For four days every June since 2002, the small town of Manchester, Tennessee, becomes the music, art and cultural center of the world.  Over 75,000 music appreciators descend upon the 700-acre venue and transform the land into a self-contained village made up of tents, RVs and one mother of a rock ’n’ roll festival. 

For those of you who may have attended the now defunct and immensely more geographically desirable Vegoose festival over in Las Vegas, this is the big sister of that event and is put on by the same people.  Seventeen hundred miles is a long way for the average person to travel for a festival.  Most of my friends opt for Coachella or Moab’s Desert Rocks! festival for their summer music.  While those are both spectacular events, the diverse lineup at Bonnaroo brought us back for our third year in a row.  

With over 150 acts, including most types of music, some comedy, films and lots of artistic offerings, Bonnaroo seemed like our best option once again. 

This year’s line-up featured headliners Bruce Springsteen, Phish (for two shows) and The Beastie Boys.  Other huge artists like Nine Inch Nails, Wilco, Al Green, Snoop Dog, Elvis Costello and David Byrne were there to ice the cake.

These huge summer festivals are a smorgasbord of music for every taste, and since you can’t eat it all, I had to make some serious choices between some of my favorite bands.  Let me give you an example of this: Wilco, The Mars Volta, The Decemberists, Elvis Costello, and in the comedy tent, Jimmy Fallon, were all scheduled to perform on different stages at the same time.  I like all of these artists, so what was I to do?  I chose the Decemberists, and it turns out it was a great choice.  Other choices during other conflicting hours, I’m not as sure.  However, I did enjoy every show I attended, so after the festival, no regrets. 

Tipping my hat to Adam Mast and his editorial tradition, I present my top five picks: 

5. Jenny Lewis

This little firecracker played Coachella last April and I wholeheartedly agree with Adam on her talent.  The former lead singer of alt-country indie band Rilo Kiley is a powerhouse who completely owns her stage. To me, her song “Acid Tongue” typifies the spirit of the music festival scene.  She was joined by Elvis Costello for her rowdy crowd-pleaser, “The Carpetbaggers.” 

4. Phish (first show, Friday night’s set)

This was my first live Phish show and one of the main reasons we attended the festival this year.  It was incredible, full of high energy.  A sober Trey Anastasio is a focused Trey Anastasio.  The lightshow was otherworldly and joyfully intense.  Highlights for me were the Pink Floydish “The Divided Sky” and the geeky, complex climax of the set, “You Enjoy Myself.” 

3. Citizen Cope

“The Boss” Bruce Springsteen was watching my favorite artist from the sidelines, about ten feet from where I was standing.  Bruce seemed to be in the same zone as the rest of us, and I believe he was just as blown away as I was feeling.  Grammy Nominee Alice Smith joined Clarence Greenwood and the rest of the band for two songs.  After the set, the newly initiated were asking me what CDs had the amazing songs he had just played on them.  I guess I look like someone who knows, so I replied, “All three of them.” 

2. Bon Iver

The live sound of Justin Vernon and company was multi-layered, atmospheric and intense. The crowd, which included Drew Barrymore and her boyfriend went ballistic after every song.  This was music to be felt. The entire set still resonates in my memory. I could have easily listened to three more hours of their spiritually moving music. 

1. The Decemberists

Their latest album “The Hazards of Love” is my early pick for album of the year. Get the album, experience it, then imagine it performed live in its entirety with passion and precision, top it off with a smattering of fan favorites from their back catalogue, and there you have it..  Had this show taken place in the ‘70s, it would have been legendary by now. 

This year Bonnaroo introduced themed stages.  There was an artist-curated stage hosted by David Byrne of The Talking Heads fame.  There was an African music stage, a bluegrass stage and a heavy metal stage, complete with crowd surfing and mosh pits. 

There was a sneaky unannounced appearance by Jimmy Buffet, which I missed.  I did see Ben Harper and his new band, Relentless 7, and my favorite jam band, Moe.  We saw and enjoyed so many things.  It was a great experience, full of positive vibes.  If you are able to do so next year, I recommend you grab a handful of people you love and head to Tennessee.   

Note: If you feel like it’s time to join the festival scene right away, Mile High in Denver, Colorado, is a two-night (weekend) camping festival coming up July 18 & 19. It features Tool, two nights of Widespread Panic, The Fray, Ben Harper & Relentless 7 and many more. Tickets are currently $160.00 for both days.  Also, the FREE Twilight Concert series at the Gallivan Center in SLC kicks off the season Thursday, July 9, with Jenny Lewis and Bon Iver.  It continues every Thursday into August with a great selection of artists.