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!!
2007 - This was my first year. I was hot and intimidated and ended up spending most of the time sitting at the campsite in the shade. I had only seen a few acts and wasn't sure if I was feeling the whole experience, and I had just come from watching my friend puke during the Police. Somehow I made it to the very front of Which Stage for the Flaming Lips. Everything that had been previously bad about the experience dropped the moment they came out for War Pigs. The whole set was the best show I've ever seen, I hadn't seen them before and they blew me away. I just felt this overwhelming feeling of elation, and it was amazing sharing that with all of the people there with me.
Oh man, last year during Arcade Fire.... Looking up in the sky and seeing these purple, twinkling lights takeover as far as you could see. And then ending the set with the entire crowd of thousands of people singing "Wake Up." I get chills just thinking about it, what an amazing experience.
Oh man, last year during Arcade Fire.... Looking up in the sky and seeing these purple, twinkling lights takeover as far as you could see. And then ending the set with the entire crowd of thousands of people singing "Wake Up." I get chills just thinking about it, what an amazing experience.
I wanted to (and might eventually) pen a long piece about the Arcade Fire experience for me at Roo. But the gist of it revolves around this as well:
I have never had a dull moment at Bonnaroo, but one moment I recall that wasn't life altering but pretty cool ( I think so anyway). During The Roast with Jeff Ross I noticed I was sitting right behind "the" Mclovin ha pretty funny because he got up when they pointed him out.
I also remember dancing at Damian Marley and Nas made me realize how truly great roo is because I was in paradise.
Post by Pokey Junior on Feb 20, 2012 4:34:44 GMT -5
in 2010 i moved back to nashville from boulder and at that point the most beautiful girl i had ever seen was this girl that happened to be at bonnaroo that year. i had only talked to her 3 times in my whole life. we happened to meet up due to the group of friends i was with. i dont know if it was the way she saw me looking at her.....
but during kings of leon i was making dirt angels and seh sat in front of me and pulled my arms around her.
nothing else ever happened past that night but that shiit blew my mind.
I have been to every roo from 2007, and there are almost too many moments to pick. That year, it would have been during my first late night, seeing Flaming Lips for the first time, then stumbling (literally) into Galactic for the first time at The Other Tent while trying to find the way out of Centeroo.
I posted about this last year, but it's still one of the best memories I have.
It was about 3am and I was alone in Centeroo; the rest of my group had gone to bed. I was snoozing against the fuse barn sign. A sweet guy tapped my shoulder and gently woke me up, saying "he's going to draw on this sign, and we didn't want to startle you." He playfully teased me about my head lamp. Then a group of people lifted this guy up, he drew a robot holding a sign that read "more love", and they walked away. Just after that, the marching band went right past me, and I finally met up with a friend I had been wanting to see. I am still so glad I didn't go back to camp that night.
Such beautiful stories! I was pretty bummed about not getting tickets last Saturday but reading about everyone's special moments has me reenergized about the new and improve ticketing system for this Saturday I think the first time I realized Bonnaroo had changed my life was at NIN in '09. I had skipped Bruce to be in the front. NIN wasn't even my favorite band in the 90s nor my favorite set from the weekend, but at that show was when I realized that Bonnaroo has probably changed my life. I can't wait for tickets to go back on sale this Saturday; another step towards making more wonderful memories!
2010 was my first roo. A few of my friends from high school (and one from college) caught wind of the lineup and HAD to make the trip. So we packed up our van, and drove 18 hours from MA to TN. Too excited to sleep the whole way. We couldn't stop screaming "BONNAROOOOOOO!!!!!" When I got there, I only became more excited. Being at bonnaroo is easily the best feeling I have ever felt. The minute we got there, everything felt perfect. Seeing all the stages for the first time, and the great vibes. The moment that really internalized Bonnaroo for me was the energy at the What stage during Stevie Wonder and Jay-z's performances. I have never in my life experienced such a feeling of belonging as I did in this crowd. I kept watching Stevie Wonder smiling as we screamed his lyrics. Even though he couldn't see us, I knew he could feel us, and I could feel us too. I still get chills thinking it. And when Jay-Z came on, he played a perfect set, and you could tell he was feeling the 'roo vibe. Nothing can ever compare to the Bonnaroo vibe. I can't live without it.
in 2010 i moved back to nashville from boulder and at that point the most beautiful girl i had ever seen was this girl that happened to be at bonnaroo that year. i had only talked to her 3 times in my whole life. we happened to meet up due to the group of friends i was with. i dont know if it was the way she saw me looking at her.....
but during kings of leon i was making dirt angels and seh sat in front of me and pulled my arms around her.
nothing else ever happened past that night but that shiit blew my mind.
