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!!
Look I know I'm going to catch major shit for this but Macklemore was a really enjoyable show, my group was there and we had a blast dancing around, granted he's not an artist I was looking for in the top 6 but I still really enjoyed his performance.
To each his own. I was dragged to that show by one of my friends and I can honestly say it was the worst show I've ever attended. I was ecstatic when the lightning delay got me out an hour early.
Post by Dale Cooper on Nov 3, 2016 14:31:26 GMT -5
2012 was the last Bonnaroo with real personality. 2013/2014 were great line-ups that kind of overshadowed the dawn of a cookie cutter approach to the festival that has since taken over.
2012 was the last Bonnaroo with real personality. 2013/2014 were great line-ups that kind of overshadowed the dawn of a cookie cutter approach to the festival that has since taken over.
What? Bjork and R Kelly were in the top 10 in 2013. Billy Idol, ZZ Top, Weird Al. Nothing "cookie cutter" at all about that year.
2012 was the last Bonnaroo with real personality. 2013/2014 were great line-ups that kind of overshadowed the dawn of a cookie cutter approach to the festival that has since taken over.
What? Bjork and R Kelly were in the top 10 in 2013. Billy Idol, ZZ Top, Weird Al. Nothing "cookie cutter" at all about that year.
I should have worded that better.
The line-ups were still good in 13/14. It just started to feel like other activities around the fest were getting weaker. Hamageddon, Kalliope, more pop creeping up the list of names. THE VIBES, THEY WERE A'CHANGIN
Before you get railed into the ground by someone: The point isn't the quality of what DID make it to the farm; it's about the lack of quality that still dominated the first 3 rows. It's about Kalliope killing what LN was and could be. It's certainly about a trend of trying to attract a young artist with pop artists over quality artists (which seemed to backfire last year). The experience of bonnaroo is a mixture of music and surroundings, and last years low attendance also caused a cut back in obviously needed materials (I.E. toilets and staff/volunteers). So when they can't generate a lineup that pulls a real audience; it's a long standing issue; because they are digging their brand into the ground which makes it perpetually more difficult.
In your opinion whats a lineup that's going to generate a real audience?
As you can tell by the rest of the responses, my sense of what generates a real audience is predicated on going 10 year straight and seeing the audience decline - and more directly to the opinion I stated: that the younger audience isn't coming in large amounts. As a festival you may have a strong audience of 30+ that spend money consistently, but the expended money of having 24-30 was a part of the bread and butter of the festival. You can say the festival is moving naturally; but I can't even level with you that the artist choices on that top line are equal on an artistic level. Yes: Macklemore, Ellie Goulding - have an audience; shit I don't even care about the Avett Brothers or the others stated; but as a musician and as a festival appreciator I can't say that is elevated choice. It's a choice that is directly trying to pull a younger audience that it's most popular with; and if ticket sales are an indication - it did not work. Doesn't mean they are going to pay attention to that, and that's what frustrates us as a community.
We can linger about loving the best of the festival, but the cost adjustment and yes the "vibes" (like assholes completely tanking the wall with shit graf's to the point, I don't take pictures; a more restrictive selling culture; less volunteers; no SWEETWATER; blah blah blah) are going to cut a hole in their baseline. And if they don't listen to someone they are about to crash into that fucking car, even though no one else is in the fucking parking lot.
Last Edit: Nov 3, 2016 16:10:49 GMT -5 by Deleted - Back to Top
I agree. Although the few years before is when they started shortening late night, which played a role in making those lineups worse. 2014 and 2015 had good lineups, bad adjustments to the schedule and offerings. 2016 was just all around bad.
This. But I wouldn't even say it was bad. It just wasn't great. I believe the hate has been greatly exaggerated. Most of the hate is coming from people that didn't even go. It'slike the they've turned the festivals into a sports argument. My fest is better than your fest! Your fest sucks! I mean it's cool if you want to support another festival as if it's your own, but that doesn't mean you have to trash roo every chance you get. I really don't believe it's even close to the point of being a middle or lower class festival. It's still one of the best.
I agree. Although the few years before is when they started shortening late night, which played a role in making those lineups worse. 2014 and 2015 had good lineups, bad adjustments to the schedule and offerings. 2016 was just all around bad.
The weaker late nights and starting days later and shorter sets is the biggest change and the most disappointing. I definitely have a problem with that.
