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Post by gardenfresh on Jul 10, 2012 13:50:49 GMT -5
I think alot are confused because there are really two types of "Guests."
There are ARTISTS and GUESTS OF ARTISTS. They got a bright yellow wristband with supreme festival access.
Then there's the group that was "GUESTS". These were a variety of people, ranging from less important friends of artists, to radio station giveaway winners, etc. This group got a pale green wristband, had access to the media area backstage (NOT VIP), and got to camp in their own paddock to camp backstage somewhere. These were like "comps".
The laminate for all access to everything was Lavar Burton from Star Trek on one side and him from Reading Rainbow on the other.
Gardenfresh hit it on the nose though. What was really messed up is that with an Artist wristband you couldnt enter and exit through the main entrances.
guests had a greenish yellow wristband and artists were bright yellow
Actually when I went and picked up Art Vs Science for the brunch they had to leave through the main entrance.
The laminate for all access to everything was Lavar Burton from Star Trek on one side and him from Reading Rainbow on the other.
Gardenfresh hit it on the nose though. What was really messed up is that with an Artist wristband you couldnt enter and exit through the main entrances.
guests had a greenish yellow wristband and artists were bright yellow
Actually when I went and picked up Art Vs Science for the brunch they had to leave through the main entrance.
Also when we went to see Tune-Yards we entered through the ADA entrance.
Post by thebendskida on Jul 11, 2012 19:46:14 GMT -5
I was totally thinking the same thing. I wasn't part of any VIP but even from GA section the VIP section seemed to have a different energy. It was like the Ritz Carlton of Bonnaroo. IMO GA is the only way to get the full Bonnaroo experience. Just some input from a newbie.
The laminate for all access to everything was Lavar Burton from Star Trek on one side and him from Reading Rainbow on the other.
Gardenfresh hit it on the nose though. What was really messed up is that with an Artist wristband you couldnt enter and exit through the main entrances.
guests had a greenish yellow wristband and artists were bright yellow
Actually when I went and picked up Art Vs Science for the brunch they had to leave through the main entrance.
so they could go in through the normal entrance? the artist pass i had wouldnt scan on any of the normal entrances and I had to use the GA one..
I've done total access/roll like a rock star the past two years. Since there are so few folks who would be able to contribute from "the other side" (there are only 200 of "us"), wanted to add some additional insight. This year was my 9th roo, previously doing a variety of GA in a tent, GA in an RV, and VIP in a tent over my first 7 years...so I can offer a well rounded perspective.
Music is my thing, go to all kinds of festivals of all kinds of flavors and consider Bonnaroo the ultimate. Check out my free Bonnaroo DJ mixes posts for a little more about me if interested.
Just like life, Bonnaroo is exactly what you make of it. It doesn't matter which access you have, you are the captain of your own ship and most heavily influence your own experience. What you put out into the world is pretty much what you get back.
I am most certainly not "upper class", and have instead been extremely fortunate to be granted admission to the roll like a rock star experience through a series of serendipitous opportunities that I pursued with an open mind. This is the only festival where I even do VIP, it is a complete waste at places like Ultra and Electric Zoo. Live music does many things, but ultimately for me it is about the experience of enjoying music with others. I view the perks of TA as simply a way to enhance what is already there. For me, Bonnaroo TA is the ultimate possible music experience.
Yes, you have the folks who don't care about the music. You have those who aren't the most friendly and flaunt the "money is power" illusion/reality.
But you also have the people that invest more to get back something more. You have the people who are lonely, just looking to feel good about the world if only for a weekend. You get all types in TA, just as you get all types in GA.
Of course I spent the most time with my amazing group of 8. But outside of that, I spent time talking with the big wigs. I spent time talking with the partiers. I spent time talking with the dads and moms (one of my favorite things is giving children glowsticks). I prolly spent the most time hanging and dancing with the staff. There are opportunities for enlightenment all around you at any given point in time.
