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Post by macmusicjunkie on Jun 12, 2012 15:21:36 GMT -5
I've been waiting for a thread like this to pop up. Guess I'll be the one to start it.
Thurs. - May have been my best Thrus. to date
Rollin In The Hay (A) - We voted for these guys everyday for road to Bonnaroo. So glad they won and I know the lead singer Rick was overjoyed being there. Awesome hard bluegrass show.
Rubblebucket (Solar) (A+) - This band should have been on a stage. High energy show with body bag dancers and robots dancing through the audience. I have never seen the Solar stage so packed. Pure craziness.
The Cave Singers (A) - I love love love their album No Witch and was happy to hear their songs sounded so good live. I jumped for joy when I saw these guys were an addition.
The Dirty Guv'nahs (Solar) (A) - I saw that their tent show was packed. Glad I went to the sonic show. Light crowd so I could relax. Solid show.
White Denim (A) - These guys rarely took a break. They just powered through their songs one after another.
Phantogram (A) - So glad I got their early because everyone was packed in butt to gut for this show. Great show if you were under the tent. I left at the very end and the sound was pretty muffled outside of the tent. Glad I made it under the roof. I laughed when the singer/guitarist crowd surfed before the show even started.
Alabama Shakes (A) - It was really packed which was bugging me at that point, but the show was awesome as expected. Of course I would get worn out and leave just before the parade....regret.
Fri. - Fatigue Beat the Hell Out of me this day
Tune-Yeards (A) - Love Tune-Yards live....HATE not being able to see. F that super long line making me miss the Kooks and getting early for Tune-Yards.
Laura Marling (B-) - Still kind of fuming for not having a good spot for Tune-Yards and the wife was sick during this show. She was good, but not very inspiring. We ran into some inforooers and I chatted with them while the wife sat on the ground suffering with her cold.
Little Dragon (A) - Kicked it off with Looking Glass which was awesome. Lots of energy for them. Happy I got a good spot for this one. Fatigue rode me during this show so we left early to reboot at the campsite.
Rodrigo Y Gabriella (A) - I only saw the middle 30 min which was without CUBA. The magic to me is when they make so much music with just the two of them or in some cases, just one of them. There was indeed magic at this show. When they started to introduce CUBA back to the stage, I bolted for Dawes where the wife split to see.
Dawes (A) - I almost want to change this to an A+. For having a strangely small crowd, they played like it was an arena crowd. Apparently I just missed a Paul Simon cover which would have been awesome to see. The final song which was a feelin' alright singalong with the crowd was extremely moving and one of my Bonnaroo moments.
Foster The People (A) - Glad I finally got to see them. Rubblebucket and Soul Rebels playing Houdini with them was the highlight for me.
Radiohead (A) - I was so tired for this show and just couldn't find the strength to find a close spot. I'm sure it was unbelievable if you were up close, but basically not being on a big screen kind of made it uninspiring for the back half of the field. This is truly sad since they played all of my favorite songs. I've seen Radiohead before so it wasn't a big deal for me being in the back for this one.
Sat. - Got my energy back for a great day 3
The Main Squeeze (A) - This was a cafe band that shouldn't have been missed. The whole show was amazing, but head banging to their finale "Ill Take Another" was simply awesome.
Trixie Whitley (Sonic) (A) - Love her voice. So glad I popped by for this set before Charles Bradley.
Charles Bradley (A) - Out of everyone, I felt like he was the most honored to be playing at Bonnaroo. You could see his passion and love for music and his fans through the whole show. It was hilarious that he did multiple wardrobe changes.
Flogging Molly (A) - It could be argued that the most energy radiated out of this band. The crowd was going nuts. Ironically, the wife's cold was at it's worst point at this show and needed some peace, but she stuck it out. She was a trooper this weekend.
Puscifer (A+) - This was one of my must sees and it was awesome. It really sucked that there were tech problems and their stage was only half built, but I can't punish them since Roo seemed to drop the ball on this one. The show was like your final act before a drunk pilot (aka Maynard) rams a plan into the side of a mountain. The picture frame cameras were unique. I wish I got my hands on a pack of Vagina Airline peanuts. aww well. P.S. So glad the security told that guy with the tiger Viking stick to put it down. That was seriously pissing me off he was blocking everyone's view.
Art Vs. Science (Sonic) (A+) - Because I met one of the Dans at inforoo bunch, I was convinced to fit them in. SO glad I did. What energy. The electronic hooks are so damn catchy. The highlight was one of the Dans chugging a whole can of beer while playing the guitar.
Mogwai (C-) I was originally going to cut Mogwai and The Roots in half. Mogwai was the 1st half. First off, the fake security guard introducing the band was ridiculously stupid. How is yelling at the audience to not cuss funny. Also why would you rename a stage the Danzig rules stage if Danzig is scheduled against Mogwai...SO STUPID. That aside, the band was good....but who ever mixed the sounds for them should be fired. The bass was so overwhelming that I don't see how anyone could enjoy it. By the third song, I left to catch the whole Roots set instead. I later decided to leave The Roots a bit early to get a good spot for Dispatch and walked by their set again which ended up being their last song and the bass was still eating the rest of the instruments alive so I know it didn't get fixed.
Edit: I understand now the comedy tent and DanZig stage joke. Nonetheless, that guy was about as funny as a school bus fire.
The Roots (B+) - Good show but blah setlist. The Guns N Roses cover was pretty sweet.
Dispatch (A) - Definitely a good time. Mrs. Robison cover was so good. Danny Clinch playing was pretty cool. I was kind of befuddled by the introducing Thom Yorke on stage. Was it a joke? If it was, it bombed.
Red Hot Chili Peppers (A+) - So Amazing. I love that they jam between songs. I could go all day about this show. Big highlight of the weekend. Hated that I needed to leave 20 min. early for a great Alice Copper slot, but I'm so glad I did because....
Alice Cooper (A++) this show was SO INCREDIBLE. Holy hell, this show was the show to be at. Amazing music, black widow intro, snakes, swords, a guillotine, a 12ft monster, giant balloons, and a lady Gaga Cover. I feel bad for you if you missed that show. His band is out of this world too. Orianthi is one of the best guitarists I've ever witnessed. Her fingers never stopped moving. Thank you for booking them Bonnaroo.
Sun. - Great Final Day
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds (A) - Love her voice so much. It's soulful and raspy. Her older brother doing that harmonica solo was pretty sick.
Fruit Bats (B) - Solid show. I like their albums and liked the show.
Grouplove (A) - So much energy. Glad I got their early for a good spot. I just wished that spot wasn't surrounded by annoying kids that were dancing around into everyone. As a side note, I liked their banner a lot.
City & Colour (No Grade) - I was going for 30 min. of him and an hour of the Beach Boys. I got so antsy that I left pretty quick. It wouldn't be fair for me to grade it. Love his studio stuff so it was a bummer conflict.
The Beach Boys (A) - The show was good until the last 30 min. Then the show was incredible. I would have given an A+ if the 1st part was as amazing as the finale songs. It's going to be fun tell tell people I saw the Beach Boys in overcast weather.
Here We Go Magic (Sonic) (B-) - They are really good at points, and then the vocals sound off key at others. Music wise, I love the spaciness of their sound. Pretty good overall.
Kurt Vile & The Violators (C-) - t was just an awkward set. It was really quiet and long between songs that it left the audience uncomfortable. Then his songs went from being empty to blaring white noise. I'm so glad I left half way through for Chappo on sonic.
Chappo (Sonic) (A-) - So glad I saw them on sonic since I missed them on Fri. to reboot at the campsite. Lots of confetti. Great show, but didn't play the song the audience wanted and yelled out, "Sweet Sigh." (I wanted it too). If they played it, they would have gotten an A.
The Silent Comedy (Sonic) (A) - Hard bluesy tunes with a hint of bluegrass and folk. Add their mustaches into the mix and you have a great show.
The Civil Wars (A) - So beautiful and intimate which is hard to do at Bonnaroo. Their voices carried so well through the dazzled quiet audience.
Machines Ae People Too (B+) - Saw the end of the show and was pretty fun. Playing the keybaords over their heads was pretty awesome. Would have been an A- or A if they didn't end 10 min. early.
