Bonnaroo Review

For those who don't know, Bonnaroo is a four-day music festival held every June on 700 acres of Tennessee farmland. The multi-stage concert extravaganza started in 2002 and has grown bigger and better each year. Last week, nearly 80,000 people attended, breaking previous records.

Tickets costs $240, which is a great price considering all of the acts and activities there are to see and do throughout the four days. Most attendees camp in various pods surrounding Centeroo, where all the stages are. Being a poor college student, and at the suggestion of Paige, who attended last year, Tuan, my little bro Michael B. and I, all applied to be volunteers. We'd get free tickets and early admission in exchange for working three five-hour shifts.

I had the time of my life and saw some of the best live performances I'll ever see. All in all, I went to about 20 partial or full sets, many of which were some of my favorite bands. In the interest of brevity, I'm going to break this down into sections to save myself from getting too tangential and cloying. But here's the Bonnaroo '09 lowdown through the eyes of a first-timer.

Favorite Sets: Phoenix, Okkervil River, Grizzly Bear, The Decemberists, Rodrigo y Gabriela

Most fun: MGMT went on at 2:15 a.m. We'd volunteered from 12-5 in the heat of the day, seen 4-5 other shows in the afternoon, and were pretty beat. The energy at the show was insane, and the 90-minute dance party was something I'll never forget. I left drenched in sweat, most of which wasn't even mine. Trust me, it was awesome.


Honorable Mention: Al Green. Seeing this legend perform at Bonnaroo's main stage with thousands of adoring fans singing along to his biggest hits (Let's Stay Together, How Can You Mend a Broken Heart) is one of my fondest memories. During "Let's Stay Together" a guy about 10 yards away got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend. She said yes, and the crowd erupted in cheers with strangers taking pictures left and right. Al Green's soulful crooning felt just right in the hot June air. No one could wipe the smiles off their faces.

Best Surprises: We caught the end of the Grace Potter and the Nocturnals set. They put on a great show with the entire band playing different parts of the drum kit at once at one point. I'd heard them on the radio a few times, but their soul-infused classic rock sound was so much more impressive live. Here's a band who loves to perform, has a great stage presence, and made me appreciate how great it is to come across bands for the first time in concert.

Phoenix- I'd heard only a little of this band, and had to really make myself show up to their 11:30 set after an exhausting day. Thank heavens I did because it was one of my favorite shows of the whole weekend. They sounded incredible, and with everyone dancing and singing along, I kept thinking of how much I'd have missed if i was asleep in our tent.

What to know about volunteering: I'd think very carefully before you do. Overall the experience wasn't an entirely negative one. I was fortunate enough to get good shifts, and didn't miss a single show I really wanted to see.However, standing on my feet in the broiling sun, with little opportunity for breaks or shelter really affected the rest of my days. For a lot of the time, I was exhausted. It didn't stop me from seeing any shows; I came 1200 miles to see these bands, and I wouldn't miss them just because I was sunburned, my feet were swollen, and I felt like I might fall down.

But do be warned that if you plan to volunteer, bring plenty of water, get plenty of rest at night, and come knowing that your schedule is non-negotiable, and you could miss plenty of acts you really want to see. Also be prepared that the volunteer management is pretty poorly run. When you have 1600 volunteers, double the usual number, delays are to be expected, but we did have to wait a few hours to check in (some unlucky ones got sent to Wal-Mart to camp for the night), and orientation took a couple hours longer than it should have. I wouldn't volunteer again unless I HAD TO GET TO BONNAROO and didn't have the funds to do it without a free ticket.

What to expect if you go: Expect to be hot and uncomfortable sometimes, but not all the time. Prepare for the heat. Make sure to pack several different pairs of comfortable shoes. You will be walking or on your feet 18 hours a day. Bring enough food to feed yourself at camp for four days. Baby wipes are also helpful accessories. You will be dirty.

