Notes from the ‘Roo: Day One Overview
Our man at Bonnaroo’s had a tough time logging on to the world wide netweb down in Manchester, but our first communiqué from TJ has come through. Here’s an overview of Day One (Thursday) from a seasoned Bonnaroo veteran…
The Pluses
New Mother Nature: First-day attendees were blessed with some of the most pleasant weather Bonnaroo has ever enjoyed — sunny skies, cool breezes and comfortable overnight sleeping temperatures. My crew decided that if the promoters started going to each campsite and asking for a $50 Good Weather Tax, we would all happily pay. (Sure beats the drug tax collector.)
Blame Canada: I know that the United States and Canada aren’t close like we used to be, but even I can’t believe they’ve been keeping the Sam Roberts Band a secret from us. I think half of Alberta was in That Tent last night, alternating between cheering on the band, waving the Canadian flag and making strange chants in Quebecois that surely had something to do with secession or socialized medicine. If America gets turned on to SRB like French Canada appears to have, then I see big things in their future.
Read on for much more coverage and photos from Day One of Bonnaroo…
Best Band I’ve Never Heard Of: While I was jostling for a good spot for the Tea Leaf Green shows, the rest of Team TJ caught Mute Math and gave glowing reviews. Several members of our party named it Thursday night’s best show.
The Sound of Silent: The feel-good story of Centeroo this year has resoundingly been the Silent Disco. In a concept surely developed by voyeurs on psychedelics, entrants into the Silent Disco are given a set of headphones and encouraged to dance like nobody is watching and love like they’ve never been hurt. But people are watching, and it makes for good theater. A tent full of people dancing vigorously in silence can suddenly break out into the chorus of Highway to Hell or My Sharona. Good times, good times.
Party Over Here: In the Credit Where Credit is Due department, big ups to Bonnaroo for making all of the Centeroo destinations a party last night. The Discotheque Arcade was bumpin’ with a packed house, the cinema had steady traffic, the Silent Disco was always surrounded with onlookers, and every performance stage seemed filled to capacity. There was something going on for everyone in Centeroo last night, and the patrons definitely took advantage.
The Minuses
Crowded House: With no entertainment on the main stages last night, the more intimate venues were besieged by fans hoping for some up-close entertainment. I waited in line for 45 minutes to see the Stanton Moore Trio show in Somethin’ Else Tent, only to be turned away along with several hundred other folks that waited even longer than I did. The line for the Comedy Tent was considerably worse. I’m hoping that this problem will lessen when more options are available later in the weekend.
Why-Fi?: Connecting via wireless in Centeroo is next to impossible, and Bonnaroo remains a difficult place to send and receive texts and phone calls.
Anti-gyro: Thumbs down to the food selections in Centeroo last night. I got a gyro that featured wet meat, a stale pita and ranch instead of tzatziki (sp?) sauce.
Overall, two enthusiastic thumbs up to Day One of Bonnaroo. When two of your minuses are about wi-fi and Greek food, you know the show is on the right track. The festival has a diverse range of offerings this year and the attendees seem to have responded in kind. Tea Leaf Green put on a fantastic show last night, and Team TJers that hit Rodrigo y Gabriella had similar results.
Note from Ace: Some Dude from Hits from the Blog texted me this morning to say Tea Leaf Green were “ripping the shit up.” He continued, “Definitely their coming out party, people will be talking about that set. Ended with Sex in the 70s — no encore, and when the PA guy said ‘that’s it for tonight,’ people booed.”
- Check out the rest of TJ’s photos from Day One at Photobucket
- Previously on HT: Streaming Webcast; Key Conflicts; Under the ‘Roodar Bands; and SuperJam: Strangest Trio Ever
Stay tuned for much more coverage all weekend long here at Hidden Track…
just saw tea leaf @ hunter mountain (mountain jam) two weeks ago. With a full set and another late night set, it was obvious TLG was having a ‘coming out party’
that is great to hear more good news about TLG…
oh and don’t eat the gyro’s. not a lot of greeks in tennessee.
Now we’re talking! I am glad to see that the old man is putting his time to good use in Tennessee. I LOVE the J. Cash fence. How cool is that?
TJ jr. and I are off to see the in-laws. You gotta do what you gotta do for fair and balanced concert coverage.
[...] Let’s hope Mr. Morello’s telling the troof to our intrepid reporter. Stay tuned for more coverage, and don’t forget to read TJ’s Day One Overview… [...]
Great first post…fantastic update. For more info on Tea Leaf’s raging set, you can check this thread on the band’s forum: http://tealeafgreen.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13254
Mrs TJ, enjoy the folks.
[...] The Week That Was: It Ain’t Just Bonnaroo Reports from the Dust Bowl that is Bonnaroo came fast and furious this weekend, and we posted as much as we could without actually, you know, being there. Our Man in Manchester braved the Tennessee heat and fired off a series of quality communiqués for your vicarious pleasure: Make sure to check out these three full-day overviews from TJ in TN: Thursday (Day One), Friday (Day Two), Saturday (Day Three). [...]
As a veteran of the first Bonnaroo in 2002 it saddens me to see the picture of some kid in a freakin batting cage….this is a music fest not some ADHD playland….jesus….