Phish (A) - Not a hardcore Phish fan, but I definitely like them. I enjoyed this show way more than their 09 Sunday show. I'm not a Kenny Rodgers fan, but coming up to play one song was neat. Dancing in the rain was really fun. I left before set 2 started because I was beyond worn out.
Post by macmusicjunkie on Jun 12, 2012 16:58:55 GMT -5
Bump^^^^ Awww come on folks...post. My favorite part of post roo on inforoo is reading reviews of all the shows they saw on the farm. Not just ranting about the worst or loving the best.
Yelawolf - B Walked into this with no expectations, dude def has talent. Felt like the subject matter was kind of Bubba Sparks-ish, remember him lol? Enjoyed a decent amount of it, except for the part where his DJ just played random songs from other genres, kind of lame.
Phantogram - B I was fairly familar with their material and though it translated pretty well in a live setting. Only complaint I had from this set was the lack of energy from the band. Def a good corn show!
Big Gigantic - B+ Again, I was familar with some of their music and thought the live show was pretty awesome. Very cool stage production!
Cherub - A Best show on Thursday in my opinion. They started about 15-20 mins late due to tech difficulties but they killlllllllled it. Started with a crowd of about 75-80 people but probably ended up packing in 400-500 by the end of the show. Played a pretty awesome Daft Punk cover which inspired about 15-20 people to climb the metal supports over the crowd and dance on top of the Miller Lite Lounge rigging. A little bit scary as I thought the whole thing might crash down on us and we'd be killed, thankfully the band stopped after the song and told everyone to get down.
Friday: Two Door Cinema Club - B+ Very high energy showm, slightly dissapointed they didn't debut some more new songs, but it's a festival so you have to expect that.
Little Dragon - B Kind of dissapointed by this, but in no way was it a bad set. I think I had different expectations for their live show, still enjoyed the shit out of the Ritual Union material they played.
Feist - n/a I really can't grade this as we were only watching her set trying to get a decent spot for Foster The People. She's very talented and sounded great, just not my type of genre.
Foster The People - B+ Very solid set, the production was pretty cool and they sounded spot on. Opening the set with "Miss You" was pretty awesome. My only complaint is the sound where we were was REALLY quiet. If anyone was having a conversation by us we could hear that louder then the music. Also, too many people around us only knew "Pumped Up Kicks" and "Helena Beat", they were kind of obnoxious.
Radiohead - B- I absolutely love Radiohead on record (except King of Limbs) but this show just didn't move me. The stage show and their musicianship were top notch. I know it's unrealistic to expect them to play any of the "hits" but not even doing Street Spirit was kinda of dissapointing. The only other thing I disliked was the KOL feel they gave to the older songs, the added percussion made a couple tracks sound a little off (Everything In Its Right Place) however, it really enhanced There There and Kid A. Overall, great performance I'm giving it a poor grade due to my selfishness to hear some more stuff from Kid A/Amnesiac/Hail/The Bends.
Major Lazer - A Diplo was an absolute beast up there. Dropped a bunch of new unreleased Major Lazer tracks that were HOT. The hypeman wasn't too obnoxious, and the people complaining about them having people take their clothes off, get over yourself, it's a big, stupid dance party, this isn't SBTRKT or FlyLo.
Saturday: Pelican - B+ Never listened to them before this show, but hot damn, they were awesome!
Das Racist - C I really love thier studio stuff but their set just seemed extremely sloppy and unrehearsed, kind of a dissapointment. "Brand New Dance" was good tho! Left about halfway through. Did they get better?
The Temper Trap - A Got in the What Stage pit for this show. The new material went over pretty well, especially Trembling Hands and Need Your Love. The crowd was pretty dead in the pit but other than that I had an excellent time and thought the band had spectacular energy and a great live sound. Def a highlight! Only thing that dissapointed me was the area on the right What Stage pit where the camera rig is. Is this area for the Roll Like Rockstars people? There was a group of 5 or 6 women that if you told they were going top be the Real Housewives of Nashville I would've believed you. Never seen people that close at a show look so damn bored and uninterested, while sharing their tweets/texts with each other the whole time, median age 44.
Puscifer - D Most dissapointing set of the weekend! Someone really dropped the ball on the scheduling. Their stage show was useless as they didn't have the time to set it up and the daylight ruined the effect of the part that was actually working (1 screen out of 4). Music sounded good but only was able to stay for a little bit due to them coming on so late.
Childish Gambino - n/a I'm not going to grade this because due to the tech difficulties it was really an uneven performance. His free styling was out of this world, but some of the slower stuff left a slot to be desired. Having the sound issues didn't help either.
The Roots - B Not a fan of these guys at all, kind of sat in the back of the What lawn and by the end of the 4th or 5th song I was really feeling them. Not many bands win me over live but that was def the case here. Great job!
RHCP - B+ Sounded great as usualy, Chad and Flea really know how to hold it down. The new guitarist is truly a carbon copy of John, even using some of his showmanship. I thought it was cool he changed up the solos on most of the songs. Anthony sounded great but left a lot to be desired in the energy dept.
Skrillex - A Not a huge fan of the gut, but c'mon, he had a fucking Transformer on stage that he was inside. The energy level was absolutely off the charts, probably the most amped crowd of the weekend. Also, it didn't hurt that he dropped some Knife Party, when 'Internet Friends" kicked in I thought the place was going to explode.
GZA - A Caught a couple songs near the end, REALLLLLLY fucking tight set. The backing band was awesome and GZA had the best flow of any rapper all weekend.
Sunday: Phish - B+ Only saw one band on Sunday because I went too hard Saturday night and didn't goto bed until 11am on Sunday. Not a Phish fan by anymeans, but they were extremely tight and put on a fantastic show!
Post by philmcloser on Jun 12, 2012 18:39:23 GMT -5
Danny Brown: A Really kicked off my weekend on a good note. He had a lot of energy and the crowd loved it.
Kendrick Lamar: D+ Kendrick had a lot of energy, but he focused way too much on trying to engage the crowd. It seemed as though he only rapped about half of the lyrics and baited the audience to sing the other half. The DJ was constantly stopping and starting the music, and he wasn't very good at keeping the beat while doing so. Also he abused the air-horn button. This was the most disappointing show for me.
Little Dragon: A- Great show from Little Dragon. The band sounded great, and Yukimi was incredible. My only complaint is that Yukimi is so tiny that I could barely see her most of the time.
Ludacris: B My expectations weren't very high for Luda, because I've heard that he isn't one of the greatest live performers. His set was entertaining, however. He played all of his "platinum and gold hits," and the crowd seemed to really enjoy it.
Radiohead: B+ I'm not really a Radiohead fan, but this was my second time seeing them, and it was a better set than the first show I saw in '08. I'm glad I was able to enjoy it even though I was kind of far away.
Das Racist: B The show wasn't the most amazing performance that I saw all weekend, but it was fun. They definitely get bonus points for that, because isn't that the whole point?
Battles: C+ It could have been the exhaustion I was starting to feel at this point in the weekend, but I found myself losing interest in parts of the show. The rest of the show was fairly solid, however.
SBTRKT: B -/+ I don't feel comfortable giving a specific grade for this show, because I wasn't exactly in a good enough spot to judge accurately, but the show was pretty good. Sampha sounded great. The biggest thing working against this show is the fact that it was at 5:15 p.m. instead of 2 a.m.
Mogwai: B- It's apparent that the guys I saw on stage are tremendous musicians. The music was wonderful to listen to, just like on their albums. It didn't translate much to the crowd however. A lot of people were just standing around having conversations during the show.
Red Hot Chili Peppers: C I could have easily given this show a much lower grade, but the setlist was actualyl way better than I was expecting. They played their "hits" from Stadium Arcadium and I'm With You, but the also played 4 (I think) songs from Blood Sugar Sex Magik, which I was not expecting. "If You Have to Ask" and "Right on Time" were both pleasant surprises for me. As for the execution, it was mediocre.
GZA w/ Grupo Fantasma: A+ By far the best show I saw this weekend. Grupo Fantasma sounded great. GZA seemed really into it. The crowd was also having a blast. Overall this was just the most well executed show of the weekend and I had a blast.
Gary Clark Jr.: B -/+ Again, I was kind of far back, and I left after he played "Things are Changing," so I can't nail down a specific grade. He sounded pretty good from what I heard.
Black Lips: A- I was actually pretty excited for this show, and they met my expectations. They sounded good, had great energy, played some great songs, and Cole was pretty funny onstage to boot.
