Final thoughts and great memories

Wow, what an amazing long weekend. I slept till 4:30 this afternoon. No lie. Now it all seems like a wacky dream. That's the magic of Boonaroo; you can feel like your in a musical other world for four days once a year. Of course, it may take a year for me to recover :-)

Wilco's show was terrific. Jeff Tweedy and Co. sounded sharp and they really seemed to be enjoying their musical chemistry. They focused on songs from their latest CD, Sky Blue Sky, but they also gave fine preformances of some of the group's past work. I really liked their Bonnaroo version of Handshake Drugs from A Ghost is Born.

Bonnaroo is a work in progress, and I thought the event to be very well organized and run. The staff at Music Allies, Inc. imporved the Media Compound's layout greatly and bent over backwards to help out all the DJs and press members that swarmed in and out of the area.

As for camping at Bonnaroo, that's always difficult, but a ton of fun if you can handle the close quarters and the heat. I froze several 2 liter bottles of water way before hand, and this turned out to be a great idea. My 2 coolers stayed cold and iced for 3 of the 4 days, and on Sunday I not only had icy cold water to drink, I used some of the water to pour over my head when the sun & dust got to be too much.

Yeah, I'll be ready to do it again next year. Wonder who will headline?

Back safe and wiped out!

I'm home. Yee dog! What an experience. It's 2:00 am and I really need a long shower and 8 hours of uninterrupted by bands playing until 6:30 am sleep, but I'll wrap up my thoughts on Bonnaroo 2007 tomorrow...er, later today.

Peace and love,
Marion

I have become Pigpen

Just saw Bob Weir and and Rat Dog. It's as close as I'll ever come to witnessing the DEAD, so I had to check it out. But the dust is unreal, and even die-hard fans were trying anything to find shelter from the Sun's powerful rays.

This will probably be my last post from Bonnaroo proper, but you never know. Wilco and the White Stripes are must sees, then I'll head back home with lots more photos and pictures of this amazing weekend of fun, sun, so much dust that I kick up a cloud like Pigpen from Charlie Brown when I walk by - but most of all, good times and GREAT MUSIC!!

And I didn't even have to flash my...

Back from my mid-afternoon wanderings and I just wandered by one of my favorite comedians and host of Comedy Central's Insomniac, Dave Attell. Wow, I got my picture taken with him and I didn't even have to flash my ta-tas! If you've watched his show, that seems to happen to him all the time.

I really didn't talk about The Flaming Lips in my last post. I couldn't hang with them to the bitter end, but I caught about half of thier show and it was fun. Lots of crowd interaction, including the fact that some people were given little lazers to point at the stage during their act. Also, large red and blue round ballon like things were wafting above the crowd. And the light show ROCKED!

I began this morning doing a little Bonnaroo shopping. Once I was out of cash, I watched The Slip put on a show at one of the smaller stages here at Bonnaroo. I like the way The Slip's Bard Barr made his acoustic guitar sound like a roaring Fender Strat one moment, and like a regular acoustic the next.

Then I was off to catch Mavis Staples. No way I was missing her, and I shot a video that I'm currently uploading for you; I'll add it in later when it's ready.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=marionpeabody

She was in fine voice, and really got the crowd (a nice mix of old and young) into her show. She seemed a bit tired to me when she was done; she left it all out for her fans. Mavis had everybody shouting "I'll Take You There" at full volume. He band was very tight, esp. her guitarist.

I also saw the last few songs of the John Butler Trio's set. That guy can can play a sweet guitar.

I hear Wolfmother starting up in the backgroud, so that's my cue to sign off for now!

Day four and there's so much more

That's me and Leo writer (and WFPK listener!) Mary Burton.

I am in such a good mood today, even though it is insanely hot outside. I was talking to a security guard this morning and we both agreed; we could stay here forever 'cause it's so amazing, but if we gotta walk/stand on these gravel roads one more day we'll just die.

