WAKA WHAT?! Every Winter, the cool people behind Wakarusa Music Festival 2012 — a grassroots festival nestled in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas — travel around on a quest to find the best musicians in the Midwest.  They call this fantastic odyssey the Waka Winter Classic Tour! At a total of seventeen stops, several bands who submitted through ReverbNation will compete in regional talent showcases for the chance to perform at Wakarusa.

So far, bands in four locations have won and will get to play at Wakarusa (congrats!!). Here they are:

Jan. 13 – Lincoln, NE – The Bourbon
Cornerstone Dub

Jan. 14 – Springfield, MO – Outland Ballroom
Slapdash Science

Jan. 19 – Fayetteville, AR – George’s Majestic
Cadillac Jackson

Jan. 20 – Little Rock, AR – Stickyz
Grayson Shelton & War Chief

And here are the remaining locations and bands competing (fans, make sure to support your favorites by going to these shows!):

Jan. 26 – Austin, TX – Antone’s
Holding Space
StrawberryJam
Ashes of Babylon
Soul Track Mind
Dimitri’s Ascent

Jan. 27 – Dallas, TX – 2826 Arnetic
Ishi
Gravity Feed
Fatty Lumpkin
KAPOW
Goodnight Ned
We The Sea Lions

Jan. 28 – Oklahoma City, OK – Belle Isle Brewery
Equilibrium
Sunny Side Up
Bungalouski
Johnny Be Hood
The Sons of Beatrice

Feb. 2 – Denver, CO – Cervantes’ Other Side
Atomga Groove Alliance
Sunsquabi
James and The Devil
Whiskey Tango
The Big Motif

Feb. 3 – St. Louis, MO – Old Rock House
Illphonics
Elemental Shakedown
The Scandaleros
Cronus
The Stone Sugar Shakedown

Feb. 4 – Lawrence, KS:
Sonic Sutra
Shedding Watts
Soul Rebel and the Beast
$3 Band
The Smile High Club

Feb. 4 – Ft. Collins, CO:
Good Gravy
Oak Creek
Twine!
Mosey West
Post Paradise

Feb. 9 – Des Moines, IA:
Aquamarine Dream Machine
Lick It Ticket
Jefferson County Green Band
Old Road Riot
Bright Giant

Feb. 10 – Chicago, IL:
Little Big Fat
Thinner Teed
The New Old Cavalry
Tonal Caravan
Doctor Ed & Friends

Feb. 11 – Memphis:
Lightajo
Agori Tribe
The Great Barrier Reefs
Wampa