The Blogger Formerly Known As Bonnaroo Virgin

Recovering from Roo-monia

2011-06-17T22:09:00.001-05:00

On Tuesday I came down with a serious cold. I'm still not feeling 100 percent, but I have the energy to at least sit at my computer and contemplate last weekend for this blog. Here is my photo album from this year:

Sitting Around Today...

2011-06-06T16:53:00.000-05:00

I've just been sitting around all day today not doing anything. It was kind of my Monday plan. Tomorrow I make sure everything's packed up right and Wednesday we prepare to leave. But still... There are so many things I could be doing other than lying around. I feel kind of guilty. Maybe a little stir crazy.

My Priorities List and Conflicts

2011-06-04T23:02:00.002-05:00

Thursday -
4 p.m. River City Entension or Greensky Bluegrass
5: 30 p.m. Wavves or Freelance Whales
7:15 p.m. Best Coast
10 p.m. The Walkmen
11:30 p.m. Deerhunter

Friday-
12:15 p.m. Jessica Lea Mayfield or Graveyard
3:15 p.m. Matt & Kim
4 p.m. Abigal Washburn
5:30 p.m. The Decemberists
6:35 p.m. Florence and the Machine
8 p.m. My Morning Jacket
11 p.m. Arcade Fire
1:30 a.m. Lil Wayne

Saturday-
2 p.m. Old Crow Medicine Show
4 p.m. Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas
6:15 p.m. Mumford and Sons
6:45 p.m. Loretta Lynn
7 p.m. !!!
8 p.m. The Black Keys
9:30 p.m. Buffalo Springfield
11 p.m. Eminem
12:45 a.m. String Cheese Incident
2:30 a.m. Girl Talk

Sunday-
12:30 p.m. Smith Westerns
1:15 p.m. Mavis Staples
1:30 p.m. Nicole Atkins & the Black Sea
4:30 p.m. Iron and Wine or Gregg Allman
6:15 p.m. Beirut
6:45 p.m. The Strokes or Explosions in the Sky

Last Day of Work Before Roo X

2011-06-03T11:27:00.002-05:00

Trying to get stuff done but ....just....can't.... be productive. Maybe a lunch break will help...

I am a total blog slacker this year

2011-05-17T08:24:00.000-05:00

:( I've kept myself too busy and haven't had the chance to properly prepare for this momentous occasion. That being said, my wristband came in!

The bad news is that because it's plastic, I may have to retire all three this year :(

Neil Young Fans Have Spoken

2011-02-15T12:20:00.004-06:00

Here is this year's *initial* lineup!

I'll have to get on that playlist here soon... but right off the top, I'm most excited about: Arcade Fire! The Black Keys! BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD!!!!! MMJ! Lil Wayne! The Strokes! The Decemberists! Girl Talk! Big Boi! Gregg Allman!!! The Walkmen! Smith Westerns.... and many more to come.

Stay tuned. For now I actually have some work to get done

Happy Lineup Day!

2011-02-15T09:26:00.003-06:00

The Bonnaroo X lineup drops today at 11 a.m. (CST) and I will be at the computer mostly the whole day if you need me. Reactions after. (Follow me @lauranette, see widget at right).

New website design is up!

2011-02-11T22:24:00.001-06:00

Woohoo! The new Bonnaroo.com website design is up. Lineup drops on Tuesday, tickets go on sale again on Saturday. I will be spending the weekend at Inforoo...

Pre-Sale on Black Friday

2010-11-23T14:25:00.001-06:00

Reminder from my e-mail:

"Don't forget, we're going to give you the opportunity to purchase tickets at a very special price - an amazing $209.50 (plus service charges) - this Friday, November 26. Luckily for you and your sleep schedule, our ticket sale begins at 12/noon Eastern Standard Time and doesn't involve a coupon of any kind.

After that first allotment of pre-sale tickets is gone, we'll continue to offer tickets at a great value of $224.50 (plus service charges)."

I'll be there ;)

I Actually Got in the Fountain This Year

2010-07-05T22:08:00.003-05:00

One more thing before I call it a night...

I actually got in the Centeroo fountain this year, and it felt. like. HEAVEN. Luckily, I got in on that Thursday and it hadn't turned brown yet. I'm the one in the red Champs shirt above. Below is a video on Bonnaroo's YouTube. No, I'm not in it.

Was Dave a Little Weird for Anyone Else?

2010-07-05T21:55:00.002-05:00

Dave Matthews Band is one of my favorite bands of all time, and when I remember seeing him before, I remember it being epic - so of course I looked forward to them closing out this year's festival.

"Shake Me Like a Monkey" was a highlight for me, even though it's off the new album. It was a little disappointing they didn't play more of the stuff everyone knows. Personally, amongst a crowd like Bonnaroo where maybe everyone isn't a huge DMB fan that's on top of everything the band's done lately, I would have thought they would have made the show more accessible.

David and Justin didn't like it, I could tell, and I think that affected my opinion of the show. I tried to be off in my own little world as I danced to the music, but everyone leaving also had me a little distracted.

Also, it kind of seemed like Dave was super high or drunk or something.

How about that -"shake your sexy ass" breakdown he came up with out of no where? That was entertaining.

Anyway, we left right after the show and we were all kind of tired and cranky so that might have had some effect on how I felt about what I'd just seen. I'm curious - what did everyone else think?

Langhorne Slim Was a Surprise

2010-07-05T21:50:00.002-05:00

He wasn't exactly on my priorities list, but we ended up seeing Langhorne Slim on Sunday. Justin's idea. We enjoyed the show, but took things easy and even took a nap at one point. It was the beginning of what was sure to be a long day.

That doesn't mean the guy can't hold his own though. He rocked the house. The proof is in the pudding. Thank God for Bonnaroo's YouTube page.

Local Natives from Afar

2010-06-19T01:45:00.003-05:00

I stuck around This Tent to catch Here We Go Magic's "Fangela" and couldn't find the boys when I arrived at That for Local Natives.

I loved the album but was for some reason not that pumped to see them. In any event, I did lay out a blanket in the lawn and enjoyed the show. This for me was when Bonnaroo 2010 really started picking up.

The show was high energy and the music sounded great. I couldn't see much from my vantage point being that there are no screens at This or That or Other (or Which for that matter), but it was a great time anyway. I was reminded me how much I really did like heir album... And the guys were even funny between shows.

I'll give their live show a 4.5/5 for good measure. The self titled album is also amazing.

Here We Go Again

2010-06-19T01:32:00.002-05:00

...I mean Magic.

Beatle Bob was off just a bit. Anyway, the first band we saw this year was The Entrance Band - but I won't even dignify them with a post. Really we only started with them to get a good seat for Here We Go Magic, otherwise I would have seen Fanfarlo instead.

I wasn't sure how the low-fi sound was going to translate live. I wasn't 100 percent satisfied but it was a pretty good show. One of the girls looked like an ex coworker of mine so that was a little distracting.

David and Justin left early to get a good spot for Local Natives, but I stuck around to hear "Fangela" which I am obsessed with at the moment. For one, it's about a vampire. Second, I think the band has a sound similar to Simon and Garfunkel plus a lot of potential.

On a scale of 1 to 5, Ill give their show a 3.5, but their album a 4.

Check them out. I'll add pix tomorrow.

Lots more posts this weekend

2010-06-18T11:18:00.001-05:00

I swear I'm going to blog more about Bonnaroo this weekend.

Epic Birthday Experience

2010-06-16T14:35:00.000-05:00

This girl was luckyyyy!

Shows I Saw 2010

2010-06-15T12:37:00.002-05:00

I will rate these later and do a countdown of the best shows, but for now, these are the bands I was lucky enough to catch at this year's festival:

Thursday

The Entrance Band

Here We Go Magic

Local Natives

Neon Indian

Friday

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave.

Carolina Chocolate Drops

Damien Marley & Nas

She & Him

The National

Tenacious D

Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers

The Flaming Lips ft. Star Death & White Dwarfs

Kid Cudi (for a song or two)

LCD Soundsystem

Saturday

Langhorne Slim

Brandi Carlile

Norah Jones

The Avett Brothers

The Dead Weather

Stevie Wonder

Jay-Z

Sunday

Ingrid Michaelson

Calexico

John Butler Trio

John Fogerty

Dropkick Murphys

Phoenix

Dave Matthews Band

Bonnaroo 2010 Multimedia

2010-06-15T10:31:00.009-05:00

I'm trying to compile a list of places you can find photos and video from this year's Bonnaroo, but I haven't even been through everything myself so this will be a running list.

Also, Linda from Splendid Communications contacted me with a link to a Wheat Thins Crunch Den video below. Thought I'd share, even though I never made it into the Crunch Den like I'd planned, it looks pretty cool in the vid, which gives you a nice look at the farm.

If anyone else has anything else they'd like to share, feel free to contact me.

I'm Back!

2010-06-14T21:33:00.004-05:00

We left the farm around 1 a.m. this morning after the Dave Matthews Band closed out Bonnaroo 2010 and got home around 7:30 a.m.

After we got showered up (it felt ohhh so good) David and I took a nap, and then I started processing digital photos. Walgreens has my film, so tomorrow when I go pick it up we'll see how that little experiment with. I'm not counting on anything.

I can't believe how late it is already and am in no mood to go to work tomorrow, so I'll have to make sure I get to bed at a decent time.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

See more photos on my Facebook or Photobucket.