God bless Sting for wearing a sleaveless shirt last night; so 1983. I put mine on this morning in his honor. God bless Stewart Copeland for looking like he should be my kid brother, even though he was "Born in the Fifties. And God bless Andy Summers for playing so well. God Bless The Police for taking me and 70,000 of their closest friends back to one of the best things growing up in the early eighties had to offer.

Got to run; want to catch The Slip in a few. Wilco later, and of course, the White Stripes.

Ben Harper and Ben & Jerry's - Sweet!

So I got distracted at the WHICH Stage by Franz Ferdinand. It's called Bonnaroo ADD; you plan on going to one show, but you end up watching another since it's so good. But I forced myself to see Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals. I was not disappointed. Soon after I started getting into their groove, Ben brought out John Paul Jones. I'm talking THE JOHN PAUL JONES as in LED ZEP. Oh My God! And they palyed a wickedly good version of Dazed and Confused. I actually started to cry when this was over. Maybe it was the dust. Maybe not. Then, I had some Cookies and Cream; Ben & Ben together. I'm speachless.

The spirit is in the air!

Mid-afternoons on the 3rd day is taxing. It is really hot, dry, and dusty. I'm covered in a funk water can't wash off. Am I woman enough to endure? So I blow off a few shows to take a much needed shower. I'm instantly better. Better still, my camp neighbors, Brad & Patrick are getting their stuff in line for the evening. Without warning, another neighbor brings us his "extra" steamed crab legs. We feast! If that were not enough, yet another neighbor is a beer distributor at Bonnaroo and he has some he can't sell. They are Greman, cold and wonderful! I get the feeling their is something in the air other than just Port-a-Potties and pot...

Here is Pat modeling a fork wrist chain that belongs to someone. If you are the proud owner, let me know. He is also modeling a impessive men's dollsr bill ring which you might have noticed...

Hot Times and Hot Tuna

Ah, the heat of the mid-afternoon. I just finished

watching Hot Tuna do the thing they've been doing for 45 years (or more) together, and what a musical bond Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Cassidy have. But as the Bonnaroo-ers frequently yelled out, "If you don't know Jorma, YOU don't know Jack! To think they were likely doing the same thing (playing in front of a large number of people) 40 years ago right know at Monterey Pop. They put on a low-key show that was a nice change of pace from the high energy grooves going on well into the night yesterday. I also caught a little of Regina Spektor. She was hold the gathered thousands (20,000 perhaps?) captive by her voice and keyboard playing. When I saw her, she was solo on stage. Boy, that takes guts to be up their all alone.

I'm going to catch another shower if I can and prepare myself for a intense, long evening of music. Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, The Police, and then The Flaming Lips. Oh yeah, here is a link to mini-movie of Hot Tuna in action:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=marionpeabody

Wild times in far away places

Good morning from the media center here at Bonnaroo. It's the beginning of day three, and I note that all my fellow djs and magazine types are moving slower and hitting the coffee harder this morning. I've worn a blister on my toes from all the walking I did last night. I have now seen the real Bonnaroo, and like explores of old, I have retuned to tell the tale.

I'm not a Tool fan (though they sounded good from the far outskirts of the main campground) so I met up with my buddies, Stephaine and Jessica (aren't they cute?!):


I'm sure I'm mispelling Stephaine's name here; she goes by an alternate spelling so I apologize in advance, but what a fun evening. They are camped as far away from my campsite as you can get here on planet Bonnaroo. My campground is reserved for media types, so it has lots of RVs as well as tents. It has a few trees, and though we are still camped on top of one another like sardines, it's fairly quite and nice. The regular camp ground has no trees, it is even denser populated, and the main streets are lined with vendors of food and tye-dye goods or every description. Indeed, this place is like a St. James Arts Festival for tye-dye & Indian food.


The bad thing about being camped among the freaky people (and I mean that as a term of endearment) is that you have to pass under the main gate and through check point Charlie. Last night security was cracking down stronger than usual, though the main thing they seemed to confiscate were glow sticks. What's a Bonnaroo nightime show without glow sticks? It took me 40 minutes to pass through this line, and while everyone's sprits were up and happy at first, the crowd started to get upset and was chanting things like "Let us in!" and "We're not cattle!" I was getting a little scared I might get crushed to death while stuck there; it's the only unpleasant thing of the sort I have experienced at a Bonnaroo.

