Bonnaroo Bound and Back

Bonnaroo is a three day music and arts festival in Manchester, Tennesse. Some may call it a modern day Woodstock, and others may see it as a Hippies annual convention. Either way it is definately a sight to be seen!
Dilemma #1: Finding a ride down. This was quickly solved by latching onto 2 Bonnaroo Boundians who were the friends of friends of our friends.
Dilemma#2: Trying to fit everything into a Jeep Cherokee. We didnt really need to see out the back while driving apparently.

But after all dilemmas were solved, we were off on what was supposed to be a 12 hour drive, but turned into 15 after waiting in line to enter the farm for 3 hours!

As you can see space was at a premium that weekend. Let me tell you a little about our neighbors. To the right of us was a group of modern day hippies from Massachusettes, one young man in particular was wearing a skirt and selling granola out of the back of his mom's Lincoln. On the other side was a group of Miami college boys who drove in on their BMW SUV.

75 bands....100,000 people....and enough marijuana to put the DEA out of business. This is what Bonnaroo is all about! It was quickly noted that me and my 3 traveling companions were the minority, where everyone else in the place was high off of some drug. That weekend Summy and I were offered a myriad of drugs, mostly because the person was sorry they just spilled beer all over us or puked on us. It was a nice gesture. John, our driver, was stereotyped as an acid user. Consequently the same hippy came to our tent every morning to see if John needed a replenishment.

This is the 'Shroom fountain, the water smelled like Sulfur, but as you can see people really seemed to enjoy it even though the smell was burning my nose hairs.

Lets not forget that through all this excitement concerts were actually going on from noon until 5am! But Summy and I found it more important to beat the crap out of these giant bobbleheads!!! We weren't too sure whether they were supposed to resemble someone famous.

We did see some pretty amazing bands: Tom Petty, Radiohead, Phil Lesh, Beck, yadda yadda...

This is The Cat Empire from Australia, obviously a lesser known band because I had such a close shot. When the bigger bands came on I was obviously pushed to the back.

Thats Beck to the right..........>

One of the best concerts that weekend was by Matisyahu...a jewish rapper. (im serious) He was amazing and let the crowd know that everyone on this earth was put here to make babies, so make them right now, right here. Im not sure if anyone followed through on his demands, but the crowd seemed to support his declaration.

This is Summy and I in the Silent Disco, the music was streamed only through the headphones...One nice girl who was wearing a bee costume for no reason told me I needed to shake my booty a little more, I have been practicing ever since.

It was evident all weekend, that I wasn't dressed appropriately.

My preppy style did not fit in and I seemed to be the outcast. However this seemed to be the dressed code all weekend.

It was easy to forget that the festival was all about peace, love, and saving the environment. But a few good people remembered the purpose of Bonnaroo and were gracious enough to remind us.

On Sunday (Father's day) one nice gentleman reminded all of us to call our dads...."But not while tripping." I had no idea "Call" was spelled that way!

After Sunday night's concert we drove the 13 hours home. Back at home on monday, while sitting in my new hand woven hammock which smelled of cannibus.....

I examined my severely swollen ankles and I tried to come to grips with the amazing, eye opening, jaw dropping weekend that I just experienced. And then I started planning for next year's voyage to Bonnaroo.

Posted by JilltheThrill