Even after 9 Roos, I still make mistakes at every festival. Last year for my first TA I made a similar error described by the OP, I didn't spend enough time "mingling with the natives". However, even then I still made all kinds of connections. I actually met one of the OP's group (the OP won but got to take 7 friends), the guy was so humbled and appreciative of being in TA. He was a huge music fan, I remember telling him "dude, you are EXACTLY the kind of person who deserves to have won what you won, thank you for being here."
This year I changed what I wanted to from the previous year and spent a lot more time out and about. I remember being in my favorite spot (just in front of the soundboard) for Fitz and the Tantrums (as hard as it was to leave Little Dragon and to sacrifice most of Avett Brothers, a painful conflict). I was really enjoying talking with this older couple (prolly late 50's) and hearing of their experiences (him being blown away by ELO back in the day). At one point he noticed my laminate and was like "what the hell are you doing out here with us?" I smiled and was like "its all Bonnaroo...nice to be close sometimes, but also nice to be here dancing with you."
At the same time, of all the TA perks the areas right in front of the two stages are (for me) what makes it all worthwhile. Not only do I get to be close, I get to be close with room to dance and breathe. I almost always sacrifice proximity for having room to dance at live music, this is one time I get both. Sometimes you get lame or non-exist crowds in the TA area, but the same thing happens all over the festival. You also get where it all comes together. Skrillex was the biggest dance party Bonnaroo has ever seen. I'm not even much of a dubstep fan, but that was a freaking blast. The TA pit was going off just as much (if not more) than the normal pit, I remember thinking "you were wondering whether Bonnaroo was finally ready for EDM on one of the stages, here is your freaking answer!" And during Radiohead, just like out in the What field a bunch of the TA crowd left during the set. But those who remained totally loved it, that Paranoid Android final song was absolute insanity, one of the songs of the festival for sure. I was wayyyy out in the What field for Radiohead in '06, and it was awesome and life changing. Say what you want about the setlist, Radiohead in '12 experienced from the TA pit was even better.
For everything you give up in GA to move to VIP, you get something back (less vibe, but less lines). For everything you give up in the move from VIP to TA, you get something back (less people, closer special area).
We can do anything we want in life, but we can't do everything. The beauty is in the choice of what is most important to YOU.
There are 80,000 completely different experiences going on that weekend. Some of the differences are subtle, some are more pronounced. The only thing everyone really has in common is that we are all at Bonnaroo. Others will do what they will. Ultimately the only thing that matters is what YOU bring to the table, since that is all you can really control anyway.
Post by gardenfresh on Jul 17, 2012 19:18:43 GMT -5
Billion :-D I'm bummed our paths didn't cross, you seem like an up standing person who would have been fun to spend time with. I'm also curious to know what your serendipitous sequence of events was.
Your post helped me see perhaps my OP was a little one-sided, so for that I do apologize... I just had an influx of emotion surrounding the whole trip, and I think when you said the following you hit the nail on the head:
Just like life, Bonnaroo is exactly what you make of it. It doesn't matter which access you have, you are the captain of your own ship and most heavily influence your own experience. What you put out into the world is pretty much what you get back.
I also think it's fair to say that I "put in" alot more to my 2012 GA experience than I did for my TA 2011 one, so it makes sense that I feel the way I do about it and I feel like it wasn't as amazing. On the surface, of course it was amazing! With all those perks how could it NOT be. But deep down, I guess I was just too overwhelmed too slow down and really experience it.
I also want to re-iterate that I'm not hating on anyone that is fortunate to have TA or even the Burgeoise yuppies that spend the money and waste their time there.
And I can't lie, if I was wealthy enough to afford it or if I had some connection, of COURSE I'd do it again. But next time around I'd make sure I had a different attitude and make sure I don't skip out on the behind the scenes magic that makes Bonnaroo so special.
Billion, thank you for your response it was nice hearing from someone on the other side that was a genuine music fan and someone who appreciated what was there.
PS-- If your paths cross with Dan Berkowitz or Nicole from CID, please tell them I said "Hello" :-D
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