Namaste & Smiles

YogaRoo…

For the first time ever, our farmland becomes a raceway, with Bonnaroovians encouraged to sweat side-by-side along a designated course that twists across the Tennessee landscape. The 5k (3.1 mile) Roo Run is dirt-stomping, sweat-drenched history in the making.

Check out our site for all the details and to register for the Roo Run!

You may have noticed the organic growth around Planet Roo over the past few years. Well, natural forces have been at work. Each year since the construction of the straw bale post office in 2008, a growing group of builders, artists, teachers, dreamers, have been gathering to shape an ever evolving Planet Roo.

The Oak Tree Collective has emerged out of the desire to realize the great potential this gathering of people we call Bonnaroo presents. Planet Roo has provided fertile soil for fun and creative collaboration, and after five years of continued fascination with the project, a collective has been formed. Come check us out.

This year our crew will be building a great northern gate to Planet Roo, bringing more shade to the solar stage, adding new lighting and finishes to the Post Office, and taking on whatever else may come up!

We’re especially excited to be partnering with Manchester Parks and Recreation Department. We’re working with local youth to create a bench from salvaged and natural materials, and integrating a curriculum on sustainability.

• Hotel + shuttle packages: a limited number of hotel + shuttle packages still remain in nearby Murfreesboro, TN. Looking to stay in Music City? Find more information on hotel/merch packages & ticket + shuttle packages from Nashville, TN here.
• Airport Shuttle from Nashville: Flying in to BNA? We’ll pick you up! Find more information on booking your airport shuttle from Nashville to Bonnaroo here!
• Single-day ticket + shuttle packages: New for 2013, come down for the day & leave the driving to us! Book your Single-day ticket + shuttle package from Nashville, TN here.

Visit our friends from Eco Products who have helped us to reduce our overall carbon footprint by supplying our site with 100% compostable cups. HeadCount has been a mainstay in Planet Roo since 2004, don’t forget to stop by their booth in Planet Roo to register to vote or volunteer for live music events. Bring your old cell phone to the Rock the Earth booth to be recycled in exchange for free goodies and entry into the daily drawing for great prizes! Also be sure to visit Ben & Jerry’s who will be sampling the fabulous Bonnaroo Coffee Caramel Buzz ice cream inspired by Bonnaroo!

Pressure was mounting to get the Superjam together, and I’m the guy. It was the beginning of May and I had nothing. Ambitious ideas had been discussed and pursued relentlessly to dead ends. This is often the case on these types of shows: From every angle, building a band from scratch is incredibly challenging. For better or worse, though, these types of gigs are my specialty.

Hurdle Number One: The band assembly phase. It’s not just about getting the artists to agree to perform; first, it means getting everyone in the chain of decision-makers to grant you access to the artist so that they can even consider whether or not they want to do all the work. This means a lot of explaining about what exactly this weird, challenging, labor-intensive, and risky show is in the first place.

Festival shows are inherently more chaotic and challenging than regular shows—which is one of the reason artists get paid more for them. Most great artists are perfectionists who meticulously plan, prepare, and study the craft of performance, constantly fine-tuning their skill over the course of their careers. Now they have me on the phone, asking them to step outside their comfort zone and learn two hours’ worth of new, usually super-challenging music, to be played after only a day or two of rehearsal, with a whole bunch of new people, for a show in front of an enormous crowd. Oh, and btw—every music publication in the free world will be covering the show extensively, and it will probably be streamed live to the furthest reaches of civilization. If you fuck up, everyone from Tennessee to Kuala Lumpur is going to be trashing you on Twitter in real time. On top of all of that, we’re going to film the whole thing—rehearsals, backstage—immortalizing it all as part of Superjam, the web series. So stakes is high. (I’m getting stressed out about this year’s Superjams just thinking about it!)

I was on the phone with an agent when one of our office interns walked up to my desk. “Questlove is on the phone for you.” I obviously jumped off immediately to take the call. I’ve worked with Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, drummer of the Roots, several times, including the first show I ever did for Superfly—a Superjam in New Orleans with him, George Porter, Jr. (of the Meters), Eric Krasno (from Soulive), and Tim Green (one of my favorite all-time sax players). The show was amazing and featured two sets of incredible covers (email me if you’re interested and I’ll try to send you the music). Questlove had an idea. He started off by saying, “Last year at this time I would have said there is a 99% chance this can’t happen; now I’d put it at 50/50—D’Angelo.” My response was “Wow,” and I was thinking 50/50 ain’t that bad.

He added, “He hasn’t performed in the U.S. in 12 years. This would be historic.”

Ahmir explained his vision, a reunion of Soulquarians and Soultronics Supercharged (D’Angelo’s band for his legendary Voodoo Tour in 2000) with some of the best live musicians around—people like Eric Leeds (saxman from the Family and Prince & the Revolution) and Jesse Johnson (The Time), alongside members of the Roots. Superstar bassist Pino Palladino, who currently tours with The Who and previously performed with Herbie Hancock and Questlove in a Superjam, was the top choice as bassist. His goal was to create music history at Bonnaroo, but above all, he explained, “I’m beside myself with the idea of jamming at Bonnaroo with my brother who I haven’t played music with in over 10 years”.