Getting Ready to Leave for the Farm

2010-06-09T16:31:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is my daddy's birthday, so I went with him to the doctor this morning and then took him out for a fish sandwich and ice cream for lunch. I also bought a new cell phone. Too bad it's on backorder, or I could have taken it with me to Bonnaroo! (8-megapixel camera and with flash and all)

I spent the rest of the day packing up, and now I'm chilling on the couch in the wonderful AC with my kitties. In about an hour I'll take a nap, then get up just in time to get everything into the car, take one last shower and hit the road around midnight.

I get excited every year to go to the farm, but things I am not looking forward to include not enjoying my air conditioner or my comfy bed, not being around my kitty bitties, and most of all having to use porto potties. I survived last year and will again, but I don't look forward to it.

Anyway, the coundown is just about over. We'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning, Manchester!!

Camp Flag

2010-06-08T21:32:00.001-05:00

The boys came up with the idea, I made the flag. If you see us, come by and introduce yourself!

Catching up

2010-06-08T11:43:00.004-05:00

So I didn't realize how much I needed to do before going on vacation, so I kind of slipped on the countdown I had planned. Here's playing catch up, and then we'll get to the real stuff before we leave tomorrow night.

5. Centeroo Eats - Many people take their own food in coolers and eat at their campsites throughout the weekend. We packed food last year, but were camped so far from Centeroo we lived on backpack snacks and didn't miss a minute of music. We weren't that hungry because it was so hot, and ended up buying one meal a day from the vendors. We ate pizza, quesadillas, and a grilled veggie burrito, but my favorite was tofu stir fry at the no-waste Planet Roo Cafe. This year, I'm packing snacks, but planning on getting my one meal per day in Centeroo. What's your favorite thing to eat at Bonnaroo?

4. Mudhole at Girl Talk and the Raptor - Because of the rain, mud was a bit of a problem in some places in Centeroo last year. One guy, I don't know what he was on, dove into the mud early Friday and was walking around making raptor sounds. I wasn't quick enough to get a photo but I saw on Inforoo that this guy does the same thing every year. With all the rain in the forecast, he could be out in full force this year. That night, we arrived at the Girl Talk show late and saw a gap in the crowd. As we walked toward it, we realized there was a giant mud pit there. Apparently no one else realized it, because we watched person after person faceplant in the poop-mud. It was hilarious.

3. Relaxing in the Sun - It's important to remember to pace yourself at these festivals. Don't be afraid to find a comfy spot at a show and lay back and relax. That's what we did during Bon Iver last year, and it was nice. One thing though - don't forget to reapply sunscreen because that hot Tennessee sun will scorch your skin if you don't. My shoulders will probably never fully recover.

2. The Decemberists - That show was my highlight last year. I don't have a whole lot else to say, but I wanted to share that.

1. Skanky Hair Sunday - There are supposed to be $7 showers available to festivalgoers, but we never saw any last year. We used a trailer full of sinks to wash up, but they were so small there is no way I could have washed my hair, but I did get to freshen up each day, which was nice. My hair did get gross by the end of the weekend but I just tied it up and it didn't bother me like it bothers some other people. Does not having access to a shower for four days freak you out?

6 Days to Go: View from the Ferris Wheel

2010-06-04T10:24:00.002-05:00

David is deathly afraid of heights, but after we got in a small tiff after Bruuuuuce last year, I got him to go on the Ferris Wheel to make it up to me. Normally, Bonnaroo isn't the fighting type of atmosphere but we were hot and hungry and worn out after three days of not pacing ourselves very well.

The ferris wheel was one of my goals last year, so I was excited to check it off my list. Plus, it made for stunning photos.

We rode with a couple who I think were in the ferris wheel for reasons other than the view. They asked us if we "were cool," which I thought we were - but I think David's hesitance turned them off. Anyway, the view of all the stages and lights was pretty cool. Too bad my camera phone is crappy.

So David will never go on it again, but I think Justin wants to, so if I'm around when that happens I'll take my second trip this year. I can hardly wait!

7 Days to Go: Weather Fun

2010-06-03T16:11:00.002-05:00

There are 7 days left in my Bonnaroo countdown and I'm reminiscing about last year in prep for this year. One thing on my mind, it's been storming a lot lately.

Nashville flooded weeks ago as you know, and although Manchester was spared the mess Nashville got, the Weather.com 10-day forecast isn't showing great things for Thursday and Friday, June 10-11, this year. The good news - Saturday's supposed to be sunny. Although I'm keeping my fingers crossed, we should be prepared for a repeat of last year. Just in case.

Maybe that half naked guy covered in mud acting like a raptor will be back. One can only hope.

Last year the weather wasn't bad when we left the house at 6 a.m. on Thursday. It still wasn't that bad when we got to Manchester around noon, but it started looking pretty blah as the afternoon wore on, as did the line.

Here we are, under a dreary sky thinking the line was drawing to a close. I think we still had an hour or two left at this point, but much better than the total 8+ hours we waited to get in. This year we're leaving at midnight - or as soon as it turns Thursday, June 10 - to cut that down a little. I'd like to settle in and not miss an awesome opening day.

So that day, we got in just in time to put our tent up in the dark, in BFE (Camp Andrew Clark - hey, that rhymes), and then it started sprinkling. As we walked toward Centeroo, we heard screaming and saw a wall of water coming at us just in time to duck under a not-yet-functioning misting tent along Main Street. I came prepared, as did a couple of volunteers on a Gator that passed David a poncho. Here I am keeping dry.

Passion Pit was the first show I saw that night, and my first ever at Bonnaroo, and it was FABULOUS. The rain wasn't ideal, but it sure didn't ruin anything, and that's what I'm thinking going into this year. It would be awesome if the forecast changed or the weather was wrong and we got a four-day partly sunny weekend, but if not, it'll still be the utopia I know and love - just a little more wet.

Listening to the iPod

2010-06-03T00:42:00.000-05:00

Lying in bed listening to my iPod and singing quietly (badly) as David reads. Just tryin out a new blog app...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Got a Spiffy New Header, Countdown

2010-06-02T15:52:00.005-05:00

I made a spiffy new header. It finally matches the Bonnaroo site again.

Also, I haven't posted much this season, and I regret that. It's not that I haven't been into it, it's just that I've just been going along for the ride this time and not doing as much planning. Starting tomorrow, I'm counting down the 7 days till Bonnaroo by recalling 7 memories that stick out the most from last year (my first year at Bonnaroo) with photos. I will focus on one per day leading up to the big moment!

7. Rain and the Line That Would Never End

6. View from the Top: Bonnaroo Ferris Wheel

5. Centeroo Eats: Love That Planet Roo No-Waste Cafe

4. Mud Hole and the Raptor at Girl Talk

3. Relaxing in the Sun: Bon Iver

2. Here Come the Heat Waves: The Decemberists

1. Skanky Hair Sunday

I hope that will do.

Packing list, tips for first timers and more to come!

Plenty of photos and posting to come after this year's festival! Stay tuned during the festival too... I've been experimenting with new more efficient ways to liveblog the event.

My Tentative Schedule

2010-06-02T14:22:00.002-05:00

I made my schedule with this year's new and improved Zoltaroo Mind Reader application. Then I went and edited it some. Here's my latest:

http://mindreader.bonnaroo.com/grid.html?c=ZN57iVAI

Tye-Dye Fashion 2010

2010-05-09T23:23:00.004-05:00

I bought some wifebeaters from Wal-Mart and tye-dyed them this evening in preparation for Bonnaroo. They are soaking right now, and in the morning I can wash them and see how they turned out.

Tye-dye is super fun for a festival like this, as well as thin, breathable cotton undershirts when its 100 degrees outside. Last year, I wore a plain white one and really thought it worked well in the blazing hot Tennessee sun. Good thing I wasn't wearing it when it rained though. ;) This year, I plan to be a tad more stylish with it, while reaping the many comfort benefits.

Wow. Me, my Carrollton shorts, a tye-dyed wifebeater and imitation crocs are going to be a hit. I can't wait.

A New Favorite Band: The Avett Brothers

2010-04-26T21:20:00.008-05:00

It was my choice last week on Music Togetherness, and I wanted to get to know The Avett Brothers a little better. I'm glad I did, because now I know at least one more show I won't stand to miss.

It was kind of a fitting choice because the band was playing Coachella the weekend I blogged their intro post.

The folk-rock band from Concord, North Carolina stole my heart and got me in the mood for some bluegrass/country exploration. See, I've never much been into country, although I've always had a thing for the fiddle, banjo and cute boys with southern accents - now, I'm seeing the light.

What gets me more than anything is their versatility, their tendency to always stay true to themselves and the emotion and authenticity they put into their music. We focused on four albums (the latter three mostly) - "Mignonette," "Four Thieves Gone," "Emotionalism" and "I and Love and You" - and all were solid (though I've yet to rate them if you want to get specific.

My favorite tracks of the week include "Paranoia in B-flat Major," "Distraction #74," "The Weight of Lies," "Laundry Room," "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise" and "Slight Figure of Speech."

I cannot wait to see these guys live. If you want a glimpse, check out their Vevo page for some cool video, including this one:

Tenacious D will Rock My Socks Off

2010-04-07T12:49:00.003-05:00

The dynamic duo of screen actor-funny man Jack Black and the amazingly-talented-but-looks-nothing-like-a-rockstar-should Kyle Gass is going to make for one can't miss for me at Bonnaroo this year.

I became a hard core D fan in high school when the first, self-titled CD came out and shortly there after purchased the self-titled TV series on DVD. It was six hilarious shorts featuring many of the songs we know and love today, and I couldn't get enough. For my 18th birthday, my best friend bought us tickets to go see a live show at the Pageant in St. Louis, but I fell ill that day and she ended up having to take her then-boyfriend instead. Boo. Since then, I've been dying to get what's coming to me - Tenacious D live and a damn good time - and it's coming this summer.

