Bonnaroo Music Festival: Day 1
Manchester, TN
June 10, 2010
Words & Photos by Diana Wong

Bonnaroo Music Festival is a celebration of music of epic proportions. Set on a lush (and muddy – more on that later) 700-acre farm in Manchester, TN, the festival boasts several stages and tents, an eclectic mix of music and comedy acts, local food and art, and more free activities than a broke, recent college graduate can ask for. What’s more, the festival is proudly green, green, and green. There were cheery, on-site personnel called “Trash Talkers” who stood sentry by every cluster of trash, compost and recycling bins to make sure we knew where items should be tossed. There was a solar-powered stage, educational booths on the festival grounds run by environmental groups, chances to win VIP passes if you carpooled, compostable disposable food service items – the list goes on. Considering Bonnaroo’s impressive scale (the festival attracts give or take 75,000 attendees each year and pumps millions into the local economy) these efforts to be green as well as overall, impeccable organization of the event should be emulated by every festival.

How I found myself in the middle of Tennessee is a kinda complicated but awesome story. A week before Bonnaroo, I was asked if I wanted to lend a concert photo for an on-site photo gallery which lead to ‘SUP editor Abbey pointing out that with the credentials provided, I could just actually shoot the festival. Thus, the fine folks at Big Hassle sent an invitation to document this awesome four-day extravaganza. That got me access for another two. Upon getting friends together for a massive road trip, we realized we needed another able driver. All but one of us were native New Yorkers and NEVER LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE. Thus, we entered a bunch of contests to win tickets and somehow snagged another pair, securing a ticket for a relief driver. The road trip and Bonnaroo adventure was on.

Riding overnight in a car should have left us weak and achey, but pre-festival adrenaline does wonders to counter that. Having left NYC at noon on Wednesday and making some pit stops at Southern BBQ restaurants along the way, we finally reached Manchester at 5am the following day. We visited the nearby Wal-Mart, a rite of passage of sorts for Bonnarooians (Bonnaroosters?) for last minute camping supplies. Even at this ungodly hour, the Wal-Mart parking lot was bustling. Tents pitched. Camping chairs arranged and occupied for twilight powwows. People pre-gaming like crazy or passed out from the night before. This was a sign that I was in for a four-day rager. In a good way.

I had to pick up my credentials at a Holiday Inn that was pretty far away from the festival grounds. Since my road trip crew needed to get to the camping area early to get a nice spot close to the Centeroo, the main hub of activity at the fest, they had to abandon me at the hotel, which was around a mile away from the fest. Luckily, these bros (from New York & Brooklyn!) in their “luxury RV” were kind enough to give me a lift to the festival grounds.

Well, it was a good thing that the first band I wanted to see started in the late afternoon, since it took a while to get my credentials and settle into my group’s palatial eight-person tent. The Postelles stepped onto That Stage (yes, that’s the name) at 4:15pm sharp and commanded the stage like pros. The New York foursome didn’t seem fazed by the formidable task of rocking such an early opening slot. Their ultra-catchy garage rock, with a Ramones cover thrown in for good measure, reminded me of the “second coming” of rock-n-roll circa early 2000s with the Strokes and Libertines (actually, Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. actually takes producer credit for the Postelles’ recent EP). Despite these familiar bits and pieces, their energetic set was surprisingly refreshing. All the bros in the crowd fist pumping can probably attest to that.

After a power nap, I made it in time for Miike Snow at This Tent. Right now, I’m kinda angry at the other ‘SUPsters for not bringing this band to my attention sooner (especially since we have covered them before–at SXSW 2010 and in ‘SUP 21). This was, without a doubt, one of the best sets I’ve seen the entire festival. You can tell a band is killing it when photographers in the pit have to negotiate their desire to dance with their, you know, jobs (I did both, expertly).

I ran back to That Tent for Neon Indian’s good vibes. The blend of hazy, fuzzy vocals, distorted guitars, and intoxicating beats were perfect for Bonnaroo’s crowd of… dance enthusiasts. I kid. The stoners were most definitely also bobbing along too!

Back to This Tent for The Dodos. The last time I saw them was way back during our Siren Fest 2008 coverage. Check out the ‘SUP interview with them from 2008. Apparently, since I last saw the band, the duo became a trio and guitarist Meric Long tossed aside his usual sitting-and-strumming set up, all the better for rocking out. Their set was much more stirring this time around.

I returned to That Tent for the Temper Trap. At this point in the evening, having literally zigzagging across the field from This and That stage, I needed something good to keep me going. I bumped into another NYC photographer in the pit and, being unfamiliar with the Temper Trap, I asked him what this band was all about. He insisted that I’ll know the song when I hear it (their über-catchy flagship single, “Sweet Disposition”, has been featured everywhere from the (500) Days of Summer soundtrack to Chrysler car commercials). In any case, this London-by-the-way-of-Melbourne group’s brand of big sounds got the crowd going.

I finally had time for a meal of sorts after the Temper Trap’s set. After grabbing some tofu and veggies stir-fry from the excellent caterers at the media compound, I settled down at That Tent and waited for the xx to take the closing slot. The packed crowd lapped up the breathy, spectral pop. The Londoners finished off with a starry backdrop that got the crowd oohing and ahhing and gave me the shivers.

The rest of my road trip crew went off to see Wale while I called it quits. Friday’s schedule was even more jammed packed, and with the bigger bands on the bill, the photo pits and festival grounds will become more crowded and difficult to navigate. I plotted my plan of attack for the next day as I sauntered back to my tent.