Bonnaroo | 06.12 - 06.15 | Manchester

nicely written review, disappointed that Kayne would pull that shit and I don't even listen to him

Kanye Sucks!!!

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Nice pics and review.

Kanye West hates white people. Lolla Schedule was released this morning, and I'm totally skipping him for NIN. Glad Rothbury got SNOOP instead, can't wait for it......

Great Review and amazing pics. My Bonnaroo experience was great. My 3rd Bonnaroo and as always I was sweating than soaking wet then burning up again. I loved the weekend. Thursday---Grand Ole Party and DSO. Friday--Drive By Truckers then some DSO on the Sonic Stage (they did JGB songs!!) then Comedy tent and then some Chris Rock. The bunk rolls I bought couldnt deter me from enjoying myself on this day. Saturday was amazing!!! Donovan Frankenreiter>>>OzoMatli>>>BB King>>Jack Johnson>>>and to finish it off with the greatest show I've ever seen--Pearl Jam. An impressive Vicatin/weed fueled 3 hour set that kicked my ass. As I passed out in my tent to the suprisingly sweet sounds of MMJ--all I could think of was :"Man, these guys kinda rock"

Why the Kanye photo, and no Pearl Jam?

great pictures! never been a metallica fan but i wouldn't mind seeing them at a venue like bonnaroo, looks like they raged it

Bonnaroo was pretty fucking sweet this year. I took a few years off but remember why i love going! My highlight was The Racontuers! They killed it! and Recomended to ALL! As far a this whole Kanye bull shit! Its true he did make people wait around. Because he is a pompus Ass whole. We ended up bailing out to see Galactic with Charlie Tuna. Yes a Galactic suprise viisit! All in all Great time Great people! See you all at Rothbury and All Good! I love the summer! Fuck work! Im goin on tour!!!!

Ghostland Observatory changed my life. Do you have any pics of their set? Even you said it was the best light show?

whoa whoa whoa!!!! Bonnaroo to Roth... please repeat that last line again. Coming around on Panic and MMJ within a few months of each other - well done.

In a scene that thrives on Band to Fan appretiation/respect, Kanye has lost all credability. Fuck you Kanye!

Pearl Jam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you have a ticket to Rothbury I would like to ask that you please stand up and give yourself a pat on the back for making a wise decision months ago...missed my first Roo this year and couldn't be happier

First of all, when Robert Randolph started the "Kanye sucks" chant during the Bo Diddley tribute, I leaped for joy inside. Then my friend, who was on only one hit of the last Hoffman cid, tried to jump up on the stage and steal the bass out of Randolph's hands. I couldn't stop laughing when he told me that was him, but I truly believe that if he had gotten the bass, Bonnaroo would have been in for a surprise.

Secondly, I can't believe NO ONE has said anything about the Back Door Slam set.

Like come on.

Davy Knowles fucking blew the roof off. He ripped my soul out and shredded all over it.

Thirdly, My Morning Jacket is a fucking luxury, and I too found myself just screaming "Fuck It" when the heavens opened back up for the second time; I couldn't have possibly gotten more soaked... but I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Awesome review Sarah, one of the best, most coherent and thoughtful recaps of a weekend (not an easy task) that I've ever read on this site. I'll have to make it next year...in the meantime, MMJ at Red Rocks will be tiding me over.

Nice review. You couldn't hit in depth on everything, but it looks like you got something on mostly everything. Sounds exhausting! And Bonnaroo to Roth, finally turning around on MMJ??!? Can't wait for Radio City. Their set looked nice at this. Also, I'm glad Kanye f'ed himself over by being a total narcassist.

What a sweet review. I chose not to Roo this year for 3 reasons, Metallica, Kanye, and Jack Johnson. The week before the festival I was considering going anyway, and now I am kicking myself. I somehow forgot that the joy of Bonnaroo is not in the main acts (although I will make an exception for Radiohead), but exists in the new, unexpected discoveries and inspired performances by the best live touring bands from around the world.

I would have paid $250 and stood in the rain in the middle of the night just to see MMJ perform that set.

I'll be back next year.

Kanyeea Sucks

awesome review, the pictures were awesome, but that doesn't mean the music was great. It is obivous that MMJ are the best. WSP is always amazing, along with YMSB (my favorite) I did happen to watch the Yonder set on the live webcast and all I can say is amazing. Also Fuck Kanye

After reading some of the stories on Bonnaroo's site and here I'm glad I chose to stay home for the first time since 03 this year. Anybody watch the Panic set? They used to bring such EPIC sets to Bonnaroo and looking at the setlist it seemed about on par with last years performance which in my oppinion was mediocre. The whole Kanye debacle is laughable to me having not attended this year because of artists like that jackass being on the bill. From what I understand Phil was forced to cut his set short, his legions should have went over just to boo Kanye. I have a feeling Snoop will suck just as bad live at Roth, Ive seen him before and its pretty ugly. He would be wise to just pair up with George Clinton and do a funky musically driven set of both their material, that could be a blast. Cause the last two times Ive seen George Clinton that mofu hadn't been able to sing worth a shit! Too much time with the crackpipe,HAHAHA. Anyone check out the Dumpstaphunk late night or anything else in the Somethin Else?

A Live MMj experience truly can be life changing. I'm lovin' that their set lasted 4 hours (did i get that right?) Can't wait for this friday's show at Radio City. It's gonna be DISGUSTIINNGGGG!

And yeah, I missed not being there but hey ALLGOOD"s just around the corner..and we happened to catch a smoking show in Indianapolis on Friday. Medeski Martin Scofield Wood followed up by Buddy Guy. And with the weather and Bonnaroo keeping people home there were about 500 people out there!!

hahah fuck kanye=MC d-bag

Kudos on a great review. Putting words to a festival is near impossible, and this writer has managed to do so in an eloquent, thorough way. I rarely read fest reviews because they tend to drag, but this was great. Well done!

Awesome festival, thanks bonnaroo. Screw yourself Kanye! and MMJ gets the best show award. Definitely rocked my ass off.

Is Jack White purposely trying to look like Michael Jackson?

Yea i couldnt imagine wat that mmj show was like...Just saw them last night in Toronto. Absolutely mind blowing...Congrats to everyone whose bout to experience what i did last night. Great Review!

that picture of lars ulrich looks like him yelling to all his fans about napster way back when... so bummed i missed this JACKET experience...hope louisville heals some of my wounds...

The first 3 bonnaroos were cool. Now its g-dogs and college people. STICK WITH HIPPIES!!! Come to Nelson Ledges!!! Hippies ONLY!!

Hey moemoe6434...

