Changes in Bonnaroo

I've been to the last two, and I'm wondering if I'm going to go this year. I'm just not sure.

I'm coming over 2000 miles. And while I agree there are fewer jam bands, there's going to be plenty of jamminess. Phil? ABB? Derek Trucks? And all the excellent soul (e.g. King Solomon and Sharon Jones), blues (B - B - KING!), etc. Like they say at Obama 08 - this is Change we can believe in!

I can honestly say - if I had the money this year and the child care arrangements - we would be there - because Bonnaroo is Bonnaroo with or without Metallica or Led Zepplin - I would go to meet up with my Inforoo friends - check out some smaller lesser known bands - maybe see a few well known bands.

After all - it is Bonnaroo

I am also withe the OP - in that if it were to go over $300 per ticket - I would have to say NOPE - cannot do that

Negativity alot of times equals close mindedness. Not all the time but most of the time. At first I was kinda negative about Metallica, but the more I think about it they have some good tunes. Enter Sandman was a favorite of mine when I was younger, and I all most need Metallica to do it so I can get the awful sound of Widespread Panic's version out of my ear. (Disclaimer: I loved when Widespread Panic did it in Asheville, but they really did botch it up pretty bad.) Master of Puppets will rock, as will Fuel, Nothing Else Matters, and Unforgiven. They have tons more that will rock. As someone stated earlier you can look around and find many bands that have graced the Bonnaroo line up over the past years and trace their roots back to Metallica. And for all the Spreadheads, Metallica is one of Dave School's biggest influences.

i love bonnaroo. i have obsessed compulsively for several months in anticipation of this year's lineup. it took a full 24 hours for me to get over my initial shock and disappointment of the lineup.....and it was more than just the headliner's for me. there are plenty of bands i want to see, but most of them i have seen multiple times, and many of them i see almost every year (DSO, ABB, Phil, Derek Trucks, YMSB, etc). now that i've had some time to mull over the lackluster initial lineup, i'm starting to get fired up for roo again. i'll probably continue to go to roo every year, as long i had fun the previous year. i don't think metallica will ruin bonnaroo (however, i don't see how the Tool comparison stacks up here......WAY different bands). if i go this year, and the vibe sucks, i probably won't go back next year (unless there is a killer lineup). with that said, i've had the time of my life each year i've been at roo, and i don't plan to bail on roo just yet.

Why are people being negative?? Because they don't like the lineup...the music is what this is about after all. I haven't been going to bonnaroo every year since 2005 to play in the fountain or the silent disco. And I'm assuming the other sites you are looking on are prehaps jambase, phantasy tour or are otherwise Jam related? Not the right place to look if you want to see praise for this lineup which has a serious lack of Jam music.

Roo has been dropping the ball since 2006 but it's been generally overlooked until now because though there was a decrease in jam bands there was still just enough to balance the rest of the line up out and the price was reasonable.

And as far as all the talk about vibe I agree with this quote from jambase and think it explains how a lot of people are feeling:

"In past roo's it was all old school, kind cultured, seasoned festie goers that had been doing these getogethers and practicing our own brand of etiquette and kindness to our one big family forever. Eventually the mainstream press got a hold of it and next thing you know, curious people of other cultures looking for a good time heard through the grapevine about this fantastic free-for-all (or so they thought, they knew nothing of our ways) camp out in Tennessee. And they told their friends...who told their frineds...and you know what happened. Now all the big Festies are filled with the kind of people who will open up the doors of their bling truck and blast RAP music so loud that no one within a quater-mile can even use their own boomboxs."

IMO and from reading the other boards, talking to friends:
There will be a serious lack of hippie presence at this years bonnaroo which means a serious lack of people who are kind. There will be an increase in people who want to steal your stuff, rip you off or just be straight up jerks. Read the threads from last year about how many people got things stolen from them.

So you add all of these elements together and you come out with something that just doesn't really seem worth it anymore when there are so many other options that are more suited to what you like! Bonnaroo is not the be all end all of festivals...it used to be

And believe me I say all of this in disapointment of something I used to love so much.