Nice! I went to that show solo and left with a new friend. We danced between the beer tents like no one was watching and listened to Flaming Lips from his campsite. We went back to Centeroo to catch Galacitc and I passed out. I took his number down wrong, but it was a fun night!
Running through Puszy Galore naked one night with a friend was memorable fo' sho'...
mmm. OH! 2008, all the fire Such n Such stuff was suuuper neat, then the parade coming by! WOW. FUNFUNFUN.
Last year the glittering sky was absolutely amazing.
None of these are 'this show blew my mind' moments, but it's all relative OH- actually, When Bruce played Santa Claus is Coming to Town... where else would he do that in June? GREAT. My friend was like WTF? and I said "It's Bonnaroo[/size]!!"
Wow two pages and no one has mentioned My Morning Jackets 08 late-night set. The combo of the music, the crowd, the rain made a heavenly experience. Jim James is a Rain God
Great thread!! I have so many amazing moments surrounding Roo..but my fav I guess would be..
2010- The Avett's when the clouds rolled in and brought the cooler temp (temporarily) with them..Singing 'I and Love and You' along with all the fans and with Seth right in front of us..
-Singing along with Stevie Wonder felt pretty surreal, just looking at the massive crowd, everyone with a smile on their face, young and old..it embodied the entire meaning of Bonnaroo..everyone coming together for the love of music..
2011, definitely MMJ coming on stage and starting with Victory Dance..then mission icefly and then singing 'Wake Up' with Arcade fire..I'm pretty sure I shed a tear and walked away without much of a voice left lol..that was one of the best moments of my entire life!!!( I love that tune) and well those two sets were incredible!..Friday night was magical..
I love Roo..this year I anticipate more magical moments..can't wait!
Post by theblacknoise on Feb 22, 2012 17:10:38 GMT -5
I have been twice now and I have to say the times I remember most were A: just walking around Centeroo for the first time on that Thursday night in 2010. There were bands on stage I had never heard of and some I had. I was eagerly waiting for Wale to come on stage. He was late and when he came on he was lackluster. Which made me realize. Quack that there are better artists to be seeing. And from then on I just wandered and if I liked what I heard from a distance I would seek it out. B: getting seperated from the only person that was at Bonnaroo with me before the Jay-Z show. I was worried I wouldn't be able to have a good time at a show by myself. But I wasn't at the show by myself at all. I met everyone around me and we all rocked out to Jay-Z together. We all shared fruits and vegetables and had a great time. Then at Deadmau5 I made some more friends. Then at Disco Biscuits I made even more. To me that is what it is all about. 80,000 people enjoying the art of music together. We suffer through the heat and exhaustion together. We experience the mind melting together. We ride together, we die together. Bad Boys For Life
Every MMJ set is the perfect Roo moment for me. But '04 was the best in my book. Jim on the flying V, summoning up a storm from absolutely nowhere. When it ended, I've never seen so many jaws lying on the ground. Strangers hugging strangers. Ecstatic Cheshire grins all around. They deemed it the Thunderdome set. Listen to it.
My Morning Jacket had an absolute blast at this show as it started as easily the hottest and most humid show they've ever played. Then, during "At Dawn" the wind started whipping, the sky turned black, and just as "Steam Engine" started sheets of rain careened off the crowd, the band, and the equipment. It was as life altering as it was life threatening and they had the time of their lives...
"RETURN TO THUNDERDOME", Live at Bonnaroo 2004, is available on-line at www.livebonnaroo.com 1. Mahgeetah 2. One Big Holiday 3. Golden 4. It Beats 4 U 5. Lowdown 6. The Way That He Sings 7. O Is The One That Is Real 8. Dancefloors 9. Phone Went West 10. Cobra 11. At Dawn 12. Steam Engine
For reasons that I cannot summon, the XX show in 2010. I had never listened to much of their music, but something about the time, the place and the people made everything come full circle and create "that moment." Hearing one of their songs still elicits a response from deep within.
in 07 after Sasha & Digweed. Even though they had raged all night till the sun came up, my boy and i still came across this restless Spunday crowd banging away at a random water trough:
being crammed in the Troo Music Lounge for Dubconcious and moving chairs, passing them to people to set outside the tent to make room for more people. other people followed suit, and we had ourselves a nice little Thursday smoke session party before Clutch or Gab y Rod.