...I was thinking more like Liza Minnelli. But I think she has bigger chops!

"The first 3 bonnaroos were cool. Now its g-dogs and college people. STICK WITH HIPPIES!!! Come to Nelson Ledges!!! Hippies ONLY!!"

God please no more hippies

Yes! Nelson Ledges is such a great festival place! Went to my first Gratefulfest last year and had an amazing time. Saw Greyboy Allstars, New Mastersounds, Cornmeal, and Peter Rowan amongst others. Felt much more free there than at any festival before!

yeah nelson ledges is the shit the owners actually CARE about the scene

Why'd you tell everyone I cried at the truckers!?!

Ps

This girl managed to write this article and see all of this music without any illegal stimulants

Hope to see more g-dogs and college people next year

This was a wonderful review. The first review of Bonnaroo I have read that actually included music.

If anyone did see acoustic Phil, please let us know how it was. I am most curious.

Why did i get thumbs down? You losers arent happy with anything. Thumbs up to u J-Bizzle.....

Metallica. I am not a huge fan. I feel they rely too heavily on predictable metal tricks,***

uh, most would call them innovations as they pioneered thrash metal.....

. And in spite of the worries about meatheads taking over Bonnaroo, I found the Metallica fans I encountered were respectful and curious about the other music***

wow-did you really say that? what did u expect: fighting and broken bottles? you make them sound like monkeys with that "curious" comment....you are way off base.....

Plant still managed to strut with mic in hand during "Black Dog," the cocky rock star he once was tempered with wisdom and gratitude.***wow-he "still managed".....guess we should be glad he's not in a wheelchair......and the last time i checked he still is a cocky rock star......do you even know who robert plant is?

This was number 4 for me and while I wouldn't say it was the best, it definitely exceeded my expectations. I will admit...I was slightly hesitant going into this year but knew I would have no problem seeing great music at all times during the day. For once, I thought the band conflicts were not TOO horrible (they've been much worse in the past AKA last years late nights...SCI/Superjam on Friday and Lips/Mule/Galactic on Saturday...ARE YOU KIDDING?) Anyway, as everyone has been saying, great review. It has to be so hard to cover a festi such as Bonnaroo, let alone by yourself. I wish she had covered some other stuff but definitely no complaints. Here are some of my thoughts after another solid year at the Roo...

1. Despite no late night set, Umphrey's killed during the day and really seemed to embrace the crowd...Sonic Stage set was sweet...did they ever finish Bridgeless???

2. Was my first time seeing Drive By Truckers...really wanted to see what all the fuss was about around Patterson Hood and he definitely didn't disappoint. The crowd loved him and ditto on his story about Chester...very emotional.

3. Bluegrass Allstars...did anyone else feel like they were in heaven. Top 3 set for me

4. MSTRKRFT...WOOOOOOW! This is what Bonnaroo is all about...happened to walk up to That Tent and didn't leave until the party was over...incredible energy

5. Was anyone else disappointed with the Superjam lineup?

6. Saturday night (despite Kanye) was great for stage hopping...Phil and Friends, Chromeo, and Ghostland all impressed

7. Had no problems with unruly fans and am already looking forward to next year

Sorry for the rant...once again great review and pics!

Also in response to wastintimejp...Phil and Friends acoustic...seemed kind of hard to hear and see from the back (as they were all sitting down)...favorites from that set were "Deal" and "Deep Elem Blues"...Phil was solid as hell this weekend

The Metallica fans looked really cool. SIGMA BETA PI!! at Bonnaroo!

I am so glad I didn't go this year, weak review and weak pics, how are you going to be a festival review writer for jambase and you haven't even seen WSP live once. Kanye West sums up what bonnaroo is becoming and its not getting better.

I have been to the last 5 Bonnaroos and I will never be back again. Although the music was comfortable, it is all about the money. There was no community.

The reason that the searches took so long was the unnecessary thoroughness. I had nothing illegal on me, yet our trailer was searched 3 times and I had to defend my prescription antihistamines. This asshole thought that he had found the mother load.

The final insult was Sunday night when I entered Centeroo and was subjected to a feeling from a security guy who clearly enjoys his job. I actually pushed his hand from between my ass cheeks after he touched the hole through my shorts. He giggled...I did not.

It says in the booklet that there are very few rules.... Keep smiling to my face, taking my money, and bullshitting me. Like the crowd noise that is put in the mix to make you think that everyone is cheering or clapping in unison. Has anyone else noticed this?

I will go elsewhere next year.

I was reading some news articles on bonnaroo and i thought it was funny how they blamed not selling out on the gas prices. They must be to ignorant to understand it was the mediocre lineup. Go back to your roots bonnaroo. Way to commercialized for me. I mean come on it was on fuse. Just out of curiosity i looked on there and the ten main bands fuse was advertising who were at bonnaroo were like MTV bands. They didnt even have Panic as a main band. Bonnaroo used to be a wonderful really magical place where good natured people could go for three years and now its turned into a giant duecebag frat party.

bonnaroo is dead. i have had great times at the roo, and still managed to have a good time at this one somehow. the metal really did kill the community and vibe and lead to much much heavier searches and bad attitudeds. f narcaroo

Sorry meant to say that Fuse didnt have Phil as a main one either. What a joke.

Kanye has ALWAYS sucked. Is this news to you people?

I will agree that the metal "vibe" went against what Bonnaroo is all about but if you surround yourself with good people then that shouldn't matter. I guess it really has to do with luck...some people had bad experiences with the crowd where as I wasn't greatly affected by them. Same idea with the security...all about the luck of the draw and who searches you. Some people couldnt care less what you bring in...others do.

And yes I will agree...Kanye sucked before this and his debacle further proves that point...cocky bastard

lol i didn't get to go this year- and judging by the review i'm honestly happy i stayed in my cozy little room up north in Chicago. Maaaannnn fuck Kanye! i could've told you that bastard was useless. He should've just stuck to making beats. I'm sorry for all you good people who was stuck waiting on his ass...yeah he's definitely gonna lose out at lolla. Esp since it just so happens that NIN is performing at the same time - (thank you festival gods for setting that up)

see you guys in August!

Jazzfester, I have also been to the last 5 Bonnaroos and, assuming the lineup agrees, will be back next year! We didn't encounter, see, or hear about any of the crazy security ordeals you seem to have dealt with. As for the crowd, it was fun and made for some incredible people watching. I didn't see anything that resembled violence, nor did I catch any negativity. Even the Kanye debacle was more humorous than anything else. Hell, I rode the afterglow from the Phil & Friends show over to the mainstage and danced my ass off for that 55 minutes of Kanye -- then it was off to the tent for a good 90 minutes of sleep.

