1. Phish
When Ashley Capps of AC Entertainment got the idea to create a multi-day music festival many years ago, one of the things he wanted to model Bonnaroo after were the infamous Phish festivals. It’s only natural that somewhere down the line Phish would one day play the festival. Since Bonnaroo’s inception in 2002, the members of Phish have each played the festival with various side projects every single year except 2007 and 2008.
When Phish went on an indefinite hiatus in 2004, it became quite clear that one of the most successful touring bands of all-time may never play the festival unless a reunion should happen. Though most people have argued that Phish was too big to play the festival anyways, those people would be proven wrong when it was announced Phish would be headlining two shows at Bonnaroo 2009, only the second time ever that an act has played twice in the same year on the festival’s main stage, the What Stage.
I’ve got to be honest with you…for me, getting “into” Phish probably took a little longer than most. Although their music isn’t the same, it didn’t take as long for me to get into bands like the Dead and Panic, or even the solo material of Phish frontman, Trey Anastasio. But I love music, I enjoy bands who build their success on touring and I respect these bands that can play improvisational jams for half-an-hour at times.
The two Phish shows at Bonnaroo would be the first of my exposure to the full band itself, although I have seen Trey several times with his various incarnated lineups. After seeing both of these shows, I think most would agree that Phish has been the greatest headliner in Bonnaroo history. I should also let you know that I wasn’t familiar with their entire song selection, though I did know several of them. But a big part of Bonnaroo is music that is being exposed to the masses for the first time…I guess even if you know about the band.
Aside from the music, one of the most memorable parts of these shows were the massive glowstick wars. Although it was rather hard to grab a spot close to the stage, I managed to get next to the barricade in the center, lying directly underneath one of these glowstick wars, even getting hit a few times. When I saw a glowstick lying on the ground, I picked it up and launched it off into the sky, joining the other hundreds (maybe thousands) of glowsticks that provided some incredible eye candy for those who were endulging in a psychedelic euphoria.
As for the music, the biggest highlight had to be Bruce Springsteen coming out to join the band on “Mustang Sally”, “Bobby Jean” and “Glory Days.” Of course you can’t get a better guest appearance than having another headliner join you (which I don’t think has ever happened in Bonnaroo history before) but I thought they could’ve done a little better on the song selection. Needless to say, I’ll take it. I mean c’mon, how many times has/will Bruce Springsteen play with Phish?
2. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
Just like Phish, Bruce Springsteen and the “mighty” E Street Band were also one of the greatest headliners in Bonnaroo history, if not, the best “mainstream” headliner, though from what I heard Radiohead was also pretty damn great in 2006. But I wasn’t at Bonnaroo in 2006, so I can’t judge a performance I did not see. As a matter of fact, I’ve only been to Bonnaroo three times (2005, 2007, 2009), so I can really only judge this by looking at how the Boss stacked up next to the Dave Matthews Band, Widespread Panic, The Police and Tool. Just as the Boss said during his set…”the mighty E Street Band is going to do everything to bring down the power of music upon you” (or something very similar to that), they did do just that. A man of his word, the Boss and company brought more energy and noise than all of the previously headliners mentioned combined. And they did that all by not playing the soundtrack of his greatest hits.
Although the set wasn’t dominated by greatest hits selections, they did manage to pull out several including the opener “Badlands”, “Thunder Road”, “The River”, “Born to Run”, “Glory Days” and “Dancing in the Dark”. For the most part though, the set included a good-sized portion of more recent material like “Outlaw Pete”, “Working on a Dream”, “Waiting on a Sunny Day”, “Radio Nowhere” and “Lonesome Day”, some rare material like “Seeds” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and a bunch of older songs like “No Surrender”, “Out in the Street”, “Johnny 99″, “Promised Land”, “Tenth Avenue Freeze-out” and “Rosalita”, songs that just never really seemed to top the charts.
Aside from the audience singing and “dancing in the dark” for three hours to these songs, the Boss showed that he’s not just a musician, but one hell of an entertainer…the man knows how to put on a show and work a crowd. From what I remember about past Bonnaroo’s, no other headliner has ever wanted to be more connected to his audience than the Boss was last Saturday night. He was very vocal, going into rants about “wanting to build a house of love, music, noise and sexual healing in the field”, and he also left the stage a couple of times, taking his guitar with him, giving high-fives, taking requests on signs and playing and singing right from the walkway down the center. The first request he took, was when he pulled out a giant life-sized Santa Claus and was saying things like “it’s too hot, it’s not Christmas time, you don’t want that”.
