Whether it's your first Bonnaroo or you’re a music festival veteran, we welcome you to Inforoo.
Here you'll find info about artists, rumors, camping tips, and the infamous Roo Clues. Have a look around then create an account and join in the fun. See you at Bonnaroo!!
Normally I would prefer to go with a good friend or two but this year I may not have that option so I'm considering going solo. I'm looking to hear about people's experiences with this.
Is setting up your camp site by yourself a problem?
How easy is it to make friends "on-the-fly" at Bonnaroo? I could see mingling with your camp neighbors, but what about in Centeroo?
I can see the benefits of going solo; Past years when I went with friends I would frequently go off on my own and enjoy the freedom of not being anchored to a group. My main concern is if I'd get bored or lonely at points.
I'd love to hear about people's experiences with this.
Went solo the past two years and really cant see doing it any other way. Setting up camp by yourself should be no problem, just dont be afraid to ask for help if you need some because there should be no shortage of people willing to help you out. It is really easy to make friends since everyone is so friendly and easy to talk to, I made plenty of friends the past two years. Plus you have nothing to worry about buy yourself and you get to do and see whatever you want when you want. The only time I got bored or lonely was early in the morning when there was no music going on but thats probably less then 5% of your weekend, the rest there will be plenty going on to keep you busy. To me there is no downside to going solo.
My first Roo last year was solo. Everything was so new, it was impossible to become bored. I had a small 2-man tent and not much stuff, really. Freewheeling your schedule, moving wherever you like in the crowd without crazy hand gestures, etc...is great. Didn't have to feel awkward about passing gas, drinking pale ale or margaritas for breakfast, and so on. I will hit a couple of the pitfalls:
1) Unfortunately, the people in the tents around me pretty much ignored me. If I said hi or tried to engage in conversation, it felt like pushing a boulder uphill. Tried offering free beer, tequila shots, and the pleasure of my awesome company but no dice. (This year I'm going to squat in Camp Inforoo and see if it goes any better.)
2) It would've been nice having someone watch my back. There are corn-related activities for which you really should have a buddy. In my case, I had a bad run-in with some Herradura. I will not be bringing any this year.
3) I like seeing and making other people happy. Dancing alone is fine, but watching a friend dirty dancing with a stranger is memorable. Memories are more awsumer with friends. BUT -- I could see doing Roo with friends for a few years and then REALLY enjoying the solo thing. It has a more...I dunno...dare I say "Spiritual" feel.
You can make friends so fast at Bonnaroo...you might show up on Thursday alone, but if you smile and say howdy by nightfall you'll be surrounded by Goode Folke. So fear not, and go.
Last Edit: Mar 11, 2010 20:53:51 GMT -5 by Deleted - Back to Top
04 - 2 in our group 05 - 5 in our group 06 - 7 in our group 07 - 2 in our group 08 - just me 09 - 5 in our group
Right now I'm going solo this year but that may change (especially with Conan announced). I've had fun in all configurations. Roo solo is fine and fun. I brought a book to pass any down time I had (as mentioned, mainly mornings). I don't really meet others well and didn't really attempt to do so while there by myself but it was an easy solo experience.
Tangent: I did Woodstock 99 by myself and that was a totally different scene, obviously. I ended the weekend kinda scared for my life. Roo is not that. You'll have a grand time!
I've never done solo, but I would recommend camping in Camp Inforoo if you're worried about not meeting other people. There will always been someone to watch your back, but you can also go off on your own without feeling like you've left your friends/group behind.
This will be my 4th Bonnaroo driving there solo. I have camped close to Camp Inforoo each time. Great people from all over the country. Hung out with them but most of the time I like the freedom to take off on my own.
Setting up camp by yourself takes a little more time but should be no problem. Practice setting it up your tent by yourself at home. My camp site keeps improving each year. Each year after I set up I go the Shakedown, get some food, check out the vendors. It is fun randomly meeting and talking to people at Bonnaroo.
You are going to be surrounded by 60thousand+ music fanatics. Here are some questions you can ask strangers to strike up a conversation. Where are you guys from? What bands have you seen so far? What bands are you planning to catch?
Be positive and friendly and you will attract others who are too.
This will be my 3rd Roo "alone" if there is a such thing as that at Roo. I did 9 festivals last summer alone. It's no sweat and I actually prefer it, for the randomness if anything.
Setting up alone is easy.. When you're alone you don't need a lot of crap because you won't be hanging at your tent much anyway. If you need help, just ask. Roo people are nice.
As far as meeting people, thats the part I love most. The random connections. I have two short examples.
