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Figured we could use a general thread for everyone who was actually there to share their experience...
We got in line Wed at 6pm and were in camped and setup in Pod 3 by 745pm. Best camping spot I've had in my 6 trips to the farm, we were directly next to the Pod 3 balloon.
General thoughts... 1) Didnt notice any increased police/security presence, in fact of the 20 times I walked into Centeroo by the Other Tent I was only patted down twice. 2) Crowds were light, very easy to get within 50yds of What or Which no matter who the act was. 3) Less vendors, but still had a variety. Seems a lot of the duplicate vendors only had 1 stand instead of 2-3 in years past. 4) The new showers are EVERYTHING. 5) New bathrooms were a god send and were clean the whole weekend. 6) Crowd was great, ran into very nice people both young and old. Our neighbors were 18-19 and super excited to be on the farm, nice guys. Saw more parents with their children this year than in past years.
Thurs
Lolawolf - First act of the weekend, great set. Crowd was into it and they kept the energy up.
Piff the Magic Dragon/Bridgette Everett- Piff was one of the lamest things I've ever seen at Roo, we walked out 5 mins into his set. However, Brigdette was the best comedian I've seen in a really long time. She was so over the top, and her songs were amazing.
Borns - Fun show, had a great spot about halfway back in the tent. His Bowie cover was fantastic.
Silent Disco Prince Party - Closed out our Thurs with the Prince tribute in the silent disco. Despite some technical difficulties at the start, the DJ did a great job mixing in some non-single Prince jams.
Friday (maybe my fav Roo day in my 7 years)
Andra Day (pit) - Fantastic voice, the tribute to the cancer survivors was touching and her cover of Kendrick was great. St. Lucia (pit) - Really fun show, band played an uptempo set and they looked like they were having a blast. Shamir - I really thought this set would suck after watching his Coachella set, I couldn't have been more wrong. His voice was good and his mannerisms were on point. The crowd was pretty hyped for this show, he ended the show dancing in the crowd with my friends and I. CHVRCHES (pit) - Again, another show I was,nervous about after their lackluster Coachella performance, but Lauren's voice actually delivered live, they were great. The live bass adds to their sound. M83 (pit) - Magical is the only word needed here. LCD Soundsystem - They killeddddd it, despite the small crowd they threw down. Seemed a little looser since their first couple reunion shows. Purity Ring - Awesome visuals, stayed for the first 3 songs, the tent was maybe half full at that time. Also, the volume was a little low, hopefully they fixed this as the set went on. Chainsmokers - It was a big dumb dance party, and that's exactly what I expected. Not a great set musically but the 15 mins I was there were pretty damn fun. Tame Impala - Knew they wouldn't fill the full 2hr time slow. They sounded perfect and the noticeably smaller Which field handled the crowd perfectly, crowd reach just beyond the group of trees, not very densley packed though. Bob Moses - Caught the last 2 songs, they sounded great and the bass was strong. There was maybe 500 people, and I think that might be a very generous estimate. Zeds Dead - Stayed for about 15-20 mins and they played some really heavy stuff...it was typical paint by numbers EDM, crowd was going offffffff though. Lane 8 - Best EDM set of the weekend, the crowd in the silent disco was loving it.
Saturday
Grace Potter (pit) - It was ungodly got when her set started. She had maybe 1,000 people at the What Stage, it filled in by the end of her set though. She played mostly solo material, her voice was spot-on and her cover of When Doves Cry was beautiful. Also, her band rips live, they really rocked out. The Knocks - One of the only disappointing sets of the weekend. The heat was messing with their equipment which caused some issues with their sound and having to a abort a song. They don't seem like they have their live show together yet. HAIM (pit) - Great energy, they really looked like they were having fun up there, the two new songs sounded nice. Macklemore - Caught the first half before the storm caused the evac. The dude gets a ton of shit on here but the 3 songs I saw weren't terrible, Chance showing up to perform was a bonus too. Ellie Goulding (pit) - She brought it, set list was paced really well, played all the hits and had everyone dancing. Pearl Jam - Awesome set, I think they sounded better than 08. The music sounded more muscular and fleshed out. Big Grams - Slow start to the set but after the first 2 songs they got into the groove and went for it. The Phantogram songs were a nice treat. Robe Rage - Prince DJ set from Cherub, fun time. Lots of people with not much on under those robes...
Sunday
Saint Motel - Played a bunch of stuff from the upcoming album, great sound and energy. X Ambassadors - What the fuck was this? 10 mins late then the cheesiest music I heard all weekend, left after 3 songs. Death Cab for Cutie - Minor sound issues at the beginning but they recovered and played all the hits, awesome sunset show. Third Eye Blind - Maybe the most energetic crowd all weekwnd, also one of the largest tent crowds all weekend. They sounded good and really went over well with the crowd. Bluegrass Superjam - Never seen this before but decided to give it a shot. Not into country or bluegrass but it was really fun. They kind of fucked up the last song when it seemed no one knew the words and someone missed their verse. Dead & Co - Honestly, never heard a Dead song before. It was good chill music, but when the electronic portion of the set started, holy shit. That was some weird shit, but in a good way.
interesting, your take on Zeds Dead was the complete opposite of my friend who was most excited to see him. he said the crowd was completely bored and he wasn't impressed with the show.
i did see the Flos set, and that was pretty good.
i missed thursday unfortunately, and got roped into Mister Wives instead of seeing Shamir. i feel shame on both accounts. Mister Wives wasnt' terible though, and the drum thing they ended up with was pretty cool.
Daughter was good, i wish i had stayed there.
LCD did kill it, unfortunately i spent half the set trying to find medics to deal with the naked masturbating girl that decided to bless us with her presence. it was seriously disturbing how hard it was to find someone to deal with her. she ended up running off into the night after 45 minutes of hanging by us. CHVRCHES was great, as was the dude who climbed into the middle of the parachute and started chucking plastic balls in the air. M83 sounded great, but Tame disappointed me. i've seen that show a million times. they could have at least played the full 2 hours. Clutch did, their clutch thing, and it sounded like they've been playing 200 shows a year, because they do.
i liked Lamb of god... Roo has done well with Metal acts i think.
REALLY wanted to like Claypool Lennon Delerium, but i wandered away bored
Pearl Jam was awesome, although i felt like we missed an encore for some reason.
i finally saw Father John Misty and thought he was great. Death Cab was on point too. played everything.
went to Maclamore even though ididnt' want to, but was glad to see Chance. Mac was ok, for what he is.
THird Eye Blind was terrible. the lead singer was corny, and it sounded like i was listening to a cover band. everyone around me was making fun of them.
skipped Dead and Co. i just gave no fucks.
tried to get into the new bathrooms 3 times to take a shit. gave up on waiting and found a very clean portapotty that no one was using because they were all waiting for the new bathrooms. thanks for that. i DID however go in the exit door of the new bathrooms to take a piss because no one was trying to get to the urinals.
new showers were dope.
crowds did seem smaller for everything, i guess because they were. seemed like lots of newbies this year.
fountain got shit colored again, and the water refill stations ended up eggy again, but at least they were everywhere.
couldn't find a mist tent for the life of me, nor did the mist fans in front of the miller tent work for some reason. i loved those.
I got in the west tollbooth at around 10ish and got pod 9. It wasn't a very long walk to centeroo which is nice and the grove was very close.