Bon Iver: B+ They sounded great, and The Wolves was incredible. Parts of the show kind of dragged along for me, as I am not very familiar with their songs, but they sometimes got to be a little too slow and ballady to keep my attention.
Mogwai (C-) I was originally going to cut Mogwai and The Roots in half. Mogwai was the 1st half. First off, the fake security guard introducing the band was ridiculously stupid. How is yelling at the audience to not cuss funny. Also why would you rename a stage the Danzig rules stage if Danzig is scheduled against Mogwai...SO STUPID. That aside, the band was good....but who ever mixed the sounds for them should be fired. The bass was so overwhelming that I don't see how anyone could enjoy it. By the third song, I left to catch the whole Roots set instead. I later decided to leave The Roots a bit early to get a good spot for Dispatch and walked by their set again which ended up being their last song and the bass was still eating the rest of the instruments alive so I know it didn't
They said the comedy tent should be renamed the Danzig Legacy stage, as in the Danzig show was a joke. They were trying to be funny.
What happens if my tee shot lands on a bird's back and he carries it out of bounds but then is attacked by a larger bird who grabs the ball and drops it in the hole? Is that still a hole in one? 'Cause that's how I'm gonna play it.
Mogwai (C-) I was originally going to cut Mogwai and The Roots in half. Mogwai was the 1st half. First off, the fake security guard introducing the band was ridiculously stupid. How is yelling at the audience to not cuss funny. Also why would you rename a stage the Danzig rules stage if Danzig is scheduled against Mogwai...SO STUPID. That aside, the band was good....but who ever mixed the sounds for them should be fired. The bass was so overwhelming that I don't see how anyone could enjoy it. By the third song, I left to catch the whole Roots set instead. I later decided to leave The Roots a bit early to get a good spot for Dispatch and walked by their set again which ended up being their last song and the bass was still eating the rest of the instruments alive so I know it didn't
They said the comedy tent should be renamed the Danzig Legacy stage, as in the Danzig show was a joke. They were trying to be funny.
Mogwai was mixed perfectly from where I was standing. Great, great show. Top 5 for me this weekend.
...and I feel bad for anyone that wasn't at Superjam to be honest. I was planning on heading over to Alice if I wasn't feeling it but oh hell it was so musically impressive.
-When I Hear My Name -Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground -Blue Orchid -Passive Manipulation -Red Rain -Death Letter -My Doorbell -Hotel Yorba -Same Boy You've Always Known -Lovesick -Little Ghost -We're Going to Be Friends -The Hardest Button to Button -Black Math -The Nurse -I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself
Encore: -Ball and Biscuit -Seven Nation Army -Screwdriver
Post by BRCHLD LFNT on Jun 13, 2012 8:33:09 GMT -5
EMA (B) - The group was fine, and the electric violin was really cool live. It just felt like the songs sounded more similar than they did on her album. Left after California, but decent show.
Mariachi El Bronx (A) - A really great surprise. It was kind of like tex-mex mariachi music but they had great energy, as was proven by the conga line that started a few songs into their set and continued throughout the show. Just really fun.
Danny Brown (A) - Another really great surprise. His studio stuff is really hit or miss with me. Fiancee and I hung back for this one but the bass still shook like crazy. He had great energy and was actually really funny.
Yelawolf (B) - After Danny Brown, was kinda disappointted. Saw Daddy's Lambo, but left after about four more tracks.
Moon Taxi (B+) - Stopped by for a song or two. They were jamming hard but we were two far away to really get into it. They were rocking though.
Side note: Does anyone know who was playing in the Ford Destination tent during this time? We stopped in for a song and it sounded really good. Very intimate setting.
White Denim (C+) The other tent is now miserable on Thursday. And White Denim seemed boring after just coming from Moon Taxi.
Phantogram (D+) The crowd was even larger for this one. Left after Mouthful of Diamonds to get a spot for Big Gigantic.
SOJA - seemed cool but only saw the last song. Had a lot of energy though.
Big Gigantic (A+) Killed it and we weren't even that close. I credit them for kicking me into Bonnaroo gear and making me forget about real life for the weekend. So much energy, and Alabama Shakes took the big crowd.
Steven Bernstein's MTO Plays SLY (B) - Pretty awesome orchestral versions of Sly songs, I wasn't really enjoying the male vocalist when we got there, but the female vocalist and later cuts all built really well. A nice surprise.
The Infamous Stringdusters (A) -I've learned that your Bonnaroo is normally better if you get some bluegrass in your life over the weekend. This was no exception. These guys had great energy and were all over the stage. Pleasant surprise.
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings (B) - Jones is a mad-woman. She sings like crazy and the band stays right behind her. Good show.
The Avett Brothers (A+) Great Surprise. Tried to see them in 2010 but the Which Stage was packed. They were right at home on What and played a lot of great songs. Loved their tribute to Doc Watson, and Talk on Indolence was really great too. Top 5 of the weekend.
Rod Y Gab Y CUBA (B-) Loved them the last two times I saw them, but was kind of exhausted. It kinda felt like the middle of their show dragged with all of the individual solos, even though each musician is beastly, especially rodrigo. (In hind sight, I would have considered visiting Ludacris, sacrilege, I know.)
Radiohead (B+) I started going to Bonnaroo in 2007. All I've heard for six years is how orgasmic the 2006 Radiohead show was. So my expectations were much too high. The set was fine but I've been following their tour and was expecting something more interesting I guess. Light show and Thom were cool though. The Daily Mail, Seperator and Weird Fishes sounded great though. Left during Supercollider to head to That Tent.
Blackstar (B+) Great to see the duo. Great to hear Astronomy, Definition, Determination, Get By, all those songs. The duo could have been more high energy, but it less us get a great spot for FlyLo. Very worthwhile, IMO
Flying Lotus (A+) Can't really overhype this show. Had a blast. His songs were great, his samples were great. He looked like he was having a blast. That tent could have rocked another hour, easy. Top 5 show of the weekend.
Umphree's/Big Gigantic (A+) Went over just in time to hear Umphree's play Breathe, which was pretty awesome. The Big Gigantic interlude was actually a highlight of the festival for me, bumping big gigantic up to a top 5 act of the weekend. Stayed for a few more Umphree's songs, but was too tired to keep going. Props to everyone who rocked til dawn though.
Pelican (A) - knew noting about their music going in. They rocked. It was a great set. Reminded me of Tool with some of the tempo shifts, which is not a bad comparison if you know me.
Bad Brains (B+) Went into this show without thinking, landed two feet in front of a mosh pit, naturally. All I can say if thank God we weren't 10 feet to the right, because there were crowd surfers non-stop from that direction. The actual music was really great and HR was super weird for my first time seeing him. Approved though. Good set.
Flogging Molly (A) - All of the crowd surfing of Bad Brains with 1.5 more people in the crowd. Other than being squished, the band was great, the energy was great. Even moshing and crowd surfing the crowd was in good spirits. A lot of fun.
Puscifer (A+) It felt like a short show, but Bad Brains and Flogging Molly drained the life from us. Lot of great songs and Maynard was in good spirits. Got some peanuts. Heard V*gina Mine, Horizons and Potions. Top 5 show of the weekend.
Childish Gambino (B) Heard about 20 minutes. His flow was great, and we missed the technical issues. Just didn't want to fight the crowd.
Danzig Legacy (A) My better half fell asleep during this one, which was surprising since it was FREAKING LOUD. The Danzig/Samhain stuff didn't do a lot for me but seeing songs like Bullet, Astro Zombies and Last Caress live were awesome. Left before Mother.
The Roots (Can't rate) Only saw the last 15 minutes or so. Seemed pretty awesome. I was blown away by their 07 show. I don't know if anything could beat that. Still pretty decent though.
RHCP (B-) I mean, I guess they were fine. Something about Throw Away Your Television bugs the Hell out of me, but the hits were great and it was cool to hear If You Have To Ask. Left before the encore since I saw them on the Stadium Arcadium tour. Sad to miss Suck My Kiss though.
Superjam (A++) Just fantastic. Wasn't expecting much due to last year's (IMO) disappointing superjam, ?uestlove brought out a great group and the playing was super funky smooth. Alone with FlyLo, the highlight of the festival for me. Heard a lot of good things about Alice Cooper and Spectrum Road though, shame they were at the same time.
