Posts Tagged ‘Bonnaroo 2010’
New to Bonnaroo in 2010
February 21st, 2010
Posted in Bonnaroo 2010
New to Bonnaroo this year, is the addition of Tent City. Tent City is a designated area of tents that are already set up and in close proximity to the festivals entrances of the main grounds, known as Centeroo. In Tent City, you have the option of up to four cots, complete with sheets, blankets and pillows. Each rental unit has an additional cost of $750 plus a $300 damage deposit. The deposit will be refunded the following weekend of the festival, as long as there is no damage to the tent. If you’re looking to experience the first ever Tent City at Bonnaroo 2010, you’ll find everything you need to know, including pictures of what these tents look like, right here.
Bonnaroo Tickets Going Fast
February 21st, 2010
Posted in Bonnaroo 2010
Tickets for this year’s Bonnaroo Music Festival are selling very fast, much like the highly-popular cheese-filled arepas and the infamous $1 grilled cheeses you’ll find vendors selling at the festival. I’ve been following this festival for the past five years, and I can’t remember a time when it seemed tickets were going this quickly. Tickets are always sold in several tiers, or different price ranges, usually ranging somewhere between $200 and $300. The presale began in late November, and the first two tiers were gone before Christmas. The third tier went onsale once the official lineup was announced on February 9, and sold out a few days ago. There are only a few options left for purchasing tickets for this year; the fourth and final tier which are priced at $249.50 plus charges which are $23.10 this year. You’ve also got the option to go VIP, where you’ll experience a different side of the festival, or the ticket payment plan. The VIP tickets include five payments, each being $285, for a total of $1,425. The additional fees for VIP tickets are $76 per ticket. The ticket payment plan includes five payments, the first being $90.90 which includes $28.90 in fees, and four remaining payments of a flat rate of $50. If you’re thinking about going to the country’s biggest and best festival this summer, act now and get your tickets soon! All the ticket information can be found here.
Bonnaroo 2010: Interesting to Say the Least
February 10th, 2010
Posted in Bonnaroo 2010
Yesterday, organizers of the Bonnaroo Music Festival decided to make an all-day event out of unveiling the initial lineup for their 2010 event. Actually, it was more or less up to the artists themselves. Taking advantage of the social networks that have become a main source of communication such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, bands began breaking the news to the world early in the morning, and would do so for nearly the next fourteen hours. If there’s one word that sums up what went on yesterday, it would be “interesting.” Both in the method that festival organizers wanted to release the lineup, as well as a good portion of the acts that are booked for this summer.
Topping the lineup, you have acts like the Dave Matthews Band (who are returning to the festival for the first time in five years), Kings of Leon (who basically have Bonnaroo to thank for all of their success), the legendary Stevie Wonder and hip hop’s current biggest star, Jay-Z. Despite the disappointment from many, these artists define the term diversity in this year’s headliners. Although they may be household names, and Bonnaroo certainly did not begin as a mainstream fest, these artists aren’t as bad as some will say.
Matthews and his band have the tendency to break out into the improvisational jams from time to time, and have the occasional guest appearance. They’ve also revamped their lineup and sound from a few years ago, now touring with guitarist Tim Reynolds and saxophonist Jeff Coffin of the Flecktones. Kings of Leon, despite the terms “sell-out” and “Mtv band” that are constantly being thrown around, were made by this festival. They have become one of the world’s biggest alternative rock bands over the past couple of years, thanks to albums like Because of the Times and Only By the Night. A lot of you may be sick of hearing songs like “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody” (as am I), but you can’t tell me these aren’t the strongest, most polished sounding albums this band has ever put out. Stevie Wonder is a legend that I think most people could get into his set, so no explanation is really needed there, while Jay-Z has been one of the most successful rappers over the past ten plus years. But don’t think of this as “Kanye Part Two.” Despite what did or didn’t happen with the Kanye West performance in 2008, Jay-Z has a much more different approach to music, and he’s even got a lot more class.
This is where the lineup begins to get a little more interesting. Take a look at names like Weezer and Tenacious D. Weezer undoubtedly hit their peak in the 90’s with songs like “Buddy Holly” and “Undone (The Sweater Song)”, and were the kind of band you’d only see at a festival like Lollapalooza. Jack Black of “The D”, was never much of a musician, rather, the best moments of his career come as an actor in movies like High Fidelity and School of Rock. Speaking of actors, Steve Martin will make an appearance at this year’s festival, but it won’t be in the Comedy Tent. Perhaps he takes his stint in music a little more serious than Black, playing banjo in the bluegrass outfit, The Steep Canyon Rangers.
Looking over the rest of the lineup, I see a lot of bands that surprise me and make me wonder where the days of Bonnaroo past have gone. While bands and artists like Rise Against, Tori Amos, GWAR, The Melvins, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, They Might Be Giants and Miranda Lambert are all very talented in their own rights, they will certainly bring a much different vibe this year than most of us are used to. Speaking of strange vibes, there are a few interesting shows and collaborations in store for this year’s festival, that could wind up being some of the most talked about sets of the entire festival. The Flaming Lips, although a Bonnaroo favorite to many, will be performing two late night shows on Friday evening, the second of which will see them covering the classic Pink Floyd album, Darkside of the Moon, with Stardeath and White Dwarfs. You’ve also got rapper Nas performing with one of Bob Marley’s sons, Damian, while Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates will team up with electronica duo, Chromeo.
