The Bonnaroo Experience: Keys to Survival |
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| Written by Eric Parisien |
| Sunday, 31 August 2008 19:00 |
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The 7th annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival was held, once again, this past June on a beautiful 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. For a fifth consecutive year, photographer Kerry Feeney and I headed south to celebrate four days of music, joining an estimated 70,000 people in transforming the farm into Tennessee’s sixth largest city for the weekend. 
Photograph by Kerry Feeney
The 2008 edition of the festival presented its most eclectic lineup to date, featuring headliners Pearl Jam and Metallica, Roo-vets Phil Lesh & Friends and Les Claypool, newcomers Battles and Vampire Weekend, comedian Chris Rock and living legends Willie Nelson and B.B. King. In total, more than 150 acts performed on 13 stages, blending rock, jazz, bluegrass, reggae, electronica, hip hop and everything in between. Bonnaroo’s central meeting place, known as Centeroo, is a 24-hour entertainment paradise where music is complemented by a comedy club, a cinema, a classic arcade and disco, a music technology village, a beer festival and dozens more attractions. There is a great sense of community at Bonnaroo. The fact that most 
Photograph by Kerry Feeney
While the music and entertainment offer nothing but excitement, the event does present its challenges. In order to maximize your Bonnaroo experience, you need to understand what lies ahead. My keys to survival are simple, perhaps even obvious, but they will enhance your experience and ensure Bonnaroo’s longevity. Take care of yourself. Before entering the grounds, make sure that you have enough supplies to last through the weekend. While you can purchase just about anything onsite, having water and healthy snacks at camp will save you money, energy and keep you in game shape. Throughout the weekend, stay hydrated (this may be the key to surviving any festival) and eat small portions often. Fruit and granola, as opposed to corn dogs and fries for example, will keep you feeling good. On that subject, there are endless possibilities to “feeling good” onsite. But be smart, take care and pace yourself. The Bonnaroo grounds are safe for everyone. In five years, I have yet to witness any violence. Unfortunately, many still find ways to harm themselves. Go ahead, pick your poison … just don’t put yourself out of commission. Remember, you came for the music. Meet your neighbours. The inaugural Bonnaroo attracted more than 70,000 people 
Photograph by Kerry Feeney
Beware of the sun. Don’t forget to pack the sunscreen. The Tennessee sun can be merciless. You can expect average afternoon temperatures to be in the mid to high 90s. Clear afternoon skies, while beautiful, can be your greatest adversary throughout the weekend. Centeroo offers plenty of shade. The tent shows, as opposed to the main stages, are your best afternoon option for enjoying music. To escape the morning sun, catch a movie in the air-conditioned cinema or take a breather under the Centeroo trees. If you don’t want to go down with the sun, then you simply cannot spend all day directly under it. Don’t sweat the conflicts/See full shows. The Bonnaroo schedule always presents difficult choices. Through the years, the organizers’ 24-hour schedule has kept fans guessing as to where to go next. While the conflicts can be heartbreaking, they manage to separate the crowd, leaving you with a good viewing (and dancing) spot at every show. Difficult choices for me this year included My Morning Jacket vs. MSTRKRFT vs. The Disco Biscuits, The Raconteurs vs. Les Claypool vs. !!!, and Ben Folds vs. Iron & Wine vs. Zappa Plays Zappa. If you maximize your Bonnaroo experience, you can expect to see 20% of the festival’s offerings. Focus on the shows you want to see most, as opposed to hopping from tent to tent – by trying to see it all, you’ll most likely miss it all. Make it to late night. The Bonnaroo late night scene is legendary. 
Photograph by Kerry Feeney
Allow yourself to escape. Bonnaroo represents an escape from the everyday. It’s a dream world where you have to survive with minimum supplies and pass the time with extravagant entertainment. Your job is to go see live music … how beautiful is that?! Leave all worries aside, let yourself go and soak it all in. If you do it right, Bonnaroo is like Vegas: four days is plenty. Respect the farm. Having bought the vast majority of the farmland, the organizers have empowered themselves to solidify the structures, improve the traffic logistics and shape the festival based on their vision. Clean Vibes, a company dedicated to the management of waste and recyclables at outdoor festivals, has done an outstanding job each year, diverting well over 50% of all waste from landfills. But the responsibility of conserving the land rests with all patrons. Bring all you want (expect items on the “no list,” of course) and leave nothing behind but your footprint. Moving forward, Bonnaroo will be faced with new challenges. The success of the festival has revived the industry and spawned numerous similar events. New festivals are strategically located to provide an alternative to those who are faced with complex travel plans. But regardless of this growing competition, I sincerely believe that Bonnaroo has succeeded in creating a community, one that will prevail and remain vibrant for years to come. On that note, I hope to meet you on the farm next June.
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