Plans not a priority for music festival attendee
“Dude, BONNAROO!”
Such has been one exclamation favored by some of my friends who will be attending this year’s music festival with me next month.
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is an annual camping event held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tenn., that has a bit of a reputation for attracting hippies.
And, in true hippie fashion, none of my soon-to-be travel companions have prepared in any capacity for the event.
Are we starting to get worried? Don’t make me laugh.
Here’s what we do know: Who’s driving, who’s riding along, what day we leave, what day we come back, the fact that cell phones don’t work to save your life once you get down there, and that some girl from California will be joining us before we set out.
Don’t worry, she knows one of us.
I know I have a pretty long list of the bands I want to see, but then again I’m also acutely aware of the sort of situation I’ll be encountering. See, from what I hear, there will be dirty, wild-eyed, crazy people afoot.
So right now, I’m pinning down the major musical attractions. There’s no way I’m leaving without having seen the following bands: The Raconteurs, Sigur Rós, The Swell Season, Tegan and Sara, Minus the Bear, Lez Zeppelin (yes, Lez, as in a female-comprised cover band), Battles, Ben Folds, Against Me! and Death Cab for Cutie. Oh, and comedians Chris Rock and David Cross.
If you’re familiar with Bonnaroo, you’ll notice that none of the headlining bands are on that list, because that’s just not what the festival is about for me. I don’t really understand why Metallica is in the lineup. I figure they’re worth seeing, if only to make obscene hand gestures and heckle them.
Pearl Jam would be cool for nostalgic value. My hippie aunt would be stoked about them.
But really, I’m preparing for a glorified camping trip with some of the people I love the most. The details are just not worth stressing about.
The fact that the Allman Brothers Band bowed out after initially agreeing to play the show? Sad (they’re one of my dad’s favorite bands of all time), but not the end of the world.
Living with maybe one extra set of clothes for five days? Why not?!
It’s almost time for me and thousands of others to join the ranks of the great unwashed. Planning is superfluous.
The opinions expressed above are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the State News.