There’s no clearer sign that we’re closing in on the start of Bonnaroo X in Manchester, TN than the release of the festival’s schedule and today is the day we get to see which set(s) each ‘roo artist has been granted by the event’s organizers. With so many amazing bands on the schedule it’s hard to avoid conflicts and we see plenty of ‘em. If you don’t have your tickets yet be sure to enter our giveaway for a chance to win a pair.

READ ON for a look at this year’s schedule or head over to the official site for a chance to let Zoltaroo help you make the most of your experience…

Earlier this year String Cheese Incident keyboard player and accomplished homebrewer Kyle Hollingsworth previewed his collaborative beer with the Boulder Beer Company – Hoopla Pale Ale -  at the band’s Winter Carnival. The dry-hopped beer, which Hollingsworth specifically designed for drinking at summer music festivals, will get its official national release both on tap as well as in 22-ounce bottles on May 14, with a special launch party at the Boulder Beer Company’s brewpub in Boulder, CO.

Here’s the official description…

Hoopla Pale Ale is dry-hopped with generous amounts of Glacier hops for a fruity, floral hop aroma and flavor that will have your taste buds dancing! Its lively hop character is wonderfully balanced with a crisp, clean finish from the unique blend of US and German grains, making Hoopla the perfect companion to festival season.

“We wanted to make a beer that was hoppy, but still appetizing to non-hop-drinkers and drinkable on hot days at Summer festivals,” Kyle explains about the recipe.

Hollingsworth will also take Hoopla on the road to select music festivals around the country as part of The Brewu Experience, which will feature homebrew workshops, samples of hops, grains and additional brewing ingredients as well as limited edition tastings.

• List Time: 5 Ways To Find Your Next Favorite Band
• Big Boi talks to P4K about producing Modest Mouse’s new record
• Cover Alert: The Black Keys tackle Buddy Holly
• M. Ward is currently working on a new solo album
• Download This: Marco Benevento – Bene Live April ’11
• Ephemeral New York looks at some album covers shot in NYC

Finally, each year the folks behind Bonnaroo seem to find another unique way to make the festival grounds seem a bit more like an actual city. This year they’ve teamed up with Stubhub to give sports loving ‘Roo attendees a place to hang out and not miss any of the action of their favorite teams. The Bonnaroo Sports Bar will feature HD TVs,  a live feed from the main stage, ping pong, darts, shuffle board and a fully stocked bar.

As the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival gets set to celebrate its 10th anniversary this June, the influential festie is taking a hybrid of what they do each year in Manchester, TN on the road with the inaugural Bonnaroo Buzz Tour. Headlined by fest alums Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, the tour, which takes its name from the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor that debuted last year, will also feature sets from the Futurebirds, Gary Clark Jr., The Black Box Revelation and comedian Julian McCullough. The 13-date tour kicks off on May 17 at the historic Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ and concludes on June 9 in West Virginia, the very same day Bonnaroo X gets underway.

If the Bonnaroo Buzz tour isn’t dropping by a town near you, then maybe you’ll be able to hit one of these recently announced tours…

• Gomez crosses the pond for a handful of northeast gigs
• Alison Krauss & Union Station line up a lengthy NA tour
• Dinosaur Jr. to play their 1990 album Bug in its entirety
• American Babies head out in support of Flawed Logic
• Gypsy-punk act Beirut mixes festival and headlining appearances
• Nostalgia Alert: Styx and Yes team up for a summer shed run

Finally, since we first wrote about Mumford & Sons a little over a year ago, the UK folk-rock act has been on a meteoric rise thanks in part to their high energy, foot stomping sounds. The four-piece act, who have already announced plans for the unique Railroad Revival Tour with Ed Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros  & Old Crow Medicine Show, have also recently revealed details for additional summer shows. The band will supplement their festival appearances with a number of headlining dates throughout the South and Midwest, which includes a stop at Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 9 and a two-night run at the Fillmore in Denver, CO on June 15 and 16.