Skrillex (A) I was dancing my ass off. That's all there is to it, really. A sea of people, a giant spaceship, the occasional mist, a lot of fun.
GZA (B+) Seemed awesome. Stayed for about 20 minutes. Started to get super tired though and I don't know Liquid Swords. Still a good way to end Saturday.
Pedrito Martinez (C) Stayed for about ten minutes, but my first thought was "This could have been a daytime show." Unchained had already finished when we stopped by. Probably for the best.
Gary Clark Jr. (A) Killed it. Great to finally see him. Not much to say, except I'm looking forward to downloading his set tonight.
Grouplove (B) Pretty decent. It was very bouncy and the crowd loved it. Not really my style but still a lot of fun.
The Beach Boys (A-) Wasn't really feeling their set at first, but when they kicked into Heroes & Villains and the Pet Sounds stuff, the harmonies were just awesome. They closed really stront. Some girl was really drunk (probably) about 20 feet to our left with safety people all around her. A strange sight to see. Kind of a downer, not going to lie. I hope she made it alright.
The Joy Formidable (Can't rate) Super fuzzy distorted guitar. Had a lot of energy but we were pretty far back.
Bon Iver (A) Super great Sunday Afternoon music. Just laying around music. Very pleasant but didn't blow my mind.
fun. (B) They were fine. As hipster as it sounds, I prefer The Format. They had a lot of energy though. 20,000 people singing "We Are Young" was pretty cool.
Phish (A) Rocked pretty hard and it was cool seeing Kenny Rogers come out for the Gambler. We left about 2/3rds through their second set, due to rain and sleep needs. Still a nice way to end the festival.
Overall, it was a great time. It wasn't the absolute best, but it was the most complete Bonnaroo experience I've ever had. Very glad to be a part of it.
Dirty Guv'nahs- we chilled outside the tent so it's really hard to give it a fair ranking, but it was sounding good from where we were.
The Lonely Forest- see above
Orgone- A+ (first oh shit bonnaroooooo show. they were bringing the funk and it's always great when people that don't even know the songs are dancing like crazy)
White denim- A (intense, they just ripped through this set, barely stopping between songs)
Phantogram-A (i think the energy could have been slightly higher, but they were great)
Alabama Shakes- we didn't make it in the tent, so it really felt like we were not even there.
Michael Kiwanuka-A- (great set, too short)
Ben Howard-A (was really impressed by him)
Little Dragon- A+ (so much fun)
St. Vincent-A+ (Annie is my hero)
Radiohead-B (B by radiohead standards, but still one of my favorite shows of the weekend)
Black Star-C- (only show i was really disappointed in. wish they had a live band. wish they had rehearsed and brought it a lot more.)
Pelican-B (good set)
Dawes-A (great sonic stage set)
Battles-A (took a while to pick up and they noodled a lot between songs but still a great show)
North Mississippi Allstars-A (solid)
Gary Clark Jr. (sonic stage)- A+ (this guy is amazing)
Mogwai-A++ (waited over 10 years to see mogwai and they really did not disappoint. this so was so fucking good.)
RHCP-B for better than expected
Superjam-A++ (incredible, D'ANGELO!!!!!, incredible group of musicians put together by ?uestlove, great songs)
GZA-A++ (i was excited to to see probably my favorite hip hop album of all time performed live. it was even better than i expected. gza really brought it, the band was great, the crowd was great)
Sarah Jarosz-A+(great way to start off a Sun. at roo. she is so talented)
Gary Clark Jr. (what stage) A++ (sonic stage set amped times 10. got in the pit. mind blown.)
The Antlers- B (good set, too short and we probably should have been at Beach Boys)
The Joy Formidable-A+ (this set took a lot of people by surprise by how hard they rock. i already knew going in, but it was still impressive)
The Civil Wars-A+ (great show, perfect way to end the weekend)
Post by goldbondking on Jun 13, 2012 13:05:09 GMT -5
The Dirty Guv'nahs-C Just an okay way to start the weekend. Nothing bad, nothing great.
Mariachi El Bronx-A Wed. morning: Work. Leave for Bonnaroo after and drive straight through the night. Arrive and set up camp around noon. Try to sleep but only get an hour. Standing waiting for this set, my eyes start to play tricks on me. As the band comes out all I can see is lights. Maintain I think. I stumble forward a bit and regain balance. Next think I know, I'm on my ass crashing into the poor people behind me. I get out of the tent, crashing into people like a sloppy drunk. I laid down outside the tent and hydrated. Even unable to move let alone dance I still thought this set was thoroughly impressive.
SOJA- B Still kind of groggy (got a couple hours of sleep in), I had a decent time at this set. They are good at what they do.
Alabama Shakes- B+ Was really looking forward to this set. They sounded outstanding but afterward my friend and I wondered the same thing: Why don't they expand their songs by jamming? They seem to have the talent and we both felt it would have really added to the show. Maybe as they get more experience under their belt they will.
Michael Kiwanuka- A- As Sangreal said, the show was too short. Really the only bad thing about it. Vocals and music were both outstanding. Really think this guy as star quality.
Ben Howard-A Good spot near the rail I will be seeing Ben again for sure. Incredible energy, loved the drummer playing drums and bass, loved the girl too.
The Avett Brothers-B+ A huge fan of this band, I knew the festival setting and What Stage would take a little away from them and it did. My favorite Murder in the City of all time, just really felt Scott there.
Rodrigo y Gabriela and C.U.B.A-A- These guys were tremendously sharp as usual. Thought C.U.B.A. would be with them for more songs than they were.
Radiohead-A Got an incredible spot for these guys and while it wasn't up to their '06 standards I realistically never thought they could be.
Dumpstaphunk-A- "Put it in the dumpsta!" became the rallying cry for myself and my friends throughout the weekend. On retrospect I think my friend and myself looked like Beavis and Butthead at the back of the tent, dancing to the funkness.
Darondo-Q He gets a Q as in quack Darondo (as long as their is no serious medical issue)! Dude was my 5th most anticipated and no shows. Ouch.
Bad Brains-A The bright side of Darondo's absence is I go check out an act I never expected to and have a great time! Never been in a mosh pit before (and for those experts that do all the time I realize it was Bonnaroo and therefore not a "real" moshpit). So much fun. Lead singer was so weird it really added a lot for me. One of those times you have at Bonnaroo where you know you'll never forget it.
SBTRKT-B There was a lot of hype on here about them and that's what made me go check them out. They were good I thought, had a nice sound. Was waiting for them to hit the next level and it just never did. Could not shake the feeling that it should have been a late night show (heard people say the same thing about Puscifer who coincidentally played at the same time).
Mogwai-B Came away from this set thinking that Mogwai are good at what they do. They make quality music that you feel quite literally. I just didn't come away from the set saying I will have to see them again.
Red Hot Chili Peppers-B Really don't know why the sound was so low for so long. Volume seemed to be the real issue for me. It was cool, kind of what I expected and I left early to get a good spot for Alice.
Alice Cooper-A+ Best show of the weekend for me and it's not even close. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. Cherry on top was having a ball explode over my head, showering me with glitter. Grin on my face for the entire thing.
GZA with Grupo Fantasma-A- Almost tempted to count Skrillex as a show seen cause I could easily see the screen and hear while waiting for this set, but I won't count it. These guys were late getting on but the Superjam ran late so I don't blame them. I thought they stumbled out of the gate but then I realized they weren't playing the album chronologically and then I really had some phone with it. Thought GZA really understood his audience-I was really into his history of the Wu-Tang type stories.
Gary Clark Jr.-A This guy will be a superstar. Just came right out and ripped it. The end.
The Beach Boys-B+ I thought they would sound good and that the set would be a little boring. They sounded great and I'm sorry, I thought they understood their audience and interacted with them well. I've seen stars come through Roo and not give a shit (hi Sting!) but I didn't get that vibe from these guys. As they were playing I thought to myself: Have I ever seen a more important act to Rock & Roll's history? The only one who is close is Bob Dylan, but these sing a hell of a lot better.