So the music isn't lifechanging, and many might argue that the band does not deserve its spot so high on the lineup, but Jack and Kyle are no musical slouches. Kyle's kind of a bad @$$ on guitar and Jack's actually got a great voice. Together, their songs are undoubtedly silly, but musically sound, and this should be one show festivalgoers won't soon forget.

Upcoming Bonnaroo artists on MT blog

2010-04-07T12:44:00.002-05:00

I know I haven't written about anyone but DMB and the Flaming Lips and there are just more than two months to go. Convenient right? Two of the artists my friends and I have already featured on Music Togetherness?

Well, this is about when I plan to hit it hard.

I'm just about through going over the lineup as it is today and placing artists in 4 tiers according to how badly I want to see them - 1 being can't miss and 4 being I probably will miss.

I'm going to hit a few more on the blog in the weeks coming up - but make sure you check over at MT blog because The Avett Brothers week and The National are both coming up on our calendar.

testing 1-2-3

2010-04-07T12:42:00.002-05:00

Just set up my phone for mobile blogging. Watch out Bonnaroo 2010!

Bonnaroo has returned to my dreams

2010-04-06T08:42:00.002-05:00

I haven't written about the 'roo in awhile, as you can see, but a quick trip back to Inforoo yesterday, the first or second since all the Neil Young rumors way back when, lit a spark under my butt. With 64 days and 22 hours to go until the big event, I am, once again, pumped as all hell.

Something must have stuck because I dreamt about the farm last night. I don't remember what happened in the dream but I remember a few details.

1. It wasn't the farm as I remembered it. My boyfriend set up our tent to the left of What Stage (I'm talking really close to What Stage) and my only concern was whether I would be able to sleep at all because of the music being so loud there (why was that a concern? I'm not totally sure.)

2. My married friends (a couple), who would never go to Bonnaroo in the first place, brought a tent the size of the Which Stage, and my roommate forgot to bring a tent altogether. We decided she would sleep under the canopy.

3. There was a lake on the farm, which I decided to dive into, only when I hit the water it wasn't so much water as it was a giant mud puddle and I came up looking like that guy who thought he was a raptor from the '09 fest, thinking "oh great, now I get to feel like this for four days."

Oh the joys of the farm...

Quick note

2010-03-08T08:54:00.002-06:00

It's Dave Matthews week on Music Togetherness.

Check it out and see how non-Dave fans react ;)

The Flaming Lips to Perform "Dark Side of the Moon"

2010-02-22T14:16:00.008-06:00

It's almost been a month since Lips frontman Wayne Coyne revealed to Spinner that he and the band would be at Bonnaroo 2010 playing a late night set of their own stuff (including new release "Embryonic") and then covering Pink Floyd's legendary "Dark Side of the Moon."

I'm listening to the "Money" cover as I write this, via Grooveshark. I'm not sure it's my bag, but The Flaming Lips have definitely put their own trippy twist on an old classic, that's for sure. I have a feeling, though, that regardless of how I end up feel about the covers, the Lips' Bonnaroo set will be one not to miss.

David saw their 2007 set, during the soundcheck for which they came out and played Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" as a special treat for everyone who came early for a good spot.

The Flaming Lips' live show, on top of being a circus of tangible happiness, is special to me, because it was the setting for the moment I realized I loved my boyfriend, as cheesy as that may be. I had gone to see them at the Pageant with two of my fellow roo'ers only knowing about two songs, one of which was Oklahoma's state rock song, "Do You Realize?" Among the people wearing Santa costumes and antennae, it would have been easy to feel out of place, but I was in my own little world enjoying it moment my moment. Suddenly, "Do You Realize" hit and the cannons on stage blasted us with confetti - I was instantly overwhelmed with love as I squeezed David's hand and grinned ear to ear. It was hands down one of the happiest moments of my life.

Since the show, I've come away a big fan, and even chose the Lips as one of my first weeks of study on Music Togetherness. (Check the list under "Artists Covered" to see what everyone thought.)

Here is a playlist with some of my favorite tracks:

Dave Matthews Band is headlining Bonnaroo

2010-02-12T15:16:00.009-06:00

and I love it.

It's no secret that the Dave Matthews Band is my second favorite band of all time (after The Beatles), so it shouldn't be a surprise that I'm ecstatic they are headlining Bonnaroo 2010.

There are a lot of people (including myself) complaining about the lack of a "wow" factor artist playing this year, but what I can say about DMB as a headliner is thank god there will be no one opposing. (I think my heart would break if they played at the same time as the Lips, which I don't think would happen but you never know).

I first was introduced to the Virginia-native band as a young girl (think "Under the Table and Dreaming") whose best friend's older sister was a dedicated Dave fan. In high school, the guy I dated worshipped Dave and allowed me to purchase the albums only if I did so in the order that they originally came out. I'm not sure if it was an impression set upon me or if I would have fallen in love with the band eventually on my own, but my interest just stuck.

I got through "Everyday" just as "Busted Stuff" was being released, and I loved every album through that one. It was then that I saw DMB live at what used to be Riverport Ampitheater (now Verizon Wireless), an experience I'd never forget.

After that, though, things dropped off a bit. I got really into Dave Matthew's solo release, "Some Devil," but I just couldn't bring myself to listen to "Stand Up." It reminded me of "Everyday" and "Before These Crowded Streets" mixed and muted, but it didn't strike a chord with me. I fell off and became a bad fan.

Luckily, DMB has renewed itself and my interest in them with their latest release, the Grammy-nominated "Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King," and I couldn't be more excited to see them at 'roo.

You know what they say, you may have seen the band live, but you've never "seen" the band until they've played at Bonnaroo. And seeing that this band has roots at the Tennessee fest, I can't wait for what's in store.

2010 Playlist

2010-02-11T14:49:00.004-06:00

One of the Inforooers put together a playlist with songs from all the initial 2010 artists.

I thought I'd share it here. Enjoy!

(Sorry if the load is slow.

Thanks to Grooveshark user NTellier85 for the playlist!)

P.S. This is the part where I start posting about individual bands that are appearing there, so I'll embed songs or playlists with those as well, if you stay tuned.

More surprises?

2010-02-10T15:48:00.003-06:00

Bonnaroo's Twitter has been promising more surprises today.

At first, I thought it would be good PR to notice that more than 50 percent of the talk about the lineup is negative and make another large announcement. Neil Young maybe?

After Alex Young from CoS came on Inforoo and apologized for being wrong about several artists, it appears the site removed all of the artists that were "expected" except those that were not released officially, but had announced themselves that they would be at Bonnaroo 2010. Those bands, and Neil Young, who is the only unlinked artist. My thinking is that after being wrong about the others, they would have at least moved him to rumored unless they have a good reason to believe he will be added later. If he was a late add, or if they're still ironing out details, it could be plausible.

Now their account says "Faithful followers: Momma Nature is kicking NYC's @$ & our internet is down. Today's surprises have sadly been postponed. Sorry!" (posted at about 3:45 p.m.)

All the waiting... sheesh. And it probably won't be anything awesome now. :( If it was an artist addition one would think they'd drop it on Twitter or MySpace or FB like yesterday. That would probably be best for their public relations efforts right now anyway.

Moving ahead, I am trying to go on with life and let whatever happens happen but it's hard to keep focus. I'm going to have fun regardless, I'm sure, and I keep telling myself it can only get better.

Now that things have calmed down...

2010-02-09T23:17:00.003-06:00

I think we jumped the gun on the 2010 initial lineup being "lame."

It's easy to jump on the bandwagon when two of your fellow festivalgoers are disenchanted with the headliners, when the message board you're reading is filled with negativity and when you have spent weeks reading amazing rumors and quasi-confirmations only to be handed a Stevie Wonder announcement at the end of an 8-hour wait.

1. Only 90+ artists have been announced so far this year, while there were 148 that played last year (not including comics). If the festival keeps growing, as has been the trend in past years, we're looking at 50+ additions.

2. While Paul Simon is no longer rumored, Neil Young remains on CoS's "expected" list with a bunch of acts that have confirmed their appearances themselves, but were not included in the site's official initial lineup. While CoS has apologized for being wrong about Neil, it appears they're not totally convinced themselves. They haven't taken it down despite numerous page updates. This, along with #3, leads me to believe he is still a possibility.

3. The "confirmation" on Inforoo was hearsay - but it was posted on/around Feb. 4 saying that Neil Young had just agreed to Bonnaroo a day or so earlier. If Neil was a late add, it is possible he will be announced later. One reason for the lineup being pushed back from Feb. 2 to Feb. 9? If so, why wasn't he included?

4. In 2009, we left the Beastie Boys early, missed both Phish sets, and I listened to Bruce Springsteen from the ground, sleepy after a long day. While it would be awesome to have more big acts - it appears the undercard is why I went last year anyway. Plus, Dave Matthews Band being a headliner means no Flaming Lips conflict, and Laura can die a happy woman.

5. The 8-hour long wait made it seem like we were going to get something amazing, but in reality was probably only there to generate conversation, which it did, and very successfully I might add. Good or bad, people are definitely still talking about it. During the release, the festival accounted for at least two trending topics on Twitter.

6. David and I went back and counted the acts we would have liked to have seen from 2007, 2008 and 2009, and surprisingly, 2010 is stacking up nicely. Without exploring any new bands at all, there are already 24 acts from the initial 2010 lineup I'd like to see versus the 21 I wanted to see in 2009's full roster (whether I got to or not), and I thought that was a great year.

