After two years of no Bonnaroo and last year’s Roo being slightly scaled back, Bonnaroo is now fully back for the first time since before the pandemic. The iconic music festival began yesterday and will continue in Manchester through Sunday.
While it is primarily a music festival, there’s plenty more to enjoy at Bonnaroo than just the music. It’s an experience. And it’s one that’s not for everyone. But I believe if you go in with an open mind, it’s definitely something worth experiencing at least once. I was once one of those who said I had no desire to visit the famous fest, but, having a music-loving wife, press passes and a world-famous music festival practically in our back yard finally convinced me to give it a try. My first time visiting was in 2015 at the 2 a.m. show on Saturday night/Sunday morning. That start time was a key to get me to dip my toes into the Bonnaroo waters as extreme heat is not my thing.
Upon arriving I was immediately struck by the atmosphere. Despite the less than positive reputation that’s often attributed to Bonnaroonies (mostly ascribed to them by people who have never gone) the feel in the crowd was extremely positive. I got more high fives from random passers-by than I have anywhere other than possibly a Nashville Predators Stanley Cup Final game. Everybody is there to have a good time and there’s a real feeling of acceptance of everyone there. It’s definitely a different vibe than being at Walt Disney World but the feeling of general happiness is the same. If anything, Bonnaroo seems less stressful, if only because there aren’t anywhere near as many frazzled parents trying to keep tabs on their kids.
Since attending rather skeptically in 2015, I’ve returned in '16, ‘17, ‘18 and ‘19 before COVID broke my streak. While the bulk of the music selections aren’t tailored to me, there is such a large variety of acts, I can always find something I gravitate to. Kacey Musgraves, The Grand Ole Opry and Saturday Night Live veterans The Lonely Island have been my favorite Roo shows I’ve seen. And, even apart from that, the food and people watching are worth a trip.
The Spicy Pie is a Bonnaroo favorite and my go-to meal. It’s a giant slice of pizza loaded with pepperoni and jalapeños. This weekend I plan to make my Bonnaroo return for the first time since 2019. I won’t be able to go until later in the weekend, thanks to pesky real-world responsibilities like putting out Sunday’s newspaper, but I plan to take it in when I can.
Again, the musical lineup is not the main draw for me, although I am interested in watching Dave Grohl and his band mates continue their seemingly never-ending battle against Foo. And I’ll check out Marcus Mumford if only in hopes of hearing the theme song from Ted Lasso. Apart from that, taking in the sights and eating some Spicy Pie will make the short drive to Manchester worth the trip for me. Bonnaroo has taught me a lesson that applies to many things in life - don't judge it until you try it. I once made that mistake and now I’ll be attending my sixth one. Happy Roo!
Standard Managing Editor Seth Wright can be reached at (931) 473-2191
