DEL.ICIO.US4-day jam an eclectic mix
For the AJC
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Since the demise of Music Midtown and the short-lived efforts of 2007’s Echo Project, Atlanta is no longer home to a major, multigenre outdoor music festival.
Fans looking to soak up some sun while taking in an eclectic variety of music have to hit the road for such a pleasure.
AP Photo / Mark Humphrey
The crowd cheers a performance at a past Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn. Bonnaroo is the closest major music festival to Atlanta and draws about 80,000 people. This year’s festival is being held June 11-14.
Now one of the biggest music festivals in the country, Tennessee’s Bonnaroo is the closest major festival to Atlanta.
For those planning on going June 11-14, here’s a quick look at what to expect and how to prepare.
Who to hear: This year’s festival features obligatory improvisational acts like Gov’t Mule, Bela Fleck & Toumano Diabate and a reunited Phish, headlining two nights. The lineup also includes newer indie and electro rock favorites like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Animal Collective, MGMT, Girl Talk and TV on the Radio, as well as heavier acts such as Shadows Fall, the Dillinger Escape Plan and High on Fire. All this is anchored by established acts including the Beastie Boys, Bruce Springsteen, Nine Inch Nails, Elvis Costello, Snoop Dogg, Merle Haggard and David Byrne.
What to see: Bonnaroo also features other forms of entertainment, such as interactive art exhibits in the camping areas (some of which are created locally by the Art of Such N Such collective), cinema, video games and theatrical performances. Comedy is a big part of this year’s event as well, with performances by funnymen Jimmy Fallon, Michael Ian Black, Aziz Ansari and John Oliver, Rob Riggle and Rory Albanese of “The Daily Show.” If you’re looking for something a bit more crude, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog brings “Bonnapoo 2009” to Bonnaroo.
Where to stay: Onsite camping is the most popular and logical choice for lodging. Parking and camping are included in the ticket price (unless you bring an RV, in which case you’ll be required to pay an additional $125 for the weekend) and you get to stay in the thick of things the entire time. New this year is a limited number of pre-parked RV trailers available for rent at the festival. The RVs cost $3,192 and sleep up to six people. Hotel packages are also available for an additional $839.65.
What to bring: Items that are allowed and encouraged include camping gear (tents, sleeping bags, etc.), changes of clothes and shoes, sunscreen and bug repellent, food (which will also be sold onsite), rain gear, radios, cameras and flashlights. Obvious restrictions include weapons, fireworks, glass containers and illegal substances. Personal modes of transportation such as bicycles and scooters are not allowed on festival grounds, but can be kept on bike racks near entrances. Plastic grocery bags and plastic foam coolers are also prohibited and no pets of any kind, unless trained to assist with disabilities, are allowed.
Admission: Four-day general admission pass is $249.50, plus $23.10 service fees. VIP passes for two, including bleacher seating, pre-event dinner and access to VIP entrance, camping area,
restrooms, showers and lounges, are $1,349.50, plus $72.65 service fees. Payment plans are available.
Getting there: The festival is held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tenn., about 60 miles southeast of Nashville and northwest of Chattanooga. From Atlanta, take I -75 north to Chattanooga, then I-24 west and follow the directional signs to festival grounds. As you approach Manchester, tune into Radio Bonnaroo at WFTZ-FM (101.5) for traffic updates, festival news, music and artist interviews.
Information: Bonnaroo.
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