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!!
Post by scissorbaby on Dec 2, 2010 13:21:48 GMT -5
Last year was my first roo, and I was suuuper prepared because I lurked these boards for a few months beforehand. & I had absolutely no problem with theft. We left a full case of water, a fan, some green cigarretts, and lots of other random crap on our tent's patio thing, and nothing ever got taken. -Bring snacky foods with you, but plan on buying food there. They have some pretty great festival foods. -Bring a big floppy hat & sunglasses -Bring t-shirts as well as tanktops, after the first day or two my shoulders got a little burnt, and I had to buy a shirt there because I didnt pack one. -Sunscreen! -Baby wipes are really nice right before you go to bed, give yourself a little sponge bath (: -Bring travel toilet paper for the porta potties, and figure out the cleaning schedules! I'd wake up in the morning and have a nice clean portapottie all to myself when everyone else was sleeping. -I brough flip flops, rain boots and tennis shoes and ended up wearing all three during the weekend. -Have a fannn to point directly at you when you sleep. & earplugs. Ididnt find a mask neccessary, but I had one with me. -Have spending money. it's an art fest too, and you're bound to find something you like. -Don't be shy! Every single person my friends and I talked to over that weekend was amazingly nice. We had people buy us drinks, invite us to hangout at their rv, and share blankets with us when we had to sit in dirt. (:
Post by scissorbaby on Dec 2, 2010 13:24:21 GMT -5
& my camelbak was the best thing I brought with me. if you manage to get some ice inside it stays cold for a reeeallllyy long time. Then eventually the ice melts and you have more water (:
Post by iwannagonow on Dec 3, 2010 12:04:54 GMT -5
Speaking of Camelbaks. I am getting mine from www.ebags.com
They have closeout deals for some discontinued models. Also if you go to retailmenot.com you can find discount coupon codes for a discount and free shipping.
I am gonna try to get either a 70oz or 100oz. Gonna be nice!
Post by SteveoKnievo on Dec 6, 2010 10:35:05 GMT -5
1. Go over to the "That Tent" section of the forums and read as much stuff as possible. 2. Water. Shade. Food. Clothes. Have lots of these. 3. Have fun!
Post by msbrandymichelle on Dec 8, 2010 12:38:28 GMT -5
We would put our chairs in the tent when we left. I bought a lock for our tent. Wasn't a great lock, goodness knows you could knife right thru it, but that takes more effort than a quick grab.
Post by konstantine on Dec 13, 2010 22:50:26 GMT -5
my friend and i are going with another girl who went last year, so we're not going into it TOTALLY blind. she's already given us plenty of helpful tips and ideas.
i'm sooo excited. it's currently 8 degrees here in detroit, so the thought of summer and music is keeping me sane.
Post by konstantine on Dec 15, 2010 22:41:14 GMT -5
when you guys say shade tent, do you mean those EZ up things or do you make something yourself? we own a kettle corn business so i have two EZ up tents at my fingertips and i'm trying to decided if it's worth making room for.
when you guys say shade tent, do you mean those EZ up things or do you make something yourself? we own a kettle corn business so i have two EZ up tents at my fingertips and i'm trying to decided if it's worth making room for.
TN weather in June, need I say more. Bring the EZ up. No question - make room.
Post by firsttime11 on Dec 20, 2010 11:10:31 GMT -5
11 is gonna be my first and I'm sooooo pumped. Im gonna try and prepare as much as I can but screw it if I don't. Il just bring extra of what I do remember and help out someone that has what I need.
Post by grizzlepickle on Dec 22, 2010 17:24:59 GMT -5
My 2 cents...
Water, Water, Water... As much as possible. Camelbak, bottles, etc.... Save the hard shite for nighttime. Besides, who wants to be passed out early and miss an epic set because they boozed too much during the day. Fill up at the watering station in the early a.m if possible, and bring as many emptys as you can fit in your backpack/Camelbak (never had a problem with bringing emptys in)... Also, I found that bringing frozen water bottles (only applicable if you use dry ice in your cooler) will keep security at bay (booze doesn't freeze at 32 degrees).
Speaking of late night boozing... if you must smuggle, buy some bottle-tops (address below) and save yourself some $... Worked wonders for the past couple of years (I'm poor, and festy booze prices are ridiculous).
Shade is imperative... We bring 3 or 4 ez-ups to tent only, line em up, put our tents on the west side and tarps/tapestries on the east side... Blocks more sun in the a.m. when you need it. Also, know how to set everything up quickly before you get to Roo.
Bring a tent fan. or 4. O2 Cool fans work the best. Sleep under the ez-up once the tent gets too hot.
Bring rain gear... rain cools you off by absorbing heat. Too much rain can give you hypothermia (even during a Tenn summer).
As for camp security (important issue, I've seen friends get stolen from the past 2 years)... Don't lock your tent... more of a reason for an unsavory character to slash it (if they're willing to steal, they're just as willing to slash your tent to get in)... Leave valuables LOCKED IN YOUR CAR, keep your $, cards, phone, camera, and (most importantly) KEYS on you at all times.
I will gladly give my last beer to a new friend, but I have an issue with people who walk through and grab one while we're not there. solution... (found this method on inforoo a couple years back) take two of those dog lead stakes that twist into the ground; Screw them in side by side and lock them together. Run a chain from the dog stakes to the ice chest and lock it to the handle. Then run a set of bike chains over the top of the chest, through the handles, and then over the top again until they lock... voila. secure... You can also lock your action packer and secure it to the leads. We store whatever anybody in our group wants to keep safe in there.
