All Bonnaroo Saga posts: tag/Bonnaroo 07
Mr. Meowskers by The Slip
[audio:http://theslip.com/mp3/TheSlipMrMeowskers.mp3]
I left the site around 11, and I think I was trying to find a tshirt. I knew there was a Bonnaroo merchandise tent somewhere in Centeroo, but I couldn’t find it. I wandered around for a while, looking at some of the other things for sale in Centeroo (nothing really worth buying). Defeated, I headed over to the Sonic Stage to get a good spot for The Slip. The Sonic Stage is a really tiny stage, so almost anywhere you get is a good spot, but I got a spot in the shade right in front of the stage. Shade is important, especially since most of my Sunday shows were out in the sun, away from the tents. The Slip put on a really good show, at least as good as it could be in a half-hour. I really dig the bassist from the Slip. He’s good, and has a lot of fun playing.
I wandered over to see Pete Yorn at the same stage the Flaming Lips had played the night before. There were three trees near this stage (pretty far back, but not far enough so you couldn’t hear or see), and under them were people from one edge of shade to the other. I grabbed a spot in the sun where I figured the shade would be in 10 minutes or so (I was half right: I got partial shade, but that was mostly luck. If I had stayed longer I would have been back out in the sun). Pete Yorn was good, and chill, but not memorable.
I left a little early to go to the Other Tent, but I messed up and ended up at This Tent. I didn’t realize until an hour or so after I got there, and by that time I didn’t really care. So I saw the last bit of Sonya Kitchell’s set, which was also good, and also chill, and also not memorable. But what was good about this was I was in a tent, sitting down, in the shade. There were very few people standing for this show, and I started to realize that Sunday was a chill day, and the folks in charge had constructed it that way on purpose. I’ve got to give them a hand for that. When that set ended I laid down to take a nap, still thinking I was at The Other Tent. I was expecting T-Bone Burnett to come on next.
But when the soundcheck woke me up, it was not T-Bone Burnett on stage. This was about when I realized I was in the wrong tent. Turns out I was watching Elvis Perkins in Dearland. They were running a little late, but the crowd didn’t much care – most people were sitting down or asleep. During the soundcheck he realized one of his microphones didn’t work, so he spun it around toward the crowd and said into the good one, “Fuck it, this can be your mic.” Laughter and applause as the set started. I’d never heard Elvis Perkins before, but I had heard his name. They weren’t bad – I can’t say I remember any of their songs, but I enjoyed the set.
After their set I got up, well rested, and headed over to the mainstage to see Bob Weir and Ratdog. For those of you who don’t know, Bob Weir was one of the original members of the Grateful Dead. So at a fest like Bonnaroo, there were plenty of people in attendance. I stayed for a couple songs…no, maybe it was the rest of the set. That sounds plausible. Ratdog is a decent band, and its nice to hear some old Dead songs from the folks who made them, but there is something off. Maybe its that they’re trying to keep too many elements of the Grateful Dead, maybe its because they’re just a decent band and nothing more. I’m not sure what it is, but I doubt I’d go to see a show with only them.
After Ratdog I was back over to the other large (Which) stage to see the Decemberists. The shadow from those trees was long enough that many more people were shaded, but the crowd was much larger, and all on their feet. I’m alright with the Decemberists, but I didn’t much care to stick around for their live show. Maybe I would have stayed if I had been farther up, or able to sit down, but since neither was the case, I left.
Looking at the schedule now, I probably should have gone to see Ralph Stanley but I didn’t notice he was playing opposite the Decemberists at the time. So I tried again to find that merchandise booth to get a tshirt. When I got there, they were out, so I grabbed a sticker which got added to my laptop once I was home. I wasn’t upset about the tshirt though. There were plenty of people selling either knock-offs or their own versions. Those folks would be around during the mainstage shows, and probably on the road on the way out.
I headed back to the site after this. I had gotten a couple overpriced slices of pizza (the first food I bought during the fest) during Ratdog, but they left me wanting more, and since I would be out all night, I figured I’d go back and get my own food. When I got back Charles and Melissa had packed up and left. That must have been entertaining, considering how they were on their way in. And our neighbors who had invited us over were almost done packing their things. I talked to them and they said they’d stay for the White Stripes and Widespread that night, but they would leave after that to avoid the line in the morning (they were low on gas). I said goodbye, and headed back to Centeroo.
So from there I travelled to Wilco at the mainstage. Again, I sought shade. Here, the only unclaimed shade was next to the garbage cans, and it certainly wasn’t completely unclaimed. I got a spot, and someone shortly filled the rest. Wilco was decent. I’m sure I would have enjoyed this show more on a smaller stage. I’ve yet to hear their new album, but I’ve only heard good things about it.
Next I went to the White Stripes back at Which Stage (ya, its pretty much back and forth all afternoon). By this time pretty much everything was shaded, which was good, because the crowd was as big as ever. They came out, played for an hour or so, and left the stage. It turns out that they were taking a really awkward setbreak, and decided not to tell anyone. Some people left during this, thinking they were done. I was pretty disappointed with their show, and I say that as a fan of their music. I like their albums, and I like what I’ve heard of their live stuff before, but this show wasn’t that great. Plus, it clashed with the feel of the rest of the day.
When the Stripes ended their set, I went back to the mainstage (for the last time) to see Widespread Panic, who had already started. Widespread was really good, and even though they were on the mainstage, I just laid back and closed my eyes. Didn’t bother trying to see them, because I already knew I really couldn’t. Widespread was a really good show, and I wish I could have stayed for all of it. But the dust was at its worst, and I had to leave before started coughing up blood. I’d love to see Widespread again if I get the chance.
When I got back to my site everyone was gone. Not only folks from our site, but from campsites next to ours. They had all packed up and left. My tent was on the corner of the crossroads, and it looked very alone. Since it was early (2300 or so) I just sat at in the entrance of my tent for a while and people watched. While I was sitting there a few people walked by commenting on how empty this place was starting to feel. I popped my head out, “Man, you’re tellin me…” The guy who said it laughed, and then told me that they had figured my tent was abandoned by someone who didn’t feel like bringing it home. After they left, I took what they said to heart and brought all my crap inside my tent so no one would walk off with it thinking it was just left behind. I got to sleep that night earlier than I had in a long time.