Late night shows at Bonnaroo have often been the highlight for many, most likely because it’s not everyday that you get to watch bands perform until the sun comes up. The possibilities for this year’s late night sets are already looking good, with bands on the bill like LCD Soundsystem, The Disco Biscuits, Deadmau5 and the Dan Deacon Ensemble, all of which will most likely wind up with late night sets, among several others that may possibly play long after the sun goes down.
The only concern I have with this year’s lineup is that the lineup seems to be drowning in rap, reggae, hard rock and metal, and country music. There appears to be a shortage of indie bands this year, although how can I really complain when last year’s lineup was stacked with some of the best indie bands around. Rap, hip hop and reggae will certainly be represented well, with acts like Jay-Z, Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley with Nas, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Thievery Corporation, Kid Cudi, Wale, Jay Electronica, Rebelution and B.o.B., while the heavier side of things features bands like Rise Against, Les Claypool, Against Me!, Clutch, GWAR, The Melvins, Isis, Baroness and Needtobreathe. As for country music, while there are not just a lot of singer/songwriters, there’s also plenty of bands with roots in country like bluegrass and Americana, and bands and artists like John Fogerty, The Avett Brothers, John Prine, Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers, Jamey Johnson, Kris Kristofferson, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Punch Brothers, Miranda Lambert, Calexico, Dave Rawlings Machine, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Brandi Carlile, Monte Montgomery and Hot Rize. I’d like to say that I’m not complaining about all of these bands; I love some of them a lot. My concern is that there just seems to be too much of one thing. Obviously booking the largest festival in the country is no easy task, but I just think the organizers could of done a better job at representing more styles of music, rather than going overboard on just a few genres.
Despite both what I love and hate about this lineup, there are some really great bands on here, and Bonnaroo is always the experience of a lifetime. I’m trying to concentrate on the positives, rather than dwell on what bands on the lineup I have no interest in. It’s not always about the music at Bonnaroo either. It’s the full experience that makes this festival a travel destination for tens of thousands every summer including myself. The 700+ acre farm in which the festival is held on in the tiny city of Manchester, Tennessee, transforms basically overnight into its very own city. When I look back at the coverage of a festival like Woodstock ‘99 and see all the mayhem and tragedies that occurred, it feels good to know that people have changed their ways and for the most part are good, kind-hearted people, and music festivals have the chance to be a success and remain a huge part of the lives of people like myself.
Bonnaroo 2010 Lineup Announcements
February 9th, 2010
Posted in Bonnaroo 2010
After months and months of waiting, but yet still four months to go, Bonnaroo is finally releasing the names of those who will appear at the country’s biggest and best music festival. Voted “Festival of the Decade” by Consequence of Sound. See y’all in sunny Manchester, Tennessee in June!
For many of us, the Bonnaroo lineup release day feels much like Christmas. I woke up this morning and looked out my window to see at least a foot of snow (and it’s still coming down). Now I play the waiting game to see which bands will be playing this year’s festival. I sure hope we get some good presents this year!
Tickets also went back onsale today, and you can find everything you need regarding that on the Bonnaroo website. I’d like to thank everyone who took the time today to stop by my blog and fill me in on things they were hearing regarding the lineup. Feel free to let me know what you think of this year’s lineup. Good? Bad? Doesn’t matter? Would love to hear your thoughts. Email me at nate@brokenmic.com or feel free to just comment.
Initial Lineup (More Artists To Be Announced)
The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs
Alternative Rock/Experimental Rock/Neo-Psychedelia
The Flaming Lips mark their return to Bonnaroo this summer, for the first time since 2007, when they played a latenight show Saturday night on the festival’s second biggest stage, the Which Stage. That night, they managed to land a giant UFO on the stage tricked out with flashing, psychedelic lights (it actually lowered from the roof of the stage to appear as if it were actually landing). Once the spaceship touched down, frontman Wayne Coyne emerged from the ship in his plastic bubble and ascended out into the crowd, bringing a new meaning to the term “crowd surfing.” This year, the Lips are scheduled for two latenight performances, both on Friday night. They will kick things off at midnight (playing their own material) and will return around 2:30 am to cover the classic Pink Floyd album, Darkside of the Moon, with Stardeath and White Dwarfs. It is sure to go down as not only one of the best performances in Bonnaroo history, but quite possibly the band’s history.
Phoenix
French Alternative Rock
Fresh off last month’s Grammy Awards in which they won their first award for “Best Alternative Music Album” for 2009’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, this French foursome returns for a second time to the Bonnaroo farm this summer. They were a late addition to last year’s lineup, leaving them with a short, forty-five minute latenight set playing opposite headliners Phish on Friday night. But it was a short and sweet set, which ended up being one of the most talked about of the entire weekend. With four studio albums in their catalogue, they’ve certainly got enough material that will earn them a much longer set this time around, and I would expect nothing less in terms of a spectacular, energetic performance.
Weezer
Alternative Rock/Pop Punk
Perhaps the most successful, most important and most influential pop punk band of all-time, Weezer is finally making their way to Bonnaroo, for a performance many will tell you is long overdue. Last year saw both the release of their seventh studio album, Raditude, which debuted and peaked at number seven on the Billboard 200, as well as a bus accident mid-tour that left frontman Rivers Cuomo pretty banged up, forcing them to cancel the rest of the tour. Cuomo has made a speedy recovery and the band looks to rebound and get back out there in 2010.