General thoughts 1. Didn't have any problem with cops. Every horse mounted cop was very nice to our group (I even got to pet the horse) 2. It wasn't crowded at all. I could show up just when a show was starting and get a good spot. 3. Centeroo public toilets were great for taking a shit. 4. I couldn't find the famous dollar grilled cheeses.
Thurday: Lolawolf - better than I expected. Was a good way to start off the weekend. Bully - Sounded really good. Only knew like two songs going in but came out a fan. Vulfpeck - Amazing. One of the best sets of the weekend. I was dancing the whole time. Marian Hill - The lead singer was great and the set was very easy to dance to. Definitely a better choice than borns. Floozies - Great light show but the music wasn't doing much for me so I left early.
Friday: St Lucia - Fun show but nothing spectacular. I heard misterwives was better. FIDLAR - Fucking insane. I'm looking all over for a download for this set. I still remember the face on the poor soul who didn't know what she was in for and got out as soon as the show started. Chvrches - eh. Not a fan of their album so I guess it's no surprise I wasn't a fan of the show. My friends loved it though. M83 - Only stayed for a couple songs to get a good spot of LCD but they rocked. Hearing Go! as I walked away was awesome. One of my friends who is a huge m83 fan cried during the set. LCD - What can I say? I danced myslf clean. Best set of the weekend. Tame - I wish they didn't end 40 minutes early but when they were playing they rocked. Let it happen was magical.
Saturday: Sausage party - Awful movie. Had a good concept but it was really fucked up and this is coming from a huge seth rogen fan. The Knocks - Only stayed for a couple songs but it was a very fun show. TDCC - As predicted they put on a very fun show. Played every song I wanted to hear. Wish I was closer. Claypool Lennon - Don't remember much from this because I was distracted by attractive females talking to me but I was in attendance. The only downside of me wearing the pope costume was everyone was coming up to me. Pearl Jam - Fucking rocked and I'm not even a big PJ fan. Big Grams - Only caught the tail end but it was pretty lit. Robe Rage - If the image of me dressed as the pope raging to prince doesn't bring a smile to your face I don't know what will. Didn't stay the whole time.
Sunday: Saint Motel - Wasn't impressed. It wasn't bad though. Father John Misty - Amazing performance. Easily one of my favorites. Ween - Fun show! Which felt empty though. Dead and Co - Only stayed for the first set but I loved it as a casual dead fan.
Favorite Sets: 1. LCD 2. Tame Impala 3. Pearl Jam 4. Dead and Co 5. FJM
Post by thepeppers on Jun 14, 2016 12:50:23 GMT -5
Going to try to keep this short. Let's get the negative out of the way...
- Being in pod 10 sucked. That walk was terrible. I was able to get in 3 hours earlier this go around compared to 2013, yet in 2013 I was in pod 7. That was the main reason I didn't go to brunch. - The heat on Saturday/Sunday was brutal. I'm not sure how the level of dust this year compared to recent years, but it really opened up my sinuses. That was a first for me at a camping festival, which I will be prepared for come the next time. - The silent disco doesn't need to be that close to Which. Chance had some sort of surprise thing going on at the Silent Disco when FJM was on Which....it became a clusterfuck. - I wish they would combine the Brooer's Tent and the Arcade...try to aim for something similar to what Firefly has with their Arcade. For the side attractions in Centeroo, it seemed like a few good ideas that were not executed to the full extent that they could be.
Now the good stuff.
- Loved the smaller crowd compared to 2012/2013 (that was last time I was at the farm). It was so much easier to get good spots for shows this go around for me, which was a big negative in my past Roo's. - In both 2012 and 2013, I went with a group 6...this year I only went with one other person. I actually took the time this year to get to know some of our camping neighbors and went to a few shows with one in particular. - The water situation really improved the bathrooms and showers...it was noticeably better this year compared to the past. - It seemed like the art-work was better this year compared to 2012/2013.
It seems like they're trying to focus on developing the Kalliope stage with all the surprise LN shows. I wish they would set it up to which other acts could play besides DJ's.
Post by thesidebar on Jun 14, 2016 13:24:05 GMT -5
Overall, I enjoyed myself to the fullest. did i miss some things i wanted to see, yes. (churches now twice) but overall FUCKING FANTASTIC!
Wed. got setup and drunk by 1pm. Rolled to TO and helped setup by 3 ish. had a good time.
Thursday: 1. worked my ass off putting on wristbands at the arch. OMG it was hot and it absolutely whipped my old ass. LANY - not my speed realy. caught them for a few photos then rolled on ROman Gianarthur was killing it when I got there. Sounded good. Great energy. good photo opps. BULLY was fun. not 100% my speed but good to hear. Met up with some INforoosters and we moved on to the WHO stage. Doe Paoro- great vocals and I enjoyed Joseph - Three sisters who had a wonderful harmony. I fell in love with the one on the guitar. WOO.... Hinds- Madrid! the girls KILLED IT. Jammed hard and were fantastic. I only left because ... well I forgot.
Friday BRUNCH BABY.. fun times Andra day (pit) was Fantastic. not on my set list or my speed but was great and then K Washington showed up. WOW. The Cancer survivor tribute left me teary eyed. Lucius was about what I expected. mildly entertaining and a nice cool off from the hot sun. FireKid - Great sounds. PACKED PACKED Miler Lite stage. Heidi Feek Playing a Freaking Gameboy. Arkels - Good enjoyed Flux Capacitor. yea these guys jammed it out hard. What a fun time. went and rested as Thursday kicked my ass.
Chainsmokers - Exactly as stated before it was a big dance party which was what I wanted. Fun to watch and enjoy. I didnt get it the thick of it and kinda regret it.
Saturday - a very special day for me. spent it with a bonnaroo rookie and showed her the ropes. we ambled around a bit and just took it all in . shouel dhave done Grace potter but we didnt make it. Jason Mraz - Wife loved him. I need to get a recording of "Get your girl some Chocolate" Chris Stapleton (pit) He was exactly what we expected. Stood there, played Guitar and belted out Sweet traditional country. OMG we need him to stay strong. Nice that his producer was playing in the band (also does Isbell and Simpson). I needed 2 hours of this. PLEASE MORE. ended up rescueing a friends girl friend from heat stroke after his set. they showed up with no water, no nothing. she was in a BAAAD way. gave her our cold water, cold rag, set them in a shade tent and fetched more water and gave them out empty bottles. she recovered fortunately. Grandma Sparrow HOLY fuck he is wierd. we chilled in the shade during sound checks and HOLY COW. we bailed cause we could just not stand to hear him shout "do you want to dance" one more freaking time in the mic. WOAH. HAIM - the gals of Haim rocked. got some great photos and truly enjoyed what we heard from them. Macklemore - same show as a fwe years ago with a few new songs added. he is a little party waiting to happen and the set was exactly as expected. He delivered a ton of energy (and had a nice break too)
during the lighting we tailgated at buddys truck who was parked behind what. Fun times.
Pearl Jam - Special to me. Wife and I needed that set to be exactly what it was for us. Superjam. heard johnny cash songs as I rolled up. then it was not what I needed at 2 am so sleep got the best of me.
SUNDAY. Yay we made it. camp packed up and inside by noon. John Moreland - simple, good to listen to. good warmup for the day Sarah Watkins - what a pretty voice. not entertaining but easy on the ears. Jason Isbell (PIT) Yea he rocked out. He has lost some weight since his last Bonnaroo set. he put on a great show. I needed MORE MORE MORE!!!
that is all folks. I went home due to work Monday.
overall, great vibes. Loved the small crowds. most shows I wanted I could roll up as close as I wanted to with a few exceptions. I found a high spot in the what field that put me a foot above everyone else. it was fantastic. See yall next year.