The Bluegrass Allstars were spectacular, Orchestra Baobob soothed my frazzled Sunday afternoon vibes from that late Saturday night, Levon Helm & The Ramble on the Road brought down the tent, the Phil acoustic thing was very intimate, MMJ made the heavens pour, and so on, and so on, and so on.

Like anything else, it's all relative and based heavily on one's personal experience. My experience just happened to be great!

A hell of a well written review to boot!!

Great review, you really seemed to cover alot of turf. Despite price gouging the roo really does provide one with the most variety. Sweet ass pics too.

I don't understand how everyone who went didn't say Sigur Ros was life changing. Because they are life changing. and to see them at Bonnaroo must have been an experience I couldn't even imagine.

Great review, it must have been so hard to see so many bands and not be able to catch full sets, but that's Bonnaroo right?

I've been the past few years and I've found that it really is all about the experience, and you can't go expecting to see this or that band because you don't know what's going to happen. And whoever said this was right, it's not really about the headliners (besides Radiohead which put on the best show anyone will ever see currently at 06 'Roo).. its about discovering new music and meeting good people.

and thats outrageous about Kanye..... great little slam on him while boosting Lupe and Talib's true hip hop status. not all hip hop is bad live... ala Wu Tang or Roots

Decent Review! Listened to the Metallica show. Say what you want about them but they rocked!

Watched the Webcast, so I wasn't at the Farm this time ( Line-up bs/ Rothbury ) The Music I got to watch was really good. I love Bonnaroo for what it was, and not for what it is now. They should just go back to old-school Roo.....

Well, it was my 6th Bonnaroo, and I had a great time (as usual). Like someone said, it's all relative. No, it's not a festival for hippies anymore. It's a festival for diverse music lovers. If that's not your cup of tea, don't go. Ghostland Observatory was the highlight of my weekend. THEY ARE AWESOME!!! Why no pictures of them?!?! I don't understand!

^^^Ditto YEMolly...where are the Ghostland pics...that light show was unreal!

Thanks readers, just read through comments and wanted to set a few things straight...

Without going into details, there were some limitations on photography so unfortunately we couldn't get everything we wamted, but Rod and Dave did an excellent job in spite of that and deserve all the props they can get.

Thanks psogator43 and aquariumdrunk for the two cents on Phil - I agree he was on fire this weekend, this new line-up is really impressing me, and I was bummed I missed that set (Yonder wore me out completely, after a long weekend of being worn out by wonderful music). Also agree about the BGAS - heaven indeed! :)

Security was so-so for me, but a few people are always attracted to those positions just so they hassle people. You know, "Respect my authori-tie!" No matter where you are, if there's hired security there will be jerks thrown in the mix as well as nice folks just trying to do their jobs. It's an unfortunate luck of the draw if you get the jerks.

lewiscipher - There was a lot of hating in the run-up to B-roo re: Metallica fans being "meat heads" who would take no interest or respect in the other music going on, which is precisely why I made a point to address those issues. I stand by my opinions on Metallica's music - their role as pioneers (or, as you put it in an original semiotic twist, "innovations") of thrash metal is to be respected for sure (alongside Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeath), but that does not not mean their evolution as songwriters is necessarily reflective of that initial innovation. I did give them sincere props for rocking the show with enthusiasm.

And who is Robert Plant again? Is he in WSP?

"we couldn't get everything we WANTED" - I can also stand accused of failing to spell check before posting :)

^^^ I third the "no Ghostland pics?" sentiment, even though I asked about it yesterday at 2:40.

Great Shows: Felice Brothers, Battles, !!! played the best "Pardon My Freedom" ever complete w/ lots of cussing , Levon Helm played an amazing "Ophelia", Raconteurs, PJ, BB King, Chromeo.

Mediocre/Pitiful Shows: I hate to say he is the first but Willie(bless his heart) was pitiful but he still has an incredible smile that you can't help but attract to, Vampire Weekend, DBT have a better bar/lounge sound than for a large outdoor stage(though Chester/18 Wheels of Love was a great way to start Friday), MIA.

The lyrics to kanye's song "stronger" pretty much sum up how he feels about bonnaroo:

"Bow in the presence of greatness

Cause right now thou has forsaken us

You should be honored by my lateness

That I would even show up to this fake sh*t"

KANYE WEST SUCKS!!!!

^Yes the sound bleed from MIA def affected Willie's show.

Curious if anyone else made it to acoustic Phil. I'll say it again, this current Phil incarnation been tearing it up since last year and I imagine pared down + Williams it was stellar.

For the record, I welled up and whimpered on no less than three separate occasions this year: The Truckers (I'm as guilty as the reviewer's brother), The Phil acoustic set (There was this Dad, dancing around with his little boy during "Ripple" - I saw him tear up and I fell apart), and a song I didn't recognize during the Levon set...killed me!

I hear you aquariumdrunk AKA JYD.....Bonnaroo rocked. the Patterson Hood story was uplifting....

^Yet one example of the genuinely emotional experiences the Dead's music can inspire like no other. Thanks to those intrepid tapers I can keep up with what's going on in audio if I can't be there in person, but some amazingly graceful moments can never be captured on tape. Def bit my lip a few times during Levon as well.

Wow, I must be out of the loop, cause I've never heard of 75% of these bands. I didn't go, but I was pretty dissapointed in Fuse's coverage, I dont see how they don't broadcast a single performance by ONE jam-band, (phil, panic, YMSB, something) considering that that is the root of the festival. The "one big holiday" with hammet was played on Fuse, and that was sick. The Raconteurs....I don't get, I think they sound terrible, thats just me. Metallica wasn't bad. Jack Johnson, meh.

As the author of this piece stated, "Alongside My Morning Jacket, John Bell and Co. have become synonymous with this festival" I agree, expect about the MMJ part. This began as a panic festy, anyone who was there the first year could see that, yet with all the media attention it got, i didn't hear but a mention of panic. Anyway, not to be negative, I'm sure if you are into these bands it was a great time. They should really stop referring to bonarroo as a jam band fest that has diversified. and start calling it an alternative music fest w/ a few jam bands.