Shortly after the Bonnaroo lineup gets announced each year comes the debates about which acts will earn coveted late night slots from the festival’s organizers. In years past, these sets have included the Flaming Lips tackling Dark Side Of The Moon in its entirety, My Morning Jacket raging it for three-plus hours and the infamous Kanye West set that started as the sun came up. Well the wait is over for those who have been perusing the lineup over and over trying to figure out who it will be this year’s late night artists, as word came out today as to whose been selected.

As has become Bonnaroo’s trademark, there will be something for every kind of music fan to choose from when it comes to late night sets. You can pick from big name hip-hop acts (Lil Wayne, Big Boi), jambands (SCI, STS9), psychedelic rock (Black Angels), straight ahead dance music (Bassnectar, Girl Talk) and more.

Also joining the roster of special late night sets will be the previously announced performance of Desitively Bonnaroo in its entirety by Dr. John with the Original Meters and Allen Toussaint. The good Dr. is no stranger to the late night slot at the ‘roo, having previously revived his Night Tripper persona for a special set back in 2006.

Here’s the full list of Late Night performers…

Lil Wayne, String Cheese Incident, Bassnectar, Girl Talk, Dr. John with the Original Meters and Allen Toussaint performing Desitively Bonnaroo, Pretty Lights, STS9, Gogol Bordello, Big Boi, Scissor Sisters, Ratatat, Bootsy Collins & the Funk University, Shpongle Presents Shpongletron Experience,The Black Angels

The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival will take place from June 9 – 12 in Manchester, TN, with a variety of ticket packages currently on-sale.

The first set of artist additions to the Bonnaroo X lineup have been announced and include a diverse group of acts such as NOFX, Galactic, G.Love and Special Sauce and Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears. Of particular note is the additional of Allen Toussaint, who will perform with Dr. John and The Original Meters. Also announced today was the Comedy Lineup which features Lewis Black, Cheech Marin, John Waters and Henry Rollins.

Check out the video put out by the event’s promoters…

READ ON for a full list of artist additions…

Over the years, the producers of Bonnaroo have worked with a number of different providers to broadcast sets from Manchester. This year, video portal Vevo will provide live and on-demand broadcasts of select performances from Bonnaroo X as well as interviews and other features. Event organizers and Vevo will also team up to produce a web series about the festival.

You’ll be able to watch content on Vevo mobile products for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Android, Vevo.com, and on devices like Google TV and Boxee. Vevo partners BET, AOL and CBS Interactive will also feature content from the ‘Roo. [via Mashable.com]

It’s been over a week since AC Entertainment and Superfly Productions unveiled the lineup for Bonnaroo X and after having seven days to examine the bill, we’ve come up with some thoughts to share on this year’s event. In typical Hidden Track fashion, we’ll lay out our take from A-Z…

A is for Ashley Capps – One of the founders of Bonnaroo and namesake of AC Entertainment gave two telling interviews that help explain where the event’s promoters were coming from when preparing the lineup. Head to Jambands.com and NPR.com to read and hear Ashley’s take.

B is for Buffalo Springfield – Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay reunited for the first time since 1968 at last fall’s Bridge School Benefit. While rumors of a Buffalo Springfield tour have been running rampant for the past few months, Bonnaroo scored the group’s first gig since one of the best reunion concerts in recent memory.

C is for Country Music – The genre, which is quite huge in that area of the country, will once again be on display with alt.country, traditional country, bluegrass and contemporary country acts on the bill such as Mumford & Sons, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Old Crow Medicine Show and Loretta Lynn.

READ ON for our entries for D through Z…

Back in 2002, the large-scale music festival landscape in the United States was virtually nonexistent. So when Superfly Presents and AC Entertainment announced plans for a multi-day, jam-friendly fest, named after a Creole word they found in the title of an old Dr. John album, to take place in southeastern Tennessee, who knew if it would make it to year two? Well, as we all know, the initial Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival was a overwhelming success, which quickly cemented itself as the premier destination fest in the country, by offering a diverse selection of music, comedy and more.

Now in its tenth year, Bonnaroo will  celebrate this milestone anniversary in style, as today organizers have revealed the initial lineup for the 2011 edition and as usual it’s a doozie.