Blues Traveler
Alternative Rock/Blues Rock/Jam Band
Hard to believe that harmonica virtuoso John Popper and his band broke into the mainstream sixteen years ago with their album Four and hits like “Run-Around” and “Hook.” Known for their improvisational live shows, they’ll be returning to Bonnaroo for the first time since 2006, bringing together fans of both jam and pop.
OK Go
Alternative Rock/Power Pop
Baroness
Progressive Metal
John Fogerty
Blues/Country/Southern Rock
You know his songs, you know his voice. You are probably familiar with the history of Creedence Clearwater Revival, John’s stint in the Army Reserve, and the departure of John’s brother Tom in 1971, followed a year later by the ultimate demise of CCR. Fogerty is no stranger to festivals like this, having headlined the original Woodstock with CCR, taking the stage at 12:30 am on day two, immediately following the Grateful Dead, and opening for the late Janis Joplin. CCR songs like “Bad Moon Rising”, “Proud Mary” and “Fortunate Son” are songs that still today appeal to the masses, and it’s about time Fogerty was invited to the party.
Jeff Beck
Blues/Hard Rock/Instrumental/Jazz Fusion
Medeski, Martin & Wood
Experimental/Free Jazz/Funk
ISIS
Avant-Garde/Progressive Metal
The Punch Brothers
Acoustic/Bluegrass
The Avett Brothers
Bluegrass/Folk Rock
Cross Canadian Ragweed
AltCountry/Southern Rock
311
Alternative Rock/Rap/Reggae/Ska
Bassnectar
Electronica/Trip-Hop
Neon Indian
Electronica/Indie Pop
Daryl Hall (of Hall & Oates) with Chromeo
Electronica/Funk/Pop/Rock/Soul
Big Sam’s Funky Nation
Funk/Jazz/Rock
The Black Keys
Blues/Garage Rock
The Constellations
Psychedelic Rock
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Acoustic/Bluegrass/Folk
The National
Indie Rock
Dave Matthews Band
Acoustic/Jamband/Jazz/Pop/Rock
Ingrid Michaelson
Indie-Folk/Pop
The xx
Indie Rock/Post-Punk
Aeroplane
Psychedelic Pop
Regina Spektor
Acoustic/Alternative Rock/Blues/Indie Rock
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The Disco Biscuits
Jamband/Trance Fusion
Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers
Bluegrass
Mayer Hawthorne and the County
Rap/Soul
Wale
Alternative Hip-Hop
Japandroids
Noise Pop
Norah Jones
Blues/Jazz/Pop/Soul
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Local Natives
Indie-Folk Rock
Baaba Maal
World Music
…And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead
Noise Rock
Jay-Z
Hip-Hop/Rap
Stevie Wonder
Funk/Pop/R&B/Soul
Thievery Corporation
Jazz/Reggae/World Music
Dropkick Murphys
Celtic Punk
Kings of Leon
Alternative Rock/Garage Rock/Southern Rock
GWAR
Shock Rock/Thrash Metal
Zac Brown Band
Country
Tinariwen
African Blues
She & Him
AltCountry/Indie-Folk Pop
Jimmy Cliff
Reggae/Ska
Tokyo Police Club
Indie Rock/Post-Punk
Needtobreathe
Alternative Christian Rock
Monte Montgomery
Acoustic/Pop/Rock
Kid Cudi
Alternative Hip-Hop
Manchester Orchestra
Indie Rock
Dr. Dog
Indie Rock/Psychedelic Rock
Mew
Alternative Rock/Experimental/Post-Rock
The Dead Weather
Alternative Rock/Blues/Garage Rock
Clutch
Funk/Heavy Metal/Punk
The Bakerton Group
Instrumental Blues/Jamband
John Prine
Country/Folk
They Might Be Giants
Alternative Rock
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Funk/Hip-Hop/Reggae
Dave Rawlings Machine
Acoustic/Bluegrass/Folk
The Melvins
Experimental/Grunge/Punk
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Bluegrass/Country/Folk Rock
Julia Nunes
Acoustic/Indie
Jay Electronica
Hip-Hop
The Postelles
Alternative Rock/Garage Rock/Pop
Lotus
Electronica/Instrumental
Alison Krauss & Union Station
Bluegrass/Country/Folk
Rise Against
Hardcore/Punk
Rebelution
Reggae Rock
Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley with Nas
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The Gaslight Anthem
Indie Rock/Punk
Tenacious D
Acoustic Metal/Comedic Rock
Jamey Johnson
Country
Tori Amos
Alternative Rock/Pop
The Entrance Band
Psychedelic Rock
The Dodos
Indie Pop/Psychedelic Folk Rock
John Butler Trio
Alternative Rock/Funk/Jamband
Aterciopelados
Latin Pop
Blitzen Trapper
Experimental/Indie Rock
Calexico
Americana/Indie Rock/Tex-Mex
Indie rock band from Arizona, blending elements of country, folk, funk, jazz, Latin, soul and Southern rock. You may like them if you’re into Iron & Wine, Uncle Tupelo or Son Volt.
Mumford & Sons
Indie Folk Rock
Deadmau5
Electro/Trance
Pronounced “dead mouse.” Moniker created by Joel Zimmerman after an incident in which a mouse crawled inside his computer and died. One of the current hottest acts in the electronica scene, named #6 in DJ Magazine’s “Top 100 DJ’s of 2009.” Will be one of the best latenight shows this year.
