It’s that time of year again! Yeah, the intrepid Jedi is already salivating over the thought of spending 4 days on the farm just off I-24 in Manchester, TN – home of the fifth largest music festival in the U.S.

Bonnaroo is Back!

For eleven years running (this year makes 12) the thought of musical salvation has brought crowds of nearly 100,000 people to my home town. Over the past decade, I have not missed a single Bonnaroo, and this year will be no exception if I can do anything about it.

The festival brings people from all over the globe to this tranquil Middle Tennessee town to jam, rock,  dance, and basically revel in the joy of freedom through music. Germany, England, Polland, India, China, and Australia are just a few of the places that they hail from. There is a great feeling that comes over one when chilling with folks from around the globe and knowing that the only barriers are (perhaps) language or dialect.

It’s not just the music. It’s the spirit that brings us all together – the spirit of the music, the people, the whole freakin’ universe! Yep, the universe itself is moved by music. Just ask NASA. They’ll tell you that the whole bloomin’ thing resonates at a distinct musical frequency – B Flat to be precise.

This Year’s Roo Line-up Kicks Butt!

OK, it always does. But, Wow! I’m more excited by some of the names on the roster than I have been for a while. The list was released yesterday and you can check it out here: http://www.bonnaroo.com/

As always, the list includes major stars, old favorites, brand new indie acts, and much much more. Some of the performers this “writer” (subjective term) is excited about include:

Paul McCartney (first time for me) Tom Petty (a favorite), Mumford and Sons (always great), and Wu-Tang Clan. Those are just a few of the big names.

ZZ Top and Gov’t Mule (I always love both) are also on that list. Some of the bands that are perhaps less known, but just as frakkin’ awesome are:

Holy Ghost!, Django Django, John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension, Cat Power, The Gaslight Antem (one of my fave ‘Roo finds), Preservation Hall Jazz Band, geez the list goes on and on… and I haven’t even mentioned Sam Bush & Del McCrurry, Billy Idol, or Dwight Yokam. There’s always a bit of silliness too! Can you say “Weird Al Yankovic’?!

What a Mess!

No way, dudes (and dudettes)… Bonnaroo is about as Green as it gets! I’m not just talking about the grass.

This year, we’re not just talking about an on site waste treatment plant, or a constant team of recycling nuts (good nuts) from Clean Vibes to keep the pace clean, but get this – Solar Power! That’s right – solar! All the paper is recycled stock. All the trash is sorted before it hits the truck and is sent to the proper facilities. Scores of people work ’round the clock to make sure everything is taken care of in the best of manners.

Bonnaroo is a community that gives to the community that supports it!

It has been estimated that over 11 million dollars (say that like Ren Hoeke “E-Lev-En Meel-yun Dol-lars, Man!) gets spent in the Mid Tenn area during the festival week, but that’s just a drop in the bucket! The Roo have provided invaluable resources to the small town that hosts the event; including major funding for the Arts, the Manchester Recreation Center, Instruments and funds for the Coffee Co Schools, swank “Welcome” signs at the edge of town, thousands upon thousands for the American Legion, Tullahoma High School Band, the Cancer Society, the Red Raider Marching Band… I can’t even think of them all.

I talked with Ashley Capps (top dawg with promoter A.C. Entertainment) and Jeff Cuellar (director of public relations) last year about many subjects and was blown away at their interest in this small town and its people. “We love it here,” said Cuellar, “this community has been a perfect fit for us, and we want to continue supporting it in every way we can.”

Pack up the truck and move to Bonnaroo !

Tickets go on sale this Saturday at Noon Central! They sell out FAST, so get on line and be ready, but don’t start trying to get in early, you’ll just screw up the servers for everyone. Where do you get them? I’m glad you asked…. where else but…

Bonnaroo.Com