This. But I wouldn't even say it was bad. It just wasn't great. I believe the hate has been greatly exaggerated. Most of the hate is coming from people that didn't even go. It'slike the they've turned the festivals into a sports argument. My fest is better than your fest! Your fest sucks! I mean it's cool if you want to support another festival as if it's your own, but that doesn't mean you have to trash roo every chance you get. I really don't believe it's even close to the point of being a middle or lower class festival. It's still one of the best.
Wait a sec...you're telling me that people who didn't like the lineup...DIDN'T GO?
I have to disagree with that. I went and still saw about as many great shows as usual. There were still shows that I wanted to see that I missed. One of my favorite bands headlined. It wasn't as good as most of the other years, but it was still good.
This. But I wouldn't even say it was bad. It just wasn't great. I believe the hate has been greatly exaggerated. Most of the hate is coming from people that didn't even go. It'slike the they've turned the festivals into a sports argument. My fest is better than your fest! Your fest sucks! I mean it's cool if you want to support another festival as if it's your own, but that doesn't mean you have to trash roo every chance you get. I really don't believe it's even close to the point of being a middle or lower class festival. It's still one of the best.
Wait a sec...you're telling me that people who didn't like the lineup...DIDN'T GO?
You're crazy, man
I think if they went they would have enjoyed it. That's what I'm saying. If you didn't like anything on the lineup and didn't go, that's fine too. But do you have to trash it every chance you get? I feel like if I ever feel that way, I'll just move on. I'm not going to stick around here telling everyone how bad the festival is.
I don't doubt that most of you could still have a great time at Bonnaroo despite a mediocre lineup. But the attendance alone is proof that this bill was a failure.
This. But I wouldn't even say it was bad. It just wasn't great. I believe the hate has been greatly exaggerated. Most of the hate is coming from people that didn't even go. It'slike the they've turned the festivals into a sports argument. My fest is better than your fest! Your fest sucks! I mean it's cool if you want to support another festival as if it's your own, but that doesn't mean you have to trash roo every chance you get. I really don't believe it's even close to the point of being a middle or lower class festival. It's still one of the best.
the one sports comparison that is fair to draw is nobody gives a football team more shit on their decisions than lifelong diehard fans that love the team. similarly, a lot of people that post here had amazing and formative experiences on the farm, so that deep emotional connection to the festival swings from love to hate when the festival starts making what is perceived as poor decisions.
the difference is people don't switch loyalty on sports teams unless they are bad people, with festivals it is easier to just start going to a different festival. And then when you go to Coachella or whatever and have that experience of seeing a large variety of cooler acts the hatred for Bonnaroo increases even more.
as i've said a bunch of times i had an absolute blast at bonnaroo 2016, even more fun than I had in 2015, mainly due to better scheduling. but for the price of admission, I do think it was a bad lineup, headliners aside. The lineup felt like a Voodoo Fest lineup, which means pretty killer headliners and then a sharp drop off in the undercard. The difference is Voodoo is a bargain at $140, while Bonnaroo was what, $400 last year with the camping pass and everything? I mean Jesus Christ that is so much more money.
EDIT: voodoo fest is awesome by the way, they fixed all their logistical problems this year and all y'all should come down next year.
Post by Launchpad McQuack on Nov 4, 2016 8:49:12 GMT -5
I am sure last year was still fun. Music festivals are just fun. Underattended music festivals are even more fun.
But it was below the standards that I have built in my mind for Bonnaroo, and there were a lot of better options lineup wise elsewhere (for me anyway).
I don't doubt that most of you could still have a great time at Bonnaroo despite a mediocre lineup. But the attendance alone is proof that this bill was a failure.
No doubt. Something failed. I've never been able to pinpoint what it is, because obviously, I feel like there was still plenty to like on the lineup.
I actually thought 2014 was one of the more unique years I attended. Those top three lines are stacked.
edit: I should add, stacked for this festival at least.
I mean, for me at least, the only acts in those top three lines that I would have been overly excited about were Frank Ocean and Damon Albarn. The rest, while good, had been everywhere the year before or were everywhere that year. Like I said, not bad in terms of quality, necessarily, just nothing that made it stand out. I couldn't give two shits about Elton John, Jack White, Lionel Richie, the Avetts, Skrillex, the Flaming Lips, Kaskade, or Wiz Khalifa, and Phoenix, Nick Cave, Vampire Weekend had all been at Coachella the year before. A perfectly okay collection of names, but again, nothing that was really exciting to me.
That said, at the very least this was a solid lineup, which is far, far more than can be said for 2016 (or 2015, really).