I'm looking forward to the additions as much as anyone. I don't know when they might come, but someone on Inforoo noted that the MySpace animation clock is stuck on 2:55 (2/11), so maybe Thursday we could hear something? I donno. Until then, I have plenty of new music to check out so stay tuned.

2010 Initial Lineup... a bit of a letdown

2010-02-09T08:23:00.052-06:00

I. am. Kinda Pissed. I took half a personal day for this??

I should say, for the record, that I didn't mind the lineup coming out one band every five minutes, because it allowed me to check out each and read/talk about them as they were announced. But that was when I thought we were building up to something big. To end 8 wasted hours of my life with a big "Stevie Wonder" is just cruel and unusual. I mean, I could have stayed at work and seen Dave Matthews Band within an hour of my lunch break and I would have been OK.

Would I have been as pissed if this same initial lineup had been released at midnight in poster form? Probably not. I want my time back.

I trusted Consequence of Sound. I thought "expected" meant these big acts - Neil Young, Paul Simon - were pretty much locks. I thought "Floyd-heavy year" wasn't just referring to the Flaming Lips. I see the site updated all their "expected" links to show where the bands themselves confirmed, but Neil is still blank.

I'm not saying there aren't bands I'm looking forward to, because there are, but this lineup lacks some serious oomph. I thought Bonnaroo was supposed to whomp some Coachella butt this year! Wasn't that the talk? This just isn't going to cut it guys.

To make matters worse, two of the 3 people going with me this year are downright disenchanted with the whole thing. I am too, to tell you the truth. I expected my mind to be blown, and what I got was a letdown after last year.

Lineup Watch 2010

2010-02-08T23:27:00.004-06:00

With less than an hour to go before Feb. 9 (and my bedtime), I thought I'd prepare the ole' Bonnaroo Virgin blog for some heavy action tomorrow.

I'll be watching:

... but you'll notice I'm relying pretty heavily on Twitter for my "reporting" (discussion and comments).

See the three Twitter feeds I have going in the right hand column of this site. The first one is me - my findings, my thoughts, etc. Feel free to comment here. The second one is a general Twitter search for the keyword "Bonnaroo." The third feed is one of my Twitter lists that comprises Roo fans, Inforooers, bands and other Bonnaroo contacts.

I'll be home sometime after noon, but I have some things to take care of around the house, so Twitter is the easiest method of communication for me being that it's mobile.

Yes, I am obsessed. So sue me.

One hour and 19 minutes to go until Feb. 9

2010-02-08T22:41:00.002-06:00

David and I just got finished watching "Up" (which is very good, and sad, I might add) and we sat down in our office to a message at Bonnaroo.com to watch their MySpace for "a very special unveiling" on Feb. 9.

First thought, "MySpace. Really?!?!" Isn't MySpace on its way out? Why not Facebook or Twitter? Or even some sort of social aggregator on their home page? I guess I understand its MySpace Music capabilities, so I guess I'm just eager to find out how it's all going to go down.

Inforoo is in an uproar, because a lot of people will be at work and have that site blocked on their work computers. Fortunately, I think they'll be able to get the same info somehow at Bonnaroo.com (they must have thought ahead about the blocked work computer thing).

I will be in the office for about an hour or two, then I'll be in a meeting until noon, at which point my half day begins and I can catch the lineup bits at a time and take part in this "virtual event," which I first heard is happening from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (but their MySpace points to noon). That's not to say I won't be up at midnight just in case something leaks, but I won't stay up forever.

Expect updates from this blog. In fact, I'm going to import it into FB notes for the next few months!

Blues Traveler on Sunday?

2010-02-05T16:55:00.001-06:00

Blues Traveler has added Bonnaroo on its Pollstar.com tour schedule.

Bonnaroo.com Redesign

2010-02-05T14:40:00.004-06:00

So, Bonnaroo.com already had a new look, but it was wintery. This week, they unveiled a new, more colorful, more animated, and slightly cleaner version.

I think I like it. At the very least, I'm excited to see how they organize Tuesday's "virtual event" on it.

Visit the official site at http://www.bonnaroo.com

P.S. I guess I'm going to have to redesign my blog in a few weeks to match that more closely...

2010 Lineup due Feb. 9

2010-02-05T14:27:00.002-06:00

I am slacking on the posts, since I knew this several days ago and am only getting around to posting now. I know. I'm sorry.

The Official 2010 Bonnaroo lineup is going to be announced via Bonnaroo.com and several social networking sites, a few at a time, throughout the day on Tuesday, Feb. 9.

Consequence of Sound, which apparently, along with Inforoo, is my main source of info this year, has a lot of really big acts listed under "expected" on their festival outlook page - Jay Z, Dave Matthews Band, Neil Young, Paul Simon, etc. Roger Waters is on their rumored list and there has been mention of Paul McCartney, which I'm pretty sure would make my head explode. (Dave Matthews and a Beatle in the same place? HEAVEN!)

Wayne Coyne has already announced a late night Flaming Lips set featuring Lips tunes followed by a full Dark Side of the Moon set, which already makes this year an awesome one. I can't wait till Tuesday.

Feb. 2 was supposed to be a good day

2010-02-02T08:40:00.002-06:00

So, it's 8:41 a.m. Feb. 2 and still no Bonnaroo lineup.

People have been saying it's been delayed - all the usual legit sources (people on Inforoo and CoS who have sources, I have no sources) - but I was hoping against hope that it would still drop. I guess until today's over there's no sense in giving up completely, but I have pretty much been grounded for the time being.

The good news is, Oscar nominees and the Lost Season 5 premier are still on. So boo-yah.

(If it doesn't come out today, here's hopin' for Feb. 9. I have seen rumors, nothing set in stone, but I'm hoping those rumors come true because if I have to wait longer than another friggin' week...)

Inforoo is going crazy, as am I

2010-01-28T09:20:00.005-06:00

For one, Consequence of Sound noted earlier that the official Bonnaroo lineup would drop Feb. 2 - but now the article is apparently missing and a writer from there (Alex) is saying it might, and it might not. If it doesn't come out Feb. 2, I don't know how much longer I will last. I'm having enough trouble making it until then.

Everyone on Inforoo is going crazy, myself included. Although it looks like Dave Matthews Band will be there (yay!), and CoS is now saying Jay-Z is expected, a lot of other big names (and most of the undercard) are up in the air.

With a serious lack of solid rumors and confirmations, on top of sites reporting airline's wish list as a leaked lineup, all sorts of people on the message board are "leaking" their own Bonnaroo lineups and/or claiming they have the real one. It's hard to sort out the truth from the b.s. If you ask me, the ones who really have it, if anyone, are the ones who are keeping their mouths shut or being subtle about it, not the ones arguing to save their non-existent credibility. I will remain skeptical until the real thing is unleashed on the public for all to see, at which point I will submerge myself into music from this year's lineup and continue to pump myself up for this summer at the farm.

P.S. Justin's redone his lineup, which is neither fantasy nor fact but a list of pretty good guesses about who might be at 'Roo this year, and will share it with David and I tonight after volleyball. We're going to see how many he gets right this year. The thing about his lineup is that he's not claiming to have any inside track or that he knows for a fact anything will happen, but he's not a bad guesser. Might bring up some interesting conversation in any event.

Could DMB be on the farm this year?

2010-01-26T15:04:00.002-06:00

So someone posted on Inforoo that Dave Matthews Band had released their summer tour, so I had to see for myself.

They play on 6/8/2010 in Maryland then again on 6/15/2010 in Ohio. That's a good 7-day gap in which Bonnaroo fits completely. Coincidence? I think not.

I hope not.

Anxiously awaiting...

2010-01-12T16:20:00.002-06:00

Some sort of lineup announcement. I'm sick of no good rumors. :(

Bands I saw at Bonnaroo '09

2009-06-17T20:50:00.002-05:00

Later on, I'll do a quick snippet about each show. For now, a list will do:

THURSDAY

Passion Pit

FRIDAY

Gomez

Animal Collective

Grizzly Bear

TV on the Radio

Beastie Boys

Girl Talk

SATURDAY

Jimmy Buffett

(Lebowski Fest)

Of Montreal

Jenny Lewis

The Decemberists

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

NIN

SATURDAY at Bonnaroo 2009

2009-06-15T19:35:00.004-05:00

By Saturday, David was feeling a little uncomfortable and I was getting a little grumpy from lack of sleep, but still intent on having a good time.

We got cleaned up in a trailer full of sinks, which felt incredibly nice. With no intention of putting shampoo in my hair and trying to rinse in such a small sink, I got as much of my head wet as possible and gave my hair a good rinse.

Saturday's weather was really nice. Hot, but nice.

We sat on the porch and played some WAR, or maybe that was Friday... anyway we ate some breakfast. Mine consisted of rice cakes and peanut butter. I noticed when putting them away that the ink on the bag got melty and stained my leg. Jealous of the other girls' body paint (which I am investing in for '10) I rubbed a peace sign on my shoulder, a faint hint of which is still present today.

Jimmy Buffett at Which Stage was our first show for the day. I really liked it, and I didn't think I would.

After the show we had a break and were trying to take it a bit easier after a busy day on Friday, so we ate at the waste-free Planet Roo cafe. I had veggie stir fry and tried tofu for the first time. Yum!

It looked like it was going to rain so we caught the end of "Beautiful Losers," a documentary about commercial artists from what I could gather, at the Bonnaroo Cinema Tent... then we caught the beginning of Lebowski Fest before heading out. (Dudemobile.)