We went over and saw some of String Cheese Incident, and I also ran into some other friends of mine at the Aseop Rock show happening at the This Tent. My pal Missy actually DID run into me; there went my $4.00 lemonade on the dusty ground. But hey, I'll take the hug over lemon juice any day.

Well, I'm off to see an old fav of mine, Hot Tuna.
Be sure to check in with me when I talk to Duke at 2:00 and with Craig at 5:00.
Peace!

PS: Be sure and check out my home page for more photos!

Chillin Like a villian

Just returned from the Michael Franti & Spearhead show... Wow, the crowd turned out in force and really got into it. I hope you can see the numbers of people we're talking about here; check out this clip I shot of the crowd while Michael got everyone into it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxqp3g7k5co

It's not easy being GREEN

More new friends having a great time.

Sweaty keyboards and mash-ups

Yo: The silver dot is the lead singer of the Brazlian Girls!

Ok, try to imagine this: due to wind condtions, if you are somewhat far away from one stage, you can sometimes hear who is preforming on another stage. Right now I'm watching the Brazilian Girls, but they are getting mashed-up with Richard Thompson. It actually works in a weird sort of way.

The Brazilian Girls sound soooo good. By the way, the Brazilian aren't from Brazil; they are from New York. And only one member is a girl (Sabina Sciubba) - and she's hot! But then again, we all are here. One of their hits is a song called... well, let's just say it's another name for a kitty cat. The crowd loves it!

There is sweat all over my touch pad. Nice.

Day two and so much to do

Good morning from another planet! It really does feel a bit like you've left the known world and landed in a very funky place. And better still, I managed to get six and a half hours of sleep last night. For Bonnaroo, that's amazing! So rested and ready, I can't wait to hit the bands today:

Brazillian Girls, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Kings of Leon, Lilly Allen, String Chese Incident. Do you think I'll get bored?

Here is a Youtube link to some video I shot of Ryan Shaw opening up Bonnaroo last night around 8:15 Louisville time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVy2GaDk1w0

Afterwards I saw The National. Amazing! It's hard not to get a blurry picture without a tripod, but it gives kind of a neat effect. I heard several people in the crowd comment "Man, I like these guys." I think they are on their way to being big.

After The National, Rodrigo y Gabriela totally smoked the crowd. You have never seen guitar playing the likes that these two throw down. Rodrigo's lighting fast leads and Gabriela's percussive attack left me spent for the day.

Here is a bonus video someone shot of the crowds arriving yesterday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c7brgos4lc&NR=1

Don't forget to listen to WFPK at 2:00 and 5:oo pm today & tommorow for live reports from planet Bonnaroo!

Crashes and stashes

Ok, so right after I wrote that last post the internet went out, so I went out exploring Centeroo, the shopping and eating area of Bonnaroo. What fun! You can see the fans walking down the long dusty* road and past the crew members that frisk you and then ask, "Are you bringing in alcohol? Drugs? Firearms?" Having answered no to all of the above, I wandered past the food stalls and beer lines. Speaking of beer lines, I think I saw the longest beer line in the history of suds. Only one consession stand is open today, so 4 guys are pouring amber-colored fluid as fast as they can. Don't forget to check in with me on WFPK around 2 and 5 pm Friday afternoon. I'll let you know how Rodrigo y Gabriela sounded. Adios from Bonnaroo!

*Count how many times I mention the word dust over the next 3 days. I bet I'll use the word 100 times or more. Here is a clue: when I got a plastic folk from a bin so I could eat a veggie wrap, all the forks were coated in dust.

The Bonnaroo Feeling Grows

This is so cool! Literally, I’m sitting in a wi-fi tent under an air conditioner. This spot will be hard to grab tomorrow as more Bonnaroo-ers arrive. I’ve taken some photos and movies of the surrounding scene.