Matters of taste aside, not everybody can choose between Coachella and Bonnaroo though. If you're limited to festival options by geography, then Bonnaroo easily had the best lineup of the eastern festivals in 2014, lack of Outkast notwithstanding. That's almost entirely by virtue of it's size, though, which just points to the strength of the major fests.
I mean, for me at least, the only acts in those top three lines that I would have been overly excited about were Frank Ocean and Damon Albarn. The rest, while good, had been everywhere the year before or were everywhere that year. Like I said, not bad in terms of quality, necessarily, just nothing that made it stand out. I couldn't give two shits about Elton John, Jack White, Lionel Richie, the Avetts, Skrillex, the Flaming Lips, Kaskade, or Wiz Khalifa, and Phoenix, Nick Cave, Vampire Weekend had all been at Coachella the year before. A perfectly okay collection of names, but again, nothing that was really exciting to me.
That said, at the very least this was a solid lineup, which is far, far more than can be said for 2016 (or 2015, really).
I guess I meant those lines are stacked in terms of a lineup that would sell. All of those names could pull in different audiences.
Throw in names like Cut Copy/Mastodon/James Blake/Chance and shit like Pusha T on a Thursday into the undercard and you've got the formula for a more prosperous lineup.
That's the problem, Bonnaroo lineups in the past were worthy of being called a big 4 festival. And now with mid-tier fests putting out more solid lineups than the majors, what's the point of traveling across the country for a sub-par product?
It doesn't matter anymore anyways, as America's already found it's Glastobury. Coachella = the big 1 now. It's a festival that has been built on quality and consistency.
Last Edit: Nov 4, 2016 9:19:46 GMT -5 by Deleted - Back to Top
That's the problem, Bonnaroo lineups in the past were worthy of being called a big 4 festival. And now with mid-tier fests putting out more solid lineups than the majors, what's the point of traveling across the country for a sub-par product?
And then the problem that arises from that is when Bonnaroo's answer to that question is to push "unique" aspects of the fest instead of fixing the lineup problem. When it's clear that the lineup isn't pulling its weight as a marketing tool, selling the vibe of the fest makes that vibe feel manufactured, especially when they sell themselves to the biggest evil in the live music industry, meaning they're now tarnishing all aspects of their brand.
It doesn't matter anymore anyways, as America's already found it's Glastobury. Coachella = the big 1 now. It's a festival that has been built on quality and consistency.
The Coachella dickriding is getting a bit ridiculous around here
It doesn't matter anymore anyways, as America's already found it's Glastobury. Coachella = the big 1 now. It's a festival that has been built on quality and consistency.
The Coachella dickriding is getting a bit ridiculous around here
Oh fuck yes it is. They've let out a few big ol' mehs in recent memory.
The Coachella dickriding is getting a bit ridiculous around here
Oh fuck yes it is. They've let out a few big ol' mehs in recent memory.
I thought Coachella last year was in the inverse of last years Bonnaroo.. Like Bonnaroo had great headliners and a shit undercard, Coachella had shit headliners (except for LCD who they shared with Roo) and a phenomenal undercard...
Coachella will always have a good to great lineup. They have the biggest budget and they run at a time of year when no other festivals are, so they pretty much get their pick of the litter. Bigger doesn't always necessarily mean better though; and some of the mid range festivals have been very creative with making the most with what they have available to them.
I thought Coachella last year was in the inverse of last years Bonnaroo.. Like Bonnaroo had great headliners and a shit undercard, Coachella had shit headliners (except for LCD who they shared with Roo) and a phenomenal undercard...
Coachella will always have a good to great lineup. They have the biggest budget and they run at a time of year when no other festivals are, so they pretty much get their pick of the litter. Bigger doesn't always necessarily mean better though; and some of the mid range festivals have been very creative with making the most with what they have available to them.
Well, mid-range festivals have a bit more luxury in that they cater to a niche audience. You can book more interesting acts with a smaller and more focused group of attendees; when you aren't trying to attract upwards of 80k people, you can do what FYF and FFF and the like do.
Also, just because you personally don't like Guns N' Roses doesn't mean that it was a shit headliner. They slayed, and pretty much everyone who caught them came away impressed.
Post by Delicious Meatball Sub on Nov 4, 2016 11:30:51 GMT -5
Yeah, no objective person can say GnR was a shit headliner. It was a huge reunion that went on to do a sold-out NFL stadium tour. If a fests books a band that popular to headline, it's a good get, like em or not.
