Geekscape at Bonnaroo! Live Updates!
Hello, all in the Geekscape realm!!! I am braving (sort of… more like enjoying!) the mud, rain, humidity and hippies for a lovely weekend on a farm in Manchester, Tennessee. In other words, it’s Bonnaroo time, kids, and there is a lot to see/hear/experience!!!
After a never-ending car ride up from Tampa Bay, my partner in crime, Ms. D, picked me up from the Nashville International Airport. The road to Bonnaroo (a.k.a. from Murfreesboro where we, and many others who aren’t camping, are staying) to Manchester (the farm, the festival) was more like a parking lot. So instead, we bought supplies at Target and had a breast-filled (not really?) dinner at Hooters, and crashed at our hotel, early, like geriatrics, rather than twenty-somethings.
Here I am, in my festival pants, getting it started from the motel:
Tomorrow morning, we’ll check-in and get our media wristbands, head off to press orientation, and let the games begin!
I don’t know if you’re ready for this? I don’t know if I am, quite frankly…..music, art, comedy, general merriment and joy for three straight days (and nights) to kick off the summer? I listened to The Band’s “Live From Woodstock” (graciously given to me by my buddy, Roger; thanks again for that!) today in anticipation of an epic weekend. While in Target, I realized the reason why they were hawking Woodstock-themed goods was due to this summer being the 40th anniversary of the festival. Can we do our forefathers in rock-festival history-making proud and enjoy peace and music?
Locked and loaded, baby.
DAY ONE
Day one of Bonnaroo began early and ended late. We rallied early so that we could complete breakfast, two different check-ins, deal with potential traffic and the where-do-we-go-with-this-parking-pass-where-am-I factor. While in the in the parking lot of the conference center behind the Holiday Inn Express, Ms. D, thankfully, stifled every impulse to start randomly knocking on doors of tour buses, looking for Trey Anastasio, while shouting, “Trey! I think we could be friends if I’m not scaring you!”
One kind of knows that they’ve stumbled into another realm when a Holiday Inn Express in Tennessee looks more akin to the scene on Saturday night at a NoBu.
The first press conference of the day were heavy-hitting women, and a few young gentlemen from up and coming bands. I will spare everyone, including myself, a critical re-hash of what was said, and simply list some of my favorite quotes:
“It is a very big deal how you do at Bonnaroo.” (when speaking of helping/hurting career/Last Years’ Kanye West Incident) –Janeane Garofalo
“This is the coolest, big festival.” –Ani DiFranco
“Like-minded people tend to find each other “ –Janeane Garofalo
“What is needed is not to judge. It is ok to say the wrong thing and learn something.” –Ani DiFranco
And at the second press conference of the day, Lucinda Williams delivered my favorite Quote Of Bonnaroo Friday: “I was fortunate enough to start before the music industry got really fucked up.”
The extra-curricular part of my day was checking out the sponsors’ tents. The Fuse barn boasted karaoke, computers to check email and air conditioning. I was particularly a fan of the vintage rock and roll pinball games. So awesome!
We stopped into the Silent Disco, hosted by Vitamin Water. The Silent Disco is one of Bonnaroo’s more genius creations. Upon entering, you are given a set of headphones. A DJ spins tracks that are solely pumped into the headphones, hence ‘silent’ disco. When people walk by, they only see others grooving incessantly to another world of music, and the occasional outburst of singing along. When we stopped in, the DJ was spinning remixes of Cream, The Beatles and Bill Withers. There were other times throughout the day where you might find an 80s dance party, or 70s funk. Totally fun. Here I am, slave to the rhythm:
The Arcade Discotheque was a find. Presented by XBOX360, it provided a break from the Tennessee humidity, a chance to play various games scattered throughout the tent, and Rock Band on a real stage!
Game kiosks @ Arcade Discotheque, by XBOX 360!
Rock Band 2 @ Arcade Discotheque!
In our wandering the festival site, getting our bearings, we heard pieces of Gomez, and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. Unfortunately, word is out that the Comedy Tent has air conditioning…so we were shut out of that, having not anticipated a line.
Santigold played to an over-flowing tent of revelers, “the best crowd I’ve seen at a festival in the United States” sayeth she. And it was, as expected, a dance party. Definitely check out her record!
I did my best to split time at Ani DiFranco and TV On The Radio, previously having the pleasure to see Ani, but not TVOTR. Even though TVOTR played all I wanted to hear from ‘Dear Science,’ I couldn’t help but think the sound could have been better on Which Stage; it was definitely muddy. I will have to make a point to see them again. I caught the last but of Ani from the monitors in the mess hall. Kind of like Ayn Rand in a way; love her, or hate her, she IS brilliant and does have a point.
