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Written by Branden Hart
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Monday, 22 June 2009 |
After spending all day flying, driving and waiting in lines, I was finally at Bonnaroo. Under the light of the Tennessee moon (and these huge stadium lights that are set up all over Bonnaroo) people poured out of their cars, not bothering to do so much as even turn down their stereos, and started unloading camping gear. With cars parked directly next to each other in tight, organized rows, claiming your space at Bonnaroo is one of the most important tasks of the trip.
Our camp was assembled in less than an hour, and our congenial neighbors were all volunteering at the festival. We introduced ourselves, sat down, and before long, we were conversing like old friends. I soon realized why I went back to Bonnaroo this year: despite the lack of running water, a sophisticated waste disposal system or showers that don’t cost seven bucks, Bonnaroo feels like one thing on Wednesday night: home.
On Thursday, a friend and I walked from camp to a radio station in Manchester to pick up press passes. It had been raining, and before long, our legs were flecked with light brown mud. Fortunately, the overcast sky kept the temperature lower than the near 100 degrees it would have been otherwise, and the three-mile walk was actually a pleasant way to observe the lush forests surrounding the Bonnaroo grounds.
Bonnaroo feels like one thing on Wednesday night: home. During our walk, we observed the obscene line of cars waiting to get into the festival. Whereas we were able to get into the front gates and to our campsite in less than an hour the night before, people sit in line for hours on end for entry on Thursday. Already, some of the outer camps were filling up – camps more than a 30 minute walk from our own. A sea of tents spread out over the horizon, and no matter how far we walked, we could always hear people shouting the battle cry for the weekend: “Bonnaroo!”
Upon entering the festival Friday, I was greeted with the sweet smell of fried everything. From funnel cakes to corn dogs, food vendors were filling the air with the scent of their merchandise. As I watched Gomez play the Which Stage, people passed me with beer, pizza, gyros and more foods on a stick than I can name.
By Friday, the clouds had cleared and I could feel my skin crackling in the sun. As I applied more sunscreen, I gaped at the abundance of people who already had sunburns. I then proceeded to apply even more sunscreen.
The blazing day gave way to a cool night, and it seemed the entire population of the festival had gathered to see Phish. But never underestimate the number of people at Bonnaroo: despite Phish’s star power, a substantial crowd had also packed That Tent to check out Phoenix, while the Troo Music Lounge was jammed with attendees to see the Protomen. I was truly amazed that every single person at the festival wasn’t at the Phish show. It was both surprising and comforting at the same time.
I spent Saturday hopping between concerts: from Jimmy Buffet to Rodrigo y Gabriela to Wailing Souls. I tried to see as many acts as possible. By this time, people were looking dirty. It wasn’t uncommon to walk behind someone who had mud up to her thighs. Even though the sun was out and there had been no rain, the mud remained, as it tends to do at Bonnaroo.
“It’s too fuckin’ hot for Santa!”
- Bruce SpringsteinAfter walking around all day, it was hard to get excited about seeing Bruce Springsteen that night. I was extremely skeptical about the Boss. I thought he was a poor choice for the Saturday headliner – could New Jersey’s blue-collar poster boy connect with the same crowd who was there to see Phish? But connect he did. The space seemed just as jammed as it had for Phish the night before, and from the beginning, Bruce completely rocked the Bonnaroo crowd. My favorite part? Bruce strolled out into the crowd to collect signs people were holding with written song requests. Once back on stage, he rifled through them and finally held up a full size poster of Santa, alluding to his famous cover of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” The boss announced, “It’s too fuckin’ hot for Santa!” to a roaring crowd, and then proceeded to play the song.
Sunday brought extreme exhaustion, but after four or five bottles of water, I was ready to check out my first concert of the day, Robert Earl Keen. The country legend started and ended his set with covers of classic Cream tunes. With a jam-band inspired version of “Dreadful Selfish Crime” and a finale of “The Road Goes on Forever,” Keen played to the Bonnaroo crowd while staying true to his roots.
Later that night, Coheed and Cambria took the stage in That Tent. I was amazed by how well the technical prowess expressed on their studio cuts translated to a live venue. After an energetic set, I left sure that I had seen my favorite show of the weekend.
What a happy mistake that was.
I didn’t want to see Phish Sunday night. I was tired, I didn’t really like what I’d seen of their Friday night set, and most importantly, I had no idea where my friends were. So when I got a call from a friend telling me, “You have to make it to the Phish show, I’m in such an easy spot to reach,” I sighed and started the trek. And I finally found him, standing not far from the stage with every other person from our camp. All our friends from before Bonnaroo, as well as those we’d met while there, were standing in the same area, jamming to Phish. So I dove in myself.