What I remember about my first show with Questlove was how excited he was to be playing with an amazing group of musicians, and how low-maintenance he was throughout the whole process. I watched him turn giddy talking about what songs to perform, what version and arrangement of each tune, which specific parts to accentuate. It was obvious that he was a music encyclopedia with a producer’s ear—the guy knows everything. That excitement was back as he talked about the possibility of getting D’Angelo back on stage at Bonnaroo. Ahmir loves special shows, he loves Bonnaroo, and he loves going after those magic moments.

I started calling the band members, and everyone was as excited as Questlove was. It started to feel like it was going to happen. D’Angelo’s camp had given a verbal commitment, but there was still that deep-down fear that something could happen. We were never 100% sure until he walked onstage, and we never announced who the Superjam headliner actually was.

Ahmir was recording with Jimmy Fallon on the day before the gig. The plan was for him to fly out first thing on Saturday first thing, at 5 a.m., arrive in Nashville, and go straight to rehearsal where the cats would be waiting, set up and ready to go. They would have one day to pull together the set, and they would work up until Questlove had to head to the Bonnaroo site for his set with the Roots, directly prior to the Red Hot Chili Peppers on the main stage.

After his set, he’d have a few hours to decompress and get the band ready for the Superjam, which would start at midnight. When he showed up in Manchester, though, there was one problem. No D’Angelo. He missed his flight; the reason was unclear.

I stopped by the rehearsal space around noon to check in. I already knew D’Angelo was delayed, as I had been getting constant updates. I wanted to make sure the band was all set, and that Danny Clinch and his documentary team were getting all the access that they wanted. I entered the room and saw Clinch and Co. filming away. Ahmir was behind the kit leading the band through the various part of the Led Zeppelin tune that was in the set list. After the song we spoke for a moment—he assured me that it was going to happen and not to worry, but I could tell he was stressed.

Sometime during the Roots’ set, D’Angelo arrived in Manchester. When I got the text, it felt like a huge weight was lifted. Instead of a few hours of “down time,” it was straight back to the rehearsal space, where Questlove and the band ran through the set once before going onsite and getting ready for the gig. At this point, most of the gear at the rehearsal space had to be moved to the This Tent, which meant that the one, rushed rehearsal with D’Angelo would have to be on stripped-down equipment. Questlove’s chill time had been immediately transformed into full-on work mode. But he didn’t really ever seem to be out of sorts; this is a situation that he’s not all that uncomfortable with. We were down to a few hours till show time.

I was texting with Questlove while watching the Chili Peppers at the main stage. Things seemed to be moving in the right direction. When I showed up at the tent, he had his hands full prepping the band. When I approached him for the update, he said “This is a stressful moment. It’s going to be fine, though.”  As the crew scrambled to get the gear perfect onstage, Questlove gave the musicians final instructions.

Finally the setlist had been taped in all the positions, the music stands had been set up, and the band was waiting sidestage. Questlove took the stage first, and the tension gave way to goosebumps as he intro’d each member from behind the drum kit. As each person took the stage, the groove expanded. Finally he broke the big secret that we’d all been struggling to keep in the vault for the past month…

“Ladies and Gentleman…D’Angelo.”

Who would you most like to see make a comeback in a Bonnaroo Superjam?

Musical titans, consummate stage performers, creative virtuosos—they’re are all labels that apply to past participants, including such alums as Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones, Trey Anastasio, Questlove, Dr. John, and Ben Harper. The group that gathers on stage creates a one-night-only experience, in which the band gets no second chance to do it right. Only the best in the business can live up to the mantle.The rep will grows bigger this summer as Bonnaroo will grow the franchise to include even more Superjams on-site.

This week, we’re looking at the history and future of Superjam, but first we need to consider the session’s essential components. We polled the behind-the-scenes engineers of the annual get-down, to figure out their methods of concocting perfectly strange and stupendous ensembles.

Step 1: Build around a key existing musical relationship

The architects of Superjam, the producers of Bonnaroo, look for some of the most compelling and eccentric musical relationships possible to build once in a lifetime live shows. That relationship could be based on earlier collaboration (co-members of a band, say Phish) or synergy that has yet to be fully realized (Dan Auerbach and Dr. John, pre-Locked Down). Once this backbone is in place, it becomes possible to add the more experimental collaborators, and to  imagine show and prove for their peers.

Sometimes it just comes down to understanding the shoes you’re stepping into. Three-time Superjam participant Questlove remarked of his 2007 stage session with Jones and Ben Harper,”We were doing Zeppelin songs, and there’s such a pressure of living up to the legacy of John Bonham’s. I had to prove that the myth was true, that I was worthy.”