Kenny Rogers-B Sandwiched Kenny in between the Beach Boys and Bon Iver because my Mom and I used to sing his duets to each other when I was like 5 and have had a soft spot for him ever since. Honestly the grade goes up to at least a B+ if he sings the middle verse of Coward of the County (hello?! it's essential-it's how we get pissed at the Gaitling boys!). I liked his honest manner ("that was the worst singing from a crowd I've ever experienced") but man the guy is cocky ("you would think I've played all my hits but I've got plenty more.") Leaving for Bon Iver I knew I would never hear Kenny Rogers play The Gambler...
Bon Iver-B+ Chill show where I just sat down and listened. Like the Avetts I thought the venue took a little away from them. Still I thought they sounded great.
Phish-A- Caught only the first set because I didn't want to pass out on the drive home the following day. They were sharp and fun as usual and guess what? I got to see Kenny Rogers sing The Gambler after all! A truly happy ending.
I've worn out his debut album already, but with only two band members, it is hard to get everything to translate live. Get a full band, and these guys could go somewhere.
Dirty Guv'nahs - B
I hadn't heard these guys before, but loved the Black Crowes vibe. Lots of fun, considering I didn't know any songs.
Cave Singers - C+
My style, but their stuff started getting repetitive and the songs don't seem to go anywhere. Not bad, not really great.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (two sets) - A-
Their live stuff is completely different from their album. So much energy and it seems like they were excited to be there, but were completely in control of everything. Great sets.
Yelawolf - F
Couldn't have had a worse time. Staking out a spot for Alabama Shakes had its cost.
Kendrick Lamar - D
After this set, decided to avoid any hip hop shows of acts I didn't know. I don't need to hear about weed and bitchs, thanks.
Alabama Shakes - A-
This set made up for the two clown before them. Nothing mind-blowing, like I was told it would be, but solid throwback soul with a band loaded with talent.
Shahidah Omar (Second half) - C
Interesting, but not engaging. Everyone seemed to be having fun though. Also, giving out your website and twitter handle 5 times isn't a good look.
Trixley Whitly - B-
Beautiful, soulful, but sound problems/broken guitar strings threw her off her game. She seemed really frustrated and it came through with her songs.
Needtobreathe - B-
Solid, but straight out of the box music. Seemed like more of a tent show.
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - B
Solid set viewed from the side while in line for the Avett's pit. The Dap Kings tore it up and Sharon commanded the stage.
Avett Brothers - A
In the pit for this and had a blast. Almost cried during Murder In The City. Great energy and one of my favorite sets of the week.
Dawes (two sets) -A+
The Avett Brothers into Dawes was by far my favorite 3 hours of the week. I was surprised by the mass exodus after TbT but quickly moved up to a prime spot. The boys slayed it and I smiled ear to ear the whole set.
Radiohead - B
Ridiculously talented, but weary legs mixed with subpar spot and not knowing a lot of the early songs led to boredom. They picked it up in the second half, but I was still a little letdown.
The Main Squeeze - B-
Indiana University shirts were everywhere including on stage and these guys repped their school well. Lots of energy, but not really my style.
Charles Bradley - B
I was a little annoyed that his band played basically two full songs before he came out since I was trying to leave to catch Dawes and Hey Rosetta at the Sonic Stage. The songs I did see him do were full of passion.
Hey Rosetta - B-
Great songwriting and right down my alley, style-wise.
Blind Pilot (Parts of two sets) - B
Beautiful music. That is all.
Punch Brothers - B+
In the pit for these guys and well worth it. Sad I had to give up Temper Trap, but I had a perfect spot to see these guys do their magic. Man-crush on Chris Thile.
Gary Clark Jr. (Parts of two sets) - B
This was one of my most anticipated acts of the week, but conflicts and really needing to use the bathroom sort of ruined it for me. Still enjoyed what I heard and he commanded the stage like a pro.
The Roots - C
To be fair, I was wearing out quickly at this point. Just didn't feel the vibe of these guys and left halfway through for a nap.
Red Hot Chili Peppers (first half) - B
Enjoyed what I heard, but not enough to keep me around.
We Are Augustines (two sets) - A+
These guys brought it, period. Amazing energy and pure joy on their faces as they melted ours. Leaving the RHCP for their set was one of my better decisions of the weekend.
Superjam (first half) - B-
Meh. I had never heard of D'angelo (don't shoot me). Once again had a great spot, but drinking water all day caught up with me. Left and didn't come back.
Alice Cooper (second half) - B-
Wondered over to this show and laid down in the field and just listened. When I heard Born This Way being covered, I sat up. Every seemed to be having a blast.
Skrillex from the Amish Baking Company booth - No grade
The pretzel I was munching on was delicious. Oh and I got broken doughnut for $1. Deal!!!! Saw the girls working in the booth nodding their head to Skrillex's noise and smiled. Went to my tent and still felt the bass rattling through my bones. Glad I brought ear plugs.
Delta Spirit - B-
Victims of bad timing and short set. One of my favorite bands, but they couldn't get in gear and stuck with too many songs off the new album.
The Antlers (first half) - C+
They are very good at what they do, but I quickly got bored. The early part of their set didn't have anything off of Hospice, the album by them I love, and I wanted something with more energy.
Silent Comedy - B+
So I went here. These guys slayed it and had the best facial hair. One note, they seemed to be trying to be rock stars a little too hard. Sort of a turn-off, but the music made up for it.
Deep Dark Woods - B
Chill alt-country to perfection.
End of Kenny Rogers - No grade
Saw Lionel Ritchie sing as many songs as Kenny and it didn't include the Gambler so no grade here.
The Civil Wars - A+
Top set of the weekend, along with Dawes. I've now seen them in a coffee shop, a theater, and in a festival setting. They keep getting better. The crowd response to each song was unlike anything I saw all weekend. It went from peace and quiet to raucous applause after every song. I never thought an acoustic duo would command a tent like they did.
Phish (first set) - B-
Not my cup of tea, but not horrible. Highlight, by far, was Kenny Rogers doing the Gambler, since I missed it earlier at his set.
Post by sleepingbunch on Jun 13, 2012 14:37:48 GMT -5
This is a long one.
Thursday
Getting in – A+ - Having a 0 minute wait and driving right into Camp Lando Calrissian at 7 AM, meeting our awesome neighbors, and pulling off a wonderful shade-for-beer trade.
Rubblebucket - A- Definitely an awesome way to kick off the festival for us at the solar stage. Giant robot monsters, the crowd being covered by an open parachute, and the horn-section crowdsurfing during "Came Out of a Lady" was extremely memorable. The sound could have been better, but the energy was phenomenal.
Mariachi El Bronx - A- I don't think the crowd knew how to react at first until the Conga line started - but once it did, the crowd was amazing, and it added so much to the show. The band was extremely tight. Never heard the lead singer of a Mariachi band spew so many "F" bombs in my life
Cave Singers - C - I wish I had not left Mariachi El Bronx for their set - they didn't sound terribly engaging or interesting.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - B+ - They sounded pretty solid, nothing mindblowing. Very loud show. It was hard to make our way into the tent, so it hurt our experience a little bit that we were so far out there.
Alabama Shakes into Soul Rebels second line, Rhys Darby, and dancing Golden Retriever – A I’ll be honest, with the incredibly packed house, the show was a little difficult to get into at first. I’m staring at some tall dude’s elbow and getting squished for the first half of the set. The Thursday tent shows were some of the toughest to watch as far as crowds are concerned. That being said, the Shakes only got better as the performance went on. “You’re not Alone” was one of the finest performances of the festival by any artist, in my opinion. The set ended early (mostly due to their lack of material, I would assume) and the Soul Rebels led the stragglers around a second line around the centerroo grounds (I was shocked by the amount of people that didn’t go along with the Second Line parade). Being a native New Orleanian, and lover of brass bands, it was a perfect end to a great night.
Friday (probably my least favorite day as a whole, until the night show)
Line to get into Centeroo F- - This was very strange. Lines were never more than 10 minutes, except for the line on Friday, which was over an hour, filled with people just cutting into the line left and right. I missed Michael Kiewanuka for this reason.
Tuneyards - Inc. - Hard to judge the show because I couldn’t even see the band at all – the crowd was completely packed. They sounded very good from what I could hear.
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings – B - I’m sure the show was great, but this was now 4 hours in a row under the sun with no shade (counting the line, and being outside the Tuneyards tent) and I was fairly delirious). She seemed to kill it, but I felt like crap.
Afrocubism – B - after refilling the water, and taking a shade break, we watched Afrocubism play some excellent world music at the Which. The band was very tight and the show was fun to watch.