The nearby line for the Daily Show Allstars at Comedy "Sweet" was loooong.

David chose Bon Iver for an afternoon nap, and I basked in the sun and kept us well-misted, which I can guess is the origin of my second layer of sunburn...

We tried to catch Of Montreal at This Tent, but I'm told it's a better live experience if you can see. I couldn't because everyone in front of me was 6 feet tall or taller it seemed, so I headed to Jenny Lewis where the crowd was much more laid back. I wanted to see her anyway.

Afterward, I bought an awesome tye-dyed skirt from TyeDye Mary and went back to Of Montreal to secure my place for The Decemberists. David had opted for Wilco, and despite the fact that both he and Justin told me they were no good live, I was adamant about seeing them play "Hazards of Love," a sort of rock-opera that I happen to be in love with.

They played the whole thing. IT. WAS. ORGASMIC. My favorite show throughout the whole festival. Unfortunately, I had to leave just as they came out for an encore consisting of older songs I probably would have liked, because David was waiting at What Stage with a great spot for The Boss.

I enjoyed Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band although I feel embarrassed to say I wasn't familiar with most of his work. He played Santa Claus is Coming to Town as a request. In June, which I thought was funny.

I laid down during most of the show because I was so tired at that point, and became a little grumpy when David woke me up to keep me from getting kicked in the head from passersby in the dark. That made him grumpy, and no one was all that excited afterward. I did like The Boss by the way, and I'm proud to have seen an American legend live once in my lifetime.

The plan was to eat and catch Trent Reznor's last U.S. show (Nine Inch Nails). We did that, but David and I were in a pseudo-fight by that point and I was so upset I actually cried a little at Bonnaroo. It felt unnatural in such a happy place.

After a few songs we sensed the crowd was not something we wanted to be a part of, and David made it up to me by conquering his fear of heights and joining me on the ferris wheel. It was neat seeing the vast layout of the farm, which I now miss terribly. The people in our basket, or whatever you call it, seemed a little disappointed that we didn't smoke weed.

After that we called it a night.

FRIDAY at Bonnaroo 2009

2009-06-15T19:10:00.004-05:00

Friday, we knew was going to be a loooonng day.

Just as I was told would happen, we woke up not long after the sun came up. It just got too hot in the tent, especially since it had rained all night, causing us to keep the vents closed.

In order to get a good spot for Animal Collective, David and I headed to the Which Stage to stake out a good place and decided to sit through Gomez in the process. I actually liked Gomez a lot, which David predicted would probably be the case.

I saw a guy wearing a shirt that said "I heart balls on my face" and another neon yellow one with Carlton's face on it. I couldn't resist posting it. That twitpic got the attention of Brian Shoemaker at wgem.com, who recommended me for Follow Friday. :) Proud moments.

As soon as the Gomez set was finished, there was no time to sit and rest - people started pushing and shoving their way to the front. I was kind of appalled, as I had expected the Roo crowd to be a bit more congenial. (And at every other show for the rest of the weekend, it was.)

We did at least have a good view. "My Girls" sounded nothing like it did on the CD, but I still kind of liked it. They fooled around with it a lot. I've been at shows where you "feel" the music, but this was in the most literal sense of the word. The sound was SO LOUD that I really and truly thought one of my eardrums was going to burst. After that feeling passed, I was numbed by the vibrations and really started to enjoy myself. At least two people passed out, but it's unknown at this time whether that was due to drug use or dehydration. I'm guessing both.

Grizzly Bear was up next at This Tent, and I was really starting to feel worn down. This alarmed me because I intended to go until 4 a.m. for Girl Talk, so I left the tent and laid down in the grass underneath a nearby tree.

I continued my rest back at Which during TV on the Radio. I stood for one or two songs, but the experience was the same lying down since I couldn't see much anyway. Dozing off during a show like this is a surreal experience that I'm not sure how to describe. Makes dreaming a lot more interesting, where you're not sure what's real and what's not. David stood most of the time, because TV on the Radio is one of his favorite bands.

Beastie Boys were next on the main stage (What Stage). We stayed for much of this, and I was delighted to hear "Body Moving." David was excited when Nas joined them on stage. We were sure Justin, who couldn't make it this year, would be incredibly jealous. As we walked away I heard "Intergalactic." If I could do it all over again, I would have stayed longer, but I was bound and determined to see Girl Talk if it killed me, especially after he sold out the Pageant before we got tix.

We took a several hour long nap, missing David Byrne, Phish (D*MNIT all to hell), Crystal Castles and Public Enemy and woke up just in time to hit Girl Talk at 2 a.m. at That Tent. Thank God he went on late because we would have missed the beginning.

We were positioned really close to a mud puddle that people kept falling in. One guy actually went diving into it, which I would have done too except that the fest had two days left to go, no showers and the mud smelled of poo. I only wish we would have been closer. SO jealous of those on stage. "You alright Bonnaroo!?"

After the show we at some NY pizza and then headed back for a few hours of sleep before daybreak... Twitter users warned of a really bad storm headed our way (the land hurricane that hit Memphis) but it completely missed us.

THURSDAY at Bonnaroo 2009

2009-06-15T19:05:00.003-05:00

David and I got up at 5 a.m. all prepared to leave at 6. Andy, David and Justin left at 10 a.m. in 2007, so we wanted to make sure we left in enough time to catch some shows in the evening. How wrong were we?

The drive to Manchester wasn't bad at all except for the rain. We got some bomb @$$ pizza at some gas station just outside of Nashville, picked up a copy of the day's edition of The Tennesseean and got ourselves pumped up for a wonderful weekend festival. And it was wonderful, until we hit that line.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol directed us off I-24 past a town called Pelham. There, we waited for 8-and-a-half hours to backtrack to Manchester and get into the grounds. We moved about a mile an hour, or less at times - partially because every time we stopped people kept getting out of their cars to play frisbee, drink, or socialize. You can't blame them for wanting to get out, but some people should have been paying more attention and it might have saved an hour or so. I have to say, I thought it was funny that the coppers weren't too concerned about people peeing on the side of the road ;) Bonnaroo Radio 101.5 was the soundtrack to it all.

When we finally arrived, we had already missed Alberta Cross, MURS and White Rabbits. So much for those shows. We did get a chance to put up our tent (in the dark at Camp Andrew Clark a 'la "Breakfast Club") before it started raining again, and it went a lot more smoothly than I thought it would, probably because we practiced the night before ;) We didn't use the canopy, because there wasn't enough room. We didn't spend enough time at the campsite anyway I guess.

We packed up our bookbags, which I had already partially packed before we left the house, and headed for Centeroo for my first time EVER.

We were already kind of wet and it wasn't raining too hard, so we didn't worry about USING the umbrellas or ponchos we had packed.

As we approached the misting tent, which hadn't been activated yet, we SAW a line of heavy rain coming at us across the camp grounds. We ducked under the tent for cover along with some Bonnaroo staff. I put on my poncho and David, who had left his bookbag in the tent, got lucky and was given one by the staff members. It was covered in XBox logos, one of the event's sponsors.

As we approached Centeroo, the rain subsided. We arrived at This Tent in time for Passion Pit at 11:15 p.m.

I didn't know anything about Passion Pit but they did put on a good show. It set the tone for the rest of the weekend.

I took pictures around the grounds. The Centeroo archway, the fountain, etc.

When we headed back to camp, approximately a 20-minute walk down Main Street, it started pouring again. We took refuge inside the tent and tried to get relaxed for a long day on Friday.

I updated Twitter and hoped the tent wouldn't leak on us. It didn't.

I dreamt of getting David, who has a fear of heights, on the ferris wheel before the weekend was out.

I'm back! :(

2009-06-15T16:41:00.001-05:00

And I've posted photos at The Telegraph online;

And a more extensive gallery on Facebook;

Comment away!

Be on the lookout for blog posts about my very first experience at 'Roo (which was AMAZING) that I will be posting throughout the next week or two or for however long until I run out of stuff to talk about, which I can say is not going to be soon.

Until then,

My favorite show was: The Decemberists. They played Hazards of Love, which I love, and then came out for an encore and played some more before Bruce. The crowd wasn't pushy and my neighbors were sweet people :)

My horror story was: The crazy rain on Thursday night after the 8 and a half hour wait to get in. Luckily, a bigger storm on Friday missed us completely.

The porto potties were: Not nearly as scary as I thought they would be, especially the ones at the campsite.

The food was: Delicious, and healthy too! I even tried an energy smoothie made from hemp milk. Yummy.

My rookie mistake: Not reapplying sunscreen as needed. My shoulder is definitely going to bubble.

Favorite photo from the entire weekend: At the What Stage before Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Saturday night. See above.

I'm at ROO! Updates (duplicate post)

2009-06-09T00:06:00.002-05:00

This post used to contain a widget for people to follow my weekend tweets while I was away, outside of my actual Twitter page, http://twitter.com/lauranette

Since the weekend is over, visit my work blog for a re-tweet, so to speak - a rundown of all my Twitter and Twitpic posts throughout the weekend.

http://quarterlifecrisis.freedomblogging.com/2009/06/15/bonnaroo-weekend-re-tweet/

Twittering from Roo!

2009-06-06T20:06:00.002-05:00

Here's the Twitter plan for Bonnaroo -

I've set up my phone, Twitter account and Twitpic account to update from Bonnaroo.

Follow me @

twitter.com/lauranette

Bonnaroo is 11 days away...

