Bonnaroo
Got back from Bonnaroo late Monday. I've been trying to get my shit back together at work the entire rest of the week, and my brain is fried, scrambled and several other cliches to boot. Doesn't help matters that I came down with a cold and a seriously painful muscle pull in my back all at the same time within a couple of days of getting home. Guess I'm getting old--the body doesn't put up with three-day music festivals the way it would have 15 years ago.
The festival was a fantastic experience and I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it all. Lots of hippies. Lots of dust and 'unsanitariness'. Lots of wandering around from stage to stage. Lots of incredible music in varying styles. A bit of music that didn't grab me. Some of my local metalhead friends have already given me crap about going to such a hippiefest. Oh well, I'm eclectic.
What I really enjoyed:
Jerry Douglas
Bonnie Raitt
Dungen (their Internet sound clips don't do it for me, though)
Shooter Jennings (yeah, really.)
Radiohead (would have been better if we had been within 1/2 mile of the stage, though)
Phil Pollard and His Band of Humans
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
Bill Frisell
Medeski Martin & Wood
Buddy Guy's acoustic set
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
What didn't totally suck:
Tom Petty (kinda boring old fart music, but Stevie Nicks made a guest appearance)
Bright Eyes (Conor Oberst can't sing worth shit, but his band is really good)
Oysterhead (great concept, but Trey Anastasio doesn't hang very well in a power trio--he needs a foil)
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (only heard a couple of songs, but I wouldn't mind hearing more)
Beck (great stage show)
What didn't grab me at all:
Steve Earle's solo acoustic set
Steel Train
Jackie Green
Devendra Banhart
So, I guess you'd have to say I got my money's worth.
I was all jazzed to get home and start playing my ass off on the geetar. But between sickness, work, and back troubles, I haven't even touched the damn thing in a week. I'm getting antsy...
The festival was a fantastic experience and I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it all. Lots of hippies. Lots of dust and 'unsanitariness'. Lots of wandering around from stage to stage. Lots of incredible music in varying styles. A bit of music that didn't grab me. Some of my local metalhead friends have already given me crap about going to such a hippiefest. Oh well, I'm eclectic.
What I really enjoyed:
Jerry Douglas
Bonnie Raitt
Dungen (their Internet sound clips don't do it for me, though)
Shooter Jennings (yeah, really.)
Radiohead (would have been better if we had been within 1/2 mile of the stage, though)
Phil Pollard and His Band of Humans
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
Bill Frisell
Medeski Martin & Wood
Buddy Guy's acoustic set
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
What didn't totally suck:
Tom Petty (kinda boring old fart music, but Stevie Nicks made a guest appearance)
Bright Eyes (Conor Oberst can't sing worth shit, but his band is really good)
Oysterhead (great concept, but Trey Anastasio doesn't hang very well in a power trio--he needs a foil)
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (only heard a couple of songs, but I wouldn't mind hearing more)
Beck (great stage show)
What didn't grab me at all:
Steve Earle's solo acoustic set
Steel Train
Jackie Green
Devendra Banhart
So, I guess you'd have to say I got my money's worth.
I was all jazzed to get home and start playing my ass off on the geetar. But between sickness, work, and back troubles, I haven't even touched the damn thing in a week. I'm getting antsy...