Among the most widely-recognized music festivals of today is Bonnaroo, an annual throwdown held in the quaint town of Manchester, Tenn., on a 700-acre farm about 60 miles south of Nashville. Since its inception in 2001 as a niche, jam-band and folk-oriented event, Bonnaroo has evolved into a mid-country Mecca for music lovers with its multi-stage lineup of chart-topping and buzzworthy acts that now draw upwards of 75,000 people each year.
The 2010 headliners — Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, Jay-Z, and STEVIE EFFIN’ WONDER (excuse me) — are sure to bring an epic swarm of sweat-soaked human bodies, including my own, as I’ll be covering the fest as Creative Loafing’s honorary Bonnaroo virgin. What has always been a mere pipe dream due to my money-depleted pockets has become reality and I’ll finally get to experience the ‘Roo in all its gloriously gritty, patchouli-scented glory next weekend. Along with a few other CL brethren, I’ll be knee-deep in the action, looking for face time with some of the fest’s most notable artists and checking out as many sets as I can possibly absorb over four days. The following are those ones I’m most excited about seeing.
This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2010.