Expect to meet the kindest, most friendly group of people you'll ever see in one place. Strangers will high-five, hug, and smile at you. We were thanked a few different times by strangers for our efforts in volunteering to help promote sustainability. Expect to have the time of your life. Bring people you love because it makes the experience perfect. Expect to feel euphoric at every great show. Relax and let the rhythm of the music pulse through you like a heartbeat.

In the comments: have you been to Bonnaroo or anything like it? Tell me about it!

Songs that make your heart sing: Bonnaroo edition

Hey everyone, I'll have a Bonnaroo rundown coming up later today or tomorrow, but for now I want to tide you over with an edition of Songs that Make Your Heart Sing, featuring a bunch of my favorite songs I saw at the festival. Usually the STMYHS feature is reserved for songs that are exclusively lyrically happy and upbeat but I'll make an exception because seeing these performed live over the weekend was incredible. Live versions are embedded when available in good quality!

"Lisztomania" by Phoenix:


The Charging Sky by the universally admired Jenny Lewis!:


"Impossible Germany" by Wilco:


"Southern Point" by Grizzly Bear:


"Our Life Is Not a Movie but Maybe" by Okkervil River:


"Crane Wife 3" by The Decemberists:

More abominations from your local Kiss station

I've written before about my confusion and distaste for crass pop-music lyrics. Do people not think about what they're singing? Are listeners just bopping around, thinking that it's okay to hum along to the overtly sexual lyrics pulsating through the virginal ear drums of the soccer team in the back of the minivan? I hate to sound like an old codger, but I'm already thinking that if I ever have children (ick), I'll be one of those parents who only lets them listen to the family-friendly soft rock stations. I don't want my eight year old to so much as ask me to kiss them thru the phone, nevermind asking when they'll be old enough to date go-go dancers and rent yachts. Who am I kidding? By the time I have kids, maybe radio will be dead. Looks like they'll be hearing the 7-hour long Celine playlist I have so lovingly crafted. If you remain unconvinced of the rapid degeneration of pop music lyrics, please join me as we take a stroll through the sordid modern day Top 40 Scene.

I'll start with the song I find most egregiously offensive, Lady Gaga's "Love Game." It's a well-known fact that Lady Gaga is certifiably insane, so maybe we can't expect her to have a conscience, or a brain...or integrity. Let's look at the following:

I'm on a mission
And it involves some heavy touching, yeah
You've indicated you're interest
I'm educated in sex, yes
Now I want it bad, want it bad
A love game, a love game

Uh, alrighty. Well, in case you weren't entirely sure what Lady G had been leading up to in the preceding verses, she's here to let you know it involves some heavy touching. I do wish that whoever wrote these fine lyrics had just kept in the original phrase, which we know they were thinking of, "heavy petting." It has been so underused, almost entirely forgotten, ever since we wrapped up the miniature sex-ed unit taught by gym teachers in fifth grade. You know I'm right. And of course, Lady Gaga must too, as she says she is educated in sex. Do you have a degree, my Lady? Or is this more of a life experience/apprenticeship situation? I assume the latter, but nevertheless I'm still curious. However, the real reason I object to this song is this line: "I wanna take a ride on your disco stick."

Are you serious? Can this really mean what I think it does? How, in one or two musical generations, did we go from The Beatles' innocent, "I want to hold your hand" to THIS. I tend to think if there is something you would never say to someone in real life, it should not be the chorus of a pop song. If you said to someone, "I wanna take a ride on your disco stick" and he responded affirmatively, that should be a sign to stay away. That is a sentence no one should say or hear.

Moving on, before I get too upset. The following song was blasting through the radio in a friend's car recently, when everyone suddenly got up in arms about a particular line. However, in my extensive research for this entry, I have found even more objectionable material in "Blame It (On the Alcohol)" by Jamie Foxx feat. T-Pain.

a) Baby I would rather show you
What you been missing in your life when I get inside.

Good lord. If you are going to be a presumptuous womanizer, could you at least do it discreetly? Perhaps employ some literary devices to keep your motivations somewhat shrouded in mystery?

b) Fill another cup up
Feelin on yo butt what?

