Bonnaroo 2023 Lineup - thoughts?

Submitted by QuicklyThisWay t3_108mrzv in Music

Here is this year’s Bonnaroo lineup:

https://i.imgur.com/5Fc6IYO.png

I was planning on seeing Paramore / Bloc Party / Genesis Owusu in NC but tickets are not cheap. While festivals have always been expensive, it’s always been a great way to save time and money if you like most of the line up. Now it seems like a great deal even if you only want to see a handful of people.

I ditched Bonnaroo in 2011 after getting way too big and have been going to other smaller festivals in the southeast (Okeechobee, Hulaween, Voodoo, EDC). I’d love to checkout Electric Forest and some others, but are cost or travel prohibitive for me. To be clear, the lineups at Roo were mostly good imo, I just prefer less people.

Okeechobee looks ok, but I will probably pass. Coachella looks great, but I can’t afford to go to California. So right now I have my eyes on returning to Roo. I’m posting here hoping to get a more unbiased response than over at the Bonnaroo community as I am curious how things have been going on the farm recently to see if it’s worthwhile.

I spent a decade volunteering or working for festivals, so I’ve only paid for one or two in that time, but after Covid all those opportunities dried up. I’ll still apply for work, but thankfully I am at a point where I can (probably) afford to go since I can drive there.

So what are you thoughts and experiences about Bonnaroo, or really any music festival lately?

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johntwoods t1_j3ta15j wrote

Music festivals are landfills of disorganization and disappointment.

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QuicklyThisWay OP t1_j3tbjak wrote

Okeechobee sure was last year. VIP was actually a worse experience than GA because they came less prepared and we’re not given accommodations they were promised. I’m not a fan of Insomniac’s takeover of what became my favorite festival with way too much EDM. Hulaween was absolutely perfect when I went a few years ago, but I got some nice perks working with the sponsorship team, so I am biased.

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MuzBizGuy t1_j3tkt1i wrote

Bonnaroo is neither of those things. Unless you hate festivals, of course.

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Salty_Pancakes t1_j3uxwn4 wrote

It used to be good, now it's full corpo.

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MuzBizGuy t1_j3vy24j wrote

Not mutually exclusive things. Been to it 7 times from Year 2 through 2019. It's gotten more organized over the years and I've never left disappointed.

It's gotten less jam band focused, sure, which is a valid complaint if that's what you like.

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rumski t1_j3tp77y wrote

I don’t listen to too obscure music but these lineups always make me feel like my head is buried in the sand. I haven’t heard of so many and the ones I have I don’t really listen to.

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QuicklyThisWay OP t1_j3tpre1 wrote

I saw a poster for a small festival with some silly band names like Soccer Mommy and was like are these even real bands? I looked them up and liked them all!

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DevinBelow t1_j3t8q9r wrote

As bad as, but no worse than, normal.

I wish it would go back to being a little more focused like it was in the first few years. I'm not saying it needs to go back to being a jam band festival. I'm even not saying I want it to be some homogeneous festival where every band sounds the same and there is no variety to the music, but who exactly does this lineup appeal to? I see no more than 10 acts that I would pay to see, and that is not anywhere close to enough acts to possilbly paying that much to spend three days baking out in the sun, and I feel like I have very diverse taste in music.

Like if you love Kendrick (and I do). Like he's your favorite and the kind of hiphop he does is what you are most into...why would you buy tickets for this festival? There aren't really any other big hiphop acts of note, that are along the lines of Kendrick. If Foo Fighters are your favorite band and that kind of 90's/'00's post-grunge sound is your favorite thing...why would you choose to go see them here where there are really no other similar bands on the lineup? If you're going just for Umphrey's or Korn or Tyler Childers, and only like the types of music that those types of acts make, why would you go to Bonnaroo, where no other contemporaries of any of those artists are playing?

It's a diverse lineup, but to a fault, imo. It'd be cool if it were like, "Ok, this year is going to be Roots rock, Hip Hop and Funk", and you based the lineup aroudn that, but this is just a too many cooks thing imo.

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Salty_Pancakes t1_j3uy9ms wrote

Even the first year, they had hip hop bands, but ones who also fit the ethos like Blackalicious or DJ Shadow. I kinda stopped paying attention to Bonnaroo after like, year 3 or 4 I wanna say. It just became the same corpo stuff you see at Coachella or Outside Lands.

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QuicklyThisWay OP t1_j3tb2yz wrote

Bonnaroo and many other fests have definitely become a catch all melting pot. Which makes them hit or miss for me. I’ll listen through a playlist if I am not familiar with many, but I’d like to have at least 4 bands a day I want to see.

Here’s my list from what is on the lineup now:

Thursday (Only a half day) ZEDS DEAD • LIQUID STRANGER

Friday • KENDRICK LAMAR • VULFPECK • GRIZ • PORTUGAL. THE MAN • SUBTRONICS • DIESEL • BOOGIE T B2B DIRT MONKEY B2B SUBDOCTA

Saturday • ODESZA • LIL NAS X • LOUIS THE CHILD • KORN • RAINBOW KITTEN SURPRISE • STS9 • SOFI TUKKER • BIG WILD THE BAND CAMINO • JENNY LEWIS • CORY WONG

Sunday • FOO FIGHTERS • PARAMORE • PIXIES • HIPPO CAMPUS • JAUZ • FRANZ FERDINAND • MEN I TRUST

I have seen most of these bands at least once, but Pixies will be a treat and it would be cool to see Diesel (aka Shaquille O’Neal DJing).