At Bonnaroo, the pros far outweigh the cons.Now, I’m not much of a dancer. But I danced the entire time Phish was playing. While I’d like to think I looked like I knew what I was doing, I probably looked like an uncoordinated idiot, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that I spent the last show of the festival with my friends, old and new, and we all got lost in the music. The show lasted until 12:30 a.m.., after which we retired to spend the last night at our campsite together. The feeling I got that night can only be likened to the feeling of the last night of summer camp – a sort of bittersweet melancholy built upon the incredible times you have spent with people you never knew before and may never see again.
In the end, that’s one of the best parts of Bonnaroo. Bonnaroo may mean great music and art, but it also means friendship. As strange as it may sound, the festival has a way of bringing people together in a tangible connection completely inaccessible in the “real world.”
As we all packed up to leave the next morning, I took a moment to reflect on the pros and cons of Bonnaroo. I even made a list.
Cons:
1. Have to sleep on the ground.
2. Have to pay for a shower.
3. Port-a-potties don’t flush or clean themselves.
4. Other people stink.
5. You stink.
6. The guy you’re sharing a tent with stinks.
7. No air conditioning.
8. Food is expensive.
9. Beer is even more expensive than food, but less nourishing.
10. Sunburns.
11. Blisters.
12. It may be muddy.
13. If it isn’t muddy, it’s going to be dusty.
14. Either way kind of sucks.
Pros:
1. Great music.
2. Great friends.
In the end, screw the numbers. At Bonnaroo, the pros far outweigh the cons. |
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Written by Dwayne Robinson
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Thursday, 11 June 2009 |
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In the wake of a series of deadly shootings nationwide, including the fatal attack at the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. Wednesday, law enforcement officials are reporting fewer confiscations of firearms at this year’s Bonnaroo music festival.
“Here, in the recent couple of years, we’ve been finding more and more weapons,” said Coffee County Sheriff’s Capt. Frank Watkins, whose agency helps police the music festival in Manchester, Tenn. “So far, this year we’ve not found as many as we did last year.”
Last year, the sheriff’s office confiscated about 10 to 12 firearms, he said. So far, the same searches have turned up two.
Deputies are not sure why there’s a decrease this year. It could be that festival-goers finally know the rules. Typically, deputies confiscate weapons from out-of-state attendees with legal concealed weapon permits or those who have weapons properly stored in their vehicles, Watkins said. Bonnaroo, however, doesn’t permit even legal weapons on the festival grounds for concertgoers.
Deputies typically give those with legal weapons receipts to reclaim their weapons at the sheriff’s office at the close of the festival, Watkins said.
The initial crowds pouring into the campgrounds at the start of the festival Wednesday were a little less than usual, Watkins said, but the crowds had come in steady throughout the day Thursday. Watkins said the lighter turnout is likely not due to any decrease in attendance.
“I think they’ve understood it’s not necessary to be that actual first person in line,” Watkins said. “It’s not like getting a seating arrangement where you have to get the best seating for the event. The only thing they’re jockeying for here is the best camping site.”
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Written by Justin Hemlepp
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Saturday, 06 June 2009 |
| Bonnaroo News Live Blogs | - 8 a.m., Thursday, June 11 – 8 a.m., Friday, June 12
- 8 a.m., Friday, June 12 – 8 a.m., Saturday, June 13
- 8 a.m., Saturday, June 13 – 8 a.m., Sunday, June 14
- 8 a.m., Sunday, June 14 – 8 a.m., Monday, June 15
All Times Central | TheSequitur.com editors and contributors attending Bonnaroo this year will be maintaining a live blog for each day of the festival—from sunrise to sunrise. Thanks to CoverItLive.com we can update these blogs both from a Web browser and through our phones, using Twitter.
The Bonnaroo live blogs will begin the morning of Thursday, June 11 and end sometime in the early morning hours of Monday, June 15. To break up what likely will be a long string of posts, we will start a new live blog each morning around 8 a.m. Central Time and run it until the early morning hours. (See links at right.)
On the live blogs, we'll be reporting throughout each day on a variety of topics, including happenings at the festival, press conferences, weather, mini concert/food/beer reviews, Phish set lists, breaking news and only Lord knows what else. You can also submit comments to the live blog for potential publication.
Related: Check out our live blog coverage of the most recent Academy Awards and President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress.
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Written by Justin Hemlepp
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Friday, 05 June 2009 |
Bring your ponchos, Bonnarooers – it's going to be wet this year. Forecasters are predicting thunderstorms could soak the first three days of the the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn. According to the Weather Channel:
- Thursday, June 11: Isolated Thunderstorms; High: 88, Low: 65; 30 percent chance of precipitation; Wind from the North Northeast at 5 m.p.h.
