Feature

Since its creation in 2002, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has grown to be one of the world’s premiere music festivals and a party of epic proportions. Every June, tens of thousands of people flock to a 700-acre plot of farmland in Manchester, Tenn. for a weekend of music, art and camping under the stars courtesy of Superfly Entertainment and AC Productions. These two companies saw that something was missing as far as concert experiences are concerned as Ken Weinstein (head of Bonnaroo publicity and president of Big Hassle Media) explains.

“We saw that there was a void in the live music world. There were festivals catering to one type of music or another, but none bringing the best of all the scenes to the music fan that likes variety and great live music. Also, there weren’t any destination festivals. We know how much people love them because we are those people!”

In the beginning, Bonnaroo mainly focused on the jam scene and earned the reputation as a festival dedicated to jam and those fans were happy to claim it as their own. However, the musical variety of the festival has expanded over the years. With the release of the current line-up with Metallica and Pearl Jam as the headliners, many Bonnaroo fans are wondering what has motivated this festival to take this direction, but organizers saw the jam focus as just the beginning of something very special.

“You have to start somewhere, and we love those (jam) bands and the fans of those bands,” says Weinstein. “These are the fans who know how to handle destination festivals. They are professionals and they are loyal. The jam band fanbase is one of the most open minded fanbases since the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, the days when places like the Fillmore East and West were booking nightly shows with jazz, southern rock, Cali rock, funk and more! All on the same night! The only thread running through the night was that all the bands were great live. That’s our inspiration. No one was serving this fanbase. No one was respecting these fans.”

Musical acts such as Widespread Panic, Trey Anastasio and the Dead dominated the festival, yet Bonnaroo organizers had an evolving perception of the festival. As Bonnaroo grew, attendees saw a comedy tent added, and slowly but surely, bands like Modest Mouse, Beck, David Byrne and Primus were thrown into the mix.

“We started diversifying in year two (2003),” says Weinstein. “We booked indie rock and alternative acts that year and every year since. Bands want to play for the Bonnaroo audience. They know it’s like no other.”

Bands outside of the jam genre such as Radiohead and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers made their way up the line-up into the top positions with little complaint from the audience.

It wasn’t until 2007 that Bonnaroo veterans began to notice change was eminent for this legendary festival. As the line-up announcements for Bonnaroo 2007 were released, Bonnaroo veterans seemed pleased to see The Police would be performing but dismayed a band like Tool was found as one of the headliners.

After the dust had cleared on Bonnaroo 2007 (literally), the festival met the approval of both the newcomers and Bonnaroo veterans with bands like The White Stripes, Wolfmother and Gogol Bordello rocking the crowd. Weinstein says it’s no surprise that Bonnaroo 2007 was as lauded as the previous festivals, due in part to there being something deeper to the festival than just music.

“Every reaction has been positive every year. We constantly hear how the Bonnaroo experience changed people’s lives. We have so many fans who come every year. It’s not just about the music, or the comedy or the films or the silent disco. It’s about it all. It’s about living with your brother and sister for four days on a 700-acre farm. It’s just about Bonnaroo.”

As Bonnaroo 2008 draws near, it is clear that Bonnaroo has moved far away from its jam roots with Metallica and Pearl Jam taking the top positions and acts such as Robert Randolph and Phil Lesh and Friends moving further down the list. Some traditional Bonnaroo bands that have been around since the beginning are not even showing up.

“Well, Widespread isn’t playing this year,” says Weinstein. “Robert was never a headliner and Phil Lesh really wants to play Bonnaroo but understands that he’s been the headliner before and it’s time to let others have that slot. We just believe in diversity and variety.”

This “diversity” and “variety” is reaching deeper into the underground than ever before. Metallica’s sound will pale in comparison to the new masters of metal Mastodon. Gainesville punk legends Against Me! are also set to play before the Bonnaroo masses. However, Weinstein is confident that this year will be just as grand as the previous even in the face of all those critical of the line-up and assures Bonnaroo regulars that they have not let them down before.

“It’s going to be an incredible weekend,” says Weinstein. “Every year we learn from the year before. It just gets better and better.”

When it comes down to it, Weinstein is right about one thing. Those who decide to make the trek to Manchester, Tenn. to brave the elements, the crowds, the dust, the camping and the sheer social insanity have no way of judging the outcome of the festival unless they experience it for themselves. One thing is for certain in that those who attend Bonnaroo 2008 will journey home with a million memories that will last a lifetime.

Stephen Centanni is Lagniappe music editor. Contact him at scentanni@lagniappemobile.com.

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