We bring less and less food every year... Water, booze, and some snacks should do you. I don't like missing a second of Roo, so festy-food (mainly spicy pie and cheese fries) is what I consume.
Last thoughts... Scour Inforoo. It has been an invaluable tool since I began attending. Take care of yourself while there so that you can enjoy the full spectrum of your experience. Take care of the person next to you to ensure that they walk away with as good of a view as you do. That being said, invite all-comers to share in your experience. They may bring a different view that could expand the experience that you have... Don't worry about the few negatives you may find, the experience far outweighs them. Besides, if you prepare properly, you can negate most of them anyway.
Probably just together to each other, making it tough to discretely snag... I wouldn't plan on bring high quality chairs, but I can just imagine how sad I would be upon returning to my tent to find my only means of back support gone.
Not necessary. Lock your cooler perhaps. Theives will steal beer/liqour and food out of your cooler, they will go through back packs/purses that are left out for NO NO WORD!!! and money, they will even look in tents, but they will not steal your lawn chair.
Side note: is it really that hard to go 4 days without AC people? I've never once used my cars AC at bonnaroo. But if you must another cautionary statement: your parked on top of tall dry grass; engines and their exhausts get really hot, hot enough to light dry/dead grass on fire.
there is nothing better than 6 people packed into my ac truck rippping bingers
No matter what (exemptin' complete and total disaster outta your control), you will see a lot of great music, meet a lotta great people, and have a great time. These things I am sure of!
Post by firsttime11 on Dec 23, 2010 7:40:06 GMT -5
That's what happened to me. 6 months ago everyone thought it was a great idea, now no one has the time or money. So this being my first roo I might be doing it alone too. Though I'm harassing a lot of people so hopefully one caves atleast
I agree with the overall sentiment that the best thing to do is read these forums on a daily basis but since it's Christmas Eve and Rocky IV just started, I've got a bit of time to kill so I'll contribute, too.
Don't drink alcohol early. The temptation's going to be strong but alcohol + sun + no sleep = a kicked ass all weekend long. I learned this lesson the hard way my first year. Try and wait until six or seven before drinking.
Drink water early and often. I also got a bunch of those flavor packets (Gatorade and Crystal Light) to provide some variety. (Never had any issues bringing them into Centeroo, either.)
As said perfectly earlier, bring half the food and twice the clothing that you think you'll need.
Baby wipes. A nice refreshing sponge bath before going to bed while do wonders!
Gold Bond and/or Body Glide. Chaffing is a b!tch! Nobody needs disco balls.
Providing shade for your tent will buy you an extra hour or two of sleep and that is crucial. You want to still be among the living when the late nights start!
You'll probably get a schedule when you arrive but I hear stories about folks getting shafted every year. Print out a couple of copies of the schedule before you leave. Use them, share with others. If you get an official one when you get there you can keep it fresh for the memories.
In Centeroo, make sure that you try samosas (cheap and incredibly tasty) and I Heart Spicy Pie (a bit more expensive but TOTALLY worth it and the slices are very generous).
Be respectful of others and behave towards them as you'd like them to do towards you. Don't show up moments before a set starts and then push your way through the crowd to get to the front. Don't walk in a group of twenty through a crowd all holding hands, either.
Prepare to wait in line for a while to get into the festival (anywhere from one to fourteen hours). It sucks but there's nothing to be done about it. Make sure you've got gas, beverages and snacks. (And don't be the person that decides that the line doesn't apply to them and try and force your way in miles down the line. You don't need bad Bonnaroo Karma.)
Also, it will take you a while to get from your site to Centeroo and you may have a wait to get into Centeroo as well. Give yourself time -- you don't want to regret missing somebody 'cause you left your camp too late.
If you travel with others, don't hesitate to go your own way. It's fun sharing experiences with others but you don't want to let others dictate your festival experience. (That's why going solo is enjoyable.)
Be friendly with your neighbors. If they're in need, offer help! Besides that it's just good policy, you may need them to return the favor.
Be patient, be kind, be reasonable and you'll have a great time!
Post by krispychris on Dec 25, 2010 14:13:07 GMT -5
As with most people, I was completely unprepared for my first trip to the farm back in 05. As far as gear, it's really pretty simple, just take whatever you'd normally take to make yourself as comfortable as possible while camping. No matter what, you'll get down there and think of something you wish you had. None of that really matters though, the most important thing you can take with you to the Roo is an open mind: Open to people, open to experiences, open to whatever you happen to walk across. Just get down there and live it, I assure you, the experience will change your life for the better. The roo has affected me in ways I can't even begin to explain, and I couldn't care less about what I forgot to take with me over the years-whatever it is, you'll manage.
Exactly the reason I've decided to go even though the friends bailed... I've heard great things about roo.
and you'll end up meeting a bunch of new friends!
ahhh, i'm so excited. i've finished most of my clothes shopping for the trip (thank you, clearance racks, seriously) and now to focus on camping supplies.
Post by arlenefavreau1 on Dec 26, 2010 10:39:09 GMT -5
for me it was my camel back for Arlene it was the BIG floppy hat that covered all the way down to her shoulders and SUNSCREEN . The BIG floppy hat I kept waterring down to keep her cool .
Last year was my first year as well and no amount of research could prepare me for the heat. It's one thing to read about how hot it gets and another to experience it. You just have to make sure you don't let it ruin your fun! I do regret letting it affect me as much as it did last year, but it just seemed impossible to escape from it. In fact, I missed Regina Spektor because I could not handle the brutality of the sun beating down on the Which Stage area. I'm ready for it this year though!