Martin Sexton
Folk/Pop
New York singer/songwriter who has been performing for nearly twenty years. Mixes elements of blues, country, gospel, R&B and soul. Known as a live performer for his improv jams and beatboxing. You might like him if you’re into Glen Phillips, Shawn Mullins or Shawn Colvin.
LCD Soundsystem
Dance Punk
Long overdue at Bonnaroo. Led by James Murphy, the live band includes members of both Hot Chip and The Juan Maclean. Sure to be one of the best latenight shows at Bonnaroo this year, with their mix of dance, punk and disco.
Kris Kristofferson
Folk/Outlaw Country
Legendary country musician from the supergroup The Highwaymen, which included Cash, Waylon and Willie. Responsible for writing songs like “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Help Me Make It Through the Night.” Dated Janis Joplin until her death in 1971.
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Funk/Hip-Hop/Jazz
Trombone Shorty is the moniker of Troy Andrews, a 24-year old jazz virtuoso from New Orleans. Was a bandleader by the age of six. Named by the “Best R&B/Funk Band” in 2008 and 2009, by a premier New Orleans music magazine called Offbeat. U2’s The Edge had this to say about a performance he saw of them twelve-years ago…”We were just mesmerized by him. I ended up with Bono, after a few tequilas, dancing with a bunch of girls on the top of the bar. It was one of those sort of nights.”
Here We Go Magic
Experimental/Indie Folk/Psychedelic Pop
Band created by former solo singer/songwriter Luke Temple. You’ll love them if you’re into Grizzly Bear or Yeasayer.
The Temper Trap
Alternative Rock/Post-Punk
Young Australian band who have built quite a history with the life long friendships between the band members. Check them out if you like Bloc Party or Phoenix.
Diane Birch
Blues/Soul
Classically-trained pianist who learned to play by ear. Spent much of her childhood moving around the world to places like South Africa and Australia before her parents settled in Portland, Oregon. As her career was starting to break out, she was personally invited by Prince to go to his house and jam with him and his band. Check her out if you like Duffy, Adele or Toby Lightman.
Lucero
AltCountry/Punk
Memphis band known for non-stop touring and nice mix of country and punk rock. Check them out if you like Slobberbone, the Drive-By Truckers or William Elliott Whitmore.
Les Claypool
Alternative Rock/Experimental/Metal
Very unique bass player, using techniques like finger slapping and flamenco strumming, best known for his role in Primus and Oysterhead. Has created a number of different bands like the Frog Brigade and Bucket of Bernie Brains. Auditioned for Metallica in the 80’s after Cliff Burton died, losing to Jason Newsted. Can’t imagine what Metallica would’ve sounded like with him on bass. Has been a favorite at Bonnaroo since its inception in 2002. Check him out if you’re into weird and heavy funk metal.
Miranda Lambert
Country
Inspired to become a country star by attending a Garth Brooks concert as a child. Began her music career in her teens, going on shows like Johnny High Country Music Review (where LeAnn Rimes was discovered) and Nashville Star, which was the launching pad of her career when she placed third on a national level. Check her out if you like Sugarland, Gretchen Wilson or Sara Evans.
Brandi Carlile
AltCountry/Folk/Pop
28-year old singer and songwriter who was one of Rolling Stone’s “10 Artists to Watch” in 2005. Has toured with Chris Isaak, Tori Amos, Shawn Colvin, The Fray and Ray LaMontagne. Check her out if you’re into the Indigo Girls or Patty Griffin.
Against Me!
Punk Rock
Known for a folk-influenced punk sound and energetic live shows. Check them out if you’re into the Bouncing Souls or Alkaline Trio.
B.o.B.
Hip-Hop/R&B
Bobby Ray Simmons, 21-year old rapper from Decatur, Georgia, signed to T.I.’s Grand Hustle Label and Atlantic Records. Will release his debut album, The Adventures of Bobby Ray, in April this year. His song “Created a Monster” is featured on the Madden ‘10 soundtrack. Influenced by 80’s music, rap, techno, rock, funk and doo wop.
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
Experimental/Indie Folk/Psychedelic Rock
Kind of like an indie-folk rock circus. Frontman Alex Ebert created the alter-ego of Edward Sharpe, a messiah-like figure sent to earth to save mankind, often distracted by falling in love. Check them out if you’re into Monsters of Folk or Yeasayer.
Ozomatli
Funk/Hip-Hop/Latin/World Music
From Los Angeles, formed in ‘95. Have performed at Bonnaroo multiple times. They mix styles of funk, hip hop, Latin salsa, reggae, rock and world music, often with political themes in their lyrics. Check them out if you’re into Jurassic 5 or Galactic.
Miike Snow
Indie Electro Pop
Swedish band made up of Andrew Wyatt, Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg. Karlsson and Winnberg were childhood friends who reunited in ‘00 and met Wyatt while working on an album for another artist. They’ve worked with artists like Madonna and Kylie Minogue and won a Grammy for Britney Spears “Toxic.” Released their debut album last year. Described as “a-ha meets Animal Collective.”
Hot Rize
Bluegrass
Rose to fame in the 80’s, and led by Tim O’ Brien on vocals, mandolin and fiddle. Went on hiatus in ‘92 after the death of founding member Charles Sawtelle. Regrouped ten years later and added Bryan Sutton on guitar.