After seven years the organizers of CommericalRoo finally stepped on their collective crank with golf shoes. Kanye West? Please. This ass clown couldn't even keep his foul, negative chili hole shut at the Grammy awards when he didn't win the best album of the year. Set aside the fact that his album wasn't the best of the year for a moment and consider that this punk ass bitch from the ghetto just acts so friggen entitled! Sorry dude, but you ain't exactly Jay-Z or Puff Daddy in the Mogul department and your miserable, selfish, whiny, me-me-me attitude just isn't going to wash with anyone other than the junior high gangsta posers who buy your records. I didn't go to Bonnaroo this year for several reasons, one named Kanye West, and another named Metallica. Putting Bonnaroo together was a stroke of genius 7 years ago. Getting all of the great bands from the Jamband scene together for a weekend of epic music and debauchery was brilliant, and of course made the orgaizers very wealthy men. Somewhere along the line, they lost their way and started inviting a bunch of acts that simply don't jive with the peaceful vibe of the Jam scene. At the last Bonnaroo I went to I witnessed half a dozen fights and and endless sea of sketchy losers roaming the campground shaking down kids for selling beer "on their turf." The only thing I am glad about is that Kanye's late night debacle didn't turn into a full scale race riot had Metallica's set been cut short because of it. Leave the rappers, punkers, emos, technos, gangtas, and the rest of the shitheads at home. Bring back the hippies and maybe your show will sell out regardless of the price of gas.

Next year I hope they bring back what made the festival great. If it's not broke don't fix it, and bonnaroo has now seriously spilled the milk. I am happy to see riots didn't break out during Metallica, watching it online was like seeing the Nazis during WWII. The Les Claypool set looked amazing, the Yonder set was mediocre I heard. Robert Randolph is bonnaroo, let him headline next year along with WSP and MMJ. They have held this festivals head above water for years now, while other bands continue to sink the atmosphere of the gathering. I was there for the first two years and if you want another good year, bring back the bands who made it what it is today. Thank you to everyone who went and who stands up for they believe in, power in numbers will show the promoters whats what.

Looks like the industry has taken over a good portion of what this festival used to be.... Time to find another one. You know, kinda stay one step ahead of the "game".

i am so tired of hearing people on this website complain about the people who attend festivals like the alledged "sell out" bonnaroo as being aggressive and negative. it seems to me that the people who are negative and unopen to accepting peoples differences and inviting people to learn more about the jam music scene are the ones like hookahfreak420 who just want an environment that is condusive to tripping on acid for 48 hours straight. i am not a huge fan of mettalica myself but i guarantee if you were to ask many of the musicians who make up the majority of the festivals that are frequented by the more "hippie" crowd they would applaud them for their musicianship and longevity and may quote them as an influence in aspects of their music. if you no longer attend festivals based on the fact that they are able to invite a broader range of music, hence getting more people into music they may have otherwise not have discovered then you are sad and pathetic and go against the very essence of the jam band scene and are robbing yourself from seeing many great shows from artists who have been staples of festivals since their begginings. with that being said i enjoyed the pictures and review and wish i had gone this year and cant wait to see everyone at bonnaroo 2009.

i though the line up this year was decent. artists like robert randolph, ymsb, & umph keep the jammies coming back. unfortunately the addition of all the pop bullshit (jj, kanye, deathcab) makes it an undesirable fest for 08. Outsidelands & APW are better bets for this summer

jbanks14 - Please do not take offense by my previous post. I am open to all types of music, I just also prefer smaller crows for a myriad of reasons - most of which is the actual pleasure in going. I find that when they get too large, they lose some of that jena se qua. I would love to see almost every act listed on this lineup, just not on a large video display when I am standing right there in the audience. Sorry, but once it gets that big it loses A LOT of its intimacy and fun. ...but that could just be my problem.

Aquariumdrunk, I must of been standing right next to you, cuz i was also right behind the dad and young kid during the Phil acoustic set. The little dude knew all the words to every dead song!

Sarah, great review of a great weekend. I thought the Raconteurs were amazing and Umphrey's absolutely killed it. (great pick of Ryan too). I seemed to have missed the memo where everyone decided that Disco Biscuits are better than Umphreys, but oh well.

Just a few things I noticed reading through though. Iron and Wine played an amazing show. Starting off with their newer, spacey stuff that transitioned perfectly into some older more upbeat tracks. It was perfectly mellow and heartfelt. Also, I realize that Derick Trucks got off late and ran into the Widespread set, but he was shredding so hard! and the cover of The Band's "The Weight" was fantastic. And finally, while Yonder was dropping some subtle Kanye disses, Rober Randolph lead the crown in a beautiful "Kanye Sucks" chant from That Tent. It was hilarious to see the chant ripple out through Centeroo.

It was my first Bonnaroo and I had a blast.

KANYE SUCKS

how bout grupo fantasma? came into bonnaroo with no idea about them and put on a awesome show...twice. mmj-sicknasty.

YES!!! I am so pumped I have a Rothbury ticket... to all those people that said Kayne would be awesome... I told you so! See you in the woods in Michigan in two weeks!!!!!!

Anyone who went to Roo in 02,03,04 seems to think Bonnaroo has totally sold out. The line up sucked, and I'm sure if it was you're first Roo, you did not experience ANYTHING like in the past years ( Musically, and Heads wise.) I/m glad Kayne fucked up, IN YOUR FACE SUPERFLY!!! Metallica, Pearl Jam, Fuck that! How about throwing some better acts on the main stage. Also this is the first year Roo DIDN'T SELL OUT their TIX!!!! Because the Line up is soo fucking shitty. Fuck emos, and wangsta's wannabe. Bring Back the HEADY JAM BANDS.!!

Ive been to 04, 05, 06, 07 Roo's This year I skipped cause the headliners weren't my cup of joe. This isnt a festival for hippies any more, its very corporate and has very diverse music. But, it was good for music lovers. Then again, I dont really like some of the indie acts they had. I cant say the whole line up sucked though, because Bluegrass Allstars are awesome, wood brothers, les claypool, dumpstaphunk, to name a few. Theres still those greats. Me personally I would rather see them at the hippie festival than bonnaroo. Specially when they bark Fuse TV and Garnier Fructis at ya. IDK, too corporate for me.

pretty upset i missed it this year. will probably be back next year. I love bonnaroo and i love DIVERSITY !!! where else can you see a jam band,and then go see an electronica band and then go see a hip hop group and then go see some bluegrass and then go check out some straight up rock n roll and then go see a fucking METAL band and then go see an indie band and then top it all off with a DJ set !?!?!!?! answer me that. (besides coachella) DIVERSITY IS KEY. DIVERSIFY YOUR MINDS HIPPIES !!!!!!!! Bonnaroo rocks and it always will (hopefully ) (minus the corporate bullshit) AWESOME REVIEW BY THE WAY!!!!!!!!

by the way im sure umphreys and moe both covered metallica songs at bonnaroo a few years back !? are they sellouts ?????? NO cause metallica rips it.