Bonnaroo X will be headlined by ‘roo veterans Widespread Panic,who will be making their sixth appearance at the fest, The Arcade Fire, Eminem and the recently reunited Buffalo Springfield, who will also be joined at the top of the bill with My My Morning Jacket, The Strokes, Lil Wayne, The Black Keys and String Cheese Incident.

This year will also see the return of the SuperJam, which will be hosted by Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys) and Dr. John. Speaking of the Night Tripper, he will also be on hand to with the Original Meters to honor the festival’s namesake by performing Destively Bonnaroo in its entirety.

Also on the bill this year are HT faves Gregg Allman, Robert Plant & Band Of Joy, Iron & Wine, The Decemberists, Ray LaMontagne, Mumford & Sons, the Felice Brothers, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and Phosphorescent.

The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival 2011 will take from June 9-12, with a variety of ticketing options going on-sale this Saturday, February 19 at noon EST.

Here’s the full initial lineup…

Eminem, Arcade Fire, Widespread Panic, The Black Keys, Buffalo Springfield,My Morning Jacket, Lil Wayne, String Cheese Incident, Robert Plant & Band of Joy, Mumford & Sons, The Strokes, The Decemberists, Ray Lamontagne, Bassnectar, Iron & Wine, Girl Talk, Primus, Dr. John and The Original Meters performing Desitively Bonnaroo, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Pretty Lights, Florence & the Machine, Superjam ft. Dan Auerbach and Dr. John, Explosions in the Sky, STS9, Gogol Bordello, Beirut, Big Boi, Scissor Sisters, Gregg Allman, Ratatat, Global Gypsy Punk Revue curated by Eugene Hütz, Robyn, Warren Haynes Band, Deerhunter, Opeth, Atmosphere, Old Crow Medicine Show, Bootsy Collins & the Funk University, Wiz Khalifa, Matt & Kim, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, The Del McCoury Band and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Mavis Staples, Béla Fleck & the Flecktones, Chiddy Bang, Javanotti, Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers, Loretta Lynn, Cold War Kids, The Walkmen, Devotchka, Wanda Jackson, Neon Trees, Portugal. The Man, Sleigh Bells, Amos Lee, Best Coast, Dãm-Funk, The Sword, The Drums, The Black Angels, …

By a vote of 4-0 the town council of Snowmass, CO adopted Widespread Panic’s Big Woolly Mammoth as the village’s official song. The motion was proposed by councilman, and Panic fan, Reed Lewis, who according to the Aspen Times “proposed the musical acknowledgment of the prehistoric animals that have been discovered at [area water source] Ziegler Reservoir.” Reports of lighters being thrown at council members are unconfirmed.

Here’s a batch of six links to keep you entertained this hump day…

• ?uestlove says Fallon has a big December planned
• Check out this visualization of Girl Talk’s All Day LP
• You can stream Mike Gordon’s Moss in its entirety
• Jewelry artist Jennifer Kahn has designed a really cool Commemorative NYE NYC MSG Token
• List Time: Five reasons The Beatles on iTunes matters
• Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot debate Beatles vs. Stones

Finally, earlier today we wrote about next year’s Summer Camp and Gathering of the Vibes festivals and those announcements were followed by a “Save The Date” memo from Bonnaroo. Bonnaroo 2011 will take place on June 9 – 12 in Manchester, TN. Special $209.50 (plus service charges) early bird tickets go on sale next Friday, November 26th at Noon (ET) through the festival’s website.  Once that allotment of tickets sells out – and we bet they go fast – another batch will be available for $224.50 (plus service charges).

Bonnaroo 2010 featured bands from around the world including the pride of Melbourne, Australia – The Temper Trap. Check out this clip of the alt-rock quartet performing Love Lost at That Tent last Thursday…

The Temper Trap – Love Lost

“I keep getting older, and [it] stays the same age.”