2009-06-01T11:58:00.001-05:00

... and I'm not in the physical shape I wanted to be. :( Down only 3 pounds total from where I was at my high and not feeling good about it. I went to a wedding this past weekend and I have to say, I looked fairly frumpy in a dress I looked great in not a year ago.

My diet and fitness plans over the course of things have been nothing if not extremely erratic.

I tried Livestrong.com for awhile to track my exercise/eating ratio on a daily basis and did great for a few weeks. But then I started trying to eat more at home and it became harder to track accurately. This week I plan to restart that, now that I've been a member long enough to edit my own meals online, but a 2-week push before the actual event isn't going to get me far.

I was not eating meat for a while, but I started introducing it back into my diet with the advent of grilling season and in light of the fact that I ordered chicken for a wedding and didn't want it to go to waste. Not that eating meat is so horrible for you, but I have noticed a trend of excessive overeating when I have meat in my meals. (If I have a hot dog I have two, and some chips, etc.) Now that I have noted that, I need to do my best to avoid it moving forward.

I wasn't feeling well last week and pretty much stopped drinking water altogether, instead substituting it with flavored drinks. Sadly, many of those were soda or sugary others. Trying to hit the water and low calorie drinks hard this week. Hydrating up for the 'Roo.

Work has been stressful, which adds to the overeating or eating of unhealthy foods. Plus everyone's getting sick here at work so I've been extra neurotic about getting sick before vacation :(. I think if I stick to exercising everyday and eating healthier, plus refilling my allergy meds, I should be OK.

Started attending Zumba classes last week at Metro. Meant to go to Zumba AND yoga but things came up and I didn't make it to yoga. Trying to do to both this week but I work late shifts on Thursday and Friday so I may not even get to make it to my first sand volleyball game of the year. I hope its at least early enough that I can take a break and go... anyway.

Should get my ticket tomorrow!!

2009-05-28T11:27:00.002-05:00

Dear Bonnaroo Patron, Thank you for ordering tickets for the 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

Tickets for Receipt #4752036 are being shipped via UPS 2nd Day Air w/Signature Req'd.

YAYYY :)

How to BUILD your ticket?

2009-05-26T17:44:00.000-05:00

This year's Bonnaroo ticket is 3D.

Bonnaroo.com sent out a video today on how to "build it." It's quite amusing.

I totally posted this on the wrong blog earlier.

This is only a test

2009-05-17T14:29:00.002-05:00

Here's a picture I took with my old phone at the Hofbrauhaus and just sent to this blog via my new phone. I just found a way to update my blog with photos and text via text message. My new phone also has sound and video capabilities, so I'll have to check that out later.

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

My Bonnaroo schedule

2009-05-12T16:28:00.001-05:00

Has anyone tried the "Zoltaroo the Mind Reader" feature on Bonnaroo.com?

I didn't really get the mind-reader part, but I really dig the application for the purposes of creating a schedule. I also think it was a really neat way to announce the times and dates of each show.

I went through there and formulated a schedule comprised of the bands I know I want to see. That being said, there are some conflicts that are going to have to get worked through, but we'll play that part by ear.

There are also some times I don't have booked, so I'm going through over the next few weeks and researching some bands to add to said schedule. Here it is for the time being, but check back for updates:

Thursday June 11th, 2009

Janelle Monáe

THE OTHER TENT

5:45 PM - 6:45 PM

Yoga Out of Bounds

SOLAR STAGE

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

White Rabbits

THIS TENT

6:45 PM - 7:45 PM

Erin McCarley

TROO MUSIC LOUNGE HOSTED BY BUDWEISER

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Bonnapoo 2009 Starring Triumph with Todd Barry, Amy Schumer and Kumail Nanjiani

COMEDY SWEET HUMORED BY BUTTERFINGER

12:00 AM - 1:15 AM

Friday June 12th, 2009

Alberta Cross

SONIC STAGE

12:45 PM - 1:15 PM

Animal Collective

WHICH STAGE

2:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Grizzly Bear

THIS TENT

5:00 PM - 6:15 PM

Al Green

WHAT STAGE

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

TV on the Radio

WHICH STAGE

6:45 PM - 8:00 PM

Beastie Boys

WHAT STAGE

8:30 PM - 10:00 PM

Phish

WHAT STAGE

11:00 PM - 2:00 AM

Girl Talk

THAT TENT

2:00 AM - 3:30 AM

Saturday June 13th, 2009

Booker T & the DBTs

WHICH STAGE

3:00 PM - 4:15 PM

Jenny Lewis

THAT TENT

5:00 PM - 6:15 PM

of Montreal

THIS TENT

5:15 PM - 6:30 PM

The Decemberists

THIS TENT

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

WHAT STAGE

9:00 PM - 12:30 AM

Nine Inch Nails

WHICH STAGE

1:00 AM - 3:00 AM

MGMT

THAT TENT

2:15 AM - 3:45 AM

Sunday June 14th, 2009

Andrew Bird

WHICH STAGE

4:15 PM - 5:45 PM

Snoop Dogg

WHAT STAGE

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Neko Case

THIS TENT

6:45 PM - 8:15 PM

Phish

WHAT STAGE

8:30 PM - 12:00 AM

Blogger allows mobile posting

2009-04-30T13:18:00.002-05:00

Awesome.

The only thing I need now is a good text messaging phone with photo capabilities (and a travel charger) and then I can post blogs from Bonnaroo ;)

I guess this phone will do if it has to...

More artist additions

2009-04-30T13:16:00.003-05:00

American Princes
Belleville Outfit
Ben Solee
Black Lillies
BrakesBrakesBrakes
Cotton Jones
Dan Dyer
Dear and the Headlights
Dirty Guv'nahs
Dirty Sweet
Erin McCarley
Evan Watson
Everest
Fiction Family
Jedd Hughes
Jerry Hannan
Jessica Lea Mayfield
Jets Overhead
Joe Pug
Julia Nunes
Justin Townes Earle
Ki: Theory
Kuroma
Madi Diaz
Moonalice
Mt St Helens Vietnam Band
MyNameIsJohnMichael
Nikhil Korula Band
Outernational
Protomen
Phoenix
Roger Alan Wade
Russian Circles
Sons of Bill
Tangiers Blues Band
The Features
The Giraffes
The Heavy Pets
Those Darlins
Tobacco
Turbine
Vertigo
William Elliot Whitmore
Zee Avi

...I have a lot of research to do in one month.

Still no meat, breathing better, counting down the days

2009-04-14T13:57:00.003-05:00

Being a vegetarian is working nicely.

I haven't touched McDonald's in what seems like forever!

I'm more apt to cook, and try new vegetables.

I'm getting the boyfriend to eat better with me.

Overall, I'm being a lot healthier.

Now I just need to get back into the exercise routine.

Doc says he thinks I have exercise induced asthma, so he gave me a prescription for Singulair and an inhaler to use before I work out. Tried it the other night before doing some yoga, and I was able to breath a lot easier.

Walking, biking, running, Wii Fit - here I come.

Bonnaroo is quickly approaching and I haven't gotten very far. Only a solid 4 lbs from my original weight (that's counting from the high point of my weight fluctuations). About 8 weeks, 21 lbs to go. If I got halfway there I'd be proud, and I need to hit the stores and buy some new clothes.

That's the update for now.

Six pounds down... 20 to go

2009-03-23T18:57:00.002-05:00

Last time I weighed myself, I was around 164.5 lbs. My goal by Bonnaroo is 145.

Days until Bonnaroo... 80
Weeks until Bonnaroo... 11.42

Pounds to lose in 80 days/11.42 weeks... 19.5

Ave. weight loss goal per week: 1.7, but let's round up to 2 for good measure

Time to hit it hard.

Giving up on meat (any meat - red meat, chicken, fish, etc.) has helped me lose a quick 6 pounds or so. I haven't had time to work out but have been renovating a house and cleaning, so I haven't exactly been sitting around. HOWEVER, these past few weeks have been REALLY stressful, which has led to junky eating and lots of soda.

These next couple weeks I need to bring the stress level down (yoga and music ;)) and start eating more vegetables and fewer carbs. I need to start taking vitamins regularly again and I need to drink water all day long instead of soda. Soda makes me feel puffy anyway.

Then I've got to hit the gym some more. And get my bike out around the neighborhood.

Trying vegetarianism for 40 days

2009-03-04T18:35:00.003-06:00

For Lent I gave up meat. Not eggs or milk, just meat.

So far, I've lost three pounds on my new vegetarian diet. I didn't eat a lot of meat in the first place, but it is keeping me away from McDonald's and the like pretty successfully.

I'm hoping this will get me into new foods. I've been researching vegetarian recipes, which I hope to try over the next month or so.

Does anyone recommend any sites or anything I should try?

Of Montreal, a new priority

2009-03-02T17:05:00.002-06:00

Do these guys look like they'd be fun to see live, or what?

Of Montreal is a band I'll really like to catch at Bonnaroo this year. I hope there aren't a lot of conflicts.

My boyfriend David introduced me to the band when he made me a handful of mixed CDs about a year ago. I instantly fell in love with "Climb a Ladder."

I haven't researched nearly enough music this year to be able to prioritize properly at the 'Roo, so that's something I'm really going to work on. I listened to 2004's "Satanic Panic in the Attic" yesterday. Where have I been all these years?

At the present moment, they can do no wrong by me. Pair that with a cross dressing lead singer? A can't miss, for sure.

Check out www.ofmontreal.net for more.

I fell off the wagon... temporarily

2009-03-02T16:59:00.002-06:00

So I did the Couch to 5K for a week and a half. Then, I bought a house and fell off the wagon.