I've been every year but the first. EVERY year I see posts like yours that the sky is falling and that this year will be the worst. Almost painting a Mad Max like picture of Roo. I have not seen it, not even a little bit. Every year I meet great people and have had no big problems as far as hostile people or theft.

I have to agree with you; between my fiance and I, we're still not sure if we'll go this year (he's really bummed about the lineup and feels that 'roo kind of shite on their fans, but he's trying to be positive). As for me, I just realllly love the overall roo experience/vibe and I'm not sure if I'll find the same thing anywhere else. The lineup doesn't thrill me, but I'm thinking that it will give me more reason to check out bands (as well as tents/art/etc) I wouldn't normally because I'm not so set on seeing any one thing in particular. We also currently happen to live less than an hour away - which I know will change in the next few years. So it seems kind of stupid not to take advantage of that.
I've only gone to 'roo twice (I'm sad now that I hadn't gone earlier), and I'd be really depressed if it turned out to be just as enjoyable as other years and I didn't go - I'm willing to give this year a shot, and then if the vibe has changed maybe I won't go next year (depending on the lineup too of course

- I know the Superfly people are seeing the widespread disappointment about in the lineup and if they actually care about their fan base, hopefully they'll work harder at getting a lineup next year that will please more people

In my personal opinion of what I like to see, feel and be around at a festival or show it HAS gotten worse every year. There's no point arguing about it to each his/her own and if you still love it and feel nothing has changed then go and have fun...that's totally up to you!

Just expressing how I feel, and the initial thread was wanting to know why people have negative opinions, I was responding to that..trying to shed a little light.

If we're talking strictly quantity, probably not. Quality is a more subjective measure.

Love that quote.. gotta remember it.

For me, Bonnaroo was the first and is the only festival I've been too so far...I have no idea what to expect from other places but it's nice to hear from people like you that they are similar The Bonnaroo experience has impacted me greatly - but maybe it's just the festival experience
...as I said we're still debating whether to go, and if we don't we'll probably be going to at least one other festival. Heck, even if we do go to 'roo we might hit up another if possible; I really want to see Radiohead at All Points West!

That is what I will probably be putting my 'Roo money towards, that and All Good, depending on the lineup.

Oh, speaking of All Good, I haven't been able to find a thread about the 2008 All Good lineup rumors thread would someone be kind enough to post that for me? If there is one.

theres lots of talk about how closed minded the people who dislike the new roo are. but it seems that most of the people who love it and want to talk about the closed minded people who arent all about the new roo are either going to their first fest or have only gone to roo. im not saying that makes you a bad person or anything. but it seems closed minded to speak about something as if you know whats up. most of us arent even talking about the lineup exactly. its about the community. its about seeing the same friends all over the country and throwing it down to killer music. roo has lost all credibility on all levels. the corporate sponsorships. the price of tickets. the policies and prices that have destroyed shakedown. the security. the vibe/community. and yes the music. its all past the point of no return. i do not know one person that went to roo and all good, or roo and echo project, that had a better time at roo. or that would say the vibe is not dramatically different and better at those fests then at the new roo. im not trying to start crap. just trying to point out that i guess who is closed minded depends on your point of view. inforoo is about much more then roo. its about the festival community. and roo is not even a part of that community anymore. its almost as though there is the festival community and the roo/coachella community. they are completely seperate now with little mixing. roo has been dead to the large majority of the festival community for a couple years now but this is for sure the final nail in the coffin. and the jam bands will continue to lose ground every year at roo because the jam fans have stopped buying 250+ tickets to see a couple of latengihts. now we have lost sunday headliner too. just no reason to justify the expense and the hassle anymore. there is just way more bang for your buck and a much better community and atmosphere at these other fests. go to one and you will see. sh!t for the cost of roo go to 3 of them and see.

and for those not going there is a fest at nelson ledges roo weekend. www.nlqp.com its a floyd tribute weekend and its mostly tribute bands but they are all great and ive been told its a killer time. guess ill likely find out this year. and btw they have kashmir a led zep tribute band. im betting they sound better then a reunion sh!t show at roo would have anyhow. the police proved reunion sh!tshows for money should not headline fests!

ok rant off