I guess not. The lyrics to many popular songs theses days fail to exceed the intellectual levels of most sixth-grade boys. Yo butt what!! Speaking of, where on earth is Sisqo?


c) She look me dead in the eye
Then my pants got bigga

This was the lyric that sent the girls in the car squealing. And not in a good way. Remember the swirling romance of Frank Sinatra's "Fly me to the moon" or the understated sexiness of Bob Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay"? THIS SONG IS NOT LIKE THAT.

I was going to close this entry with another song dissection, but after reading Flo rida's "Right round" lyrics, I am just completely exhausted. I know many of these songs are meant to be played in clubs, so singing about strippers and drinking is apropos. But am I the only one who feels her soul whither sometimes? When I'm driving around suburban Massachusetts, passing school children, historical sites, and Girl Scout bake sales, am I the only one who wishes for a little more Simon and Garfunkel and a little less Jesse McCartney and Ludacris?

Leave your favorite lyrics in the comments.

Songs that make your heart sing: Double whammy edition

I'm bringing you two songs today because I'm feeling generous.

First up, Laura Izibor with ''From my heart to yours." Laura's awesome! She definitely has her own sound, but if I had to describe it I would say Jill Scott meets Alicia Keys meets John Legend by way of Otis Redding a dash of Stevie Wonder. Aka awesomeness. Not everyone knows about my weakness for soul music and good R+B, but I'm confessing it now. Well, perhaps confessing is the wrong word. I am proudly declaring it!

I first heard this song on a Syracuse radio station I don't normally listen to when my Zune died at the gym. I've listened to it a dozen times since then, and it sounds to me like the a perfect, upbeat song to play while the days get longer and the temperature gets warmer.



Second, I'm still not over the elation I felt at the Ra Ra Riot show this weekend. If you've ever heard them live, you know what I mean. Definitely one band whose live performances far exceed any studio recording. Here's the video for ''Can you tell." Anyone want to go drum on doors with me? It looks fun.

Songs that make you wish your eyes were a different color

So I have this character quirk that causes me to make greater-than-average eye contact with people, and then form sweeping generalizations about their personalities based on the impression I get from staring deeply into their eyes. In case you haven't heard, they're called the windows to your soul! And if you try to deny these qualitative research methods, I will vehemently shoot you down and resume staring awkwardly at you. Some have told me I am a creep.

While it is against my constitution to suggest that people should change their eye color (colored contacts are a capital sin), I list here for you several song that romanticize the dreamy qualities of all of our different-colored irises. This comes after Connie brought to my attention the constant joy we derive from this song:

BROWN EYED GIRL, VAN MORRISON




Excerpt:
In the misty morning fog with our hearts a thumpin' and you,
My brown eyed girl.

And didn't Kelly Clarkson make us feel that hazel-eyed girls were just that much more entitled to MAD CRAZY post-Idol rage? The embedding is disabled on the official video, so here is a creepy-ass Sims version:





Excerpt:
Broken up, deep inside
But you won't get to see the tears I cry,
behind these hazel eyes

Did we all see Garden State? Here's Blue Eyes, by the Cary Brothers.



Excerpt:

Cause Blue Eyes
All the lights on and you are alive
But you can't point the way to your heart

Green Eyes, Coldplay



Excerpt:
Green eyes, you're the one that I wanted to find
And anyone who, tried to deny you must be out of their mind

Honorable Mention: Bob Dylan's Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands. I felt it would be wrong to feature this ditty, as "sad" is not a color, but this is one of my top-five Dylan favorites. So listen to it.

Songs that make your heart sing: Big Band edition

This song is my default ring tone. "Sing, Sing, Sing" by Benny Goodman. Also known as "The Chips Ahoy Song."