After seeing last year’s Super Bowl halftime show, I begged and pleaded that the Boss’s set at Bonnaroo wouldn’t be as cheesy (I thought the stage sliding and camera’s in the face were kind of dorky). After seeing the Bonnaroo show I realized that while it wasn’t cheesy, it was quite entertaining, but I could’ve gone without the crotch shots. All in all, I still think that this show was one of the best I’ve ever seen in my life, crazy antics or not. I’d never seen the Boss in concert before and I’m glad that my first experience of him was at a place like Bonnaroo. I give the show an A+.
3. David Byrne
Now this was a show! Backed by a near twenty person ensemble of musicians, singers and dancers, Byrne and his cast put together a complete theatre production. Everyone was dressed in white, men in dress shirts and slacks and women in shorts and skirts – at one point Byrne himself even put on a tutu. Watching the dancing was amazing, as every move each person made was synched with one another. Byrne didn’t do as much dancing, as he was singing and playing guitar, but when he did join in it’s like he was doing his own version of the Robot.
Much to my surprise, more than half of the set came from the works of the Talking Heads. I was actually expecting a lot more material from Byrne solo and Byrne with Eno records. A good portion did come however from these, including six songs from his latest, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today, as well as a track from his first collaboration with Eno and one from his venture into the musical theatre production, The Catherine Wheel.
I want you to know that I’m not complaining though. Afterall, I was hoping for more Heads material, although I do respect and like what he has done on his own. Some Heads highlights for me included “Heaven”, “Once In A Lifetime”, “Life During Wartime”, “Burning Down the House” and Al Green’s ”Take Me to the River”, although I was hoping for a collaboration with Green, seeing that he played just a few hours prior.
I haven’t been a Talking Heads/David Byrne fan for a long time, although I grew up in the ’80s and the Heads are pretty much at the top of the soundtrack of that decade. Of course growing up I was familiar with some of their material like “And She Was” and “Once In A Lifetime” but it probably wasn’t until a few years ago where I really got interested in discovering more about Byrne and the Heads. I’m not just a Dead-head…I’m now a Head-head.
4. Band of Horses
Although I’ve listed Band of Horses as #4 on my Top 20, based on simply the music alone I’d have to say that they finish at #1 for me. Sure, I ranked the previous three bands higher, but that had more to do with the overall show, the entertainment factor and the artist-audience relationship built during that show. There was no other band playing at Bonnaroo this year, whose music I enjoy more than Band of Horses…although Wilco and Bon Iver are also up there. Like most of the artists at Bonnaroo this year, I had never seen Band of Horses. So they don’t have the long, extended improv jams and glowstick wars like Phish, or the entertainment of the Boss or even the theatrics and synched dance moves of Byrne and his near twenty person ensemble. Band of Horses doesn’t need that. They just play.
Although they’ve only put out two full-length albums, the music of Band of Horses strikes a chord in my heart. Maybe it’s how the music just seems relaxing and calm, maybe it’s the sound of Ben Bridwell’s voice. They just play and that’s all they have to do. Before I went to Bonnaroo I said that this Band of Horses show would be much like that Wilco show I saw in 2007. I said that because I knew for a fact it would be. That Wilco show at Bonnaroo 2007 was one of the last show’s I saw that year. It was also relaxing and calm, and this may sound stupid but it was like I found peace of mind in my life for the first time, maybe ever. I was completely at peace with myself, I understood the things in my life…I guess it was somewhat spiritual and almost like a personal realization or growth for me.
Maybe those are things I shouldn’t say on this blog because they’re quite personal, but that’s the best thing about music for me. A concert for me isn’t always about how entertained I can be or how much fun I can have with those around me. Music for me has always been being taken away to that special place where these songs make everything seem alright and that life is wonderful and everything will be just fine. It’s that moment where you’re just kind of there and nothing outside of that moment matters except that moment, living for today, living in the present, carpe diem as they say. I know this talk may sound crazy, but I assure you I’m not on anything, although it’s Bonnaroo and that is the stereotype. In the words of Ben Bridwell…”the world is such a wonderful place…”
5. Ben Harper and Relentless7
I first discovered the name Ben Harper through the Dave Matthews Band. Surprise, surprise. More than ten years later, and Harper’s many projects later, he still remains one of my favorite and most respected artists of all-time. Not for one second has Ben ever gotten caught up in the whirlwind of sex and drugs in rock and roll. No big ego’s, no obsession with fame and fortune. But it’s not really a wonder as to how Harper has remained to stay so down to earth, so true to himself, so honest.