I closed on Feb. 20, and have spent virtually all my free time (at least on the weekends) at the house painting, fixing, etc. At least I'm getting some exercise. Plus, I don't really have time to sit around and gain weight anymore. Still, it doesn't balance out.

I'm afraid I am going to have to keep the running part of my plan on hold at least through this week and possibly next. In the meantime, at least I'm getting stuff done and not being a fatty.

I'm holding steady at 167.5. Need to get down to 145 by June. I found a Web site called peertrainer.com that is helpful. It teaches you how to make realistic goals and keep them.

Couch to 5K - Week 1

2009-02-17T14:02:00.003-06:00

I successfully completed the Couch to 5K Week 1 last week and attempted to start Week 2 yesterday.

During week one, I walked at a 3.5 pace for a 5-minute warm-up then completed 8 rotations of 60 seconds jogging at 5.0 and 90 seconds walking at 3.5. Cool down was about 6 minutes of 3.5, then 3.0, then 2.5 until I stopped. I used the podcast to make timing easier.

I didn't have much of a problem until the last two rotations each time, and it obviously got better each day that I ran - Monday, then Wednesday, then Saturday. I felt accomplished. I had more energy.

Yesterday, Monday, I tried Day 1 of Week 2.

Week 2 is only a slight step up, so I'm a little embarrassed I wasn't ready for it. After I was through, I almost thought I could puke I was so beat. My lungs burned and I was dizzy and red in the face... Wheezing.

Still, I completed the entire podcast from Day 1 - 5 minute walking at 3.5 to warm up, then 6 intervals of 90 second jogging at 5.0, two-minute walking at 3.5, then another 6 minute cooldown.

I know you're supposed to push yourself, so I did, and I know when you're out of shape that it hurts, but it shouldn't have been that bad should it? It took me nearly an hour to regain composure and I really did think I might pass out.

It probably didn't help that I already had some breathing issues from terrible allergies as of late, but does anyone have any advice?

I'm thinking maybe I should double my workout time and try the program at my own pace. You know, do week 1 for another week, and then spend two weeks on week 2 before moving on.

I do know that I don't want to give up.

I've also started doing yoga a little bit again, and I have been eating smaller portions and less junk. I've had a lot less soda and even choked down a diet. I've also been purposely trying to push water down my throat. I don't drink enough water.

I know weight fluctuates around 2 pounds per day. I'm holding at a steady 167-168.5. That's at least 1.5-3 pounds gone in a week. I'm already feeling a difference though, feeling tighter and better about myself.

Wish me luck!

How to avoid sitting on the portos

2009-02-12T15:53:00.003-06:00

I've been spending a lot of time on Inforoo. One day, I posted a thread asking how girls deal with the portos. It is one of my fears, after all, and I'll be working these next few months to get over it.

Days later, the thread has 49 posts to it and quite a conversation has started up. People are recommending wet wipes and disinfectant, all stuff I could have guessed, but others have recommended a variety of plastic devices that let girls pee standing up (mostly for camping and outdoorsy type uses). Could these really exist?

Why, yes they can, and they do. In many varieties.

First there's Freshette. It looks like a cup guys wear to protect themselves while playing sports, but it has a little hose off of it. I think you can imagine what that's all about.

There's the GoGirl female urination device (Watch the intro video, you won't be disappointed.)

But the most highly recommended one I'm finding is a device called Pstyle. You can even get them in several designer colors.

I won't lie to you, I'm fascinated.

At least, I figure, there are options ;) Anyway you slice it, I'll definitely be ready come 'roo.

My Bonnaroo fitness plan

2009-02-09T17:16:00.002-06:00

So I've been wanting to get in shape for awhile, but always found it quite easy to slough off my efforts and go back to lounging and fast food.

The fact of the matter is though, I can't be my unhealthy self on the farm with temps hovering around 100 and a gagillion people crammed into a loud, loud, dirty, smelly (yet heavenly) space. It won't be as heavenly if I am.

So I'm taking this opportunity to try and stick to my fitness initiative. I have just about 17 weeks.

Here's the plan.

I'm trying to make David do a "couch to 5K" running plan with me. It requires going to the gym three days per week, which I think we can handle. It's a 9-week program altogether.

I'll stick to Yoga and Wii fit on the other days, so as not to wear myself out.

I can't start eating 100 percent healthy right away because that would be a diet 180, but I can cut down on fast food and portion sizes. Less soda, more water, etc.

I'll be keeping track of my progress on here. It will be fun and you all can laugh at me if I don't make my goal. Maybe that will give me some more inspiration.

Speaking of inspiration, lots of 'Rooers are doing the same thing as I am. I found a really neat thread on Inforoo where the girls are supporting one another through the whole process.

(I'm onesweetla83 if you want to find me.)

Wish me luck!

Please let it be true...

2009-02-09T17:14:00.005-06:00

So, Justin posted this clipping on my profile. Look at the caption.

Could it really be true? Could my wildest dreams actually happen at Bonnaroo this year? Oh it would be too perfect.

CORRECTION: The above clipping is not from the Manchester Times, it's from The Saturday Independent, which, I'm told, is a much more reputable source. So yay. Also, the clipping was originally posted at Inforoo by roofanintn.

(Sorry about the mix-up! I suppose I should know one shouldn't assume.)

It's official

2009-02-08T19:25:00.002-06:00

Unless there's a glitch with my checking account, I have my tickets ordered and there's no way they're falling through this time.

Manchester, Tenn., here I come.

2009 redesign

2009-02-08T19:22:00.003-06:00

As you can see, I redesigned this blog to match the official site and logo. Sets a new tone I think.

Next year I'll have to think of a new name ;)

Bonnaroo 2009 lineup poster

2009-02-08T19:00:00.002-06:00

Bonnaroo 2009 initial lineup has been released!

2009-02-03T14:33:00.004-06:00

And I have bolded my current desires. (Here we go again, folks!)

* Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
* Phish (2 shows)
* Beastie Boys
* Nine Inch Nails
* David Byrne
* Wilco
* Al Green
* Snoop Dogg
* Elvis Costello Solo
* Erykah Badu
* Paul Oakenfold
* Ben Harper and Relentless7
* The Mars Volta
* TV on the Radio
* Yeah Yeah Yeahs
* Gov't Mule
* Andrew Bird
* Band of Horses
* Merle Haggard
* MGMT
* moe.
* The Decemberists
* Girl Talk
* Bon Iver
* Bela Fleck & Toumani Diabate
* Rodrigo y Gabriela
* Galactic
* The Del McCoury band
* of Montreal
* Allen Toussaint
* Coheed & Cambria
* Booker T & the DBTs
* David Grisman Quintet
* Lucinda Williams
* Animal Collective
* Gomez
* Neko Case
* Down
* Jenny Lewis
* Santogold
* Robert Earl Keen
* Citizen Cope
* Femi Kuti and the Positive Force
* The Ting Tings
* Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3
* Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
* Kaki King
* Grizzly Bear
* King Sunny Ade
* Okkervil River
* St. Vincent
* Zac Brown Band
* Raphael Saadiq
* Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
* Crystal Castles
* Tift Merritt
* Brett Dennen
* Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue
* Toubab Krewe
* People Under The Stairs
* Alejandro Escovedo
* Vieux Farka TourÃ©
* Elvis Perkins in Dearland
* Cherryholmes
* Yeasayer
* Todd Snider
* Chairlift
* Portugal. The Man.
* The SteelDrivers
* Midnite
* The Knux
* The Low Anthem
* Delta Spirit
* A.A. Bondy
* The Lovell Sisters
* Alberta Cross
* More Artists to Be Announced!

I'm getting pumped already!

VW doesn't disappoint

2008-09-17T18:45:00.003-05:00

I blogged about my Vampire Weekend experience at my Here and There blog at thetelegraph.com.

Check it.

I get to see Vampire Weekend!

2008-09-08T12:11:00.002-05:00

It may not be at the 'Roo like originally planned, but I am going to see Vampire Weekend live this week at the Pageant in St. Louis.

I am pretty excited.
The concert is Wednesday, so keep an eye out for updates.

Also, I've just come back from a road trip (involving a wedding and a football game) and I've discovered quite a bit of new music I'll be wanting to write about soon. It's probably not new to all of you, but it is to me, so that will have to do.

I missed it

2008-08-01T14:57:00.002-05:00

As you can probably see, I missed Bonnaroo, to my greatest disappointment.

Not next year tho, oh no. I have a plan.

Next year, my boyfriend and I plan to go by ourselves, and anyone who wants to come along is welcome to. That way -- anyone bails out, we're still going.

It's a sure-fire plan that can't miss!

Sense my excitement.

BAD NEWS: I will likely remain a Bonnaroo Virgin

2008-04-09T15:17:00.003-05:00

Apparently one of the guys my boyfriend and I were supposed to go with is no longer going, and as a result, neither are my boyfriend or myself. There is still hope, but it is unlikely.

I blame the economy.

The reason our friend can't go is because he's paying off a debt from not having a job for awhile. The reason we aren't going without him is because we were going to take his mom's van and would now have to take my car, and because by that point in time, gas will be about $4 per gallon.

Maybe it's just not meant to be this year. Unforseen costs are coming up. We just got a cat that looks like its going to have to be spayed and declawed. My car needs its 30,000 mile checkup that costs $600 or else my warranty won't remain valid. And more.

Like I said, we still COULD go since we both have that week off of work already, but its looking more and more likely that we will spend our money and our time doing something else this year.

I'm in mourning...