We don't really have a recent hotel/shuttle package thread, just wanted to say it's the shit. I've done hotels in murfreesboro and driven myself in everyday the past few years, this was my first year doing the Embassy Suites Murfreesboro shuttle package. Before Bonnaroo Sam, the guy who runs it, was very responsive to my emails and we even talked on the phone once about my questions. Nice guy.
The shuttle arrival/pickup location was the VIP tollbooth, so it was a slight bummer having to walk around all the VIP sections to get to the arch, but really it's just a 10-15 walk. You're given a shuttle schedule and generally they arrive right on time, but leave 10 minutes later than they say they do, which is good for stragglers. The only night the shuttle was late was Saturday, I think I waited about 30 minutes. The shuttle ride itself takes about 45 minutes from hotel to tollbooth. Uses the VIP entrance so no traffic.
Generally the shuttles were hardly full at all, except for Sunday when it was totally full. But I made a friend that night and we watched Bill O'Reilly interviewing the Insane Clown Posse on his phone which was the funniest thing I saw all weekend.
The Embassy Suites itself was a great hotel, quiet with big cold rooms. I left Roo between 3-4am every night and slept until noon every day.
It was nice not having to worry about being too tired to drive myself back to the hotel that late. There have been some nights in past years driving at 4am that were a little touch and go.
It is expensive, no way around it, but if you are considering VIP you should at least consider looking into the shuttle package and doing shuttle + GA instead.
Much respect to the people who camp, but once you get a taste of those showers, cold hotel rooms, and leftover pizza, it's impossible to go back.
If I do Bonnaroo next year, I'll be doing the hotel/shuttle package again.
5.5/four tet, daphni b2b floating points, avalon emerson 5.12/neil young 5.19/mannequin pussy 5.21/serpentwithfeet 5.25/hozier 6.12-16/bonnaroo 6.28/goose 6.29/goose 9.17/the national + the war on drugs 9.23/sigur ros 9.27-29/making time 10.17/air
I'm a deadhead. To be honest, I'm not even That big a music fan. My wife is a big music fan, that's the main reason I go. So I don't know much about any of the acts at Roo, other than the Dead.
Most of the bands I saw, I normally wouldn't drive even 30 miles to see. A lot of the bands you guys like annoyed me, like LCD, Chvrches and even St Lucia.
But hears what blew me away that nobody's mentioned yet, Leon Bridges. He was awesome. Talk about good times, having fun music. For those of you that missed him, would recommend giving him a listen.
Was typing a review of all the acts I saw but accidentally deleted it. Here's the condensed version:
Bully - Mosh Pit. Vulfpeck - Holy Fuck. Kamasi Washington - Holy Fuck. J. Cole - Pleasantly Surprised. Chance the Rapper makes better music though. LCD Soundsystem - Holy Fuck. Holy Fuck. HOLY FUCK. Tame Impala - Best time I've seen them, why did Roo book them for 2 hours... (and why did Kevin Parker bother saying "I wish we would play all night"?) Pearl Jam - Fuck yeah. Regret leaving early. Superjam - Fun, a little too downtempo, and could have missed the first couple songs instead of missing the end of PJ. SexyBack. Kurt Vile - Hardest chill of the fest. Father John Misty - That guy just keeps getting better. And hasn't stopped being funny. Lettuce - Mmm horns. Lord Huron - Blown away. Seen them a couple times but this set was something else. Dead & Co. - They killed. Missed most of first set but they were on fire during the second set. Wish they'd filled that last half hour. Could have done with some "China Cat/Rider," "Sugar Magnolia," "Estimated Prophet," or "Brown Eyed Women" but loved their setlist anyways. Partially because they were the last set of a long exhausting weekend and weird night, but they're the band I've wanted to see again most since leaving the fest. I'm not the biggest deadhead by any stretch but I'm going to do my best to be at their Fenway shows this summer. It's too bad to think that Roo is probably one of the best places for a Dead show and it might never happen again.
Post by anoonmoose on Jun 14, 2016 22:31:47 GMT -5
This is the third Bonnaroo in a row that I've gone to. I don't know if it had the best music, but I saw a couple of my favorite sets.
I got there Wednesday afternoon and got put in a goddamn grove of trees in Pod 2. Seriously, I was under a tree and surrounded by trees. It. Was. Amazing. I know it's just dumb luck and will never happen again, but boy was that the greatest. I almost don't even want to tell people how cool Pod 2 was. Think Pod 1 but with trees. My buddies from Pod 10 and VIP brought their chairs over and hung out in the shade in the morning.
I absolutely love the new bathrooms and showers. Two thoughts though. First off, the $10 peak/$5 off-peak pricing for the showers seemed almost insulting because there was never a line for the showers. Secondly, how the hell did people manage to break the locks off of that many of the stall doors? Oh yeah, it was absolutely hilarious seeing lines for men to use stalls that were consistently as long if not longer than the lines for the women. One of the funnier things I've seen in a while. The new bathrooms in Centeroo were fairly amazing as well. Water tasted a lot better this year.
Thursday was super mellow, most of the day I hung out with my buddies, none of who have been to Bonnaroo besides me. Showed them the sights, pestered them to use more sunscreen (didn't help one of them), saw some bands. Went to the Comedy Tent for the first time. The only band I particularly remember was The London Souls, who rocked out respectfully.
Friday was a long day. I don't think I saw anything before Misterwives, but I got in the pit for that and they put on a pretty good show. Got bored during Griz, broke off from the friends and took a nap listening to CHVRCHES. Dropped acid for the first time at Roo and did M83, a Kalliope set, a tiny bit of Purity Ring, and Tame Impala. All great times. Went to bed far too late.
Was on the struggle bus a little bit Saturday but got into the pit for Band of Horses, who rocked, but I left early to go to Clutch, who rock the most. I was getting ready for Lamb of God/Claypool Lennon Delirium when they booted everyone out. Took off almost all my clothes and tried to cool down in the rain but the sky just wouldn't open up for me. Laid down sometime during Claypool Lennon, but was awake for almost all, stood up for a bit, then caught a few Pearl Jam songs and listened to the rest at the tent.
Sunday was one of the coolest days of Bonnaroo I've had. The Wood Brothers were absolutely fantastic, and a few of my friends were excited to see them too, and we had a blast. I love Kurt Vile, but I think that Father John Misty might have just put down my all-time favorite Bonnaroo set. I'm not 100% about that, it's a hard decision between that and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds back in 2014. Bad Seeds probably win. If Tillman played at midnight some year, though, well shit, that'd be something. I love Death Cab, and I don't know a damn song by the Grateful Dead, but it was nice to relax to back at the tent and John Mayer, who I love, sure looked fucking happy and sounded fantastic.
All in all I had a blast, so did all of my friends, so did everyone I talked to. /r/bonnaroo talked a lot about an increased security presence but I didn't feel like I saw it. I thought the crowd this year was better, and if I had to make a wild, unfounded guess why, it would be because there was less rap and EDM which I think resulted in a slightly older crowd than the last few years I came. I don't think LCD is gonna bring the same type of crowd Skrillex or Deadmau5 brought, and there wasn't a Kanye or Kendrick at all (J. Cole doesn't count). Hell, this was the first year I didn't see someone pass out near me, and that happened to me multiple times at each of the last two I went to.