I went last year, and was absolutely determined to make it back this year, I was totally convinced of it at the time. Who wouldn't with a SuperJam of ?uestLove, Harper and fucking JOHN PAUL JONES? OR the Gov't Mule and Friends show with JPJ shredding it on the organ!? Regina Spector's haunting voice coming at me from the front row! (More personal...) peaking at Ratdog and having them OWN MY SOUL with Franklin's Tower!? Everything about Bonnaroo last year was awesome, although I was worried about Tool being there. I saw a possible direction for Roo's future that I did NOT want to see happen, but at the time I sincerely doubted it. ---- Then the lineup for this year came out. I couldn't believe it. KANYE WEST!? Are you fucking kidding me!? I would dig any hip hop addition to Roo, but Kanye?? Oh and by the way, it's being aired on FUSE except it's only the alternative bands being played, when Bonnaroo is all about ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF MUSIC! You can't even argue with me and tell me that's not a Roo that's been MTV-ized. I'm more of a jam band guy myself, I probably would have had a great time at Pearl Jam and Jack Johnson, but Metallica... don't they have Warped Tour or something? So sadly Bonnaroo 2008 went in the direction I dreaded it would. I PRAY TO THE MUSIC GODS that Bonnaroo 2009 goes back to its roots, no more MTV-ization, no more Kanye!

Hagermeister...Larry played fiddle or violin during many of the songs so it made for a great addition. Like I said before, it became hard to hear in the back and with the show being in This Tent, there was a lot of bleed. Put that show in The Other Tent (where Levon was) and it makes for a much more intimate show. I always feel like that stage should be reserved for shit like that...

DubSaw...100% agree. I said to many of my friends that even though there were many big jamband absences at the Roo this year (moe., Keller, Mule just to name a few), I knew I wouldn't have a problem finding something interesting to listen to. I found myself taking longer walks going to and from stages and tents just to hear what was going on elsewhere. That's what makes Bonnaroo the shit.

ALSO...for those who were at the UM set at the Sonic stage...did anyone play frisbee with Brownstein and Magner in the back?

Never stops here! WSP has covered Metallica before, the Pearl Jam show was damn good. If you waited for Kayne then it was your fault. Get over yourselves, its a music fesitival. Plenty of other bands to see if you don't like one band. This hippy likes all kinds of music including metal and punk. Maybe losers like Hookahlover should stay away from fests so that the punks, freaks, bikers, hippies, rednecks, wristslitting emo's, shiny assed booty shaking funk goddessess can all rock out together without your pettyness.

Not to mention Phish shows had quite possibly the lamest wannabe crowds I have ever witnessed.

"This pushes aside the "E" love fest in favor of synth dipped in the blackest acid." I love these quotes the reviewer put into this review. By the way why does it matter who is at the fest as long as they aren't starting fights and riots with anyone else. People need to stop complaining about the different groups of people that attend these large festivals.

Blower- GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!!! Wanna talks about a shitty crowd how about WSP, or Pearl Jam. Just just the hell up and don't talk shit about Phish. One Phish set is better than you're wack-ass Bonnaroo line up. Fucking moron!! THis is Jambase, and Unlike bonnaroo LETS KEEP IT FOR THE HEADS!! Blower you sucks, have fun getting Free Garnier Fructis and free tampons at Roo 09. Fucking idiot.

never went to a roo and im glad i didnt! who cares who plays and who didnt this festi and almost all of the festies are lame now anyways! The first coachella i went to had less than 40k people there, the first couple roo's were alright now look! The best way to vote is with your money and i choose to do it with this festi and others. im sure there were great segments though. and by the way ive been waiting for this to happen to kanye the whole time! Never let a suburban chi-town kat tell you about diamonds!

SciFreak- No hula-hoopin' chances got you feelin' down? I liken Kanye as a modern day Trey. Bonnaroo 02 will not be duplicated. Go Panic or go hula-hoop.....

6th Bonnaroo and overall if u are a music lover this fest kicked serious ass. All the artist went balls to the wall (well almost all) There is no doubt the people going to the 'roo has changed. Maybe for the better. Let 'roo be a GREAT example of how a music fest can be cool for everybody. This way we can pick any type of fest we like. If Bonnaroo ends up being a bust u can bet other fests will follow suit. Now is a good time to be a music lover peace see ya on the farm next year Hell yeah BOnnaroooooo

I AGREE WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE HERE.

FIRST OFF THIS WAS NOT A GREAT REVIEW AND SARAH WHO WROTE THE REVIEW, NEEDS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE SCENE SHE'S COVERING.

THE DUDE WHO SAID THAT SHE'S NEVER BEEN TO A WIDESPREAD SHOW AND WRITES FOR JAMBASE? I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. WHETHER SHE'S A FAN OF PANIC OR NOT. SHE WORKS FOR JAMBASE AND TO NOT HAVE EXPERIENCED A PANIC SHOW???

THEY ARE THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BAND ON THE JAM SCENE RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S LIKE BEING A REVIEWER FOR "RELIX" MAGAZINE IN 1992 AND SAYING YOU HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A GRATEFUL DEAD SHOW. YOU SHOULD AT LEAST BE IN TOUCH WITH THE MUSIC YOUR COVERING. SEEING PANIC AT BONNAROO IS NOTHING LIKE SEEING THEM ON TOUR FOR 3 NIGHTS AT THE CHICAGO AUDITORIUM.

SCREW ALL THESE FESTS. I DON'T DIG THEM. I'D RATHER WAIT FOR THE BAND I WANT TO SEE ON TOUR AND SEE THEM. FOR INSTANCE I JUST SAW PHIL LESH AND FRIENDS FRIDAY, JUNE 13TH IN CHICAGO WITH LEVON HELMS OPENINING. GREAT SHOW. I DON'T NEED THESE OVERCROWDED, OVERPRICED FESTS TO SEE THE BANDS I WANT TO SEE.

"just saying, "Fuck it, I can't possibly be any more drenched."

haha i've done that soooo many times. awesome!

JUST LIKE VEGOOSE IS CRAP NOW. I SAW THE DEAD IN VEGAS BACK IN 1994 AND THEY FILLED THE SAM BOYD SILVERBOWL TO THE TOP. FESTIVALS JUST KEEP GETTING WORSE. THE ONLY FESTS THAT WERE GOOD WERE FURTHERFEST AND WISH I HAD SEEN H.O.R.D.E. I WAS TOO BUSY GOING TO DEAD SHOWS AND MISSED OUT ON SOME FABULOUS PANIC,ABB,BLACK CROWES.