Dan Deacon Ensemble
Electronic
Electronic music composer from Baltimore, Maryland. Used to play tuba in Langhorne Slim’s band. Graduated from the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College in New York, with degrees in electro-acoustic and computer music composition. Check his ensemble out if you’re into Animal Collective, Black Moth Super Rainbow or Fuck Buttons.
Bonnaroo 2010 Initial Lineup
Dave Matthews Band
Kings of Leon
Stevie Wonder
Jay-Z
Tenacious D
Weezer
The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs performing Pink Floyd’s Darkside of the Moon
The Dead Weather
Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley and Nas
Phoenix
Norah Jones
Michael Franti and Spearhead
John Fogerty
Regina Spektor
Jimmy Cliff
LCD Soundsystem
The Avett Brothers
Thievery Corporation
Rise Against
Tori Amos
The National
Zac Brown Band
Les Claypool
John Prine
The Black Keys
Steve Martin with the Steep Canyon Rangers
Jeff Beck
Dropkick Murphys
She and Him
Against Me!
Disco Biscuits
Daryl Hall with Chromeo
Jamey Johnson
Clutch
Bassnectar
Kid Cudi
Baaba Maal
Kris Kristofferson
Medeski, Martin and Wood
The xx
GWAR
Dan Deacon Ensemble
Tinariwen
Wale
Deadmau5
The Melvins
The Gaslight Anthem
Miike Snow
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Dr. Dog
They Might Be Giants
The Punch Brothers
Isis
Blitzen Trapper
Blues Traveler
Miranda Lambert
Calexico
OK Go
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue
Martin Sexton
Lotus
Baroness
Dave Rawlings Machine
Mayer Hawthorne and the County
Japandroids
Jay Electronica
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Ingrid Michaelson
The Dodos
Manchester Orchestra
The Temper Trap
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Big Sam’s Funky Nation
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Needtobreathe
Tokyo Police Club
The Entrance Band
Local Natives
Brandi Carlile
Mumford and Sons
Rebelution
Diane Birch
Monte Montgomery
Julia Nunes
The Postelles
Lucero
Here We Go Magic
Hot Rize
Neon Indian
B.o.B.
Related show
Live Blogging on the Bonnaroo Lineup
February 8th, 2010
Posted in Bonnaroo 2010
Tune into Brokenmic.com tomorrow, where I will be posting live updates of the official Bonnaroo 2010 artist lineup. The lineup will be dropped throughout the day tomorrow, beginning in the morning, in which bands will be using social networks like Twitter, Facebook and MySpace to break the news that they’re playing the festival. Bonnaroo.com will also be announcing a few acts at a time on their site throughout the day. The full lineup is expected to be out by 10 pm eastern time.
Bonnaroo Rumorville Updates
February 5th, 2010
Posted in Bonnaroo 2010
Howdy Bonnaroovians! Thought I’d keep you posted and up to date with all the latest from the Bonnaroo camp. The moment we’ve all been waiting for is just a few days away; the lineup will be revealed this Tuesday, February 9th. But it’ll be a little different than in years past. They’re trying something new over at Bonnaroo.com, and will be releasing band names little by little throughout the day. They also came up with a great idea to use social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, in which bands will be breaking the news themselves. It’s sure to be a long day of sitting, waiting and wishing, with fans building up communication all over these social networks. Although I’d prefer to see the whole lineup at once, I think it was a smart move by the people over at AC Entertainment and Superfly Productions. Just another way that Bonnaroo stands above the rest of those festies out there.
Let’s take a look at all the current rumors and expectations for this year’s festival:
Bands Expected
Meaning they’ve been all but confirmed by Bonnaroo. Confirmation of these bands come from a number of sources, for example, media outlets have confirmed the appearance or the bands themselves have let it slip out. Bands expected to perform this year include: Alberta Cross, The Avett Brothers, Blues Traveler, Caravan Palace, Dan Deacon, Dave Matthews Band, The Flaming Lips (two latenight sets, one performing Pink Floyd’s Darkside of the Moon), The Gaslight Anthem, GWAR, Here We Go Magic, Jay-Z, Lord T & Eloise, Mayer Hawthorne, Miike Snow, comedian/actor/musician Steve Martin performing with the Steep Canyon Rangers, the Ryan Montbleau Band, Thievery Corporation, Tinariwen, Wale, recent Grammy Award winners Kings of Leon and the Zac Brown Band, and legends Stevie Wonder, Neil Young and Paul Simon.
Bands Rumored
Meaning, while there is no confirmation, it is possible you could see these bands at the farm this summer, so don’t be surprised if any of these bands show up. Personally, I’d look at though these bands have a 50/50 chance of playing this summer. Those bands include: 311, Broken Social Scene, Deadmau5, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Ingrid Michaelson, Local Natives, Mew, The National, Needtobreathe, Noah and the Whale, Tokyo Police Club, Yonder Mountain String Band, recently reunited acts Pavement and The Jayhawks, legendary country singer/songwriters John Prine and Robert Earl Keen, the new Grateful Dead side project called Furthur featuring Dead founders Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, Bonnaroo staple acts My Morning Jacket and Galactic, and the one and only Roger Waters of Pink Floyd (performing The Wall in its entirety).
