Photo: Kerry Feeney

Everybody needs a world to escape to once in a while. A place where enjoying the moment is all that matters. For us, that world is Bonnaroo.

And so, for a sixth consecutive year, we found ourselves on that familiar dirt road in Manchester, Tennessee, about to enter the 700-acre farmland. True to its roots and tradition, this year's line-up was diverse, multicultural and (arguably) the strongest to date, including headliner and newly reunited Phish, rock veterans Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, hip hop icons Beastie Boys, legends Al Green and David Byrne, funk and jazz giants Galactic, industrial rockers Nine Inch Nails, bluegrass icon David Grisman, comedian Jimmy Fallon, electronic experimentalists Animal Collective, multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird, and the unique pairing of Béla Fleck and Toumani Diabate to name only a few.

Photo: Kerry Feeney

Festival producers hailed Bonnaroo 2009 a huge success. Attendance was up considerably and near-flawless logistics allowed all activities to run smoothly. As a review, I offer you my 10 favourite moments and segments of Bonnaroo 2009.

#10 - The First Beer: The clock had turned just past noon on opening day when our campsite was up and running. We sat back, and as tradition would have it, enjoyed our first beer. The toast was simple: "We made it, everything's in place, and it starts now."

#9 - Walking the Grounds: From the camping areas to Centeroo's many attractions, roaming the farmland has always been a big part of the entertainment. Some of our favourite spots this year included the Sonic Village where bands give intimate acoustic performances; the air conditioned Comedy Sweet where we saw the Daily Show Stars do stand-up; the Art of Such N Such where your imagination will be stretched to its limits; and the Bonnaroo Market offering shopping, specialty foods, and the now famous 20-foot lighted fountain which is refreshing by day and mesmerizing by night.

#8 - Cage the Elephant: Lead vocalist Matt Shultz isn't your average band leader. To say that he's crazy would be an understatement. By the end of their set he was literally standing on top of the crowd, still singing. Is crowd surfing still cool? I'm not sure, but I'd pay to see that again. Inspired by the sounds of The Ramones, The Pixies, and Nirvana, Cage the Elephant's Sunday noon performance was pure energy, pure emotion . . . pure rock.

Photo: Kerry Feeney

The SteelDrivers' sound is simply perfect. They do not require drums or percussions and a single microphone is on stage. Tammy Rogers and Chris Stapleton's voices in harmony kept me smiling the whole set. Good luck standing still while these guys play.  For me, their bluegrass sound truly represents the spirit of Tennessee and, in essence, Bonnaroo itself.

#6 - of Montreal→The Decemberists: This segment took place on Saturday. Up first was of Montreal with their artistic and unique brand of techno-pop. Helped by over a dozen fully costumed friends, their set included a balloon party, acrobatics, and concluded with the destruction of all instruments on stage. But even with all of these gimmicks, it was the music and their ability to blend bubble gum pop with psychedelic rock that shone through.

The Decemberists were up against Wilco, The Mars Volta, Elvis Costello and David Grisman. A tough slot to say the least. Having never seen The Decemberists, the choice seemed logical. They proceeded by offering a complete, uncut rendition of their latest rock opera The Hazards of Love. Becky Stark and Shara Worden's vocal contributions gave me chills throughout the show and complemented the bands powerful delivery perfectly. They continued their set with a few choice cuts from their previous albums and ended with a cover of Heart's "Crazy On You," one of the clear cut highlights of the festival.

#5 - Grizzly Bear→Amadou & Mariam: While these two bands have little in common, they both proved to be at the top of their game. Grizzly Bear delivered a mellow yet highly powerful performance with beautiful harmonies and intense arrangements. After opening for Radiohead in 2008 and releasing Veckatimest, one of this year's best records, this band has solidified its place in the music scene.

With Al Green, TV on the Radio, Lucinda Williams and Ani DiFranco already underway, Amadou & Mariam's crowd was thin at first. Which was fine with us, as we were front and center. But the blind couple from Mali wasted little time; their afro-blues (imagine Mali sounds combined with modern dance music) attracted hundreds and soon gave way to an all-out dance party. It was amusing seeing the crowd attempt to sing the French lyrics. "Est-ce que ça va?!" would say virtuoso guitarist Amadou Bagayoko. It wasn't clear whether the crowd understood the question, but they sure did know the answer.

#4 - Alberta Cross→White Rabbits→Portugal. The Man: Musically, this is how our weekend started. I had gotten into these bands a few months before the festival, making this one of my most anticipated segments of the weekend.

Photo: Kerry Feeney

Six-piece indie band White Rabbits followed with a series of well crafted, percussion driven compositions. I was impressed at how clean their sound was as the band members seemed comfortable switching instruments in between songs. I appreciated how every single note seemed to count. Seek out their latest effort entitled It's Frightening.

Have you ever heard of Portugal. The Man? Until a few months ago neither had I. Hailing from Alaska, this band poured their hearts out on stage at Bonnaroo. Their music is full of harmonies, rich in electric and acoustic guitars and, to put it simply, damn catchy. The band has been touring relentlessly for over three years. And it showed.

Photo: Kerry Feeney

#2 - Phish Late Night: I should start by saying that Phish is my favourite band. Those who know me won't be too surprised to see Phish occupying the top spots.

Seeing the boys walk on stage for their Friday late night set was special to me. I will not be providing an in-depth review here, but I will say this: Trey, Mike, Jon, and Page are back. And this time, they've returned for themselves, a little bit more under the radar and with a whole new focus. Their 3-hour set was played with precision and enthusiasm, pulling deep into their repertoire of over 200 original compositions, and adding selections from their upcoming studio release Joy.

#1 - Phish Headline: After 8 years, and in the midst of a triumphant return, Phish would finally close out Bonnaroo. How fitting. After all, the success of Phish festivals held between 1996 (The Clifford Ball) and 2003 (It) played a significant role in the creation of Bonnaroo. The performance was a celebration between band and audience. Nearing the end of the first set, Trey invited Bruce Springsteen on stage to perform Mustang Sally, Bobby Jean, and Glory Days for what was the crowning moment of the entire weekend.

Now another Bonnaroo is in the books.  I enjoyed every moment, and I encourage everyone to find their world and to escape to it once in awhile. One thing for sure, wherever your world may be, I'm sure there will be music.

Related:

Last year, Eric Parisien shared his keys to surviving Bonnaroo.

Kris Millett gave Wilco's Wilco a first listen.

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