I was really excited to first hear that Harper was putting together a straight ahead, hard rock and roll band called Relentless 7. I was also excited to see him invited back to Bonnaroo to show his new band during a latenight slot. Thank God I was able to land a spot right up front, arriving just in time for Led Zeppelin’s “Good Times Bad Times”. I haven’t heard the new album yet, but I got a taste of that during this show. Nearly all of the material came from his latest, White Lies for Dark Times, although there were also a couple covers, which also included Bowie’s “Under Pressure” and a few of Ben songs from some of his previous bands, which included tracks like “Another Lonely Day” and the show closer, “Serve Your Soul”.
6. Wilco
Though I love Wilco this was actually a hard decision. They were perfect openers for the Boss, but this was also the biggest conflict of the entire weekend. Up against the Mars Volta, the Decemberists, David Grisman and Elvis Costello (who was backed by Jenny Lewis and her band, as well as Allen Toussaint), I went with Wilco because like I said, I love them, and they were probably my favorite show of Bonnaroo 2007. But I have yet to hear their new album and I’m not sure what I think about a band who kicks off their set with a song entitled, “Wilco the Song.” I just don’t understand why a band would call a song that. Maybe it’s not meant to be taken seriously, maybe it is, but come on Tweedy, you’ve shown me through the years that you truly write honesty from your heart. Honestly, getting through that song was hell. But I knew what would follow. I knew the serious, good tunes would follow which included some better new songs like “One Wing” and “Bull Black Nova”, as well as some of the best versions I’ve heard of some of my favorite tunes like “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart”, “Impossible Germany”, “Via Chicago” and “Jesus, Etc.” It was also nice to, for once, land a spot exactly in the center of the field of the mainstage…not an easy task by any means.
7. Bon Iver
The more and more I think about it, this Bon Iver set deserves to be number one. But how do I place that above bands that played two and three times longer? Even so, how exactly do you rate how great a show was? Was it the music alone? Was it the crowd atmosphere? Was it the relationship an artist establishes during a show with his audience? I don’t know, maybe it’s all these things and more, but Bon Iver sitting at #7 for me just doesn’t feel right. It may not have been the longest show, had the best light show (no light show at all actually) or even been the biggest name on the lineup, but what Justin Vernon and the guys of Bon Iver were able to do in the middle of a hot afternoon was truly remarkable.
Packing thousands of people in and around This Tent (which included Drew Barrymore and Justin Long), Bon Iver brought nearly as much energy as did the Boss and Phish. That energy continued to rise throughout the set, nearly “blowing the roof off This Tent” (as Vernon said he hoped to do), when they finished their set with an epic “Wolves”, where Bon Iver brought a new meaning to the phrase “crowd participation”. You have to find this set online and download it to hear it for yourself.
8. Andrew Bird
Probably the most interesting show of the weekend. Having not been a Bird fan for a long time, I was curious to see these rotating speakers I had heard about, as well as see just how good a whistler Bird is…not to mention violinist. I was able to land a spot in the front row, and having never seen him, I decided there was no way in hell I could leave to catch Okkervil River (biggest regret that I missed), especially since Band of Horses was playing directly after Bird and that was a show where I had to have a great spot.
9. TV on the Radio
Not even knowing who this band was until I read about the buzz from their last album, Dear Science, I quickly fell in love with their sound…experimental, indie rock with a dash of hip-hop. Very eager to catch them live for the first time at Bonnaroo, I was actually a little surprised and disappointed to find that they just aren’t the same as they are on album. For the most part, they slowed down their songs a lot. Usually I’d prefer to see a band whose not the same as they are on album. Look at Tom Petty. Doesn’t change a thing. Great show, a legend, but overall he puts on a rather boring performance. TV on the Radio was still pretty good however, which is why I’ve got them listed at #9. I don’t know, maybe I need some more time to think about it. This is right about where they should fall…give or take a few slots.