Breaking Bonnaroo News…and It’s Not the Lineup
February 2nd, 2010
Posted in Bonnaroo 2010
Tuesday, February 2nd. Today was the day that many a Bonnaroo fan had previously marked on their calenders. For the past several weeks, it was speculated (after an interview between Alex Young of Consequence of Sound and Bonnaroo co-founder Ashley Capps of AC Entertainment) that the 2010 lineup would be revealed this day. Turns out that wasn’t the case. Many watched the Bonnaroo website like hawks as the clocked turned to midnight earlier this morning, but indeed no lineup was unveiled. But what did happen just around lunch time today, was that the artwork and design of the Bonnaroo website was updated for their 2010 look. On another note, we now have information that both the lineup will be revealed and tickets will go onsale in one week, Tuesday, February 9th.
Bonnaroo news for the day seemed to be shot until just a couple hours ago, when Spinner.com revealed the news that the Flaming Lips would be performing at the festival this year. But it’s not just any show. The F-Lips will return to the festival for a latenight set beginning at midnight, on Friday, June 11, where they will kick off with their own material, and beginning around 2:30 am will cover Pink Floyd’s Darkside of the Moon album in its entirety. Read the full article here.
I was pretty let down not seeing the lineup when I woke up this morning, left feeling like a kid with no presents on Christmas Day, but I guess you could say that it now feels like Christmas Eve, when you get to open that one present. At least that’s the tradition in my family. And what a present this is! Another Flaming Lips latenight set at Bonnaroo, especially one covering my favorite band of all-time. Bonnaroo’s already starting to look better than last year. It’s going to be another long week, and then we’ll finally know if the rumors are true, and if we’ll be able to hear some other Pink Floyd tunes at the farm this summer, meaning the strongly rumored appearance of Pink Floyd founder and songwriter, Roger Waters, performing The Wall in its entirety.
Trying to Predict the Bonnaroo 2010 Lineup
January 16th, 2010
Posted in Bonnaroo 2010
With just a few weeks to go until the official release of the Bonnaroo 2010 artist lineup, I thought I’d put together a little something for anyone who might be interested. For people like me, Bonnaroo obsessors if you will, the offseason (also known as the 361 days of the year Bonnaroo is not going on) has been filled with speculations, predictions and wishlists from fellow obsessors like myself. Many of these obsessors come together on an almost daily basis throughout the offseason, sharing their opinions and hopes with one another on messageboards like Inforoo and the official Bonnaroo messageboard, which you can find here. My fellow obsessors and I are extremely passionate about “our” festival, as well as very well educated on certain trends the festival typically seems to follow. While prediciting even an accurate lineup may be a shot in the dark, there are actually a few who seem to do pretty well with their bold predictions. So I’m going to go out on a limb here and share with you my predictions.
I’ve narrowed it down to a few different categories.
Possible Headliners
This section includes acts that are either currently rumored as headlining this year’s festival, or are acts still around that certainly are capable of headlining this year, or possibly future years.
Paul McCartney
Roger Waters performing The Wall
The Who
Neil Young
Eric Clapton
Stevie Wonder
David Bowie
Prince
U2
Guns ‘n Roses
R.E.M.
Dave Matthews Band
Soundgarden
Rage Against the Machine
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Jay-Z
Gorillaz
Coldplay
The Killers
Bonnaroo headliner trends typically involve three bands. More often than not, these bands include one “older” band (usually a classic rock artist), one “younger” band (more mainstream rock kind of stuff) and one band that seems to fit the “jamband” slot on Sunday. It’s not always going to end up this way, but history shows that it typically does, although you could argue that it did not go this way in 2008 when both Metallica and Pearl Jam were billed as headliners. Then there was the scheduling setup from 2009. Last year Bonnaroo changed things up by moving the Friday headliner (Phish) to 11 pm, where as in the past the headliners typically took the stage around 9 pm. Not only did they push back the Friday headliner back a couple hours, but they also changed things up by having two bands that you could argue were sub-headliners or something. Both the Beastie Boys and David Byrne (of the Talking Heads) played opposite each other on the festival’s two main stages (What and Which). The Beastie’s set started at 8:30 pm, while Byrne began at 8:45. History also shows that in the past Bonnaroo has never had acts of such calibers play at exactly the same time on these two stages, this late in the day. Rumors recently began circulating that Neil Young would be taking the Beastie’s spot this year, while the Kings of Leon would be taking the Byrne spot on the Which Stage. Seems kind of odd to bill Neil Young anything other than a main headliner, but once again, this is just a rumor, so only time will tell if this is an accurate rumor.
As for that list that you see above, the band who seems most likely to take the Saturday headlining slot appears to be The Who, what with their appearance at the upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show. Rumor also has it, that McCartney will not tour after this year, so I would think that Bonnaroo organizers would be fools in not being able to land a Beatle this year. Then there’s the whole Roger Waters (of Pink Floyd) slated tour that will last the next two years, playing the music from the classic album, The Wall, in its entirety. I consider this the best album of all-time, and after seeing Waters a few years back (he performed the Floyd album, Darkside of the Moon, in its entirety), I can already expect that this would be the greatest show I could ever witness. My hopes: land McCartney this year, and get Waters in 2011. We’ve already covered Neil, so moving onto the last classic rock icon, we have Eric Clapton. Here’s another artist on my bucket list, but one who seems the least likely out of this group, as the demand does not appear to be as high as the rest. While there have been no rumors of Clapton at ‘roo this year, he will be out on tour this summer. If Bonnaroo happens to land a classic rock artist this year (seems the likely thing that will happen), I would not be disappointed with any of these bands I’ve mentioned.
