Bonnaroo Roll Call

OK, Bonnaroo review:

Firstly, Let me say that i loathe camping and the hotels are freaking outrageous on Bonnaroo weekend, add that to driving 10 hours and ….

Friday was pretty damn warm and the bands during the day kinda sucked. We saw Fiery Furnaces, Minus the Bear…both angered me. So we spent most of Friday getting ourselves familiar with the festival, as its like way huger than when i last went in 2003.

Once Friday late afternoon came around we split time with !!! and the Raconteurs…both killed. Metallica was freakin awesome! Made me think…Metallica concert - Metallica fans = good times!

We heckled Tiesto for 10 minutes and went back to our room and proceded to get zero sleep due to the crazy antics of hotel mates.

Saturday was fucking hot. But we found the secret to Bonnaroo. Go to the smaller stages. They have a knack of picking some pretty decent bands and no one really is over there.

Carney was a highlight as was Electric Touch.

Gogol Bordello is awesome, Pearl Jam played forever and we stayed to see a bit of Kanye…who is such a loser. but his stage was really sweet once they finally put it together.

We were going to go back to the festival sunday but partying at the hotel was more fun, cheaper and cooler people.

I think i may die this week. I dont plan on going back to Bonnaroo as its gotten just a bit too huge for this guy. I have a terrible farmer tan. Wish i had spent my money on Lollapalooza. (though i only spent about $600 due to a free ticket).

Metallica was freakin awesome!

Ok good so it wasn't just me. I was glued to that webcast.

Originally posted by Erinaceous Sonickus:
Ok, so prior to writing my Bonnaroo review… let me say that although it was really really late. Most of us there were under the impression that it was generally Pearl Jams fault for playing forEVER that Kanye West was late.

They played for like 9 hours it seemed and although there was supposed to be 2 1/2 hours between PJ and KW's sets, they apparently needed every minute of that and a few more.

That said, I dont think anyone really cared about PJ playing late or KW delaying, ppl are too fucked up at Bonnaroo to care one way or another really.

if kanye's MUSIC represented him as a "talent" and not how big and cool his neato "rip off of flaming lips" stage set up was, then he could have walked out there and proved himself as an artist, not a showoff.

Thursday - Caught most of MGMT's set. Not too bad, but i think they would sound way better in a club. Was way too tired to do anymore, so i called it a night.

Friday - Started off the day with Jose Gonzales. Nice mellow way to start the day. I stayed at the same tent and then watched Tegan and Sara. It was a fun set, with a lot of hits played and banter spoken. I caught the tail end of Minus the Bear, and wished that they could have played at a different time. I caught part of Les Claypool on the way back to my friends, and he sounded like Les Claypool. We then went back and grilled until Chris Rock. And thats when the rain started. Funny set. What else can you say, its Chris Rock. Metallica were next and rocked the crap out of the fest. They didnt do two and a half hours like promised, but still did a solid two hours, and mostly of pre Black album tunes. Next up was MY Morning Jacket. Bravo. It was unfortunate about the rain, as we decided to only do half the MMJ set, due to how bad it was getting, and how we wanted to not be sick for the rest of the fest. They were amazing. The set was covers, Z, and Evil Urges heavy. Hopefully if they do another one next time, it is good weather.

Saturday - started off with Woods Brothers featuring John Medeski & Kenny Wolleson. Cool jazzy music, good for first thing in the day. Next on stage was Mason Jennings. He impressed, and his style of "brushfire" rock was prefect for Bonnaroo. I watched him again at a smaller stage, doing a solo acoustic set. Then we saw Gogol Bordello. Good energy and too bad it was too hot to dance, and even that didnt deter a lot of people. We then tried to watch Ben Folds, but the sound sucked and we decided it was time for a grill break anyways. We came back for Pearl Jam. I only watched them for two hours, and dont know when they ended, but it seemed like we could hear them in the distance for hours. they played the classics, and the crowd loved them. the crowd didnt get into the rants Eddie did though, as i think most people wanted to party and not hear about gas prices. I then went to Phil Lesh and Friends. I did two hours of his show and it was probably the best two hours of music that i saw there. Very long songs though. 20 minutes on average it seemed. We then went home. I tried to give Kanye a go, to see the light show (fuck him and his lame tunes, but my friends like him.) He ran so late, we decided to just go home. the word around camp the next day was that he sucked anyways.

Sunday - Sunday was really chill. Started off with the Lee Boys and their inspirational funk. Not really my bag, but good. Robert Randolphs Family band was next. I loved them. I would see them again in a second. Next up was An Acoustic Performance by Larry Campbell, Jackie Greene, Phil Lesh & Teresa Williams. Really mellow, and good tunes to listen to in the shade that was slowly creeping away, leaving us all to burn in the sun. We finished the festival with Robert Plant and Allison Kraus. Very boring. Good music, but boring. We then left, skipping DCFC since I had just seen them last Monday.

Crowd: Half Hippie, quarter frat boy, and a quarter hipster
Pros: Great music, good times.
Cons: Too hot. Rain. Having to camp. Port o Potties. People not being considerate and stinking up the place.