[For those indie rockers who made fun of the hippies coming here in 2002]

Borrowing a classic line from Dazed & Confused seemed appropriate for the final Bonnaroo journal entry of the year. I’ve got to admit, it’s been a mind-blowing experience to see how Bonnaroo, as a festival, has grown but still manages to stay the ‘same age’, so to speak. I’ve been attending the festival since its inception and at the time I was still an undergrad. Now, two degrees and a full time job later, it’s allowed me to look at the festival in a different perspective. Not to mention the simple fact that I’ve grown older as well — I’ve seen my fellow Bonnaroo friends grow up, get married, buy houses, have kids and everything else that classifies us as “adults” now. Heck, I even saw my OWN students at Bonnaroo this year. Talk about a weird experience.

I love how there are things you can count on year after year at Bonnaroo besides the music – the tents, the bobble heads, the fountain, the Ferris wheel, the Silent Disco – to name a few. They also have tweaked and added things as the years have passed – the Barn, Planet Roo, additional stages, the installations throughout the campgrounds and the Comedy Tent. This year we saw the addition of a slip and slide, beach volleyball, Rock Band contests and a midway carnival. The promoters make the experience such that you always have something new to check out and can still rely on some of the same ol’ things. A little like Disney World – only for half-way grown up music fans. Anyways, enough about the reminiscing – let’s get to Sunday’s music!

• Bonnaroo Journals: Thursday, Friday Daytime, Friday Late Night, Saturday
• Glide Magazine: Friday, Saturday, Sunday

READ ON for Jennifer’s thoughts on the final day of Bonnaroo…

Bonnaroo can be such an exhausting adventure and Saturday was no exception. With a heat index nearly to 100, one had to do whatever could be done to avoid the heat. Sitting at the main stage waiting for the legendary Jimmy Cliff to perform I could feel the sweat just dripping of my face and for that matter, everywhere else on my body.

[Jimmy Cliff]

Nevertheless, it was an opportunity of a lifetime to get to see the reggae legend from Kingston, Jamaica perform only a few yards away. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame member got things kicked off with a great version of You Can Get It If You Really Want. His set also included a fantastic cover of Yusuf Islam’s (aka Cat Stevens) Wild World. The set was very politically infused, with Jimmy discussing the oil spill in the gulf and that led into a song about global warming. Cliff later changed the lyrics of his own song titled Vietnam to make it relevant about the war in Afghanistan.

• Bonnaroo Journals: Day 1, Day 2, Fri. Late Night
• Glide Magazine @ Bonnaroo: Friday, Saturday

Up next was one of my favorite and most anticipated performances of the weekend – Mumford and Sons. I was extremely surprised and impressed by how many people were in attendance at this show, particularly because the Avett Brothers had an almost identical time slot. You could feel that the crowd was hungry for the performance, as they sang along to every single song. The band opened with Sigh No More and immediately went into The Cave. The vocals on Awake My Soul were particularly poignant. The surprise of the show was the appearances of Dave Rawlings, Gillian Welch and members of Old Crow Medicine Show to perform the band’s own Roll Away Your Stone and then a rip-roaring version of OCMS’s Wagon Wheel.

READ ON for more from Jennifer on Saturday at Bonnaroo…

Late Night on Friday was its own entity at Bonnaroo as the combination of Daryl Hall & Chromeo’s live debut, the Flaming Lips’ performance of Dark Side of the Moon coupled with the dance party machine that is LCD Soundsystem made this perhaps my favorite Bonnaroo late night of all-time.

[I Can Go For That]

The much anticipated performance of Daryl Hall & Chromeo began around midnight and it was non-stop entertainment from the get go. The crowd was chanting “CHROMEO-OH-OH” ever so loudly to get pumped for what was in store. At first, I was unsure if Daryl Hall would be bringing his band, but as soon as I noticed the setup I was pleasantly surprised.

The show began with an Out of Touch that quickly turned into a singalong, before giving way to Tenderoni which sent everyone into a dance frenzy. Throughout the performance the group switched between Hall & Oates classics and the funky hits of Chromeo. Bonafide Lovin’ featured an awesome flute solo and turned into a great disco tune, Private Eyes got the crowd involved with a clap along during the chorus while Fancy Footwork got the crowd moving. You Make My Dreams Come True made for the perfect closer thanks to impressive work from each member of the ensemble.

