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Bonnaroo Music Festival 2004
The Dead
moe.
Gov't Mule
Doc Watson
Primus
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Bonnaroo Music Festival 2004
Manchester, TN
6/11/2004 - 6/13/2004
By: Lindsey M. Keen
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Bonnaroo is an experience. Just trying to go to all the shows
is an event in itself. Picture every major group or musician
in the jam band scene with scheduled concerts in one
weekend. I don't know how they do it. Bonnaroo is an
incredible event that gives you butterflies every time you
read the show list and decide whose playing next. Just one
split second you'll be listening to Moe. and realize your
running late for David Byrne. The lineup for the 2004
Bonnaroo Festival also included The Dead, Trey Anastasio,
Dave Matthews, Chris Robinson, Gov't Mule, Moe., Doc
Watson, Primus and many more.
This year the crowd tolerated rain, mud, heat and humidity.
Imagine walking over acres of Tennessee farmland
surrounded by a crowd of dirty hippies covered in mud and
sweat dancing to provocative and innovative lyrics supported
by unbelievable electric guitar solos or a full orchestra
conducted by Trey Anastasio. For the price of four concert
tickets, a fan can see over twenty live performances and
camp out in the field for three days. Sure it's hard to believe
but people from as far as Alaska will drive across the
country for this once in a lifetime event.
For instance, the morning of day two I was sitting in a Waffle
House in Manchester, TN. enjoying a cup of coffee and a
cigarette, when I glance up only to notice Les Claypool, lead
singer and bassist for Primus walking in the front door
wearing a hat and sunglasses. In any other state this would
have been out of the ordinary, but a city whose population
changes from 7,000 to 90,000 over night, makes this
experience uncanny. This isn't the only twisted incident I
witnessed this weekend. Visualize walking through the crowd
and bumping elbows with Jeff Raines of Galactic or looking
over your shoulder and hearing Chris Robinson talking to Jo
Jo Harmon of Widespread Panic and Warren Haynes of Gov't
Mule.
These episodes are only a few of the many astonishing
stories that are only true to Bonnaroo. For those of you who
were fortunate enough to come down to the dirty South and
observe the events, consider yourself lucky. Whoever didn't
come, I advise you to get your tickets for next year's event
as soon as they go on sale. The popularity of Bonnaroo is
ever-growing and the festival always sells out in advance.
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