Then you’ve got the bands and artists that just don’t seem to fit into any one category. I’m talking about artists like Stevie Wonder, David Bowie and Prince. You could certainly call them “classic rock” because it is now 2010, and they’ve all been around for quite some time, but I like to think this group doesn’t exactly fit with the previously mentioned artists. Stevie seems the most likely to happen out of this group, probably because he’s been rumored for months now, while it appears neither Bowie or Prince have plans to do any shows or even tour in the near future. As for Mr. Wonder, I would expect that a headlining slot would be a must, but I guess any slot is possible considering the 6 pm slot the legendary Al Green received last year.
There’s also the group of bands that were amongst the most popular of the 80’s and 90’s. U2 was one of the first rumors, but that has since been played down, due to apparent scheduling conflicts. I don’t quite understand why, because they are only booked one day so far during the weekend of Bonnaroo. They’ll be playing Denver on Saturday, June 12. The fact they are playing here in the states at that time, and also have no shows scheduled close to Tennessee, makes me think that they are a band not to rule out just yet. Perhaps the one band from this group that appears to be the most likely to happen is the Dave Matthews Band. Not just because Matthews has played the festival twice (not since 2005), but he has been one of the most successful touring acts of the past two decades. Matthews and his band also fit that Sunday “jamband” closing spot rather nicely. Moving along. Do you know about three of the most popular bands from the 90’s who are hitting the road once again this year? I’m talking about the reunited original lineup of Soundgarden, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and their new guitarist (longtime member John Frusciante recently left the band) and Guns ‘n Roses. Wait. Did I just say Guns ‘n Roses? That’s right. Forget that probably one of the most hyped up albums of all time was a flop (Chinese Democracy), Axl put a band together and they’re on tour this year, although you can barely consider it Guns ‘n Roses. Had Axl kept his band and his voice, Guns ‘n Roses would be on my bucket list. Not so much anymore. A couple other popular bands from this era, although they are not bands who tour year in and year out, but are definitely bands who have been wanted for a longtime at the ‘roo include Rage Against the Machine and R.E.M. While I’d be fine with either of these bands, I believe they are probably the least likely out of the group. My bets go to Matthews and Soundgarden, with U2 trailing closely behind.
Lastly, there’s the group that actually doesn’t go together very well at all. Jay-Z, Gorillaz, Coldplay and The Killers. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of these acts ends up at the farm this year. But it’s probably not the band you’re thinking. You may be thinking of Jay-Z, but he’ll be off in Europe doing shows (doesn’t rule him out, just makes it all the more less likely). You might be thinking Coldplay. While I’ve been wanting Coldplay at the farm for the past half a decade, I just don’t see it happening. Doesn’t mean it can’t or won’t. I also like surprises. So…Gorillaz are apparently back together and set to work on a new album, but the festival rumor for them this year includes Coachella. Seems likely too. Coachella’s just that type of festival; the kind to bring in recently reunited bands this big. And with Coachella being in California, they seem to be the type of band that would prefer to be there, rather than a small town in the middle of nowhere, Tennessee. That leaves The Killers. You either like them or don’t. While they certainly have the material, I’m just not sold on them being a headliner. But that doesn’t rule out the fact that I think they’d be a great addition. I think they’d fit perfectly late at night, possibly in the slot that Nine Inch Nails had last year, (1-2:30 am on the Which Stage), although NIN is and probably will always be much larger than The Killers.
Unofficially Confirmed Acts
This section includes acts that have been all but confirmed by Bonnaroo themselves – and that’s because they haven’t released the lineup. Appearances from these bands have been confirmed through various sources all over the net.
Kings of Leon
Looks like they could be either a headliner or duel headliner, going up against Neil Young, as previously rumors speculate. Bonnaroo made these guys into what they are today, and Rolling Stone called them the greatest band on the planet of 2009. Maybe Bonnaroo gives back to the Followill boys this year with a big time slot. Although they’re taking six months off from touring this year, the six months would be up right in time for Bonnaroo. Not to mention they’re from Tennessee.
Other bands on this list include GWAR, Dan Deacon, Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers, The Avett Brothers, The Gaslight Anthem, Mayer Hawthorne and Caravan Palace.
Heavily Rumored
This section deals with those bands who have the most talk going on about them, regarding appearances at the festival this summer. Nothing confirmed just yet, but looks likely. Keep them on your radar.
311
Pavement (reunion)
The Jayhawks (reunion)
Mew
Ryan Bingham
Baroness
Alberta Cross
Noah and the Whale
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons
Lord T & Eloise
Other Possibilities
This section deals with the types of bands and trends Bonnaroo tends to follow. Some of these bands have made appearances at the farm, some numerous times. It also deals with those “buzz” acts that Bonnaroo seems to land every year. Whether they’ll be out on the road, have a new disc coming out or are just emerging into something greater, you know it just might happen because it just feels so right.
The Allman Brothers Band
In 2008, the Allman’s had to pull out of Bonnaroo due to health issues involving Greg Allman. Guitarist Warren Haynes is considered almost some type of god at Bonnaroo, and by having the Allman’s there this year, it would give fans a break from Warren’s main outfit, Gov’t Mule, who have graced the farm a few times the past several years.
