Bonnaroo Music Festival: Day 3
Manchester, TN
June 12, 2010
Words & Photos by Diana Wong
By Saturday, I was waking up all achy and tired. It didn’t help that I only had four hours of sleep. I wish I had time to rest in one of these hammocks, but there was work to be done. The first order of the day was reggae legend and recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Jimmy Cliff. The set was a joy to take in and I couldn’t stop smiling. What a perfect way to start off the day.
I had a bit of free time afterward, so I checked out the Splash-A-Roo and the fake beach. People were Slip ‘N Sliding into pools of mud. Yeah, that’s Bonnaroo for you. At least there were attendants to hose you down after you dive face first into that mess. This was great to watch, except I lost my Nalgene here. I bet a hippie stole it.
Next up were the Melvins. A friend back home told me to “behold the double drummers” or something to that effect. Indeed, the Melvins oozed with ferocity given the formidable drum set up as well as Buzz Osborne’s unrelenting snarl.
By early evening, thunder and rain appeared eminent. Dark clouds assembled over the fields, prompting me to scour for plastic bags and ponchos to protect my photo gear. If it had poured right then, it would have been somewhat fitting— the Dead Weather was about to take the stage. However, as per one of my tweets, “threat of rain shrunk away once Dead Weather got on–Mosshart = my style icon 4eva.” Can we just take a moment to discuss how Alison Mosshart is amazing? She’s definitely one of the best frontwomen out there.
Yeah, that fan agrees. Jack White was a powerhouse on the drums. Check out those guns! While Alison and Jack take the spotlight sometime, let’s not forget guitarist Dean Fertita and charismatic bassist “Little” Jack Lawrence. Undeniably cool.
I should mention that Conan O’Brien introduced the band (his “good friends”) before the set. His random emcee duties were much appreciated because I wasn’t able to shoot nor attend his two shows during the fest. Unlike the other tents or stages, the Comedy Theatre was a seated venue that required fans to collect free tickets beforehand. People lined up overnight for Coco!
I changed gears and caught the Ozomatli at the Other Tent, which hosted Latin alternative acts throughout the day. Upon arriving at the tent, I noted that attendance could have been better (people were probably catching the last of the Dead Weather or making their way to Weezer). I didn’t know what to expect, but any apprehensions quickly dissolved upon the first toot of brass. Ozomatli’s blend of salsa, jazz, hip-hop, and funk was one high energy set complete with synchronized karate kicks and jumps into the crowd.
I bumped into this group of people – typical Bonnaroo-ers.
Despite initial uncertainty about photo access to Jay-Z, I made it to the front of the crowded What Stage. It was hot, it was sticky, but everyone and their moms were psyched. Jay-Z easily established himself as the premier rapper and one of our generation’s greatest entertainers. At one point, he acknowledged members of the audience, who stood diligently for hours for their spots next to the stage. “You homeboy with the Bulls in the front, y’all two… You with the funny glowstick. You with the Brooklyn— WHATTUP BROOKLYN!… You with the tie-dye, I see the tie-dye shirt right there.” Upon learning that a fan was celebrating her 19th birthday, Jay-Z brought her on stage and got the crowd of 70,000 strong to sing “Happy Birthday” to her. As my road trip crew later gushed, “Jay-Z is our new rap star boyfriend!” (They all lined up way early to be up front, by the way).
During “Forever Young”, Jay-Z ordered the stage lights dimmed so that the crowd could whip out their lighters, cell phones, and glowsticks. A timeless concert trick, yes, but when you’re standing with thousands of people, illuminated by twinkling lights and fireworks, belting out the chorus in unison–well, that’s something special.
After Jay-Z’s epic set, I decided to end my evening with GWAR. Yes, I could have headed back to camp on a high note, but I also wanted to see monsters and blood. Turns out extra credentials were needed to photograph the dudes (whereas I had no problem getting into Jay-Z?!). No big loss. The good vibes from Jay-Z’s set (and my exhaustion) were enough to lull me to sleep. Nevertheless, I managed to take a quick snap from side stage, where the monsters were putting on their costumes. Let me leave you with that image.