Dammit, was it really MIA's last show? I was so tired that I napped instead of seeing her set.
Did anyone else see Sigur Ros? Blew my mind. The crowd was so into it too. Amazing.

Probably one of the main reasons to go to Bonnaroo this year. I'm glad you saw them. I was waiting for someone to mention them LOL (sadly I didn't go to Bonnaroo…)

Originally posted by lukas:

Did anyone else see Sigur Ros? Blew my mind. The crowd was so into it too. Amazing.

My wife caught Sigur Ros in the ATT Blueroom while waiting to watch Death Cab. She said Death Cab was good, but Sigur Ros was horrible.

I was asleep and missed it all.

Originally posted by lukas:
Dammit, was it really MIA's last show? I was so tired that I napped instead of seeing her set.
Did anyone else see Sigur Ros? Blew my mind. The crowd was so into it too. Amazing.

Thursday:
I saw MGMT. was wanted to see Vampire Weekend and some of Lez Zeppelin, but with the drive, i was finished. MGMT was good, but like somebody mentioned above, would probably be even better in a club.
Friday:
Racontuers were their same kick ass self from a few weeks ago at the Club. Metallica really showed up. Stuck to their classic albums, and really seemed like they wanted to prove to Bonnaroo that it wasn't a mistake bringing them.
My Morning Jack was amazing too. But halfway thru it, i was freezing from the rain and decided to pack it in. I wish i could have stayed for the whole set.
Saturday:
Really wanted to see Gogol Bordello, having heard they were one of the best live bands around. They did not disappoint. TONS of energy, they just really look like they are having fun up there. Caught some of Cat Power, Ben Folds, then the end of BB King. The crowd really seemed like they wanted to give BB King his proper due. Got up close for Jack Johnson. Virgin Fest seems that much weaker to me this year after seeing him. He sucks and has ZERO stage presence. Pearl Jam kicked ass and seemed like they played forever, which was fine by me. I just wish Eddie would shut up and play.
Sunday:
A little bit of OAR. they suck. Front Row for Robert Plant. I didn't think his voice would sound as good as it did. And I really like how they mix in just the right Zeppelin tracks into their set. i then saw the very end of Death Cab and called it a Festival.

I also saw some of Willie Nelson, which i think was friday or saturday??? can't remember.

Originally posted by lukas:
Did anyone else see Sigur Ros? Blew my mind. The crowd was so into it too. Amazing.

i saw them last night in NYC… abso-fucking-lutely amazing. indeed mind-blowing. their sound really lends itself to a big amplified setting. so beautifully emotional. i can't speak highly enough of this show. i'm already making plans to be at both NYC concerts in september (assuming they're still on - they've been taken off TM).

the venue - manhattan center grand ballroom - was great. provided really nice ambience, both sonic and visual. ushers up on the balcony were really chill, i was able to move out of my crappy seat and park myself against the wall behind the mixer. i don't think a vinyl flea market in williamsburg could have attracted more hipsters.

Originally posted by Charlie Nakatestes,Japanese Golfer:
She said Death Cab was good, but Sigur Ros was horrible.

DCFC were indeed really good, loved that webcast. i was surprised to see how much chris walla has taken over the keys. i think ben only played keyboards on "transatlanticism". ben's heel-shuffle was kinda ridiculous, boy was trying too hard.

it's understandable that a sigur ros webcast is underwhelming. there is nothing going on, on stage - i spent most of last night's show with my eyes closed. watching them on a small screen, with small sound, is bound to be disappointing. their webcase bored me too, i turned it off… and had my mind blown the following night by their live sound (and sound only).

I liked it.

Originally posted by daves122:
http://www.tinymixtapes.com/Bonnaroo-2008

Thanks!

Originally posted by azaghal1981:
I liked it.

Originally posted by daves122:
http://www.tinymixtapes.com/Bonnaroo-2008

seconded.
i agree with a lot of what you wrote, and experienced a lot of it for myself, minus the domestic violence and most of the bands.

I went last year too and felt the vibe was a lot different this time around. I really do cite the ravers from keeping me from enjoying it entirely. Last year, I was able to get enough rest and wake up when I wanted to stay up late.

the next time you hear someone playing techno, beat the shit out them. they're probably on drugs, so they won't feel it.

Ha! There was enough violence there with the cops.

why would ravers want to camp with hippies and listen to phil lesh? stick with WMC ravers. was it due to Tiesto on the bill? None of the other music was really raver friendly, but i guess when you are hopped up on what they were, anything can be danced to, as i saw a couple of them twirling around while Chris Rock did his thing.

I don't think it matters who is playing when you can go somewhere and get all fucked up. I swear my site was like a cross-section of the scum of the earth: a drug dealer, a domestic battle, the ravers, someone had stuff stolen….

Does anyone have a link to some recordings from this year?

The Disco Biscuits were on the bill; many of their fans like to pretend to be ravers.


It's quite comical, actually.