Color from Thursday at Bonnaroo (#AVLroo!)

Thursday at Bonnaroo is a bit like a dress rehearsal. Everything is up and running, but much of the crowd, myself included, is exhaused from driving through the night to set up camp. So things don’t really get going until late, and the music ends early (by Bonnaroo standards). Nonetheless, a day at a Bonnaroo “dress rehearsal” is still packed with memorable moments. Here are a few from yesterday.

1) Almost being run over by a truck.
Navigating the Bonnaroo pathways is treacherous. Golf carts and other four-wheeled vehicles carrying staff and artists share the same narrow, crowded paths as pedestrians. Close calls are frequent. In this instance, my Bonnaroo weekend was almost ended abruptly by a truck driver who came within inches of hitting me at 20 miles per hour. Closest call I’ve had in the five years of coming to the festival.

2) The Walkmen.
These New York City natives put on one of the more epic shows I’ve seen this year at the Grey Eagle. Surprisingly, their stoic brand of indie garage rock was even more powerful in an open-air tent for the enormous Bonnaroo crowd.

3) Guys filming the mudhole.
There’s no way around it. The two guys I saw secretly filming people fall in and lose shoes to the hidden mudhole near That Stage last night were jerks. But, as a passive observer, there was something undeniably hilarious about the whole scene. At least six people fell victim in the 10 minutes I was there, and I’m somewhat ashamed to admit that it was funny every time.

4) Golf cart joyride.
Some friends of mine, to remain unnamed, procured a golf cart after their bosses went to bed, and half a dozen of us went for a 2 a.m. cruise through the stage compound and outer campgrounds. That experience included stumbling on an unofficial rave, officiated by a DJ in what looked like a mobile food truck, and a girl who offered to (and later did) shoot spitwads at the passersby of our choosing. Proof again that there’s no predicting who or what you’ll encounter at Bonnaroo.

5) The doppelganger game.
If ever there was a place to people watch, it’s Bonnaroo. Staring is unavoidable, and picking lookalikes for common friends and celebrities is an excellent way to pass the time with campmates in the downtime. Think real-life “Where’s Waldo?” with a rotating cast.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.