Best times of the year: 1) Holy shit, camping under a tree 2) Father John Misty is incredible, just absolutely incredible 3) Caught the end of Flux Capacitor when everyone was walking to LCD Soundsystem, holy shit those dudes are incredible. 4) M83 on acid. Enough said. 5) Just hanging out with all of the crazy fuckers out there. I love Bonnaroo and I'll be back next year.
Post by Jake Jortles on Jun 15, 2016 8:50:09 GMT -5
I’ve been going the last 4 years. This one ranks #2 to 2014 for me. No thanks to the lineup.
Wednesday:
This night was one of the best party nights of my life. This night of Roo can’t go unnoticed. The energy and vibez are full blast at this point. The anticipation is off the charts.
A few highlights:
• My friend peeing on someone’s foot because those “urinals” were ridiculous. The way that the kid alerted us that he was being peed on, and the subsequent apology was so fucking funny even though we felt terrible. • Partying with the soopergroup in their tent. Crowd surfing, slight moshing, kid climbing to top of tent • Having awful sex in a grove hammock. The grove btw is amazing for people who haven’t been there the last two years.
Thursday:
Thursday could not compete with previous years. I did a good amount of research and just couldn’t get excited for much beyond “oh this band is pretty good.” There was no situation where I started screaming when an artist walked on stage like I did for Courtney Barnett last year or Pusha and Ty the year before, or Alt J before that. You need something big to look forward to each day. Lizzo was fantastic. Best show of the night IMO
Friday:
Friday was a little overrated for me on paper. Really enjoyed Fidlar, but Chvches, Vince, Leon, and J Cole from pit line were all just good. The turning point was LCD. Favorite show ever. Then Tame > Lane 8 > a combination of Kalliope and Xmas Barn until sunrise. Incredible.
Saturday:
Blistering heat. Plus I was super tired from night before. Weather scare was infuriating because we waited in the PJ pit line for hours in the heat, only to get shut out after returning from campgrounds. Absolute bullshit. Got into it with an inconsiderate douche of a volunteer about how they could have done this better. PJ was number 2 of the weekend regardless. Got fucked up as shit for the rest of the night and can’t give a real review of the SJ. Not sure how I made it back to camp. But when we did, there was a passed out random girl in our camp. Took an hour or two to get her to where she needed to be. This may have been Friday actually.
Sunday:
Learned about Orlando, where I’m from. Remained calm and began contacting all my friends. All safe. I actually may argue that Sunday ended up being the best full day of music. Cymande was awesome. The end of Charles Bradley made me think his set was even better. “Changes may have been one of the greatest live performances ever for me. I was looking to meet up with my brother as we both love his version of that song. We finally locked eyes right before the chorus and sprinted through the back of the What field towards each other for a huge hi-5 as Charles belted the first chorus. Then by the end of the song we were very close. He starts hugging the crowd as the horns remain blasting. So awesome.
Side note: Pit system was kind of garbage this year. It was easy to get into, but they would cut it off when it was half full for some shows. What’s better, is they wouldn’t let new people in on a one in one out basis.
Here is where I will expand on the awfulness that was Chance’s listening session in the silent disco. Fist of all, most people at Roo were lead to believe he would be performing coloring book through a mic into headphones. Everyone got there early for him, but they handed out no headphones. Then, a massive line formed and people were crowding outside because we thought maybe he was somehow doing a set in there out loud. Again, nobody had headphones. Chance comes out wayyy later than 5, when scheduled btw. Many people had their Father john Misty set ruined by that, but hey it may have been worth it right? Wrong. They bring out headphones and CLEAR OUT THE SILENT DISCO and send the people who got there earliest to the back of the monstrous line. Needless to say, none of them get in, and they are all 4 songs late to FJM. The levels of incompetency here were astounding.
FJM > End of Death Cab was awesome. I took the most epic shit ever during Transatlanticism. I go in as it comes on, and I was in there through most of the build up. By the time “I need you so much closer” is peaking im in full head bob mode. Then Ween and Dead and CO were great. I think there is a legit argument to be made for Sunday > Friday as it actually happened.
Got plastered at camp and rode out the next morning with NO LINE. Only waited 25 mins to get into Roo this year too. Amazing.
Hit a waterfall on the way back. Lovely Roo experience for the fourth time in a row.
Sunday: Learned about Orlando, where I’m from. Remained calm and began contacting all my friends. All safe. I actually may argue that Sunday ended up being the best full day of music. Cymande was awesome.
That Cymande set exceeded my expectations. So glad I rushed in after someone at camp alerted me it started in 10 minutes. I had concerns they might not be as tight of a band as they once were, but they sounded amazing and the dancing helped me forget about the which pit afternoon heat. After the news from Orlando that morning hearing the song "Crazy Game" for the first time was one of the more powerful moments of the fest for me.
I'm still letting it all sink in. Cymande is probably going to end up a top 5 set for me from the weekend. I actually ended up enjoying some of the smaller shows and crowds the most. Joseph and Sunflower Bean were both awesome experiences as well.
Sunday: Learned about Orlando, where I’m from. Remained calm and began contacting all my friends. All safe. I actually may argue that Sunday ended up being the best full day of music. Cymande was awesome.
That Cymande set exceeded my expectations. So glad I rushed in after someone at camp alerted me it started in 10 minutes. I had concerns they might not be as tight of a band as they once were, but they sounded amazing and the dancing helped me forget about the which pit afternoon heat. After the news from Orlando that morning hearing the song "Crazy Game" for the first time was one of the more powerful moments of the fest for me.
I'm still letting it all sink in. Cymande is probably going to end up a top 5 set for me from the weekend. I actually ended up enjoying some of the smaller shows and crowds the most. Joseph and Sunflower Bean were both awesome experiences as well.
I pointed the exact thing out in the Top 5 thread about the new song Crazy Game. Really cool.
I’ve been going the last 4 years. This one ranks #2 to 2014 for me. No thanks to the lineup.
Wednesday:
This night was one of the best party nights of my life. This night of Roo can’t go unnoticed. The energy and vibez are full blast at this point. The anticipation is off the charts.
A few highlights:
• My friend peeing on someone’s foot because those “urinals” were ridiculous. The way that the kid alerted us that he was being peed on, and the subsequent apology was so fucking funny even though we felt terrible. • Partying with the soopergroup in their tent. Crowd surfing, slight moshing, kid climbing to top of tent • Having awful sex in a grove hammock. The grove btw is amazing for people who haven’t been there the last two years.
Thursday:
Thursday could not compete with previous years. I did a good amount of research and just couldn’t get excited for much beyond “oh this band is pretty good.” There was no situation where I started screaming when an artist walked on stage like I did for Courtney Barnett last year or Pusha and Ty the year before, or Alt J before that. You need something big to look forward to each day. Lizzo was fantastic. Best show of the night IMO
Friday:
Friday was a little overrated for me on paper. Really enjoyed Fidlar, but Chvches, Vince, Leon, and J Cole from pit line were all just good. The turning point was LCD. Favorite show ever. Then Tame > Lane 8 > a combination of Kalliope and Xmas Barn until sunrise. Incredible.