Cotton Jones was a find of the day. They played on the Solar Stage, as the sun was starting to descend, funnily. It was a mix of solid playing and quirky lyrics. Check them out!
Ms D opted for the Beastie Boys, and I, David Byrne. Met up with other friends who had made the journey from NYC, and got a pretty sweet spot for viewing. David Byrne is weird in every positive sense of the word. He greeted the start of the set by asking both the professional photographers in the photo pit, and everyone else, to please delete photos where they didn’t look good. He brought up a small troupe of (amazing) modern dancers, who wore white to match Byrne and the band, and they did choreography throughout most of the performance. Byrne occasionally gestured in sync with their choreography, providing a through line with the dancers’ movement, and also reason for me to think he wonderful brilliant and weird. “Once In A Lifetime” lived up to its name for things I’ve always wanted to see. Like William Miller describing ‘Fever Dog’ by Stillwater in ‘Almost Famous,’ it was incendiary.
‘There but for the grace of God go I’ and I miraculously found Ms D, who had been holding court at a (fantastic) spot for the Beasties/Phish. True statement: I have never listened to Phish. I’m not knocking the scene, I actually think the whole organization of a cottage industry of festivals, which sprung from Phish playing during summers, was impressive and inspiring; I just never listened. I was expecting all guitar noodles all the time, and was pleasantly surprised when their first two songs were a downright rock and roll show. Later, it got a little noodly for my tastes, but you can’t not be moved by the sheer amount of people all around, who have been living for this reunion. In a way, that in and of itself, made it great.
Phish’s blurry light show
The geriatric vs. twenty-something card was played again, and after the first hour of the set, we made our way to the hammocks in the media area behind the stage. Phish gave us a gorgeous “Wading In The Velvet Sea,” I found myself half-dozing in spiritual sleepiness. Ms D and I left Bonnaroo Friday as Phish powered through a cover of AC/DC’s “Highway To Hell.” Missed Girl Talk. Missed Paul Oakenfold. But at least, this story is in for your (I hope) viewing pleasure, I caught a shower and a couple hours of sleep, we won’t be waking up at the crack of dawn for Saturday’s festival, and when I wake up, I will rise to the fact that Jimmy Buffett is the first act of the day.
Oh yeah, did I mention that Jimmy Buffett is coming to Bonnaroo? It just keeps getting better. In the words of Ms. D when I asked her how she liked her day, “No one has told me ‘no’ yet today.”
DAY TWO
Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band
Bonnaroo Saturday began with Jimmy Buffett, Ilo—a wonderful young artist from the Canary Islands—and the Coral Reefer Band. Starting our Saturday with Jimmy Buffett was an unexpected little fountain of joy, especially for Ms D who is an uber-fan. I was especially pleased at their (kick-ass!) cover of the Grateful Dead’s ‘Scarlet Begonias.’
Jimmy Buffett and Ilo chatting with Fuse TV
Following Buffett was a press conference, which continued joy’s little fountain, seeing that Ilo and Buffett were added to the event. Margaret Cho, Brett Dennen and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. were also none too shabby, and further added to the eclectic quality permeating the weekend. There were some doozies of quotes yielded.
Bobby Kennedy, Jr, commented that his kids had been attending Bonnaroo for six years, and he was here as a “way to earn my children’s respect.” He then invited all of us to join him in an act of civil disobedience in West Virginia, and be arrested in support of ending coal mining.
“Phish is like Rocky Horror; you see it four hundred times, and become part of the cast.” –Margaret Cho, on Phish’s interactive set with audience clapping, glow sticks, et al
“I’m here for the indie rock cock. I want to see every different color American Apparel boy brief.” –Margaret Cho
“What will the carcass of indie-rock yield in ninety years?” –Robyn Hitchcock
On the advent of sites like youtube ,and what that means for him: “It means we have to fix our hair all of the time.”
“I never got into it for longevity, I got into it to meet chicks and it just worked out.” –Jimmy Buffett
“It us more important to change politicians than change lightbulbs.” –Bobby Kennedy, Jr.
The second press conference of the day featured Triumph The Insult Comic Dog. When asked what Bonnaroo means: “Peace, love and ten-dollar shitty pizza…..this place has more stages than syphilis.”
Heartless Bastards were an attraction to my day. Check out the music archives for a review of their latest album. They powered into one of my favorites, ‘The Mountain’ as found grass on which to sit. Truly perfect, rock and roll early afternoon.
From there, we hit up Brett Dennen on the Sonic Stage for a little change of pace. We had chatted for a few, and he is an absolute doll. Anyone who gives an awkward hug in lieu of a handshake has my vote. His Sonic Stage set, in its brief thirty minutes, garnered a large group of fans. Ms D wishes the entire festival were a bunch of little Sonic Stages, and I kind of have to agree.