Walking in the drizzly rain to MSTRKRFT>The Disco Biscuits tent in '08 the folks here who caught that know what i'm talking about.
magic in the air during that Pearl Jam set, especially during Crazy Mary
the crowd absolutely erupting during Chalk Dust Torture in 09
Post by konstantine on Feb 24, 2012 4:02:04 GMT -5
Last year was my first time so I don't have too much to pick from. Being in the middle of the crowd during the Arcade Fire set was amazing but as soon as "Wake Up" started, it was chilling (in the good way). I have goosebumps thinking about it. Everyone around us was singing, it was magic.
Another perfect moment was the last day, we decided to start picking up around camp a little bit and all ended up under the E-Z up, two coolers in the middle of our misshapen circle, and we all had beers in our hands, laughing about the weekend. That's when I knew I HAD to go back.
I grew up worshipping Rock and Roll like a religion. I know its shortcomings and strengths but have loved it unconditionally all the same since I was eight-years old. I ran away and joined the circus and honestly, I'm still as obsessed as I was as a boy. I'm not a kid anymore but I still remember how it felt and it doesn't really feel all that different to me now.
Post by Riff Free Or Die on Feb 24, 2012 9:15:11 GMT -5
These moments are what I have sold so many of my friends on. You all have got me feeling very sentimental. I describe it as a"WOW" moment, because all you can do when overcome with all that emotion is just smile and say WOW!!!! I've had too many to list em all, but I'll share some of my favorites.
2008: My first show of the festival was MGMT, I knew nothing about them. Quite honestly, I bought the ticket to see Pearl Jam and go to a big party. My faith in new music was at an all-time low, and I hadnt fell in love with a new band since the 90's. I had no idea how drastically my life would change. It was during "Time to Pretend" I realized there was I whole other world I had just discovered. This was not just a regular concert or just a big party I had got myself into, This was my new lease on life with my new super-extended family. I remember saying "Wow, this is how it's going to be for the next four days." I was in love and knew right then I would not be missing a year of Bonnaroo ever again. I got that feeling so many times that year at MMJ, at Umphrey's, at BB King, at Phil Lesh to name a few more. Another noteworthy moment is when Jack Johnson brought out Eddie Vedder for "Constellations" and it seemed, during the song it went from daylight to dusk to night. Also, my first Roo tears were shed as Eddie Veddar was crying and belting out the chorus to "Release". "Better Man" needs no explanation. Without a doubt Bonnaroo changed my life.
2009: I didnt go with the most Roo ready crew that year. My two compadres were rather large fellows, who don't get along with the heat that well. That being said, they were troopers and stuck with me through some long Jam sets that they weren't the biggest fans of i.e. moe. til sunrise. After a long weekend we decided to leave Phish a little early to try and catch one of the last rides on the Ferris Wheel. When we got up there they said we got there just in time and got some of the last few tickets. As we approached the front of the line we could hear The Boss join the band on stage. We board the wheel just as they break into "Glory Days", seriously who writes this kind of stuff. That was the single most joyful moment of my life. How lucky I was to be riding a ferris wheel with two of my best friends, overlooking the greatest place on Earth, all the while Bruce Springsteen is leading Phish through "Glory Days". Beautiful. Blessed. Bonnaroo. Teary-eyed now thinking about the weight of that moment. I'll leave the rest of the stories for a later day.
I think the good Dr. Thompson said it best "BUY THE TICKET, TAKE THE RIDE!"
"A man's at odds to know his mind cause his mind is aught he has to know it with. He can know his heart, but he dont want to. Rightly so. Best not to look in there." -Cormac McCarthy
bonnaroo has been good to me in the past 10 years. except for 08. but now is the twilight hours of my life. i've decided to leave this world for good. i liked this website. all you guys have fun at blackstar for me. and remember that there was a bright light that once burned for all of you. <3