Thursday is a chill half day, Friday my top pick is Portugal. the man, with Saturday and Sunday being fully loaded for me. Men I Trust have an earworm with Billie Toppy you should check out if you haven’t heard of them. I’m sold on the bands, not so much on the 80k people and duststom/mud pit… although it was cool seeing Passion Pit while in a mud pit full of passionate people. However, I gag anytime I see the mushroom fountain.

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DevinBelow t1_j3tbsg0 wrote

Yeah, Friday is really the only day that does anything for me. I do like Kendrick, Vulf, and Portugal the Man a lot. Saturday I like My Morning Jacket, Tyler Childers and STS9. And Sunday is basically....I would just leave. There's pretty much nothing for me there. So 10 acts was probably overshooting it a bit. I've seen three of the six acts I like live already...anyway, I've said what I have to say about this lineup. It's not for me.

Also, I'm 90% sure I heard that Men I Trust song on XMU on the way to work this AM. It's pretty alright.

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NosyargKcid t1_j3tc17o wrote

That Bonnaroo lineup looks incredible, damn. I've never been to 'Roo, but I see a good 10 artists each day (other than Day One which I love the headliners) that I'd love to see. I love a good camping festival as you don't have to pay for a hotel & it gets you around a bunch of people who probably have a similar taste as you. I'm a pretty introverted dude usually, & I've made a lot of friends from these festivals. Cost & travel is usually my biggest barrier to going to festivals. Okee is another that I'm super interested in as well, but mainly because I live closer to Okeechobee so travel is easier for me. As much as I like meeting new people at these festivals, I also do enjoy smaller festivals with less people.

What was your favorite festival you volunteered for?

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QuicklyThisWay OP t1_j3td2cf wrote

The best part of volunteering is that you get a built in support group and usually a little bit of a back stage access depending on your assignment. I had a really easy job literally pointing to trash, recycling, or compost at Bonnaroo and during my shift I was at the stage with Tenacious D and Kings of Leon. Handling the trash is usually managed by Clean Vibes. They work hard and pay little, but for people who just want in for “free” it’s not the worst.

Okeechobee was the most laid back and fun group. Got lots of breaks and free food / merch. Not sure how it is now under new ownership. Hulaween was the best to work at since I was helping manage Kyle’s Beer Corner and all the sponsors for the event. I would do that again in a heartbeat.

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MilroK t1_j3thdio wrote

Diarrhea Planet reunion show?!!?? Siiiiiick!

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bullybullybully t1_j3trf46 wrote

I know they aren’t as popular as some of the other acts, but it breaks my heart a bit to see Pixies listed on the second tier.

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jesuschrist-69420 t1_j3ttr3x wrote

This was my reaction to Saturday. I thought Lil Nas X was like the hottest act in town, and then you got Korn, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Sheryl Crow. (Yeah I'm in my 30s)

Never heard of the headliner.

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rofopp t1_j3tycvm wrote

Funny, my reaction was, wait they get a higher billing than Drew Holcomb? Anyways, love the Pixies, but it ain’t 2002, bruv

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bullybullybully t1_j3tzext wrote

I mean, really it’s not 1989… yeah they just are on the same level as Nirvana to me in terms of influence. Not that I expect them to be super popular with that audience. I imagine Dave Grohl feels some reverence for them, so must be cool for him, though maybe they’ve played together before. Just mean, I’m not surprised but reality sometimes just reminds me that I’m older than I feel.

Also feeling old because I have never heard of Drew Holcomb. But hey, I know Turnstile and Kodak Black (sits in rocking chair a shakes fist at cloud).

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drfunkenstien014 t1_j3tt8k3 wrote

I just wish they’d stop resisting putting metal bands back on the list.

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silenceisred t1_j3ufpn6 wrote

Only festival I've ever been to is lollapalooza. But I'm absolutely going to try and go to this. Insane how many artists I love here.

Other than Thursday, of I have no clue who any of those people are.

What does make it worth it for me:

Friday: Kendrick, Vulfpeck, Fleet Foxes, Alex G, The Midnight, Matt Maeson.

Saturday: lil Nas X, My Morning Jacket, Korn, The Band Camino, Sheryl Crow.

Sunday: FF, Paramore, Marcus Mumford, Pixies, Jacob Collier, Peach Pit, Franz Ferdinand, and Men I Trust.

And honestly with this many I'm happy with, I'm excited to find what else I might enjoy here.

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QuicklyThisWay OP t1_j3ug9wx wrote

It’s a nice lineup for sure. I’ve been to Lolla a few times. It’s so massive in such a small space. I guess it’s not that small of a space, but it’s different being on an old farm. I remember when RHCP was playing with little to no others at the same time and I could barely see them I was so far away in Grant Park. I’m okay to camp, as I have 90% with festivals, but I would much rather stay in a hotel if I could afford it.

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humantouch83 t1_j3xj0ja wrote

Do not sleep on Cimafunk or Charley Crockett. Absolutley LOVEEEEE them both. Cima is cuban funk/soul and Charley Crockett is vintage country and western.

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Familiar-Food-3295 t1_j3unxoa wrote

Knocked Loose would bring energy. I find rap/pop to be quite anticlimactic both on record and live. Not for me.

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zayantecycle t1_j4gpztu wrote

LONG LIVE DIARRHEA PLANET, AND LONG LIVE EVERYONE I KNOW

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