Saturday:
Blistering heat. Plus I was super tired from night before. Weather scare was infuriating because we waited in the PJ pit line for hours in the heat, only to get shut out after returning from campgrounds. Absolute bullshit. Got into it with an inconsiderate douche of a volunteer about how they could have done this better. PJ was number 2 of the weekend regardless. Got fucked up as shit for the rest of the night and can’t give a real review of the SJ. Not sure how I made it back to camp. But when we did, there was a passed out random girl in our camp. Took an hour or two to get her to where she needed to be. This may have been Friday actually.
Sunday:
Learned about Orlando, where I’m from. Remained calm and began contacting all my friends. All safe. I actually may argue that Sunday ended up being the best full day of music. Cymande was awesome. The end of Charles Bradley made me think his set was even better. “Changes may have been one of the greatest live performances ever for me. I was looking to meet up with my brother as we both love his version of that song. We finally locked eyes right before the chorus and sprinted through the back of the What field towards each other for a huge hi-5 as Charles belted the first chorus. Then by the end of the song we were very close. He starts hugging the crowd as the horns remain blasting. So awesome.
Side note: Pit system was kind of garbage this year. It was easy to get into, but they would cut it off when it was half full for some shows. What’s better, is they wouldn’t let new people in on a one in one out basis.
Here is where I will expand on the awfulness that was Chance’s listening session in the silent disco. Fist of all, most people at Roo were lead to believe he would be performing coloring book through a mic into headphones. Everyone got there early for him, but they handed out no headphones. Then, a massive line formed and people were crowding outside because we thought maybe he was somehow doing a set in there out loud. Again, nobody had headphones. Chance comes out wayyy later than 5, when scheduled btw. Many people had their Father john Misty set ruined by that, but hey it may have been worth it right? Wrong. They bring out headphones and CLEAR OUT THE SILENT DISCO and send the people who got there earliest to the back of the monstrous line. Needless to say, none of them get in, and they are all 4 songs late to FJM. The levels of incompetency here were astounding.
FJM > End of Death Cab was awesome. I took the most epic shit ever during Transatlanticism. I go in as it comes on, and I was in there through most of the build up. By the time “I need you so much closer” is peaking im in full head bob mode. Then Ween and Dead and CO were great. I think there is a legit argument to be made for Sunday > Friday as it actually happened.
Got plastered at camp and rode out the next morning with NO LINE. Only waited 25 mins to get into Roo this year too. Amazing.
Hit a waterfall on the way back. Lovely Roo experience for the fourth time in a row.
Can I party with you on Wednesday night next year? God damn.
Can I party with you on Wednesday night next year? God damn.
We started the night by screaming out "team shots Bonnaroo! Everyone who can hear this come take a shot!" We ended up counting 30 people at once ripping terrible vodka shots to kick off the night. It never let up from there. We had like 5-10 random people latch on to the group for the rest of the night. Please join next year.
Can I party with you on Wednesday night next year? God damn.
We started the night by screaming out "team shots Bonnaroo! Everyone who can hear this come take a shot!" We ended up counting 30 people at once ripping terrible vodka shots to kick off the night. It never let up from there. We had like 5-10 random people latch on to the group for the rest of the night. Please join next year.
Note to self... Make it to Groop for party next year on Wednesday. Vendor sucked this year cause no GA out in Pod 1. normally it is a great time.
We started the night by screaming out "team shots Bonnaroo! Everyone who can hear this come take a shot!" We ended up counting 30 people at once ripping terrible vodka shots to kick off the night. It never let up from there. We had like 5-10 random people latch on to the group for the rest of the night. Please join next year.
Note to self... Make it to Groop for party next year on Wednesday. Vendor sucked this year cause no GA out in Pod 1. normally it is a great time.
Sooper Groop went HAM Wednesday night from the time we arrived (11ish) till about 3am. Our Groop was camped along the fence opposite of Reddit Groop. Sunday after Dead & Co finished, Sooper Groop picked up where they left off
Got there Wednesday morning, set up, boss gave us a tour of our work premises, worked backstage managing the Roll Like a Rockstar vip entrance at This Tent, saw some famous people (Met McLovin, saw Jared & Nathan from Kings of Leon around, and saw Sam Bradford & Chris Bosh around) and met musicians that performed (Met Syd from The Internet, Vince Staples, some guys from Anderson East, said what's up to Chance the Rapper in the artist bus area when the evacuation ended), made some money, and Sunday night in one of the other crew's tent this band popped up and shredded for like an hour and blew everyone's minds that witnessed it. My first Bonnaroo was epic and i can't wait to go next year. Got off my shifts at 8 each night.
Thursday
Twin Peaks - was side stage for this one. Have seen them at a small club in Austin twice but this was the first time on a large scale, and they took it and ran. Great show. See these guys live if you can! They're going places.
Børns - in the vip pit for this show. Really like that they cover Arcade Fire "Rebellion (Lies)" and Bowie's "Heroes". They pulled a huge crowd and i thought they were really good. Never listened to them before that except for hearing "Electric Love" on the radio/tv. Also a band that will only get bigger.
GoldLink - had a nice spot in the crowd. Up and coming rapper who was on the XXL 2015 Freshman class, thought it was lit until they did the medley of some of the most heard hip hop songs ever "Next Episode"/"Up In Here" into Beiber's "Sorry" then Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit". They won me back later in the set with the trumpet and bass solos. May check out again in a year or two.
Thought the dj NSR on the Kalliope stage was dope. Also saw the end of The Floozies and it looked like they had an amazing show. Wish i had seen more.
Friday
Vince Staples - vip pit, met Vince before the show, he was cool and talked to pretty much everyone in the backstage area. The show was dope too. The crowd was bouncin. Saw him at Stubbs during sxsw, and would say he's good at festival shows, but way better in small venues and clubs.
Leon Bridges - vip pit, saw Jared, the bassist from Kings of Leon there. Also saw the drummer, Nathan, around the backstage area at This Tent for a few shows. First time seeing Leon Bridges live, it's cool how much of a stage presence he has nowadays, knowing his story. His band was awesome too. Such a laid back, vintage sound. Definitely want to see them again.
Tyler the Creator - vip pit, saw Zoe Kravitz standing like 3 people away from me. Tyler always has crazy shows. I was at the infamous riot show at sxsw, and this one was almost as wild, just had way more people. If you've never seen him live then you should.
LCD Soundsystem - went around to that left side and got an awesome spot. That funked it up. Had me in a trance but was dancing the whole time. Didn't see the whole thing (about an hr and 20 minutes) because i went and grabbed a great spot for Tame Impala, so i can't wait to see them again at ACL!
Tame Impala - had a close spot near the rail on the right side. My second time seeing them, the other was ACL last year, so i was stoked to see them do a show at night. I thought it fulfilled my expectations. Like Kevin Parker said, it was luminescent! The sound was great from where i was. Even though they didn't play the full 2 hours, did anyone actually expect them to? They are an album away from headlining some big festivals.
Caught a bit of Zeds Dead, but i wanted to see something with instruments so i left for Blood Orange. They had a huge crowd though.
Blood Orange - middle of crowd more on left side. My mistake for not going to this straight from Tame Impala. They're a perfect blend of that Prince-style r&b funk and pop. Will see them again 10/10.
Saturday
The Internet - side stage. Chance The Rapper showed up and watched a couple songs. I managed to catch a few songs during my shift. I've wanted to see this band since they started back in 2011, but somehow never have. This one was a good show, but i really need to see them a venue. Was still worth the wait!
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - heard from the road behind the stage, when Chance came up, but the delay happened as soon as i got a view of the stage. Seemed like a good show. He is always a surprisingly good show, it was my 2nd time seeing em.