Punch Brothers – A- - they did a covers-only set at the Sonic Stage – covering the Strokes, the White Stripes, the Band, and Earl Scruggs. Wonderful short set, and lots of shade.
2 hour nap back home at Lando – A+
Rodrigo y Gabriela – A- Phenomenal musicianship all across the board. I’m completely in love with Gabriela for her guitar skills alone. C.U.B.A was phenomenal .
Radiohead - A- an A+ performance, and a mostly C- crowd. All of my negative dealings with people at Bonnaroo were all at this Radiohead show. I was not in the pit, but thought back-center would be just fine. Most people were content to shove the hell out of each other to get 3 feet closer to Thom, despite a visual stage show that lended itself to being further away. The crowd where I was was filled with territorial folks that didn’t sing along, move, or dance, and conversed and texted over some of the best songs….and the crowd also didn’t let my wife anywhere near me to meet me for the show (she had watched Ludacris while I was at Rodrigo)
That being said, Radiohead killed it. I’m not a huge King of Limbs fan, but those songs came across so well live, so now I’m a King of Limbs convert. Huge In Rainbows fan, and they played the majority of that record. Thoroughly enjoyed the set, despite not enjoying the people around me so much (met a few decent folks eventually)
The Word/Dumpstaphunk/Big freedia - A+ - A phenomenal 4 hour dance party between the 3 artists. The Word and Dumpstaphunk were incredible, and Big Freedia provided a lot of booty-shaking craziness. This show was the highlight of my night. The tent was way less crowded than the other two (was not feeling huge crowds at this point) and incredibly fun. Met many nice and extremely entertaining folks in the audience.
Saturday (our crew split off a lot this day, we all wanted to see different artists….seemed to work out well for all of us)
Breakfast sandwich, clean portalets at 6 AM, and 5 minute line – A+++
Charles Bradley – A+ What can I say, the man had me in tears. Truly powerful performance. He seemed to struggle with the heat a bit, and had to take a few breaks here and there and let his band take over….but he REALLY brought it, and I loved that he walked into the crowd and thanked everyone individually at the end of the show. His own tunes were amazing, as was his phenomenal rendition of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold”
Das Racist – B I was mostly there to get up front for Battles. Not a Das Racist fan, but their show was pretty fun. Got to jam out to the “Michael Jackson…..a million dollars…….you feel me……” song.
Battles – B - A slight disappointment, but still a strong show. They busted out most of their best songs early, which was great, but their super-heavy mathematical tunes grew to be quite a grind after a while. That being said, “Atlas”, “Ice Cream” and “Africastle” were pretty incredible.
Red Baraat – B Chilled under the shade and watched Red Baraat in the Solar Tent. Pretty cool stuff. I’m very pro Sonic and Solar stages – they have shade, and nice, short performances from excellent bands.
Steven Wright – A In my eyes, a legendary comedian. Not much new material at all, but it was amazing to see him in person.
Mogwai – A Seeing Mogwai over the Roots was a tough choice. I made the decision, however, just thinking about the size of the Roots crowd, and how an up-close Mogwai show would be a lot more powerful than watching the Roots from the cheap seats. Mogwai did not disappoint at all. I’m a huge fan of the post-rock stuff. Mogwai was not only LOUD, but extremely dynamic (something Battles missed out on a little). Hearing “Mogwai Fear Satan” was one of the festival highlights for me. They are one of those bands that are just so much better live.
Roots – C Checked out the last 20 to 30 minutes of the Roots, and was fairly bored. I’m sure that the show would have been excellent had I waited for the pit, but those What stage shows just don’t do much for me when I’m a mile away.
Alice Cooper – A+ Went back to the tent and hung out with the neighbors. Not a Dispatch or RHCP fan, so it was a good time for some beer and conversation. We got a pretty big group together and made our way to Alice. Didn’t really know what to expect. The performances and props were awesome, and it was fun partying with a bunch of older Bonnaroovians in the crowd. Couldn’t have asked for a better performance from a 65 year old rock legend.
Sunday
Morning weather – A+++
Sarah Jarosz – A This girl and her band are so talented. Phenomenal folk/bluegrass music. Really enjoyed every second of her performance, until I saw my crazy ex-girlfriend in the crowd about 5 people away from us. Yikes.
Fruit Bats – A Loved every second of their set. Great country-tinged rock and roll, and excellent songwriting.
Black Lips - C They sounded terrible from up the hill. I’m sure they could have been an “A” if we were in the pit, however. ……..
Here we go Magic – C+ I’ve seen them many times, and am a fan. Something was wrong. First off, they lost a band member, and seemed to be struggling to replace her parts. Second, the keys and bass were often absent from the mix, leaving a normally full-sounding band really just sounding like 2 guitarists and a drummer. The crowd wasn’t really feeling it either….there was a broken string, and some technical issues. Seemed like just one of those shows where things just don’t go right. Still love the band, though…I’ll see them in Austin later this week.
Beach Boys – B - It was nice to hear “Surfer Girl” and a few others from up the hill. We only stayed for a little while, because our priority was to get in pit for Ben Folds Five.
Mac Miller – F- Can’t believe that I had to hear 30 min. of his set to see Ben Folds.
Ben Folds Five – A+++ It seems that, for many of the Which shows, the sound wasn’t very good unless you’re in the pit. I talked to a few people that didn’t think much of BFF, but they were watching from behind the pit. Every single person that I met in the Pit, and everyone in my group absolutely loved it, including myself. The entire show was a sing-along. Major props to Ben for being a crowd pleaser and not playing his new material (stating openly that he knows what we were there to see). The set was incredible. We came as a group of 4, and made friends with everyone around us in the pit (including a obnoxious, yet entertaining guy waving a black dildo throughout the show). We started the “Darren Jessee” and “Robert Sledge” chants that Ben responded to….and the crowd around us in the front left pit was going pretty crazy. Highlight of the festival for myself. “Army”, “Underground”, and “Song for the Dumped” were special crowd sing-along favorites.
Bon Iver – A - Going into the festival, Ben Folds Five was my #1 priority, and Bon Iver was my #2, so it bummed me out that I would have to miss half of the Bon Iver set. We walked up around “Holocene” and heard them play just about all of my favorites in the last half of the set, so I was pretty happy with the show. Didn’t get that close, but was able to see the whole band. The sound and performance was pretty incredible, and Wolves was pretty amazing.
Dirty Guv'nahs- A- Really enjoyable show. Has to be a tough slot to play first of the fest but they seemed to bring it. Remind me a bit of Black Crowes and the singer looks like James Marsden which certainly can't hurt them with tv appearances, etc. I expect to see and hear more from these guys
Mariachi el Bronx - B For me this was my Ozomatli replacement band, good show, some sound issues that I caught, particularly with the singers mike.
The Flavor Savers - A- Had to list these guys because I doubt anyone does unless they've been at the beard and mustache contest. Definitely a fun show completed with men in spandex singing Push It.
White Denim - C Not sure what I was expecting. They sounded like they wanted to be Rush but couldn't get the rhythm quite right.
Alabama Shakes - A Brittany I can only imagine what you're going to sound like when you're all grown up. Damn! What is she like 24 years old? Great playing by the band. Met Brittany getting a beer at RHCP, I think she was almost as excited to see all the shows as to play, I've heard she was all over the place.
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - A Love her, love them, how do they not sweat?
The Avett Brothers - A I love these guys but I have to agree with the poster who said the stage was too much for them. Felt like they were getting sucked in up there. Nice touch with the Doc Watson tribute pieces and looking forward to the new album.
Rodrigo y Gabriela with C.U.B.A. - B - R&G have played Bonnaroo before and I had passed on them but after hearing Area 52 decided this was a must see. Got a little bored in the middle of the set (which may or may not have been related to the performance) but the musicianship of these two is amazing. I would have liked more time with CUBA playing with them.
Radiohead - B - For years I've heard about the amazing set these guys played at Roo in 2006 so my expectations may have been too high. Also had a crummy viewing area so if some of the awe was based on the stage work/lighting I likely missed it. Solid show, just not meeting what I expected.
The Word - A+ DAMN!!! Felt like I had spent the morning "getting churched" as they turned those hymns inside out. Sacred steel rocked a hell of a lot harder than I anticipated. It was somewhere between here and Dumpstaphunk that I think I left my voice behind.
