The complimentary guidebook that comes with each Bonnaroo ticket includes much sage advice; unfortunately, many of us do not heed the words of wisdom. If the mountain of debris at the Tool show last night is any evidence, the “leave no trace” idea still seeks time to really sink in.
The other pearl of guidance that some mellower folks have no problem abiding is the amazingly obvious: pace yourself. Frankly, I have a big problem with this at Bonnaroo, and yesterday, I paid for it.
Having tripped onto a giant metal tent-stake and incurring an injury that makes last year’s bonnarash pale in comparative misery, this reporting reveler refused to stop enjoying himself, and instead, pushed back into the party like a warring masochist making his last stand.
Times I cried: listening to Michael Franti lecture on the Solar Stage about doing a gig at San Quentin; listening to the Cold War Kids, Richard Thompson, and later Tool. I did not cry during my accident or at the medical tent where I got excellent and friendly attention.
Shows I saw most or part of: Drops of Water, Cold War Kids, Richard Thompson, Tortoise, Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Nightwatchman, Tool, The String Cheese Incident, STS9, and EL-P.
Shows I listened to but did not see: Kings of Leon (I was trying to get there when I fell); Manu Chao (my needed rest and nursing hour.
Some high points: The crowd support at the shows—people loving musicians and musicians loving their people; a new Cold War Kids song about “dreams that old men dream” and taking us from “the gutter to the mountaintop”; Richard Thompson’s “Dad is Going To Kill Me” about the Iraq War; Tom Morello leading thousands in a rousing version of “This Land Is Your Land” and later joining Tool onstage to play guitar during “Lateralus”; the STS9 dance party, which even for the walking wounded is as uplifting and ecstatic as we expect these shows to be.
Let’s see if I can manage to make it through today without too much trauma and transform my lesson into a listening feast and time for friendship.
1 comment:
I made a huge fucking mistake. I cannot believe I didn't come to Bonaroo this year. I have been lamenting it all weekend. I am definitely living vicariously through your blog, Anu. C'est la vie.
Lateralus with Tom Morello? Fuck!
Take care of your booboo. Lemme know when you get back to the default world, as us burners like to call it.
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