I'm not quite as well, I thought you should know

When I was in fourth grade, there were three CDs on constant rotation in my boom box. No Doubt's "Tragic Kingdom," Matchbox 20's "Yourself or Someone Like You," and Alanis's "Jagged Little Pill," which I actually had on cassette.

I remember listening to Alanis's mournful wailing on the floor of my bedroom floor, reading along to the lyrics and thinking "This is what life is like. This is what my life is like." And now, I wonder why, and what I could possibly have been thinking. I was nine. How did I "relate" to lyrics like:

Is she perverted like me
Would she go down on you in a theatre

Or:

I'm hard but I'm friendly baby
I'm sad but I'm laughing
I'm brave but I'm chickenshit
I'm sick but I'm pretty baby

But we all loved her. And when we found out that "You Oughta Know" was really about Alanis's relationship with Dave Coulier (Uncle Joey, of "Full House" fame), didn't we feel shocked, and a little bit hurt for her? I continued to support Alanis through her "Thank U" and especially "Uninvited" phases. City of Angels soundtrack, anyone? When I was a freshman in high school, and most of the formerly pre-pubescent Alanis fans had long since outgrown her bitter rage, I gave her CD "Under Rug Swept" a try. It had some good songs for an insecure, overimaginative fourteen-year-old to latch onto, such as "Unsexy" or my favorite "Hands Clean", about a May-December romance cloaked in deception and disappointment.

But as I watched Alanis perform a new song on TV this week, it occurred to me that I had forgotten what a unique...erm, voice she has. While it's certainly powerful, and can be moving, her pronunciation and phrasing is particularly unusual. Which made me think: What if you learned English by listening to Alanis Morissette? How on Earth would you talk? I could go on, but I'll let you listen to the song I heard her perform, and you can let your imagination run wild. I can't decide whether I should fully endorse an Alanis resurgence, especially since I'm sure she has some good angry material after her break up with Ryan Reynolds, or if we should choose to remember the Alanis we loved in elementary school, when we really loved her best.

Spending every dime for a wonderful time

I didn't want to leave you with a sour taste in your mouth after my last entry. After all, tomorrow's Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday ohmygodyouguysiloveitsomuch. Let's lighten things up. Here's an edition of "Songs that Make Your Heart Sing." This one always makes me want to dance. But, trust me, it's better to led Fred Astaire do it:



Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Here's to good food and good company.

(If it's just not Thanksgiving without a little white guilt, someone put together a pretty serious slide show to a Tracy Chapman song)

The gift of song

A quick shuffle through my Zune will reveal a few basic truths: I have a lot of classical and jazz music, a fondness for the occasional shameless pop song, and a heavy leaning toward hushed, melancholy music. I've made several mix tapes for people, and a frequent response is, "I liked it a lot, but it made me sooo sleepy." Maybe it's a subconscious effort on my part to lower my blood pressure and prevent future hair loss. And it doesn't help that I was raised by a mother who blared songs like this and this through the house on a daily basis. I am used to the morose. But sometimes, when I'm in a really sour mood, and don't particularly feel like wallowing in self pity all day, I wish I had a more uplifting, energizing library of ditties to chose from. And as the days get shorter, and we enter to the interminable stretch of a sunless winter, I think now is as good a time as any to introduce a new feature to my blog. Until now, I've recommend singing a few bars of "This Little Light of Mine" or "Pocketful of Sunshine" to the world-weary who have trouble crawling out of their cozy beds. But now, each week (negotiable), I'll introduce a new little song that will make your heart sing. Titles for this semi-regular column can be left in the comments section.

This week's selection, at Meaghen's suggestion, is "Taylor the Latte Boy," in honor of my burgeoning romance with Hottie McLatte. This song was practically written for our love affair. I saw Kristin Chenoweth perform this on the Rosie show back in the 90s, and it has been a favorite of mine and my mother's since then. (And yes, sometimes my mother does turn off what she so sensitively calls "slit-your-wrist music" for some lighter fare.) Here's Kristin singing it for my fave late night show host, Craig Ferguson. Enjoy.