From there, I juggled Jenny Lewis in That Tent, Gov’t Mule on Which Stage, and sliding into an acceptable spot for Wilco. I’m a longtime Rilo Kiley fan, (and sadly was just a few minutes too late to say hi to Lewis and ask about the tiny booties on her feet) and have mixed likes of her solo work. She played an acoustic version of Rilo Kiley’s ‘Silver Lining’ on which she sounded simply celestial. She continued that during ‘Happy’ as I waded through the crowd over to Mule, as they were covering Radiohead’s ‘Creep’ with much beauty. A spot for Wilco called, and sadly Ms D reported back from Mule that I had missed Neil Young’s ‘Southern Man’ with Grace Potter sitting in. These are the choices of Bonnaroo and I’m glad the festival is filmed for DVD.
Wilco ripped through a tweny-three song set on the main stage before Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
1) Wilco (The Song)
2) I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
3) Company In My Back
4) Handshake Drugs
5) Bull Black Nova
6) You Are My Face
7) One Wing
8) Pot Kettle Black
9) Side With The Seeds
10) Shot In The Arm
11) At Least That’s What You Said
12) Jesus, Etc
13) Impossible Germany
14) California Stars
15) Misunderstood
16) Spiders (Kidsmoke)
17) Hummingbird (complete with Jeff Tweedy’s little warming-of-my-nerd-heart’s dance!)
18) You Never Know
19) The Late Greats
20) Hate It Here
21) Walken
22) I’m The Man Who Loves You
23) Hoodoo Voodoo
Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche of Wilco
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band came out, about twenty-three minutes late. And it was exactly what you thought it would be; a bunch of musicians who have been working with each other forever, delivering a large-scale rock and roll show. Geriatric back-aches set in after awhile, and we went back to the media area through our wonderful little secret passageway, only to find our hammocks from Phish, occupied. Dejected, we hung out in relatively comfortable lawn chairs, and were confused when out of nowhere, they started into “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” with a crowd sing-along. Well, Santa Claus came early at least for me, because somehow Bruce picked up on the vibe I had been Jedi-mind-trick sending him all day long, and played “Growin’ Up” from his first album, “Greetings From Asbury Park,” which is one of my two favorite songs of his. In shock, I listened. Upon its finishing, he went into my other favorite song, “Thunder Road,” and I set numb, thanking the Great Spirit Of Set List Making that I was at this show.
BRUUUCE!
Nine Inch Nails, one of Ms D’s must-dos, played from 1am-3am. I think it’s safe to say that this was his last show in the United States. Possibly and probably indefinitely; sorry to be the bearer of bad news, and if you are inclined, I am sure there a wealth of articles online that you may search and read further articulating this point. He has touring and festival obligations this summer in Europe and Asia, should you wish to hop the pond. I have never been a fan, for both personal and musical reasons, but can appreciate brilliance.
Memorable quotes by Trent Reznor written down by Ms D on her arm as it happened: “I don’t know about this one in the morning shit.” And “I think I am going to lose my fucking mind if I keep doing this.”
I waded through to the other side of the field to catch Ben Harper, a longtime love, and his new band, the Relentless 7, and MGMT, a new love. I’ll apologize now for the negativity; I generally say nothing if I really hate something and choose to instead focus on the positive….but both of those sets made me want to teach a seminar for musicians called, ‘How To Properly Craft Your Set List So As To Maximize Your Fans’ Enjoyment Without Compromising Your Artistic Vision.’ It was supremely disappointing. Disappointing is one thing; disappointing in the middle of the night in a field in the middle of nowhere, and you’ve CHOSEN to be there, CHOSEN some sets over others, CHOSEN where to spend time……and it is disappointing….well, you can fill in my blanks. For the solid forty-five minutes I spent at Ben Harper, I heard no back catalogue whatsoever. He only played the new album. It sounded fine, but really? It just came out, and I’d be willing to lay money down that 90% of the thousands there haven’t heard it.
Moving over to MGMT, only having one full-length album and one EP, and current compositions that are being recorded but haven’t yet been released……are you REALLY going to make the first four songs that mellow? REALLY? I’m not saying they should have opened with a single, but at least throw your (some exhausted, some on drugs) audience a bone, and make it the sometimes-dance party that it should have been!!! Am I making myself clear? It is NOT OK to start a 2:15 am set at Bonnaroo with mellow new shit the kids don’t know. I was so disappointed, that I threw up my hands, crossed the field to (my) hammock, and listened to Nine Inch Nails ‘Hurt’ as their final bow to touring musicianship.
Day began with Jimmy Buffett, ended with Trent Reznor, and Bruce Springsteen and Jeff Tweedy in the middle. Does it get any more bizarrely awesome?