I'D RATHER SEE SUNDAY NIGHT PANIC SHOWS ALL SUMMER THEN ATTEND ANY OF THESE FESTS. YOU WANT TO SEE A BAND BRING THE HEAT?? GO TO A 3 NIGHT PANIC RUN AND DON'T MISS THE SUNDAY SHOW. PANIC ON SUNDAY NIGHT IS AS CLOSE TO MUSIC HEAVEN AS IT GETS.

I HAVE SOME SHIT TO SAY AND A CAPS LOCK KEY, SO YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO ME!

I haven't got a caps lock key unfortunately, but did anyone see The Wood Brothers with John Medeski?

Regarding the rain...it got to a point Friday night that I didn't know what the difference between wet and dry was. My shirt was so wet that it almost felt dry...very odd...

I think Smokey82832 put it best...this festival was great for music lovers, jambands or not...people are looking at the growth of bonnaroo as a bad thing. I agree...the corporate BS sucks. But if you go for the music and surround yourself with the right people, you make the festival as good as you want. Most of the huge jamband festivals today have looked at Roo as a model and now look whats happening...we're seeing these "jamband" festivals open up to include other types of music (electronica, dj, etc.) Let's see the lineups change as these other festivals get bigger...LONG LOVE THE ROO!

I thoroughly enjoyed Roo. Phil was fantastic. For all of those who were at the late night electric set, I was the guy who got Phil to yell back during the tuning break. "Play your favorite song!". Phil, Umph, Mr. Claypool, Jack, and BB were all fantastic. However - there was so much petty bullshit that the Roo honchos make you go through - this was my last summer at the farm.

Based out of NY - I can pull off MJ / Vibes / All Points West for about the same $ as Bonnaroo costs.

Also - Kanye Sucks!

I'll let you in on a little secret: Kanye West has always been arrogant. He thinks he's better than everyone; musicians and fans alike. Nothing he does surprises me.

Bonnaroo has offically made me sick.......great way to ruin a good thing

Can someone who fits the mold of one of these categories

1) frat boy/girl

2) 'g-dog' shithead

3) or there for the party not the music

tell me why you like ruining peoples good time...Cause you have ruined it for me and many many others who HAD the best times at roos' past?

PLEASE RESPOND.

shut up bluntbisco, its always about the music, how dare you, you fucking tweaker biscuit head.

wow so much hate on these boards regarding one festival. yes i was there in 03,04 and it was indeed amazing. Went back in 07 and the feeling just isn't on the ol' TN farm anymore. Too much corporate takeover and there is just no sense of community whatsoever. this was the premier festival of the summer in the US now w/ the over saturation of festivals throughout the US everything has to be BIGGER to be better in the promoters eyes to pull in the same numbers of people. Keep it simple folks. I'll be back at High Sierra 09

It sounds like there are a lot of 'folks' on jambase with a lot of 'personal problems'. It's just a festival people...it is what you make it. If you can't have fun at a festival like Bonnaroo regardless of the crowd then, well, you probably should just stay at home, read the reviews, and talk shit.

People need to stop hating on Bonnaroo so much. This was my third Roo and I had just as much fun there as ever. To those speaking of corporate takeover: just ignore it! It isn't like it gets in the way of your festival experience that much, and it gives Bonnaroo more money to book sweet bands. The headliners have never been what I have gone to Bonnaroo for. Although they tend to go out of the typical hippie scene, just embrace it; it is still music and mostly still will rock your socks off. With all the money Bonn has, what are they supposed to do, bring back the Dead or Phish? No other jam band requires that much money to book, so they just go above and beyond. For instance, Metallica and Chris Rock both put on great, fun, Bonnaroo-friendly shows that were worth going to. And the festival is about the music really, and we're still getting classic festival jambands like Umphrey's, Claypool, Bisco, Panic, Phil Lesh, Robert Randolph, and this list goes on. Now as for Kanye...fuck Kanye. I am a huge fan of his rapping, but that show was not only ridiculously late but just a shitty show not fit for the stages of Bonnaroo. He literally didn't even care about the show. This was not Bonnaroo's fault though; if he had performed like Lupe it would have been an epic show, considering the fame and talent in his music! The way I see it, hippies should be happy, loving people who see the joy in what they are given, not hater bitches. Let's keep it that way and enjoy Bonnaroo for what is given, because to date it has never disappointed. Now Austin City Limits on the other hand--which has gone from an amazing festival to a hodgepodge of sub-par bands that don't fit the Austin or festival scenes worth shit (Foo Fighters?!?), can be complained about. Although this years lineup is better with a lil hiphop, Byrne, Volta, etc., that fest has really gone down the tubes from its first years. Be glad that Bonnaroo hasn't slipped in the way that ACL has.

Screw this BS. Bunch of Schwilly dope dealers is all that we have left for a scene. Quote whoever you want I am glad you could hear them over what was blaring on the next stage. Whoever put the schedule together should be fired. Treating Phil like that is unforgivable. Where are the Oakland A's when we need them. Man I miss Alpine when you could drive your bike up to the front gate. Panic did play a great set. So did Pearl Jsm. If this was your first time, i'm glad you had some fun. Try a real fest that doesn't have its head up its butt next time and you will see what little magic is left. Heck even Claypool was drowned out if you wern't close enough to the stage. Never again. Magfest is the biggest fest I am going to do from now on. I hope Phil hits the south so I can see a real show with the new band. They kept starting to cook untill the music from the next stage broke up any group energy or momentum. Let em book MTVs top ten next year and make some cash. I won't be there. BTW for what it was worth Kanye was not that bad. He must think he is G-d, and the sun was his lite show. I saw young girls in tears. I got a song out of it. Its all about an ego-maniac who does not have a clue. I had a few people the next day say that they really liked the song better then alot of what they heard at the fest. Yo freestyle with an acustic mising a string. I'll be the first one to pay for the ROOCLUB this year! I am trying so, hard not to use vulgararity. I guess superfly is just the newest in a long line of leeches. Peace and respect where it was earned.

Roo has to watch though. They are almost doing what ruined Woodstock. Booking metal bands (which attracts different types of people), with peaceful bands (which attracts different types of people). They are on opposite ends of the pole, and it is a recipe for a Woodstock disaster soup. Metallica does not belong at Bonnaroo, thats a concert you go to see at PNC Arts or MSG or something, or Warped Tour. Not Roo where there once was hippies that embraced Bela Fleck on the main stage. The main stream has tons of things already, why leak it in to the jam band scene where we don't want it. Now, I don't care about Bonnaroo any more, and thats my reason right there. I don't see how people cant understand why people are bashing Bonnaroo. Its very obvious. Especially when us hippies are the ones that made its success and got it to where it is today. Its a kick in the face.