The Claypool Lennon Delirium - went to vip pit on both sides. I've seen 3 other iterations of Claypool's bands; Primus, solo, and Duo De Twang. This one was on par with Primus. Sean Lennon fugging shreds!! Was not expecting him to be on Ler's level. I like the CLD songs, but it really took off when they covered the Frog Brigade "Up on the Roof", old Floyd "Astronomy Domine", Beatles "Tomorrow Never Knows", and ended the show with "Southbound Pachyderm". I hope they end up doing a show in Austin, i'd buy a ticket in a heartbeat.
Pearl Jam - further back from LCD spot but same side. First time seeing Pearl Jam. I felt like they played a lot of the harder rock songs that i wanted to hear. McCready really fugging shreds. The band sounded awesome. The Trump speech was great. Any Vedder-political bit is as expected in their sets as Even Flow. It was a badass show. The "Comfortably Numb" and Joe Strummer cover were great. Cool how he brought his daughter up there for her birthday, too. I need to see them at one of their own shows to get one of those epic-30 song sets i guess though. Regardless, for my first Pearl Jam show, it was perfect.
Sounds of Tennessee Superjam - right side of crowd, maybe 10 people from the barricade. Got to this one right during that Lizzo part. This one had some good high's, but some bad low's. Doing that Miley Cyrus song could've been worse. That Third Eyed Blind "Ring of Fire" was terrible. But the band was on point and really knew what they were doing. The highlight's were Nathaniel Rateliff on "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City", Chicano Batman on "Shaft", Oh Wonder on "Jolene", and GriZ's appearance. Miguel on "Sexy Back", had the crowd lit too. Some of the crowd seemed out of it, some were really into it. Overall it was a cool honor to Tennessean music by some of the most talented musicians at Roo and a lot of middle-tier guests, with a bad outlier.
Sunday
Dead & Company - even further back than my Pearl Jam spot but still had an awesome view. Only caught the second set and encore, was partying back at camp with the crew. Even then, the show was incredible. There couldn't be a more perfect closer to Bonnaroo, than any incarnation of The Grateful Dead. Also, John Mayer knows what the fuck is up and is a great guitarist. They played pretty much the song's you'd want to hear, even though there are so many more they could've done. If it wasn't for the Dead, who knows if there'd even be a Bonnaroo! The best headline set i've seen by any of the older headliners, for me that includes Black Sabbath, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, The Who, Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, Willie & Merle, 13th Floor, and Fogerty. I hope I get a chance to see them again. The whole second set that i saw was a highlight. Also Bob Weir's speech after the show was fucking genius.
Top 10 set's:
1) Dead & Company 2) LCD Soundsystem 3) Pearl Jam 4) The Claypool Lennon Delirium 5) Leon Bridges 6) Tame Impala 7) Tyler the Creator 8) Twin Peaks 9) the band in the tent in our camping area sunday night, i think they were called Chew 10) the dj at Kalliope stage thursday at 1:30 am, i'm 99% sure it was NSR
Post by Nathan Fieldcяab on Jun 15, 2016 16:36:49 GMT -5
First of all, the motto of our entire weekend was #FuckPod10. Seriously, horrible. Arrived early Thursday to find they'd closed the interstate tollbooth, and after about half an hour of detours we got placed in the very far corner. Other than that though, great weekend.
THURSDAY:
Roman GianArthur: potentially awesome set was kinda spoiled by tech issues. He seemed dope though, loved the Prince cover. Kinda wish I'd caught Con Brio instead (but I'll get them at Lolla so it's chill). Comedy Tent: Because it's Thursday and you gotta pace yourself. Had a few laughs, but weaker than I remember it being last year. Got a free charge pack for my phone, which was tight. Hundred Waters: Seemed like the whole crowd was on Chance watch haha. Despite that, her voice was really neat live and I dug the new songs a lot more than their first two albums for sure. It hurt to skip Papa D, but we made a GREAT decision by camping for... Vulfpeck: Easily the set of the day. I love that it looked like they were having just as much fun as the crowd! Awesome musicianship and demeanor. Polyenso: Checked them out based on a friend's rec, liked their recorded stuff better. Left after about 15 minutes. Considered the Three Amigos thing, but ultimately settled on... Lizzo: Hell yeah. Had middling expectations but her swagger was damn fun to watch. Her stuff translates really well live, and the all female crew was on point
FRIDAY:
Dungen: Nice way to start it off. A few tech issues, but obviously talented guys who really felt more like a Bonnaroo 2011 booking than 2016, honestly (meant as a compliment) Allen Stone: Waltzed into pit. Great voice, super on pitch and soulful as hell. Nothing earth shattering, but count me as a fan Ibeyi: Still working on what they want their live show to be, but a lot of raw talent. Seemed like we were the only people camping for Kamasi instead of Vince/Tyler, which was an interesting dichotomy Kamasi Washington: WOW, is all I can say. Only complaint is that it would've been killer LN CHVRCHES: Got pit and was kinda really turned off by the bass. Lauren is adorable of course, but her pitch was a bit wavery and I left a tad disappointed. Vince Stapes: Didn't stay long since I just saw him in March, but very hype. He's going places Leon Bridges: Packed tent, big ol' dance party. If I was a girl, he'd be a huge celebrity crush. Basically even is now! Consummate showman LCD Soundsystem: Pit right side. Honestly, whats to say that hasn't been said? 11/10 would recommend Tame Impala: Easily the worst crowd of the fest. We were on the right side of the spinning '?' in a VERY condensed space and still had chains of 10-12 people trying to push through in the most assholeish way possible. Let It Happen sounded pretty dope, but I left after half an hour with 0 regret Bob Moses: Felt bad their tent was so empty. Danced around a bit, sounded almost identical to their recordings. Wish I'd caught Blood Orange; even though he'll be at Pitchfork I've heard nothing but good things
SATURDAY:
Sausage Party: Got to Cinema early for Judd Apatow and missed him by like 5 peoole. Stayed for this as a consolation, and boy did it ever suck. Easily the lowlight of the weekend The Internet: Suprisingly large crowd. Mixed thoughts on their live show still, but I still had fun since Ego Death is such a winner of an album Steve Gunn: Very laid back, totally empty crowd. Honestly was halfway asleep lol, though I do remember chuckling at him calling TDCC 'disco' Grandma Sparrow: Wayy way more entertaining than it had any right to be. What the actual fuck happened Oh Wonder: Not really my bag, but their audience seemed into it. They somehow made Beyoncé boring, which I thought would've been impossible. Was here to camp for Claypool, but in hindsight we couldve caught HAIM and still has a good spot Claypool Lennon Delirium: We were one behind the rail when the storm warning came in. Left and then heard people were staying in the tent during which was bullshit. After popping a blister walking to and from Pod 10, we could barely get a spot in the tent. Still sounded great (and that Beatles cover!!) but still would've loved a better spot. Pearl Jam: Came in as a casual fan, so that setlist was about perfect for me. Pretty far away, but had a blast still. Vedders voice is still suprisingly excellent; I get why some people don't dig him but it was a big ol' step up from Billy Joel for sure Superjam: Got there during Ring of Fire. Left during Ring of Fire. Lol wtf was that shit
SUNDAY:
Cymande: God it was hot. Worth it, but soo so hot. The dancing helped, but still. Charles Bradley: See Cymande Kurt Vile: Lucked out because they let us stay in the pit after this for FJM. Didn't know much of his stuff going in, but I liked Jesus Fever and the acoustic guitar solo Father John: WOW again. Loved every second of it. Set of the day easily. Awesome stage presence, good vocals with a lo-fi band, and while I think he'd be a bit of a douchebag in real life the arrogant shtick really worked on stage Death Cab: Grew up on their stuff, so seeing I Will Follow You and I Will Possess live was neat. His haircut is still super dorky, but I love his songwriting. Wished Id stayed longer, but... Ween: Very brown.
