I love Bonnaroo, but it is lucky that it is only four days. I don’t think my body could have moved if it had been a fifth day. Part of the reason for my extra soreness might have been due to sleeping in the car instead of the tent. My camp partner kept moving the tent despite it being five in the morning and in frustration, I just crashed in the car. Seat belts in the back are not much more comfortable than sleeping in the ground. Feeling extra gross, I actually paid the five dollars for a cold shower before I was ready to take on Sunday.
Joshua caught the first act of the day, Cage the Elephant, which he describes as “This generation’s Nirvana.”
Following Cage the Elephant in energy and in craziness was Dillinger Escape Plan. The screaming is not really my cup of tea, but as they climbed over amps, the guys continued to keep their musicianship tight.
We calmed down a bit with the songwriter stylings of Jessica Lea Mayfield. Though really a solo project, her drummer came very close to outshining her.
Another lady rocked our hearts after Mayfield. The buzzed about YouTube queen, Julia Nunes delivered hits and covers on her sharpie-decorated guitar and ukulele. Nunes and her friends whipped out sunglasses to look like true “douches” when covering a “douche” song before playing a cover of 3OH!3‘s “Don’t Trust Me”. After witnessing her humor in person, it is easy to see why she became such a YouTube sensation.
Josh and I again parted ways after Nunes. He had yet to witness the masterful sounds of Andrew Bird‘s whistling and violin playing, so he went to the Which Stage.
Meanwhile, I ventured over to the Other Tent for my first time in the entire festival. The atmosphere there was warm and I don’t mean the muggy Tennessee weather. The people and workers there felt more like a family than the other tent. It probably had a lot to do with the line up there, too. As the bare footed, Brett Dennen, jammed and danced away on stage, it was hard to not feel like you were at a party with your closest friends.
Brett Dennen’s Set List:
Someday
When You Feel It
So Far From Me
San Fran
Darlin
Who Do You Think
She’s Mine
I’m Strong
Heaven
Crazy
Blessed
After Dennen, Okkervil River was next up. Will Sheff really is an amazing songwriter, but I had never really given him credit for his stage presence until this performance. As he passionately gripped the microphone, he danced around the stage.
Josh and I briefly crossed paths as he worked his way over to catch Arizona rockers Dear and the Headlights at the Troo Music Lounge. They’ve been busy on the festival circuit and have their performance down to a science.
I worked my way over to What Stage to catch none other than Snoop Dogg. He was sporting some bling, but his set lacked the usual paraphernalia I had seen with it. Erykah Badu joined him for some numbers, but while everyone else buzzed about that, I could not help getting excited over Snoop’s drummer. With a flick of the wrist the guy was artfully drumming and tossing sticks everywhere. I guess I didn’t give rap and hip hop drummers enough credit, but this guy was better than all the rock drummers I had seen the entire festival.
Band of Horses‘ gentle tunes were warming up the Which Stage as I walked over to see Neko Case. She showed she had a sense of humor by doing a duet with Triumph the Insult Dog.
Josh watched one of the best sets of the festival by Coheed and Cambria. Big hair and tongues wagging, these guys embodied what it meant to be a rock star. I had never seen them with a girl before, but as she picked up some of the higher notes, I soon learned her purpose. Claudio Sanchez has enough on his plate without having to keep up the breath support to do his signature falsetto the entire time. For example, he was busy teaching the audience that it was in fact possible to play an instrument using your hair.
Ending the festival, just as they began it by headlining, was Phish. Phish fans celebrated before their set with a tortilla fight. Then as Phish jammed, one final festival surprise awaited. Bruce Springsteen had stuck around to do a final guest appearance. Since he’s The Boss, Phish played a few Springsteen songs with him before bidding him goodnight and jamming some more. Fireworks heralded the end of the festival and people flocked back to their tents and back to their homes.
Bonnaroo 2009 was a huge success filled with classic and new talent thanks to Big Hassle. While I think I might settle on hotel instead of a camp, I’m excited already thinking about the next year. Here’s to Bonnaroo 2010!
Bonnaroo: website | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Of Montreal @ This Tent | Spotted: Drew Barrymore | Quick News 1 | Quick News 2
Photos by: Bethany Smith and Joshua Hammond