That was my first Bonnaroo and the best one ever! :) I had zero problems.. I never waited in long lines to get into centeroo or was never touched in a nonspecial way. I thought the lineup was diverse and fantastic. I really loved wathcing all the spreadheads get into Metallica.. That is what its all about..

"Dave Schools' hair floated behind his towering stature and stormy basslines alongside Bell's distinctive, gravelly howl. Chilly, hungry and being held together by a thinly spun web of inertia, coffee and tobacco, I headed for the campsite, "Tall Boy" fading gradually away, sound tracking my parting shot."

Im not sure it really matters how tired you are... You dont walk away from a Panic show... Your FIRST panic show at that.

I went from 02-04, and I'll never go back. This aint no festi. Conventry was a fucking festi. I bet these jerk off frat fags wouldn't have gotten their Escalades and K-Swiss dirty hiking a couple hours to see real music.

Take a look at the crowd shot in the pics above. Not one set of dreads!! How the fuck isn't there dreads up against the rail at any set durring Roo?

Manchester is to MTV, as Orlando is to DisneyWorld. Enjoy your $300 tickets to visit the wonderful, product filled, commercial theme park.

Did not go to Roo this year due to last year- could not hear anything, too many schedule conflicts, the thug life managing "Safety" and stealing/harrassing fans. When I saw Metallica was headlining, I knew it was over.

GUESS WHAT FOLKS? Roo did not sell out for only the second time in its history- they claim attendance was down 10%.

Who wants to spend massive dollars on a fest that has a hair salon, rap acts that breed negative vibes, and a metal band that sues its fans? There are much, much better fests out there (All Good, 10KLF, etc) that are keeping it close to what really matters- the music. I bet you'll hear Phil loud and clear in other fields.

The only thing that made me sad to miss Roo, this year, was MMJ! EviL Urges, baby.

I agree with the two posts above mine. HOW IN THE HELL DO YOU WALK ON YOUR FIRST WP SHOW? This artice has some good coverage, but anyone that is all about the music would consider this a disgrace! I saw the FUSE coverage and thought the same thing, "Take a look at the crowd shot in the pics above. Not one set of dreads!! How the fuck isn't there dreads up against the rail at any set durring Roo?

Manchester is to MTV, as Orlando is to DisneyWorld. Enjoy your $300 tickets to visit the wonderful, product filled, commercial theme park."

people with attitudes like bluntsnbisco are the reason we see so many feds and cops at shows. THANKS DUDE.

Widespread Panic are fucking terrible and lame as hell and just cause someone has figured that out before you doesn't give you a reason to trash them!!!! Bitching about frat kids being at bonnaroo and then bitching about someone not liking wsp is kinda funny...... douche bags remove the cocks from your' ears!!!!!!!!!!

i think it goes music+party= community / i bet Kanye refers to himself in the third person.

To jazzfester and sndtibefreak I couldnt agree more. I live just 30 min north of Bonnaroo and have been the last 4 years (couldnt get off work the first 2 years so i quit after the 3rd.) Bonnaroo has changed alot! Higher ticket prices (which someone said corporate pays for bigger bands.... um we do) tickets went from 160 I believe the first year at the highest price to 250 this year and with higher gas prices I am sure it didnt help Bonnaroo sell out but NEITHER DID THE LINEUP. The great community that we all know and love didnt make it to Bonnaroo this year because they werent allowing vendors to set up and sell without paying the hefty fee. And thats a damn shame they always have the best food around... Aside from the dollar grilled cheese. Bonnaroo is going to have to change some things for it to make it better. Its turning into Coachella and I havent ever wanted to go there. This year I made it down for Dereck Trucks and Susan who blew my mind! Then I saw WP and Sewing Machine was incredible. I know there are alot of haters of panic out there but this wasnt a festival created for one band there are alot of other great bands out there. The people who enjoy panic are probably bitchin about metallica and mastadon and the like. But i bet they didnt go see them. TO EACH HIS OWN. LET IT BE. However I think everyone agrees F@#$ Kanye. I never heard anyone say that had a terrible time at roo even I endured a terrible case of chafed rear but I enjoyed my 5 hours. Oh and one more thing my roomate collected a bunch of shows on his H2 recorder. If you love live music and want your own recording its cheap and you can put it in your front pocket and the sound is amazing. He caught the wood brothers and it sounds like it came from the studio they are very very good too check them out. Ramble on.

What happened to the Beastie Boys? I was going to go this year but couldn't, although I thought the Beastie boys were supposed to be there?

I had a ball. Sorry if you didnt or think that Bonnaroo stinks and didnt even go.

Agreed - its a damn fine problem to have when there are 3 amazing sets going on and you have to pick and choose.

What's with the diversity bashin'???

Sure it originally began as a hippie mecca - but i mean c'mon isn't being a 'hippie' about peace, love, diversity and all that stuff??

what's wrong with mixing up the sound a little?

That makes a fest a hell of lot more interesting to me.

No offense to jambands & jamband lovers or anything - i love em too- but c'mon i mean you can only hear sooo much of it in a day let a long 3 or 4.

Chill. Hippies aren't really "original" anymore anyway unless your OG.

I call today's "hippies" nu-hippies. The type of hippies who drive around in the SUVS or gas guzzling cars and then go back home to a nice house to shower.

no disrespect to anyone - just keepin it real ;)

We hung out in the rear of metallica at the main stage at bonnaroo and anxiously watched the fireworks, moshing, explosions, and other extravagant spectacles that Metallica had to offer. I give the band the respect that is due, however they just arent my cup of tea. My morning Jacket began with a spitting rain, but it seemed like when the intensity of the music picked up, the rain did also. During the intermission the rain quit completely. Could all of that energy from the crowd have soemthing to do with that. My morning went on to play one of the most emotional and enlightening shows of my life. The lightshow, the rain, the crowd, the thousands of glowsticks, the baloons, jim james absolutely RIPPING the guitar and singing every song like it was his last- All made for one amazing show. The chills I was getting wasnt only from the rain, but from pure amazement. For those of you that live in the southeast, consider catching them in Louisville or Nashville in August, both are riverfront shows and are the first two sets they play after returning from their euro tour. My Morning Jacket really made my bonnaroo experience. Check m' out if you have the means.

-Catch some shows-

-Fuck Kanye-

I remember watching the first season of the roo on dvd and they had the two guys who were tripping on the jared acid. the metal heads were in effect even when the bands weren't their. I think everyone just enjoys music outside of being labeled. Music is diverse and so are the people who listen to it. Metallica set a bar pretty high for rockin out the f out. But Kanye West? What is he doing their? He should stick to the city.