Left early, sorry Dead and Co! Also shoutout to whoever recommended Roti Rolls, that Thurman Murman was great. If lineups good next year, I'll be back. I'm thinking something like U2-Arcade Fire-Gorillaz, but if someone wanted to suprise me with Beyoncé thatd be ok too bonus points if you actually read all this lol
Post by congratulations on Jun 15, 2016 17:27:08 GMT -5
General thoughts: -The new bathrooms are a godsend. -So. Many. Babies. Why did anyone think it was a good idea to bring their children in such hot, hot weather?! -People were nicer this year, I thought. Maybe that's just me. -So many effing police. Everywhere. Pod 10 was searched every night it seemed. -Fuck. Pod. 10. -When we pulled up, we were told we were in Pod 10. I asked if there was any way if I could get closer than Pod 10, as I had it in 2014 and the walk was about 20-30 minutes to Centeroo, and I had just had knee surgery for the second time a few months ago. They asked if I'd applied for a handicapped pass, and I said yes. I had never gotten a response back, I assumed I was too late. Anyway, yeah. We were stuck in Pod 10, and I was told a golf-cart could take me to Centeroo every day. No such luck. There were none to be found. -Amish donuts tasted better this year. Is that just me?
Thursday: Con Brio: Really groovy and a pretty fun time. I chilled in the back for a few songs, thought it was pretty great. What an awesome set to kick off my Roo.
Waxahatchee: The chant about Brock Turner was awesome. Left for a while to catch LCD's soundcheck which my mom had texted me about, then came back to get a good spot for Bully. They are all super talented, and Katie Crutchfield has an awesome aura and voice. Mesmerizing.
Bully: Oh man, Alicia is even more adorable in person. We started a chant about her "SeaWorld kills" shirt. This was the show I was most looking forward to on the first day, and it didn't disappoint. Hearing "Trash" live was insane. I need to see them again ASAP.
Hinds: I was positive Hinds would be a good time, considering their new album that has been one of my favorites of the year so far. I caught the end of their show, and was so enthralled by their quirkiness and harmonies.
Twin Peaks: I've loved Twin Peaks for as long as I can remember, but was too tired and sweaty to work my way back up to the front for this show, which was a bummer. However, they sounded great from where I was lying in the grass and watching. They were surprisingly crowded, but they deserved the huge crowd. Pretty fun despite my shitty spot.
Polyenso: I caught a few minutes of this set at some point as I was walking around. Stopped for a few songs. It was pretty good.
BØRNS: I wasn't expecting much from this set, to be honest. I love a few of his songs (10,000 Emerald Pools, for example, is great) and was sure he wouldn't deliver live. I was wrong. He captivated his audience and held their attention. He sounded pretty great despite the sound being such crap during his set for whatever reason.
Hermitude: Another one that I caught while walking around aimlessly. Pretty meh, just not my kind of music, although the people there seemed to enjoy it, I guess.
Friday: Jarryd James: Had no idea who this guy was, I was just camping out at the rail for Daughter and FIDLAR. He was alright. Sounded Sam Smith-ish if you're into that. I couldn't get into it, but the last song was pretty decent.
Daughter: I was taken aback by how flawless Elena was. Her looks of course, and also her voice. They sounded incredible. She couldn't stop smiling after every song, and was so grateful to be there. Loved every moment of that set, especially the sing-a-long to Youth.
FIDLAR: This was everything I hoped it would be and more. After this set, I ended up with a ruined (brand new) Odd Future shirt, stained Camelbak (from what, I'm not entirely sure), killer headache, and several bruises all over my arm. This was one of my favorite sets of the weekend. Punks, Cocaine, and Chinese Weed were all killer live, and a few of my favorites of theirs. The security guards were such sweethearts, too, and were totally vibing off of the energy everyone in the front was giving. One was even singing along. It was fantastic. That cover of Sabotage will forever be a highlight for me.
CHVRCHES: Alright, I'm not the biggest CHVRCHES fan at all. Well, prior to this set, anyway. The opening set made a believer out of me. Never Ending Circles gave me chills. The way Lauren was frolicking about the stage, her attitude, her vocals, her adorable makeup... I don't know. It changed me. I'm now a CHVRCHES fan. I'm sorry I ever doubted them. Hayley Williams was a cool surprise, too.
J. Cole: I was sitting in the line for the LCD pit during this one as well. Only stood once, and it's when Chance came out and did my favorite song off of Coloring Book. I'm sure J. Cole was fun and all for the bros in the pit, so I'm not gonna complain too much. I just can't say that I'm a fan or ever will be.
LCD Soundsystem: I've raved about how amazing this set was way too much now, so just now that this was the best show I've ever seen. I was front row, and perfectly center. James Murphy was just a few feet from me. I made some amazing friends, and probably lost like five pounds dancing during this set. I wouldn't trade this experience for the world. The fireworks during Dance Yrself Clean, the song that turned me into a huge LCD Soundsystem fan, was just the icing on the cake of a beautiful, life-altering show for me. (Yes I'm aware that sounds dumb, don't judge me.)
Tame Impala: I'd already seen them front row at Shaky Knees, and was exhausted from LCD Soundsystem, so I sat on a blanket and sang and danced from there. It was okay. I don't know what it was that made this just an "OK" show for me. I could've done without the negativity from the crowd around me. There was no singing, dancing, no awkward head-bobbing. The confetti was cool, though. I liked the setlist a lot, too.
Zeds Dead: Caught a bit of this set. It was enjoyable.
Saturday: Two Door Cinema Club: I like their music a lot, so this was a lot of fun for me. The crowd was fun, and their setlist was great. I'm excited for their new music.
HAIM: I waited a while for pit for this show, as I saw them with Taylor Swift and was way, way too far to enjoy it at all. I was about third row and to the right. Danielle sounded fantastic, and she's wonderful on the guitar. The new songs were pretty good. I loved hearing Honey & I live, and My Song 5 was fantastic.
Ellie Goulding: Her Pearl Jam shirt was adorable. I was pleasantly surprised by her. She sounded much better than I expected live, and she played her hits and did a great job keeping her audience entertained, so props to her.
The Claypool Lennon Delirium: That cover of Tomorrow Never Knows was one of my favorite moments of the festival. No one around me seemed to notice what it was, or even that it was a Beatles cover... This was so rad. Sean sounds so much like his father, it's crazy.
Pearl Jam: Eddie Vedder is even more beautiful in person. But really though, this was awesome. Daughter, Go, and Even Flow were great. I'm so glad I saw them.
Miguel: Only caught a few songs, but holy shit he can sing. I was really impressed by him. I would love to see him again, though. I was so far back.
Tennessee Superjam:
Big Grams: Fun show, for sure. Even the back of the tent was loving it.
Sunday: Cymande: So fun! That last song had me seriously groovin'.
Kurt Vile & The Violators: He sounded great. This was such a bad time slot. I heard so many complaints about the sun, the sound, and well... that it was boring. But that's just his music. It was really chill, I just wish it hadn't been so damn hot.