Dumpstaphunk - A Damn Part II. Another act that has played at prior Roo's that I had skipped. Solid show, good crowd, plenty of phunk
Punch Brothers - Caught a short set in the Stub Hub tent, solid, I'll check out their full show at Floydfest next month
Flogging Molly - A Would you all like to say hello to our Scottish friends and thousands of middle fingers start to fly the bird. Great energy, great music, great time. Extra points for having Devil Makes Three there
North Mississippi Allstars - Caught two or three songs over on the Sonic stage. Well done as always
Gary Clark Jr., - A Thought for sure that the hype was going to be more than he could match. I was wrong
Art vs Science - A- These guys came to the inforoo brunch so I felt like I had to see them. I'm not a big dance music fan but they are slightly insane and fun.
The Stooges Brass Band - B - A brass band but much of their allotted time was taken up with a wedding proposal and a baby shower being thrown on stage.
Dispatch - B - A time filler for me, not familiar with their work, no complaints.
Red Hot Chili Peppers B- A bit disappointing, Kiedis really can't sing can he? However Flea was rocking his ass of and that helped.
Superjam A+ I hope you were there that's all I can say. Excellent performances by musicians at the top of the form.
Unchained - I can't give them a grade, I was so busy looking around at all the people whose jaws were hanging open.
Grouplove - B - Happy crowd, poppy
The Beach Boys - B Big sound problems back in the field, almost as if the speakers had been turned off back there. Got a little boring for me but glad I got to kinda hear them.
Kenny Rogers - A- Wasn't planning to go to this set but Kenny did a good job. His tone is a little pitchy on extended notes and I couldn't tell if he was trying to be funny or was kind of a dick. Points for bringing Lionel Richie out and mega points to the audience for the standing ovation given to the mayor of Manchester.
The Shins - Ehh, not really paying close attention, trying to do too many things at once and kind of wishing I had gone to see fun play We Are Young
Phish - A- Beginning of the second set started to lose me but good show in general. I had a sense they had planned another guest that didn't work out but no basis for that. Kenny Rogers being up there was weird but fine.
Dispatch (A) - Definitely a good time. Mrs. Robison cover was so good. Danny Clinch playing was pretty cool. I was kind of befuddled by the introducing Thom Yorke on stage. Was it a joke? If it was, it bombed.
I was 6th row in the pit. I don't remember who he was talking about but whoever it was definitely resembled Thom Yorke. You had to be close to get the joke. The guys were on fire for the entire show. Any idea how many people we're at the show? I couldn't tell from so close. Only complaint was they were not the Which stage Friday night Late Night show. They could have played 3+ hours easily.
-When I Hear My Name -Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground -Blue Orchid -Passive Manipulation -Red Rain -Death Letter -My Doorbell -Hotel Yorba -Same Boy You've Always Known -Lovesick -Little Ghost -We're Going to Be Friends -The Hardest Button to Button -Black Math -The Nurse -I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself
Encore: -Ball and Biscuit -Seven Nation Army -Screwdriver
Post by theshining on Jun 14, 2012 21:11:56 GMT -5
The cream of the crop:
The Roots (Wow is all I can really say) Charles Bradley (see above) Radiohead (see above) Moon Taxi (had pegged them as a possible set of the weekend ahead of time and they delivered for me. Also, their cover of Killing in the Name Of was one of the best covers of the weekend) Sharon Jones (similar to Charles Bradley is was such an honor to be there for this set and Sharon really delivered her A game) Alabama Shakes (just like the first time I saw them, they were awesome and continued to build their fan base. They will be Which next time around if not day time What stage) SBTRKT (took a while to lower the bass to a reasonable level but following that it was stellar) Kurt Vile (had been anticipating his show for a while and I loved it! Great mix of soft and thrashing loud. Also met and hung out with the bassist from Delta Spirit at this show)
High Quality:
Phish (always a fun time and easy to get into a groove with. Nice way to cap off a great weekend) Foster The People (wasn't sure how they would come off live but I was impressed. Broken Jaw was killer) Little Dragon (felt it could have been better but was still enjoyable) Mariachi El Bronx (good energy and overall a fun show) Feist (amazing vocal control, great presence, and a perfect fit in that time slot) Delta Spirit (As always they delivered. Could have gone for a few more songs though) Bon Iver (Never really could get into them despite trying repeatedly but this show just hit it for me. Very emotional set)
Decent:
Superjam (I'll take heat for this one I know. Quality musicianship but not what I had been hoping for) Phantogram (good but would have been better in a more intimate venue) Electric Guest (didn't know much going in but they impressed) Dirty Guvnah's (surprised me with how rocking out they were but didn't blow me away) RHCP (a good show with some highs and lows. Again, they suffered the fate of having a killer opener before them) Beach Boys (decent harmonies, lots of hits, wasn't overly taken with the show as a whole)
Poor:
MiMosa (partial set) Alice Cooper (partial set, I expected more out of him) Big Gigantic (partial set) The Word (partial set, found it rather boring and would rather have had Randolph with the Family Band)
Post by thekingofcosmania on Jun 14, 2012 22:30:04 GMT -5
*edit to add Kendrick Lamar (forgot)*
I'll only grade sets that I saw in full
Rollin in the Hay - B Kendrick Lamar - B Alabama Shakes - A
Tune-Yards - B Fitz & the Tantrums - A Radiohead - C (yes, I'm a long time fan. But I don't feel like defending my grading here. I have my reasons). Black Star - C Flying Lotus - A
Battles - C SBTRKT - B The Roots - A Red Hot Chili Peppers - B Alice Cooper - A++++++++++ (infinity plusses)
Beach Boys - A Ben Folds Five - B The Shins - C Phish - A
Post by hiddenzombie013 on Jun 15, 2012 15:21:57 GMT -5
Danny Brown C+: Heard a lot of buzz about this guy going in, but didn't see what was special about him whatsoever. He was bad per se, just didn't really do anything for me.
Yelawolf B: Wasn't expecting much from him, but he killed it. Got my Thursday night going. His DJ was good too. I left halfway through though for...
Moon Taxi B: These guys were pretty damn solid. I might listen to some more of them. Their cover of Killing in the Name was awesome, although it should have been a bit louder (which would have bumped them to a B+).
Alabama Shakes B: Only stayed for a few songs, but they sounded very clean. No complaints here. Tent was packed. Was glad they did their hits early on too, that way I could justify leaving early for...
Big Gigantic A: I come to Bonnaroo for bands like this. I heard em a bit before Roo, but they absolutely KILLED it here. I had to be up early for a volunteer shift, but every time I tried to leave, I just couldn't help but stay every time they had a build-up. Got me in the perfect mindset for the week. Probably my 3rd favorite set. They made me a fan.
The Avett Brothers B-: People seemed to really like these guys, but they just aren't my thing too much. I only watched them since I had to for the Radiohead pit. Good, but I would have been completely cool without seeing them.
Rodrigo y Gabriela and C.U.B.A. B+: Killer musicians! I was actually somewhat excited for this show since I had never seen them before. I was very impressed, by both Rod y Gab and the band. Only complaint was I started to get a bit bored near the end, but that's partially due to Radiohead anxiousness.
Radiohead A-: While they played amazingly, a few things brought it down for me personally. I was starting to get worn out by this point, with a full 2 hours still ahead of me. Plus, their setlist was very similar to when I saw them before. I was hoping they'd do something special for Roo, but nope. Also, I'm so mad they didn't play The National Anthem. I will say Paranoid Android is a great closer though, since it's their biggest "hit" that's not Creep.
Black Star C: Didn't sound as great as I hoped. I'll admit I only stayed for about three songs, but I was super tired and they weren't motivating me to stay. Shame, since they were my most-anticipated rap act.
The Temper Trap B: I was far away, so it was hard to see, but they sounded solid. Seemed like everyone liked them there. Good for them for getting a great stage slot.
Puscifer B: These guys sounded pretty sweet, and I dug their stage production. I was far back though, so it was hard to see. Wish I would have stayed longer.
SBTRKT B: They got screwed on the timeslot, but they made the most of it. Everything sounded good, and I enjoyed Wildfire a lot. Bonus points to the guy with the SBTRKT mask on a stick.
