Music critic Jon Bream reports from Detroit Lakes:

The weather presented a challenge on Friday. It rained in the afternoon. As the sun was going down, high winds blasted Big & Rich with storms threatening. Fearing rain, Brooks & Dunn took the stage early and battled big wind but the big rain never happened. Credit Big & Rich for that because they led a no-rain chant during their set.There was plenty of rock with Friday’s country. Josh Gracin, the former “American Idol” finalist, did Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion,” and Trick Pony, subbing for Sugarland, dusted off Bonnie Tyler’s “It’s a Heartache.” Big & Rich cover all the musical bases in their “music without prejudice.” They even did the Pledge of Allegiance and set off the loudest sonic bombs heard at We Fest (maybe that was their version of “bombs bursting in air”?)

In the confetti department, Brooks & Dunn outdid Rascal Flatts from Thursday with red, white & blue during “Only in America” — as well as bringing out three Marines to salute the crowd. Ronnie Dunn’s red hair was blowing in the wind (maybe he needs old-school hair-care products) and his shirttails were flopping around. But somehow he managed to have his huge belt buckle gleam between the shirttails.

The music on the mainstage ended relatively early — about 11:30. Hey, it’s the weekend and it’s We Fest; people want to party. The late-night sounds of the Bryce Niemiller Project, a Fargo group playing on the smaller Ranch House stage, were heavy on bar-band rock. I preferred watching inebriated Fest-goers play Hammer Schlagen (in which people bet who can pound a nail into a tree stump using a hacket-like head on a hammer with one hand) than listening to “My Sharona” and “I Love Rock n Roll.”

Touring the campgrounds was much more fun. There are some seriously elaborate places (with corporate sponsors) in the VIP area. Some late-night dancing with major sound systems (some playing country, some rock and one even hip-hop). Lake Sallie campground has the Power Hour @ 2 p.m. daily with the crowd doing shots every 60 seconds. The Watermelon Patch has its annual free samples at noon on Sat from 22 watermelons, each spiked with a different bottle (and brand) of booze.

The big question for Saturday: Which famous spouses will show up? Will Trisha Yearwood bring Garth Brooks along? Will Keith Urban escort his new bride Nicole Kidman to Detroit Lakes?

“I wouldn’t put any money on either one of them,” said We Fest emcee Tom Katt.

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