Father John Misty: One of my top five shows. Sad he left out some favorites of mine off of Fear Fun, but he is a great entertainer. He is hilarious. Was about second row and center. He eventually dove on us in the front, and finished singing I Love You, Honeybear to us. It was so awesome.
Ween: Loved this set! I came into this not really knowing anything about them, but now I'm definitely a fan.
Death Cab for Cutie: Didn't stay long as I'm seeing them at Sloss, but I Will Follow You Into the Dark was fantastic, I almost cried. The crowd was super into it, and everyone was singing and enjoying it.
Lord Huron: My second time seeing them, and there was a huge audience there despite it being during Dead & Co. Super proud, and they sounded great. Fool For Love is still so good live, especially since my name is in it.
Dead & Co: Aw man, what a show! Loved hearing Scarlet Begonias live as well as Fire on the Mountain. Casey Jones was a party, too. I danced nonstop during this set. I came out an even bigger Dead fan than I was prior. What an incredible ending to an incredible third Roo.
Anyway, in all, despite my issues, I really think that this was my favorite Roo of the three I've attended. Shoutout to RJ and his friends and also Christian for making this an awesome Bonnaroo!
2017: 2/24 Twenty One Pilots 4/1 Radiohead 6/7 Glass Animals 9/10 Modest Mouse 9/21 Arcade Fire 9/29 Kings of Leon 10/3 Foster the People 10/17 The xx 10/22 LCD Soundsystem 11/8 Bon Iver
Post by umphlovecincy on Jun 16, 2016 20:11:23 GMT -5
I love reading everyones thoughts on the fest. I'll do my best to put some coherent sentences together but I am on my phone so forgive me.
This was my sixth bonnaroo in a row and I thought this Thursday was among the best.
Con Brio: this show was a great way to start the fest. Their frontman has got some serious moves! Very fun and energetic.
London Souls: I was at this show mainly to get a good spot for dosio, but I really enjoyed them. I had listened to them before but never realized they were just two ppl. Quite a big sound for two ppl.
Papadosio: this was one of my favorite shows of the weekend. They started a little slow but really cranked up the heat about ten minutes in and never let up. These guys should have been closing a tent imo.
Vulfpeck: funky awesome dance party. Not much more needs to be said really. It was a lot of fun. Dosio>Vulfpeck maybe be my favorite one two punch on a Thursday since I've been attending.
Polyenso: I enjoy their studio stuff but their show didn't really grab me. I think this is mainly due to them playing the Miller lite stage. I have such a hard time getting into shows in this stage. I think I would enjoy them much more in a club setting.
Marian Hill: After Polyenso I didn't really have any concrete plans. I just wanted to wander around and see what caught my ear. Marian Hill didn't just catch my ear, they grabbed me by the ear and shouted DANCE DAMNIT DANCE! this was my surprise set of the festival. I loved it so much and am most certainly going to be keeping my eye on these guys.
After Marian Hill my night was done as I had no interest in any of the other bands playing and wanted to get some rest for Friday night.
Friday
Jarryd James: stayed for about 15 mins or so and wasn't quite feeling it. Not sure why cause I really enjoy his studio work. Anyways after 15mins I left to go see...
Dungen: this show was right up my alley. Unlike Jarryd James, I didn't care for any of Dungens studio work but I had a feeling I would really dig them live...and I did! I loved this set. In so glad I made the decision to see them!
Kamasi Washington: I've played saxophone for 15 years (if you saw a guy wearing an I ❤ Sax shirt, that was me) so naturally this was one of my most anticipated sets and they did not dissapoint! Kamasi bringing his dad out to play was really cool. I loved everything about this set. They had my full attention for the whole set.
Churches: its hard to play the What stage during the day, in the blazing heat, and be enjoyable. Saying that, I did enjoy the set, but it would have been much better later in the day/night.
Leon Bridges: me and,my friend sat in the back for this one smoking with some friends we met and relaxing just a bit before the gauntlet started. I enjoyed what I heated but we left early for...
M83(pit): we weren't planning on getting pit, but when we got there we were able to walk right in, so we did. This show was one of my favorites of the weekend. Awesome light show and fun dance music. What's not to like?
LCD Soundsystem: we left m83 a bit early to try to get a good spot for this one (which wasn't hard). When we got to the left side we saw they were still letting ppl into the pit. We walked over and they literally shut the pit off when we were the next two ppl in. Sucked but whatever, it was worth a shot. We got a great spot on the left side in front of the soundboard. This show blew me away! Its already been said by many but wow! Wow is literally all I can say. Loved every second of it.
Tame Impala: this one was a pretty big letdown for me. I love all of their music but the show just didn't do anything for me. I think I hyped it up in my head a little too much. Really wish I would have caught Bob Moses instead. Oh well.
Blood Orange: perfect way to wind down after a crazy Friday night. Plenty of room to dance.
Saturday
Anderson East: I got to see these guys do a 3 song radio spot a few months ago and that really got me excited for this set. Great soul blues music (I'm terrible with genres so forgive me if that's incorrect) and a great way to start the day.
Steve Gunn: this was one of my most anticipated sets and I thought he really delivered. He made me chuckle when he called tdcc a disco band. He is a great guitarist and a great songwriter. Super talented.
Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats: this one was a bit of a dissappointment. I usually enjoy this sort of music but just couldn't quite get into this one. Fatigue was really starting to set in so that probably played a factor.
The Claypool Lennon Delirium: this was my favorite set from Saturday. We were about fourth row or so before the evacuation started. We did end up leaving but we got back pretty Damn close to our original spot. Awesome psych rock. Sean and led really worked well together. Lets hope this isn't the last we hear from this group!
Pearl Jam: being my first pj show I loved the fact that it was a greatest hits show. Comfortably Numb was a sweet surprise. While I enjoyed the show (my god, I didn't realize Mike McCready was such a badass) this was third on my list of the headliners.
Superman: I started under the tent but ended up chillin in front of the screen due to fatigue. My feet were killing me at this point. I've said it before but I'm a sucker for a good horn section and this may have been one of the best horn sections I have ever seen! Yes ring of fire was terrible. Yes, the special guests weren't very special, but the musicianship of the band was just to Damn good for me to not enjoy.
Sunday
Cymande: listened to this one from the shade. Perfect way to start Sunday.
The Wood Brothers: I was expecting a little more bluegrass and a little less folk. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. It was a fine show but in my opinion it didn't even compare to...
Steep Canyon Rangers: this was the bluegrass show I need for my Sunday morning. Loved every second of this one.
Dead and Co.: went to get a bit of food and check out the pit line. We got there and saw that it was so short we said fuck it and hopped in. Our decision to stay actually hinged on us being right next to the trash cans lol. We were able to lean against the trash cans and be in shade the whole time. Got in about fifth row right in the center. We were standing right between Bobby and John. This was my first time being in the pit for a headliner and it was amazing! I loved the setlist. I thought it was perfect for bonnaroo. That first set was some of the best hour and a half of music I have ever experienced! Perfect Sunday headliner.
All in all it was a great roo. Saturday was rough due to the craziness of Friday night and the heat. The heat really dictated my decisions during the day Saturday and sunday. I wanted to see Kurt vile, a bit of griz, and fjm but said fuck that due to the heat. Saturday was really lacking and was easily the most boring day of the fest.
bonus points if you actually read all this lol:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/12414833/Nathan_Fielder_AMA_Cool_Band.0.png)