Daryl Hall & Chromeo 6/12/10 Late Night

Out of Touch, Tenderoni, Unknown, Waiting 4 U, Family Man, Mama’s Boy, Kiss On My List, Bonafide Lovin’, Private Eyes, 100%, I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)

Encore: Fancy Footwork, You Make My Dreams Come True

• Thursday: A ‘Roo State of Mind
• Friday: Dirt Off Your Shoulder

Next up was the Flaming Lips’ performance of Dark Side of the Moon. I was curious as to both the band’s interpretation of the music but also the actual production of the show – because if there’s one thing the Lips do well it’s putting on a spectacle of a performance.

READ ON for more on Friday night at Bonnaroo…

The ninth annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival kicked off Thursday afternoon. As we hit the midpoint of the festie we thought we’d take a peak at what’s been going on in Manchester besides some blistering heat and humidity. Here’s what’s gone down so far…

Day One:

• Neon Indian brought some scantily clad ladies onstage with them
• All Songs Considered has some fantastic photos from day one
• Paste gives you the rundown on Thursday night’s festivities
• EW’s Music Mix calls England’s The xx a “glum, glum” band
• Spin gives you the breakdown of the Best And Worst of Day One
• Cover Alerts: Mayer Hawthorne tackled The Temptations and Biz Markie, while Diane Birch tackled Hall & Oates

Day Two:

• Conan “CoCo” O’Brien channeled his inner rock star
• Paste beats everyone to the punch with their Flaming Lips review
• NYT Ben Sisario gives you four-word reviews of day two
• Kid Cudi managed to make his late-night set hours after he was arrested in NYC
• Download This: The National’s Which Stage set
• The Gossip drove from Detroit to Tennessee after flight trouble
• Cover Alerts: She & Him tackled Chuck Berry & Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Kings Of Leon tackle The Pixes

Day Three

• Pop-rock act OK GO premiere their new video at the Lunar Stage
• The Black Keys are one of four bands to get a special poster designed specifically for their Bonnaroo appearance
• NYT details the Clean Vibes efforts to keep the fest green
• Stevie Wonder “schools” the audience with mix of hits and covers
• Cover Alert: Norah Jones tackles The Kinks
• Muzzle Of Bees runs down their Day 3 at the fest
• AP talks about Saturday’s headliners Jay Z and Stevie Wonder

And of course, our own Jennifer Kirk is covering the ‘Roo for Hidden Track. Check out her reports from Thursday and Friday. Stay tuned for a rundown of Friday’s late-night action later today with much more to follow.

Wow. Just wow. I can’t think of a way to describe the multitudes of music I saw yesterday, it was a phenomenal day and there are still two days of the festival left. Yesterday’s lineup was a force to be reckoned with and as at every Bonnaroo, one has to make a plan of attack as to who they want to see and when. There is just way too much to choose from. But alas sacrifices and rationalizations must be had in the decision making process.

[Tenneessee Shines with the Carolina Chocolate Drops]

The weather’s been a hot one, that’s for damn sure. It’s not as bad as years past and as long as one stays hydrated it’s easy to get 12 hours of music in and I did exactly that. My day started out with the traditional bluegrass foot stomping stylings of the Carolina Chocolate Drops.

• Bonnaroo Day One: A ‘Roo State of Mind
• Glide Magazine: Friday Bonnaroo Review

The Carolina Chocolate Drops set included a song titled Sandy Boys and one called Jack of Diamonds which was the first song the band did together. I really enjoyed CCD’s set and their talk of African influence on string band music and a discussion of the history of the songs they performed. Other highlights include Geniune Negro Jig, Your Baby Ain’t Sweet Like Mine, and two covers Jackson and Blu Cantrell’s Hit ‘Em Up Style, which got the joint jumping. READ ON for more from Jennifer on Day Two of Bonnaroo…