My Morning Jacket
Just like the Kings of Leon, here’s a band who owes their success to Bonnaroo. But the love for these guys is much more intense than with the Kings. The last time MMJ played the festival, they did a four-hour marathon latenight show on the Which Stage in the pouring rain, pulling out most of the songs from their catalogue, as well as many covers (they played songs by Kool and the Gang, Bobby Womack, Motley Crue and Erykah Badu), as well as guest appearances from Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, Flecktone saxophonist Jeff Coffin and comedian Zach Galifianakis. Arguably the greatest Bonnaroo set ever.
The Flaming Lips
Here’s one of the other few, intensely beloved bands from the Bonnaroo crowd. Their last appearance at the festival in 2007, saw them land a giant UFO onstage, with Wayne Coyne coming out of the spaceship in his giant plastic bubble and out into the crowd where he put a different spin on crowd surfing. Coyne did say they would return once they had a new album. That time may be this year, but will they be able to top landing a UFO onstage?
Arcade Fire
Even though they’ve only got two albums under their belts, with a third slated for release this year, this band is arguably the greatest Canadian indie rock band ever. They’ve done the festival thing in the past, but have not toured in a few years, and have never played Bonnaroo. I’ve been wanting these two to come together for nearly five years now.
The Dead Weather
Jack White’s played Bonnaroo twice, with the Stripes in 2007 and the Raconteurs in 2008. While many await his return to the Stripes, I’d have to say that its probably his latest project that seems the most likely. And hey, they’re not that bad. After all, this band does consist of members of the Raconteurs and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, not to mention Mr. White.
Some other possibilities:
The Black Crowes
George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic
The Roots
Nas
String Cheese Incident
Explosions in the Sky
Norah Jones
Thievery Corporation
Built to Spill
The Black Keys or Dan Auerbach
Umphrey’s McGee
LCD Soundsystem
STS9
Ray LaMontagne
Regina Spektor
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Spoon
Fleet Foxes
Phoenix
Passion Pit
Os Mutantes
The Gaslight Anthem
Lucero
David Rawlings Machine
The Airborne Toxic Event
Rufus Wainwright
Blitzen Trapper
Los Amigos Invisibles
Band of Heathens
Deer Tick
Girls
The xx
Florence + the Machine
Neon Indian
Bonnaroo Goes Latino
January 13th, 2010
Posted in music festivals
One of the very first few things confirmed for this year’s Bonnaroo Music Festival (just confirmed today) is the addition of the Latin themed tent. If you remember last year, they tricked out the Other Tent with an African theme, featuring music from Amadou & Mariam, King Sunny Ade & the African Beats, Bela Fleck & Toumani Diabate, Vieux Farka Toure, Toubab Krewe and a latenight set from Femi Kuti and the Positive Force. Ashley Capps (the festival’s co-founder) confirmed the addition in an interview with Consequence of Sound, talking about the change of themes this year, and spreading the African theme around to other stages at the festival. But who will grace this Latin-themed tent this year? Anyone’s guess is as good as the next, but I’ve got my hopes set on bands like Os Mutantes and maybe a latenight set from Manu Chao. Other predictions from some people over at Inforoo include Los Lobos, Ozomatli, Los Amigos Invisibles, Cafe Tacuba and Grupo Fantasma.
As for those other few confirmations thus far; actor/comedian Steve Martin will be playing banjo with the Steep Canyon Rangers, shock rockers GWAR will be dropping jaws, while Mayer Hawthorne (soul/funk/hip hop) and France’s Caravan Palace (electronica/jazz/swing) will also be gracing the farm this summer. And you can rule out U2 as a possible headliner. All we know is they’re out. Other rumors and possibilities include Paul McCartney, The Who, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder, the Dave Matthews Band, Coldplay, Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band, My Morning Jacket, Kings of Leon, the Flaming Lips, Arcade Fire, Furthur (featuring Bob Weir and Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead), the String Cheese Incident, reunited bands like Soundgarden, Pavement and The Jayhawks, 311, Fleet Foxes, the Gaslight Anthem, Dan Deacon, Mew, Noah & the Whale and Lord T & Eloise.
Latest Bonnaroo Rumors Include Cincinnati Band
January 11th, 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
Rumors are starting to circulate that Cincinnati’s very own, Seedy Seeds, are in the running to be playing on one of the smaller stages (most likely the Blue Room Cafe or Troo Music Lounge) at this summer’s Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The festival includes two large stages, the What and Which stages, with capacities of 100,000 and 30,000, respectively. There are also three large tents (This, That, Other, with capacities estimated around 5,000 – think the type of tent outside of Grammer’s at MidPoint last year). There are also two other smaller stages that host music; the Blue Room Cafe is located in the outfield on the festival’s main stage (What), while the Troo Music Lounge is located towards the back of the outfield on the Which Stage. There is one more stage which sometimes hosts music; that is the Solar Stage, a stage located in Centeroo (center of festival grounds featuring shops, vendors, artists and much more). The sound coming from the Solar Stage is actually powered by the sun. This stage also features many activists and other programs such as political and environmental activists and speakers and discussions and yoga classes. I will stay on top of this totally awesome rumor, as well as any other rumors or artist confirmations. Seedy Seeds at Bonnaroo. Heck yes!