Childish Gambino B-: He was great last year, but this the main case where I experience low sound at the Which. I could barely hear him, so left after about 4 songs to catch the Alice Cooper interview at the Cinema Tent.
Danzig Legacy A-: As a metalhead at heart, it was GREAT to be at a metal show at Roo. His stage setup was great too, and I got there after his stage shenanigans ended. 10 minutes after I got there, he switched to the Samhain set, and I stayed all the way through Mother, so I caught a very solid chunk of the set. The pit went crazy during the Misfits set, and it was awesome having Doyle onstage. The fact that this was apparently the last Legacy show ever was icing on the cake.
The Roots (no grade): I don't think I saw enough of them, or was close enough, at Roo to judge appropriately. However, I saw them last year close up, and it was phenomenal. In fact, it was the second-best show I saw in all of 2011 (first being Iron Maiden), and I got a broken, signed ?uestlove drumstick too. That show was a solid A.
Dispatch B+: One of the solid surprises this weekend. Really enjoyed their set, even though I only knew a small amount of songs. The General was amazing. There were a lot of people there too.
Red Hot Chili Peppers B-: As with Radiohead, I was bummed their setlist was so similar from when I saw them earlier this year. Plus, they could have been a bit more energized. It could also be because I was far away. Their Tampa show was an A- though.
Alice Cooper (no grade): Only saw a couple songs and left for the Superjam, but he was great while I was there. I didn't realize how amazing of a choice he was for Roo until he came onstage. I say this because I saw him back in December on the same tour, and he was awesome. It was a B+ show, but if my first time seeing it was at Roo, it would have been an A- or A.
Superjam B+: Didn't stay for too long, but their lineup was killer, and D'Angelo was a definitive "Holy Quack!" moment of the weekend.
Skrillex A: SO GOOD! Everything went perfect at this show. I loved the spaceship onstage. It was the biggest party ever. Loved the light rain as well. Cannot get over how much fun I had here. I'd change a couple minor things, but they were so minor it's not worth mentioning.
The Black Lips B-: No complaints really, although I came near the last 15-20 minutes, and they didn't do any of their crazy onstage antics I've heard about. We mainly just caught them on the way to...
Grouplove B+: VERY energetic live group. These guys were a favorite of the weekend between my friends. Look forward to seeing them again.
City and Colour B: Wish I didn't have to leave early for The Beach Boys, because they sounded really solid. I actually bought their new album for $5 at Roo. I listened to it after and it's really good.
The Beach Boys A-: I was AMAZED at how good these guys were. I wish I could have gotten here for more of their set, but from what I heard, I got there right when the set got really good, which is when they played Heroes and Villains and everything after that. I got right in the pit, and everyone was dancing and throwing beach balls around. I was sad to see that Brian Wilson looked to be in poor health, but I'm so glad I got to see them all together before it was too late, since this will probably be their last big show ever.
Kenny Rogers (no grade): No grade, just because I didn't hear him do enough songs. However, between being given the key to the city and bringing out Lionel Ritchie, this gets an A for "oh ship!" moments.
Bon Iver B: I would have stayed for more of this if Sunday wasn't such a cluster for scheduling. Everything he played sounded great while I was there though.
The Shins B: Same thing for The Shins. No complaints here, and they played my favorite song of theirs (Australia) early on in the set, which made me a very happy camper.
Young the Giant B: I had missed three previous shows of theirs in my town, so I wasn't missing them here. They sounded pretty damn solid. Good show, although I left after Cough Syrup and happened to come right back as they started My Body. During the time I left, I went to see...
fun. B+: These guys put on a very energetic show! The crowd loved it, and the band seemed to love it even more. We Are Young was definitely a sing-a-long highlight. These guys have a chance to get even bigger if they keep it up.
Phish A: Incredible, incredible show. As the only headliner I hadn't seen beforehand, not to mention the reputation their live shows have, my hopes were pretty high. They blew my expectations out the water. The lightshow was great, the setlist was great, the jams were great. Kenny Rogers singing The Gambler was just icing on the cake. Perfect ending to an amazing Bonnaroo.
The first show I saw more than a casual 10 minutes of. Huge surprise! Great energy, great crowd, great concept!
Orgone: A+
Incredible show. Everyone in the crowd was throwing down from beginning to end, some of the most fun I had all weekend.
Yelawolf: A
Wasn't planning on seeing this show, but really glad that I did, another huge surprise. He had great incredible energy, a really well thought out set, and is just very talented in general.
Kendrick Lamar: C
Besides the Alabama shakes, Kendrick Lamar was probably who I was most excited to see on Thursday. Overall his show was pretty disappointing. He just tried to engage the crowd in too many bizarre ways to keep the energy up, but without actually killing any of his tunes this really took away from the continuity of the set. He's still very talented though.
Alabama Shakes: B+
Great show, and a huge turnout. Most everyone was pretty beat at this point though lol
Friday
Micheal Kiwanuka: A
Incredible way to start the day. Great show, his music really translated to a live setting a lot better than I thought it would.
Tune-Yards: B
A lot of fun! ... Just wish I could have been able to see lol
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings: A
This is the time I planned to get the What stage to get a good spot for Radiohead. I figured that I would enjoy the show, but I didn't think I would be as into it as I was in any way. Sharon's an Incredible performer!
Avett Brothers: A
I'm a huge fan, and was almost on the rail at the What stage at this point. Had an incredible time, and was really happy with the set.
Rodrigo y Gabriella w/ C.U.B.A. : A
Was thrilled by this show! Some of the most incredible musicianship on display all weekend
Radiohead: A+
Was very close on What, almost to the rail. Close enough to see the band clearly. I was blown away. I had the pleasure of seeing this Radiohead tour earlier this year in Tampa, so I had a concept of what they would sound like, what their light show and set list would be like, ect.
Even having seen them earlier this year, they far surpassed my expectations in every way. There were several surprises in their set that I was freaking thrilled to hear, like You and Whose Army and Kid A, and their light show and presentation on the What was just so amazing. They killed it. I wasn't there for their '06 show, so i don't have a concept of how this one compares, but it was the best show I've seen on the farm. Unbelievable.
Flying Lotus: A
One of my favorite electronic artists, even though I expected his set to be much different, it was probably the best live DJ set I've ever seen, and it was just a huge party.
Umphrey's McGee (w/ Big Gigantic): A+
First time to see Umphrey's.. Definetley will not be my last. They blew my mind from beginning to end. They're so tight and have such incredible energy. We stayed until the sun came up.
Saturday
Devil Makes Three: A
Really couldn't ask for much more from the group, they had a great sound live.
Trampled by Turtles (sonic): A+
Incredible group, was bummed by the conflict between them and Avett on Friday, but their sonic stage set made up for it. Them closing with "The Weight" was one of the most magical moments of the weekend.
Battles: B
They're a good live band, and I'm a fan of their music, but I couldn't really say I was blown away lol.
SBTRKT: A
They're an incredibly talented group, and it really translated well live. I was happy to be really close for this set.
The Roots: A
.... They definitely know what they are doing lol. They were as good as expected, and had great covers of "Move on Up" and "The Bottle"
RHCP: A+
Incredible show, incredible energy, they played everything I could've wanted to hear. One of the best rock bands of all time. It was an honor.
Superjam: A
So much fun! The crowd was great, and D'Angelo killed it. .... So did the rest of the band .. you get it.
GZA: A+
Incredible show! Hearing him with the incredibly responsive and musical Groupo Fantasma was so cool, and his stories were just so bad ass lol
Sunday:
The Black Lips: D
.... I don't know man lol. I didn't dig it.
The Beach Boys: A
It was exactly what I expected, which was just perfect
Ben Folds Five: A
I grew up listening to these guys, and it was a huge honor to be in a "flipping Ben the bird" picture lol
Bon Iver: A
I'm an incredibly huge fan of the man's music. That being said, the What stage didn't really seem to fit their sound or stage presence.
Even still, the show had some amazing moments, like the jam at the end of creature fear.
The Civil Wars: A+
INCREDIBLE! Went with a friend to catch the last 40 minutes of this show, without knowing much about their music. I was truly affected by this show. The crowd was so still and attentive for their set, but ERUPTED with applause after every tune. All of which were astonishingly beautiful. Great vibe!
Phish: A+
Became a Phish fan in preparation for getting to see them for the first time at Bonnaroo this year. They're out of control. Can't wait to see them again.. and again.