Look out, I've Arrived!

Wow, I’m finally HERE! The drive down was an uneventful glide through Kentucky and Tennessee back roads. I left the Interstate at Murfeesboro and had a pleasant trip seeing the rolling hills of central Tennessee. Then I hit Manchester and all hell broke loose. The Holiday Inn near Bonnaroo acts a distribution point for media credentials and unlike last year, all the VIP passes. There is only one two-lane road that leads into and out of this parking lot, and for 1-½ hours, everyone was parked – forcibly. The police finally came and broke the traffic jam loose.

This seems to be the only thing the planners of Bonnaroo didn’t get right. This is an amazing logistical task, and I can see where improvements have been tweaked since last year. There is now a short cut from my camping ground to the media compound where I file reports. No more dodging fast moving golf carts driven by the support staff! There must be hundreds of these golf carts moving between the widely spaced stages. It’s unreal how many people it takes to put on an event like this. You can’t help but feel sorry for the security staff that have to man check points stationed in the sun for hours on end.

Oh hey – I just looked up to see the members of the National standing before me. They are getting ready to record in the studio across from me. Sweet!

Tommorow is the day!

Just got back from renting an SUV; I figured I needed the space for all my gear and I may need to sleep in the thing should a rainstorm come up. I’ve checked the weather radar for Manchester, Tennessee and it looks like it will be dry and hopefully not as hot as last year. We’ll see about that, but I’m thinking positive. Part of the “charm” of Bonnaroo is overcoming the elements, so I’m ready for anything.




Here is a picture of someone getting jiggy with it in the Silent Disco I mentioned in my previous blog. Imagine me there; I will be soon! By the way, I plan on putting additional photos and movies at my website, so check that out as well.

New experiences for 2007

I’ve been going over the activities available at Bonnaroo and there a few things I missed last year (here is a photo of me enjoying Beck’s 2006 show) that I want to be sure to hit this year.

First, the Silent Disco. Are those voices in my head? Well, perhaps, but this is a dance party where everyone wears headphones. That should be real cosmic at 3am.

Second, the Brooer’s Festival. Yes, I can make the sacrifice and test a selection of cross-continental micro-brewed beers. It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it.

Important stuff to take

Bonnaroo is a ton of fun, but it does require some planning. You should receive a list of things to take and things not to take when your Bonnaroo tickets arrive. I’ve taken this photo of some of the most important.

Bring lots of water! You can buy more there, but it'll cost you. A rain poncho is always a good thing.

Sunscreen is a must, and I like the handy portable sized containers for touch ups while in Bonnaroo Village. Being in 90+ degree temps for 4 days is bad enough, but being sunburned on top of it sucks. Maybe it won’t get that hot this year, but I wouldn’t count on it.

Can you say handy wipes? Thank goodness for these little suckers. They have so many uses in a dusty scene like Bonnaroo. During the 2006 festival, I was amazed at the amount of dust 100,000 people can kick up. When I arrived the first day I thought, “Gee, wonder why they didn’t cut the grass?’’ By Friday, the grass was brown straw. It never really rained last year, so by Saturday night the sunset looked like something from a Mars mission. And of course, wet wipes are very useful when you're using porta-potties.

Speaking of porta-potties, bring tissue packs. You never know when you’ll need one!

Where's that sleeping bag?

It’s Saturday evening, 4 days before I leave for this year’s Bonnaroo. I’ve been going through my camping gear and collecting things I think I’ll need. I always seem to take too much stuff, but I’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. You can buy essentials at Bonnaroo, but expect to pay a dear price for it. I’ve also downloaded the schedule of the bands and printed that out. You can’t see everything, so knowing what your priorities are before hand can help you plan your attack. For example, on Friday afternoon I can catch 45 minutes of Cold War Kids at the That Tent and then run over to the Which Stage and catch the Brazilian Girls.

Getting Set

Yo Yo:

Getting set up for the event of the Summer: Bonnaroo! I'll be blogging from here. More to come!