Star Orchestra. Doing their Dead recreations, Dark Star drew everybody and made a fine closing out of the evening.

I went back early to a noisy campsite that kept me awake until 4 am when a thunderstorm drove campers into shelters. All in all, it was a great start to this year's 10,000 Lakes Festival

Well, the fourth annual 10K Festival is under our belts now, with a Saturday line up that equaled Thursdays and Fridays. Keller Williams show was so packed they had to turn people away, and Trey's show was awesome with no Phish music in sight. (Phil in fact did not stay around to jam indecently.) He played some new stuff, a couple off his solo album, closed out the show with a couple of covers, Won't Get Fooled Again by the Who and Get Back from the Beatles. I queried a lot of people over the three days I was there, and everyone said the same thing - it was just a great festival. I think the worst thing I heard someone say about it was there weren't enough places to get coffee in the morning.

As far as the music goes, I think it needs to be said that the difference between the up and coming bands in the smallest venue, and the headliners should be measured by inches, not miles. In fact in many instances, my humble opinion would be that it boils down to one simple fact - fan base. Right before Trey played; I looked in one of the smaller venues, where the band could have just about done the main stage show. If I start mentioning them now I'll have to mention them all, but you can look on the 10k Fest web page for more band names. There were so many regional bands that were just smoking', (some of them I'll do features on in the coming months), and nobody there sucked.They had variety too, there were bluegrass bands, and jazz fusions bands, and everything in between.

Personally I need to thank Dave Weissman the media coordinator for treating me good, and I have to mention my camping buddies also - Darrin, Dawn Pillar, D.J., John, Angie, and her friend. When they all found out I was there alone, they took me in, fed me steak, and hung out. Thanks guys.

See everyone next year, if you haven't been to Minnesota lately or at all I recommend you make plans now to attend 10LK 5.

More pictures from the 10KLF.

Original title:              The Rice Mother

Translated in Dutch:         De Rijstmoeder

Author:                      Rani Manicka

Rani Manicka was born and grew up in Malaysia. She studied economics in Germany, where she met an Italian man with whom she moved to England. Nowadays, she divides her time between Malaysia and the UK.

The Rice Mother is Manicka's debut novel and is infused with her own South Asian family history. This book is her way to reawake her grandmother, and to bring her back to a time when she was still proud and strong. The book won a Commonwealth Writers Prize for 2003.

Short summary:

The book contains the history of four generations of a Malaysian family. The story begins with Lakshmi, the rice mother, who has been married off to a man twice her age. Her mother was told this man was rich, but Lakshmi realizes very soon that he can hardly make ends meet. In a short period the couple gets six children, three sons and three daughters. Lakshmi wants her children to have a better life than she had, but she does not succeed in realizing this dream.

A milestone in the family is the capture and killing of their beautiful daughter Mohini by the Japanese during World War Two. Only when Dimple is born, a grandchild of Lakshmi and a mirror image of Mohini, Lakshmi and her husband Ayah's world changes. Dimple is very interested in the family history and records the stories of different family members. After Dimples tragic end, Nisha, her daughter, gets knowledge of this tapes by which she gets to know her ancestors…

Comments on the book:

-         The book is written from different points of view, in that all different characters take the floor by turns. One might find this confusing, but with the clear headings and the family tree in the beginning of the book, it is easy to follow the story.

-         The book is written in a flowing style, and it is easy to visualize the situations described. In this matter, one should be warned for the cruel passages on the Japanese occupation during World War Two.

-         As others have said "Manicka's voice is strongest in presenting the sadness and loneliness of characters, and in the beauty and culture of South Asia".

-         Rani Manicka already finished a second book: "Touching Earth". I am looking forward to read this book as well.

Kelly Bobelijn, European Editor

The Grateful Web

Original title:     Ironman op zoek naar een nieuwe uitdaging

Author:             Marc Herremans - met Paul Van Den Bosch

Marc Herremans, also known as Mad Max, is born on December 19 in 1973 in Merksem, Belgium-Flanders. He is a well-known triathlon athlete, who unfortunately became disabled after a dramatic fall during one of his training sessions in Lanzarote 2002. More information about Marc can be found on following website: http://www.marcherremans.be.  Don't forget to put on the sound when visiting this site!

Short summary:                     

This book is a biography, and was written since Marc experienced that his story was an inspiring message for several people. In this book, he tells us what he did before his triathlon career, why he started practicing triathlon, how his accident in Lanzarote occurred, how he copes with being disabled, and of course he talks about his participation at the Ironman 2002 in Hawaii, and a lot more.

Comments on the book:

-         This book excites several feelings: some passages in this book made my flesh creep, others made me laugh, and sometimes I had to brush away a tear. I'm sure this book will leave nobody untouched!

-         The life vision and perseverance of this great athlete are unbelievable. I'm sure this book will support a lot of people!

-         I was happily surprised to read Marc met John Maclean, who is according to me, also a great athlete with an enormous perseverance. This Australian sportsman became disabled after he was hit by a truck. Being disabled, he swum the Chanal. The reporting on "National Geographic" did not leave me untouched either.

-         (For the moment?) the book is only available in Dutch, but for the English-speaking people, a lot of information can be found on following website: http://www.marcherremans.be/intro1_uk.htm