10. Gov’t Mule
I was torn between seeing Mule or of Montreal. I went with the Mule, although I’ve seen them about ten times and have never seen of Montreal. Warren Haynes is one of the best lead guitar players of all-time, afterall he has joined legendary acts like the Allman Brothers Band and when the timing is right, the Dead, almost taking the place of Jerry Garcia. Too much about this show wasn’t special, as I’d seen most of it before, but I landed a close spot up front, so I was happy to be close and hear songs like the Beatles “Helter Skelter” and a medley which included the Dead’s “St. Stephen.” Unfortunately, I left early to head over to Wilco, missing covers like Radiohead’s “Creep”, U2’s “One” and Neil Young’s “Southern Man” featuring Grace Potter and Scott Tournet of the Nocturnals. Somehow I just always seem to choose the worst times to leave a show, as I did for Phish, missing them cover the Beatles “A Day in the Life”.
11. MGMT
I was surprised to see what I think was one of the largest crowds at a tent all weekend…but should I really be? I didn’t stick around for the entire MGMT set, I was also late because they overlapped with Ben Harper, but I was happy to hear some of my favorite songs like “Time to Pretend”, “Electric Feel” and “Weekend Wars”…I just wish I could’ve at least seen the band members onstage. I would’ve been even nicer to land a spot on the side stage next to celebs like Bruce Springsteen and Drew Barrymore.
12. Passion Pit
I’m not happy that I missed this band play at Northside Tavern a little while back…I think it was last year. But who cares, I can’t go back and change that. I haven’t listened to a lot of Passion Pit, but I’m all about electronic/indie rock that’ll get you moving. Passion Pit was easily the greatest show and best way to kick things off on Thursday night. Playing to a massive, dancing crowd…I don’t know, maybe 10,000 or so…I was very pleased to land a spot in the packed side stage area, though because of the torrential thunderstorms that happened on and off all day and night long, I had to dance in the nasty mud…it was worth it though.
13. Heartless Bastards
I don’t think I was happier for any other band to be playin g Bonnaroo than Cincinnati’s very own Heartless Bastards. Not only that, it was great to see them on the second biggest stage playing to a quite impressive crowd, opening for the legendary Booker T. Jones. Although Erika made the move to the music mecca Austin, Texas (I’m jealous), I still like to think that the city of Cincinnati considers her our own, though she’s actually from Dayton. Once a bartender at Northside Tavern, I have seen the Bastards play to crowds of fifty people and after Bonnaroo, I have now seen them play to a crowd of about 20,000. If only they could get a headlining gig at Riverbend…I know they can bring in a crowd that big.
But I haven’t seen them play in awhile, so it was my first time seeing this new four-piece lineup, as well as their new sound. The Heartless Bastards will be everywhere this year, much thanks to the success of The Mountain, earning slots at nearly every major music festival which also includes returns to ACL and Lollapalooza.
14. Elvis Perkins in Dearland
15. Brett Dennen
I’ve been listening to Brett for several years now, but this was the first time I’d ever be seeing him live. With that unique voice and the big old red headed mop, I was very excited to land a spot to watch the show from the side of the stage. Unfortunately, I couldn’t exactly get any great pics of his show, because for the most part, where he was playing onstage, landed right behind the giant speakers on the front of the stage.
16. Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue
17. A.A. Bondy
Sad that the last day had quickly arrived, Sunday was the greatest way to kick off a day, with the singer/songwriter playing alone to a pretty good-sized crowd. It takes a lot of guts to stand alone onstage, especially when you’re just armed with your voice, guitar and harmonica. There’s no way I could ever do that.
18. Delta Spirit
Delta Spirit almost didn’t make it to Bonnaroo. Originally schedule to play at 7 pm on Thursday night, their set got moved back to 12:45 am in a different tent, playing right after Passion Pit. Earlier in the day they were stuck in the Dallas airport, but thankfully they did everything in their power to make it to the festival. Though it was probably hard to follow an act like Passion Pit, Delta Spirit brought in a considerably smaller crowd, making it easier to make my way closer to the stage. Probably knowing what they were up against…and I’m sure they were a little jet lagged and tired…Delta Spirit gave 110% because that’s what most musicians do for their fans…you can’t always say that about every band.
19. Chairlift
20. Hockey