FUCK KANYE WEST, CHRIS ROCK EVEN CALLED HIM OUT

ROO 08

YOU COULD MAKE THIS FEST WHAT YOU WANT. Cause to me it was still a mianly jam fest cause i saw...

Battles,DSO,Umphreys,Claypool,Raconteurs,Some Chris Rock,MMJ,BISCO,BB King,Levon Helm,Some of jack Johnson(Which wasnt that good),PJ,Phil Lesh and Friends(which i agree they would have momentum and then another stage would bleed over and kill it and Fuck Kanye for fucking his set up) YMSB,Phil Acoustic, PLant and Krauss, Some Derek Truck, Then WSP wich was great especially since i was in the pit robert randolph came out and when JB said the mushrooms tasted nasty in my mind that made me laugh

Im not sayin the fest hasnt lost some of the special feeling casue it had, but dont tell me this town aint got no soul, you just gotta poke around.

Go to ALL GOOD, fuck Bonnaroo, all that are left are people selling fake or bad drugs, COPS and NORMAL people. The first couple of years I didnt see any coke or smack or bullshit, now its a buch of thugged out black guys selling fake coke, soapium, and bad acid. HAVE FUN KIDS!!!

"The heat goes on, where the head(s) have been, the heat goes on, and the heat goes on." Talking Heads

I kinda wish someone WOULD have burnt down a vendors hut or something just to see AC/Superfly squirm. It'll happen eventually and I wont be there to see it. I knew when the thugs from Nashville started working the gates to centeroo instead of volunteers that all was lost. These $8 an hour goons hijacked all of our drugs one year and looking back on it we should have just kicked the living shit of the guy and took our chances with the courts! I was at the infamous DEER CREEK DEAD SHOWS with the gate crashers, and it will happen at roo eventually. ANARCHY AT ROO 09' ANARCHY AT ROO 09'

I wonder if the stage gurus had any problem setting up for tools set last year? Since they had such a problem with Kanyes.

Molitz told me years ago that he hates the Dead and Dead heads, bt he thoughtthat Particle would always have an audience if he played with Mickey, Later Phil. he is a real douche bag and should be shunned.

i have been to all seven bonnaroos and given them thousands to be an "official" merchant. at different points i set up on shakedown (now "mc shakedown" since they shook down the renegade vendors) and i have to say i've seen this event deteriorate at a rather rapid rate. the producers have never been "from" tour, so it comes as little surprise that they never "got it" but the way in which they chose to promote themselves as the premiere "jam band" festival, and then be completely clueless as to what they were trying to create, has never ceased to amaze me. this year they went over the top. they not only continuted last year's policy of destroying the parking lot "micro-economy" but they did themselves one worse by allowing police to do pocket checks and confiscate cash from concert goers. (yes, i know of two people who had excess of $1,000 each stolen from them by police and bonded security.)

the kanye west debacle was so bad it actually brought to light the many lame aspects of this festival that have been needing to be scrutinized. kanye did not have the power to cut phil's set short. he could make his demands, but only the producers of the show had the power to cut short phil's set, and it was the producers who made that choice. they might as well have told the deadheads "we don't want your kind here anymore."

well, we'll go. and we'll take our micro-economy with us. and with that, the city of manchester will be hit the hardest. it's a damn shame, but it wasn't what the deadheads wanted. we could have policed shakedown with ethics if all they wanted to do was clean-up (or make more discreet) the open-air drug market. that wasn't what they wanted. they shut it all down, from the walking vendors to the grilled cheese vendors to the people selling hand made batiks. no problem. we'll spend our money elsewhere superfly!

the road to bonnaruin was made public by kanye west, but the time now is for us all to say that the show is not friendly to our crowd and that we all need to boycott-a-roo...

for what it's worth, i don't bash "diversity"... it's part of what i still appreciate about this festival. what i bash is the corporate structure that takes a true community with a micro-economy and tries to streamline it into a managed economy where all money gets funneled to the top. tour, in the true sense, is an anarchistic organism with a sort of "participatory democracy" element to it. people vote with their dollars. and when we create a micro-economy, we spread the money to local retailers when we restock on food, ice, soda, beer, and we create an economy where we're able to sustain our travel, play, etc. when this economy gets managed in an authoritarian top-down manner, what happens is it not only kills the novelty of the event (see how the numbers have been dropping? it's not just because the line-ups have gone mainstream, it's also a direct response to the killing of the parking lot scene)... it also kills the spirit of the event. and that, too, kills diversity.

we can all give lip-service to words like diversity and community. superfly does it all the time in its promotional material. but let's be real... true community gives everyone a voice. top-down authoritarian measures are just another way of saying "police state." bonnaroo is more police state than community. and that, in turn, kills diversity no matter how diverse the line-up is.

I went 2002-2005 (volunteer 2003 and staff 2004 and 2005) and had a great time but saw where the scene was going. RIP Bonnaroo, I hope all you have fun, but i can remember when every single person in the crowd was a music fan, now they are all just their for the drugs.

well nick, since you haven't been back since '05, let me give you an update: last year the producers finally got around to "cleaning up shakedown" and instead of doing it with a community in mind, they did the way any police state would do it: zero tolerance. so the scene has not gone that way you think it has. it has left. split. packed up its bags and moved to another town. and after giving phil the f-you by pulling him off stage an hour early, it'll have even less scene next year. so, yeah, they'll have solved the drug problem, at least on the supply side (the demand will still be there but only those who want to serve teeny-boppers will remain to serve them)... the real scene, where consenting adults provide goods and services (including some that the freds don't want to legalize) for each other will be long gone. the result? clueless kids and professional dealers. the nitrous people had no problem serving tanks this year, but no one could find weed.

Fuck Kanye! But other than that (or if he just let Phil finish his set!!!!) the festival was awesome. Levon Levon Levon!!! Did nobody else see this? Set of the weekend. And then Pearl Jam and Phil all three in one night. i was losing it. Would be satisfied if it were my last year though.

DISCO BISCUITS and !!! stole the weekend. Best fun I have had at Bonnaroo since 2007, TOOL haha. It was memorable but nothing can ever top 2002, for me at least. WSP great closing set on Sunday. You couldn't ask for a more diverse festival. Next year who know what will happen. More Biscuits please.

ohh yeah nick your dumb, everyone was drawn there by some musician or another. Why spend 260 dollars to go to a drug market when you can do that from the seat of you living room for free. No one cares what you think happened to Bonnaroo. Let the truth be told from someone who has missed only one year, 2006, that this festival is far from dead.