Papa Mali or Mother Kali …

Don’t fret if this burning question has kept you awake the last week and a half. With three stages of music, The Wakarusa Festival offers a little something for everyone and some tough choices if “everything” is your cup of tea. But with a little preparation, you can avoid the shame of missing the festival’s funkiest, grooviest, jammiest, jazziest and, um, “most rocking,” bands.

Theresa Andersson — Singer/songwriter/violinist Theresa Andersson blends a sassy stage presence with the pop flair of Liz Phair and Nashville-by-way-of-Jimi-Hendrix violin stylings. But don’t go see her just because she’s been known to perform in a string bikini and she’s totally hot.

BR549 — The roots of these country and western swing kings actually go back to Lawrence, where lead crooner Chuck Mead founded The Homestead Grays. But it wasn’t until Mead and drummer Shaw Wilson relocated to Nashville that BR549 became the darlings of the traditionalist country scene. Heck, Hank Williams would dig these guys (though he might get a tad jealous).

Ekoostik Hookah — Ohio-based Ekoostik Hookah mixes psychedelic rock, blues, funk and jam with rich harmonies and a Phish-like grandeur. The band’s yearly “Hookahville Festival” attracts top names like David Grisman and Ratdog to the quiet green hills of Ohio.

Green Lemon — Green Lemon’s song “Flight of Manwe” could be the jam scene’s answer to Daft Punk with its driving disco beat and heavy synths. But the multifaceted Fort Collins band delves equally into reggae and rock, so don’t get all raved out just yet.

Guided By Voices — Don’t let it bring you down that The Who sucks now — Guided By Voices is doing their best to fill the throne. The pride of Dayton, Ohio, has been delivering epic booze-soaked performances for nearly two decades, filling out small clubs and now festival stages with their anthem power rock. If lead singer and ringleader Robert Pollard gets a few drinks in him (a good bet), the sky’s the limit for what this unlikely band of do-gooders can do.

Jazz Mandolin Project — Forget everything you know about the mandolin as a bluegrass instrument — the Jazz Mandolin project probably has Bill Monroe turning in his grave. This adventurous instrumental trio — currently composed of Jamie Masefield (mandolin), Danton Boller (upright bass) and Ari Hoenig (drums) — draws on post-bop, avant-garde jazz and fusion as well as progressive rock and world music to give a new context to an old instrument.

Lucero — If by “country” you mean Johnny Cash, Gram Parsons and Wilco, then you might get along well with Lucero. With a lead singer that sounds like he swallowed a bucket full of gravel and a simple, heartfelt approach to songwriting, Lucero goes for the gut and clamps down hard.

Robert Randolph — The Michael Jordan of pedal steel guitar, Robert Randolph approaches his “sacred steel” with all the cockiness of a big-time baller. Randolph’s band boasts some of the most soulful players this side of Sly and the Family Stone. This show promises to be one of the most joyful occasions of the weekend.

Spoon — What is it about Britt Daniel’s voice that people are so drawn to? The enigmatic frontman for Austin’s Spoon has become one of rock’s most critically acclaimed songwriters, delivering riffed-out gems with big-time hooks and thinker’s lyrics. With a new album impending and an ever-growing buzz around the band, it won’t be long before Spoon outgrows the “best-kept-secret” tag.

Theresa Andersson

• Friday-Sunday 06.18-06.20Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival 2004
• more info