Best of 2008 so far

2008-03-12T11:15:00.009-05:00

A list of artists with the best music coming out of 2008 so far would definitely include the band

Vampire Weekend.

As I was traveling to the scene of a story early this week, I came across one of the songs I would normally skip through on my iPod. Though I've added new music I want to get into, I generally feel like listening to something I already know when I need to concentrate on something other than what's coming out of my car speakers. This time was different for some reason. The song was "Bryn" by Vampire Weekend.

The band appeared on "Saturday Night Live" this past Saturday and played the song "M79" (see video below) complete with accompanying violinists. Hearing clips of their other stuff, I figured I'd like the band if I gave their songs a closer listen -- but when I heard "M79," I was instantly a fan. As a budding musician learning to play the fiddle, it's obvious why this song in particular appeals to me.

Since I already loved two songs on the album, I decided to give the other songs a chance. I was not disappointed.

Most of their tunes are upbeat and fun. Lead singer Ezra Koenig has a great voice, which I think is pretty unique, just like the band's sound, which has obvious African-beat and British pop (which I love) influences.

My fave top 5 on the album, in order:

Honorable mention: "Campus"
5. "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance"
4. "Oxford Comma"
3. "Mansard Roof"
2. "Bryn"
1. "M79"

MTV.com describes the band:

"New York City's Vampire Weekend mixes preppy, well-read indie rock with joyful, Afro-pop-inspired melodies and rhythms. Ezra Koenig, Chris Baio, Rostam Batmanglij, and Chris Tomson formed the band early in 2006, when they were finishing up their studies at Columbia University. Taking their name from a movie Koenig made during his freshman year, the band started out by playing gigs at the university's literary societies and at parties.... The buzz around Vampire Weekend reached a peak in 2007... The Mansard Roof EP was Vampire Weekend's debut release... followed by their self-titled first album early in 2008."

http://www.vampireweekend.com/
Listen to some of the band's music here, or on their MySpace page.
http://www.myspace.com/vampireweekend

Metacritic.com users rated the band's self-titled album an 8.3 out of 10. Critics felt similarly about the album. I think you will too.

Love that Southern Rock

2008-03-04T11:46:00.011-06:00

This week I've been slacking. I'm sorry it has taken so long to update, but now that I am getting to it, I want to talk about

Drive-By Truckers.

While a little tardy, this post is actually quite timely -- according to its official Web site, the band is slated to appear on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" on March 11. I encourage you to check them out if you are not familiar.

The band's newest album, "Brighter Than Creation's Dark," just came out in January 2007 and was well recieved from what I am reading here.

Pitchfork Media rating: 8.2
Metacritic.com: 84 out of 100 (based on 27 reviews)

Many reviewers have compared the Truckers to the sounds of Lynyrd Skynyrd and other Southern Rock greats. I, too, am a fan. (They are definitely on my list of must-sees at the festival this year.)

According to drivebytruckers.com, 2007 was a year of transition and reinvention.

In the spring, they parted ways with Jason Isbell, who had been in the band for five years and three albums. As a result, they moved away from the “big rock show” to focus a little more on the stories and music and playing new stuff in front of a live audience.

According to the site, the band finished recording “Brighter than Creation’s Dark" in August and
mixed it themselves to keep to the album’s “homegrown feel.”

The album comprises music from three different writers, including bassist Shonna Tucker, whose songs have not been featured before, the site reads.

The band considers the album to be its best yet.

Two of my favorite tracks on the new album are "Two Daughters and a Wife," and
"Perfect Timing." But don't take my word for it (wow, I sound like Levar Burton
on "Reading Rainbow")...

Check out Drive-By Truckers on their site, http://www.drivebytruckers.com/. You can watch video performances or listen to audio if you like. I will be adding new tracks to the playlist below.

"...but now, I'm gold"

2008-02-11T21:57:00.015-06:00

This week I've discovered Rilo Kiley.

I was told on the Bonnaroo message board, Inforoo, that if I liked child stars, I'd like Rilo Kiley. Not that I'm a huge fan of child stars, but the comment caught my attention and I decided to give the band a closer look.

And I found this:

The indie rock band Rilo Kiley is fronted by former child actors Jenny Lewis ("Troop Beverly Hills" and "The Wizard") and Blake Sennett ("Salute Your Shorts" and "Boy Meets World").

The band has been active since 1998 and has worked under several labels, including Warner Brothers Records, which put out their 2007 album "Under the Blacklight." Speaking of "Under the Blacklight," I bought the album last week and have been listening to it nonstop since. My favorite track is also the album's second single, "Silver Lining" (as you saw in the video above if you watched it). I think it's sound is unique and a little different from the other tracks on the album.

Their songs have appeared in numerous movies, including "Must Love Dogs" and "John Tucker Must Die," as well as TV shows ("Dawson's Creek," "The OC," "Grey's Anatomy," "Weeds" and "Nip/Tuck"), so you may have already heard them. (As an avid viewer of "Grey's," I KNEW I had heard this band before...)

According to Metacritic.com, "Under the Blacklight" got generally good reviews, scoring a 71 out of 100, though it seems users and critics didn't enjoy the album as much as I do... using it as travel music to make the time driving from meeting to meeting at my day job seem a little more pleasant). Pitchforkmedia.com wasn't as kind, only giving the album a 5.1 of 10. The biggest criticism was that the band had seemingly sold out with this pop-friendly compilation. Jenny Lewis did get some props, however, for her singing and lyrics.

If you're not into "easy to digest" music that's "pop-friendly," and you're looking for something deeper, you may be interested to know there's more to Rilo Kiley than what I've shown you. Their 2002 creation "The Execution of All Things" was the other album I decided to check out, by way of my boyfriend's computer (which holds roughly 45,000 songs-plus). It got a 7.5 out of 10 from Pitchforkmedia.com, "with (its) intriguing lyrics, country/folk shimmer, and explosive pop moments."

The online music site finished it's review like this: "You could call The Execution of All Things a feel-good album, but there's enough going on that it rarely sounds like froth. Aside from a couple of twee missteps-- like the hyper-bouncy keyboards on "My Slumbering Heart"-- the band almost always hits the right tone: they do Americana without the alt-country cliches and cowpoke pacing, and the undercurrent of environmental concern is rich rather than blunt."

My favorite track on that album so far is "The Good That Won't Come Out." I know it's also the first track (like "Silver Lining"), but since I listened with my iPod on shuffle, I didn't notice until I looked it up just now. Both "The Good" and "Silver Lining" are ready to go on my playlist below if you want to take a quick listen.

All in all, I think Rilo Kiley has a lot to offer and can't wait to see them live!
(Hoping for no conflicts... *crosses fingers*)

'Lord, I was born a ramblin' man'

2008-02-11T16:48:00.000-06:00

OK no, not really. But I do like that song an awful lot -- and that's one of the reasons why

this week, I'm excited about

The Allman Brothers Band.

Who can blame me?

According to their biography at RollingStone.com, The Allman Brothers Band is an original jam band that blended blues, R&B, country, jazz, and gospel to create a "new south" sound. Although their debut album, The Allman Brothers Band, sold well only in the south, the band eventually gained a reputation for playing live. Since then, 1971's Live at Fillmore East has gained the type of notoriety that Johnny Cash got from Live at Folsom Prison."Ramblin' Man," as seen in the title of this post, was the band's first and biggest single. It was No. 2 in 1973.

According to Rolling Stone, the band was plagued with tragic deaths like that of Duane Allman, who was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1971. The band experienced turmoil over the years and regrouped in 1978 and then again in 1989, at which time it was attracting a new generation of fans that hailed it as the father of collegiate-jam rock (like the Dave Matthews Band). Gregg Allman is still kickin' and will be at Bonnaroo with the band this year.

The Allman Brothers Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and won a Grammy for "Jessica" in 1996 (which, if you are unfamiliar, was featured on Guitar Hero II for Playstation II). Another song you might be familiar with is "Sweet Melissa" (which was featured in the Oscar nominated film "Brokeback Mountain," for you fans of the movie).

Check out the band's official Web site, http://www.allmanbrothersband.com/, for more information.

I have always been a sucker for some classic rock with a little bit of twang, so the Allman Brothers Band is sweet, sweet music to my ears. Literally. It's the kind of stuff I was raised on (and the kind of stuff that kept me up all night watching those Time Life informercials -- "Gods of Southern Rock" or whatever).

Turn on the sound and refer to my Project Playlist at the bottom of the page for some examples of their work.

Initial artist lineup announced Feb. 6.

2008-02-09T02:10:00.002-06:00

The initial artist lineup was announced Feb. 6, and though more announcements and additions are still to come, festival goers like myself can start to get excited. This list will automatically update, so you can check back here or on bonnaroo.com to keep up.

Straight from bonnaroo.com (go there if you want to learn more about these artists):

I have already started researching the bands so I know which ones I want to see (barring any scheduling conflicts), and I'm getting pumped. Who knew this would be so much fun months before the festival even goes down?

What is Bonnaroo?

2008-02-09T01:59:00.000-06:00

Bonnaroo is a four-day multi-stage music festival in Manchester, Tenn., this year to take place June 12-15.

The festival comprises camping, a 100-acre entertainment village featuring film, art, beer and music technology and a constant stream of activities. Dozens of bands and indie favorites -- from rock n' roll to hip hop, jazz, Americana and electronica come to play at the festival each year.

According to the Bonnaroo Web site, Rolling Stone magazine has named the festival experience one of the 50 moments that changed the history of rock and roll.

Get excited. Tickets go on sale Feb. 16.