Roo 08.. During the MMJ down pour I ended up with these 3 dudes and 2 girls. None of us knew each other or could really even remember how we all wound up together. But we were from all parts of the country and we ended up splashing around all night together. We ran barefoot, danced our asses over and ended up in the mud hut post office (which was under construction that year) slapping as much mud on each other as we did that hut. Just a crazy fun night with complete strangers.
Favorite story #2, last years Roo. Saturday afternoon I snuck back stage at WHICH.. This is actually easy to do if you just walk fast and act like you belong. I was wandering around back there and this chick asks me what I'm doing and I tell her uhhh nothing. And she says wait for me I want to go to a show with you. We ended up hanging the rest of the day and all night. We were so retarded faced that we couldn't remember each others names so we just made up names for each other all night. The only thing I remember is that she was from New York, bat sh!t crazy, AND and she paid for everything!! I was a lucky boy that night.
Post by localweather on Mar 17, 2010 12:29:43 GMT -5
I have always gone with a small group or one other person until last year where I went by myself. It was fun but if you want to meet people you have to be ready to put yourself out there. Almost anyone will talk to you but you have to be ready to say "Hey guys, what's up?" to total strangers.
Not that there will be any negative consequences but if it's something that you don't normally do you might want to prepare yourself mentally and physically.
Went solo in '02, '03, '05 and loved it. I'm alone this year too. Even when I've gone with someone I usually only see them about once a day for a quick meal at sundown so it's like being alone anyway.
Unless you are very shy and introverted, you will make friends in camp and if you are the type that doesn't like going to shows alone you can tag along with them.
I prefer being alone anyway so there are no conflicts with show time, leaving a show early to check someone else out or just wandering looking for a new band.
Camp Inforoo is a great suggestion. Either camp there or just stop by if you get "lonely" and want to make friends to hang out with a while.
Last Edit: Mar 17, 2010 14:26:16 GMT -5 by troo - Back to Top
Post by chrishickie on Mar 19, 2010 19:55:23 GMT -5
This is a great thread! I went with two friends in '03 and found myself seeing them very little because we all just did our own thing which was cool. I think i'm going to go solo this year and see what its all about. I may look into Camp Inforoo and see what thats all about.
Post by crazykittensmile on Mar 20, 2010 16:27:22 GMT -5
I will describe my first year solo experience, because since then I've been going solo...but meeting up with inforoo friends every year
My first year, I had plans to go with someone.... but that fell through absolutely last minute. So I had to improvise quickly and change all of my plans about a week before roo. I was going it alone! For my first roo.
On the way to the airport, I admit I was a little scared...but definitely more excited than anything else. I had scoured inforoo, and even coordinated to meet with some other girls who were also going solo.
Once I got onto the farm, I knew everything would be fine I arrived at tent only, and one of the girls I was meeting up with showed me where to put up my tent, and I got to setting up camp. Mind you, this was my first time ever setting up a tent alone so I'm sure it was a pretty funny sight!
After I was settled, I ran off to grab dinner and see a show with one of the girls, it was a band I had never heard of but the energy was high and beats were deep... The rest of the weekend was a blissful haze of hopping all around centeroo, making new friends, laying in the grass, soaking in the music and wandering around aimlessly, contemplating the wonderful energy around me... I was hooked. I never felt unsafe or lonely, for even a split second, the entire time.
It was delightful to do as I pleased the whole weekend, catching shows with newly found friends if our paths happened to cross, but never feeling like I had to give anything up for anyone else... Going solo is the only way to go for me now. I went with a boyfriend one year, and it just was fun but it just wasn't the same... I missed out on a lot of things I wanted to do that year. I actually fear the day when someone else will want to come with me, and I feel somewhat responsible for them... so I kind of don't sell it as hard as I could with my friends.... which is a little selfish, but I can live with that ;D
i've gone with a bonnaposse each year which is the way to do it for me because i dont have a license, and need to get down there some how from Canada!!
that being said, my second year both girls i came with were sick and went to bed early, but tiesto was playing and it was raining and there was just no way that i could go to bed.... i just said good night to my buddies and wandered into centeroo and found a million people dancing to tiesto and i just made some friends, we exchanged names and basic details and looked around a bit and we found our common friend molly and that sealed the deal, we danced our donkeys off for the next 5 hours.... there's lots of great people at bonnaoo to be friends with!!! every year we usually make friends with our neighbours if they're cool and we go to lots of shows together, our one neighbour from colorado even met us there last year and we camped together, and this year he's flying to indiana to meet with us and were taking an RV down. YIPPEEEEEE.
we're party people, so if you're lonely and legit fun and games, send me a message and we can see about meeting up and we'll take you under our batshit crazy wing!!!
I arrived at tent only, and one of the girls I was meeting up with showed me where to put up my tent, and I got to setting up camp. Mind you, this was my first time ever setting up a tent alone so I'm sure it was a pretty funny sight!