- Friday, June 12: Scattered Thunderstorms; High: 86, Low: 68; 60 percent chance of precipitation; Wind from the South at 7 m.p.h.
- Saturday, June 13: Scattered Thunderstorms; High: 87, Low: 69; 60 percent chance of precipitation; Wind from the South Southwest at 7 m.p.h.
- Sunday, June 14: Partly Cloudy; High: 85, Low: 70; 20 percent chance of precipitation; Wind from the South at 7 m.p.h.
Camping in wet, possibly muddy conditions can present some nasty situations. Before packing your gear this week, take a look at Bonnaroo's official guide on what to bring, TheSequitur.com's Guide to Preparing for a Weekend Festival and this packing-for-Bonnaroo Top 10 list. Then ask yourself a few questions: If I'm stuck standing in the rain for a few hours, what am I going to do with (insert electronic device here)? Is my tent well-maintained, water-resistant and do I have all the parts? Do I have extra clothes, towels, etc., in case my stuff or I become muddied? Do I have a poncho, boots and something waterproof for my toilet paper?
You get the idea. You're marching to Tennessee for a sunny summer music festival, but if you don't come prepared for four days and nights in the elements, they might rain on your parade.
Next in our four-year-long series of stories about preparing for Bonnaroo: What to bring in case of a meteor strike.
[The Weather Channel] |
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Written by Justin Hemlepp
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Saturday, 04 April 2009 |
| Music Additions | - Public Enemy
- Ani DiFranco
- Amadou & Mariam
- Shadows Fall
- Heartless Bastards
- Tony Rice Unit
- High On Fire
- Passion Pit
- Dillinger Escape Plan
- Wailing Souls
- The Itals
- MURS
- White Rabbits
- Janelle Monáe
- Hockey
- Pretty Lights
| | Comedy Lineup | - Jimmy Fallon
- Triumph the Insult Comic Dog Presents Bonnapoo 2009
- An Evening (or Afternoon) with "The Daily Show" featuring John Oliver & Rob Riggle
- Michael Ian Black & Michael Showalter
- Aziz Ansari
- Kristen Schaal
- Arj Barker
- Todd Barry
- Rory Albanese
- Wayne Federman
- Nick Thune
- Nick Kroll
- Kurt Braunohler
- Amy Schumer
- Kumail Nanjiani
- Pete Homes
| The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival last week announced several additions to its 2009 musical lineup, as well as the comedians who will be featured in the festival’s “ever-popular seated, air-conditioned comedy venue, ‘The Comedy Sweet.’” (“Sweet,” I suppose, because it is sponsored by Butterfinger . . . mmmm, Butterfinger.)
After all, Bonnaroo, in my opinion, is a place to expose yourself . . .And what would a Bonnaroo lineup announcement be without at least one group that leaves this observer completely baffled? See Public Enemy. Since others in our troupe are thrilled at the opportunity to tell time without looking at their own watches, I’ll leave that one alone and reserve judgment until after PE’s set. After all, Bonnaroo, in my opinion, is a place to expose yourself to music you’d never otherwise consider adding to your playlist.
Other musical add-ons include Ani DiFranco, Tony Rice Unit and Amadou & Mariam. (See full list of additions at right.)
Bonnaroo also announced a sure-to-please comedy lineup for its eighth annual extravaganza. (Also at right.) With acts like the new host of “Late Night,” Jimmy Fallon, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, “Flight of the Conchords” stalker-extraordinaire Kristen Schaal (whose Comedy Central special last night was great), Michael Ian Black & Michael Showalter (of “The State” and “Stella” fame) and the Daily Show’s John Oliver & Rob Riggle, the queue for that deliciously air-conditioned tent will certainly wind several hundred yards across Centeroo . . . again.
Bonnaroo is held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tenn. Due to either a rift in the space-time continuum or a disturbance in the Force, tickets remain available for the June 11 to 14 festival. [Bonnaroo, Wikipedia, Bonnaroo Tickets]
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Written by Justin Hemlepp
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Wednesday, 25 February 2009 |
The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has confirmed the dates of its headlining performances.
Phish will deliver a “special late night performance” Friday, June 12 and will “close out the weekend” with a show Sunday, June 14, according to a release. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band will perform Saturday, June 13.
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Written by Justin Hemlepp
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Wednesday, 28 January 2009 |
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Bonnaroo’s initial artist announcement is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 3, according to a release. Artist Announcement on Tuesday, Feb. 3In what may be either a tease or foreshadowing, organizers are at least acknowledging the flurry of speculation surrounding this year’s artist lineup. “It's the moment you've all been waiting for. The time when you finally see if the rumors are true or if we have some tricks up our sleeve…” the release states. Will it be Phish? Springsteen? Add your dream Bonnaroo lineup in the Comments section below. [Bonnaroo] |
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