Step 2: Get managers and agents on the phone

Think about explaining to an artist and their team the logistics of playing Superjam: Take a week out of your summer touring or recording schedule. Step outside of your comfort zone, away from your own band, production team, light show, or whatever other factors are tailored for your road show. Join a band you’ve only dreamed of joining, and only practiced with once or twice before. Then step out on stage, in front of tens of thousands, and also online, to be documented and delivered on-demand for the rest of your career. That’s how the conversation begins. “We’re building a band from scratch,” says Superfly’s Paul Peck. “Every element in the process is incredibly difficult. I’m asking a musician to do something that’s incredibly risky.” Artists up to the challenge, though, can handle the pressure, and see the opportunity in letting go.

Step 3: Begin work on the set list

Even improvised stage shows need to have a structure. The set list gives a launching pad. They are developed not merely based on genre or region, but crafted by the ensemble’s vision. This determines who fills out the band, too. Sometimes the song selection skews honorific to a legend on stage; other times they take the crowd on a journey away from the proscribed limits of genre and create something entirely fresh. The set list is the blueprint for a wild ride.

2012 setlist: Questlove’s Bonnaroo Superjam featuring D’Angelo & The Soulquarians

Intro >
Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland) [Jimi Hendrix] (including Go Back 2 The Thing & Superman Lover [Johnny Guitar Watson] teases) >
Pride And Vanity [Ohio Players] >
Players Balling (Players Doin’ Their Own Thing) [Ohio Players] >
Funky Dollar Bill [Funkadelic] >
Hit It And Quit It [Funkadelic] >
What Is And What Should Never Be [Led Zeppelin]
Babies Making Babies [Sly & The Family Stone] >
Hollywood Squares [Bootsy Collins] >
Mother’s Son [Curtis Mayfield] (including Chicken Grease tease)
Power of Soul [Band of Gypsys]
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window [The Beatles]
My Summertime Thang [The Time] >
Jam (including Fire [Ohio Players] & other teases)

Full Audio Download Here:  http://funkit.virose.net/?p=2561

Step 4: Start rehearsing – days before the festival

The general rule is that a few days before the festival, the entire band gathers near Bonnaroo for several intensive rehearsals. These are not run-throughs per se, but instead meant to build familiarity and flow. But even as they prep, by the end of the rehearsal much of the main stage gear will already have left town, en route to being set up on-site for the actual show. By the end, the players in the band will rock through with bare-bones equipment. If necessary, as with last year’s D’Angelo apperance, missed flights and crossed signals mean the run-through may occur at the festival itself, just minutes before the band goes on.

Step 5: Showtime

Once scheduled, the crowd knows only the basics about the show—mostly. They get the gist of who the key players are, where to go, and when to show up. Of course, major surprise guests and unforeseen song choices are a built-in feature of Superjams. The band will step out on stage and immediately begin feeding off the crowd. At this point, planning and preparation cannot anticipate what will unfold—the band truly launches, the crowd feels and fuels the energy, and the guest players hop on stage.  As the session builds, the night takes over and the legacy of Bonnaroo’s Superjam grows. We can try to explain how this all these steps add up to something spectacular each year. But science cannot fully account for the magic of the moment.

—Paul Farber

What’s your favorite Superjam moment of all-time?

Video: Bric-A-Brac: Late Night

Article: Into Tomorrow

Nocturnal pursuits driven by sound and sight, and the eventual breaking on through to the other side of the day, can often leave the soul with a profound impression. Take your first steps into the night here: Into Tomorrow

Video: Wolfgang Gartner on Late Night Sets

Article: Late Nights, Early Days

Cell phone reception was virtually non-existent, and there was no such thing as a text message. But somehow we all got along, found our friends, and rocked until well after six in the mornin’. Read on to discover (or rediscover) the late night memories from the first Bonnaroo: Late Nights, Early Days

Video: Primus — Tommy The Cat @ Bonnaroo 2011

Article: Ain’t Nothing Like a Late Night Party

When other music festivals in North America are closing down for the day, Bonnaroo is ready for another launch—the incarnation of late-night bacchanalia and all that comes with it. Get amped up for long parties and late nights here: Ain’t Nothing Like a Late Night Party

Video: Gogol Bordello – Immigraniada @ Bonnaroo 2011

Article: Late Night Bonnaroo Buds

Late night is for the innovators, the magicians, the scientists of music—and, of course, it’s a chance to see something fresh.”  “But it’s also for the pixies, ravers, hippies, and music freaks of all shapes and sizes. No festival can touch the magical vibe and the people that make it what it is. I love me some crazy, and I love late night Bonnaroo.” Get in touch with your inner musical mutant here: Late Night Bonnaroo Buds

Video: Primus — American Life @ Bonnaroo 2011

Article: ROCKING IN THE CAMPGROUND WITH MMJ’S PATRICK HALLAHAN

“The very first year we played, I was fascinated by this mobile city that is the festival camping scene,” says Hallahan. “I feel that there’s actually another festival going out there, but a lot of people, the performers, don’t get to see it. I now make it a point every year to go out to the campgrounds and walk around. It’s very much part of the festival for me.” Take a tour of the farm at night with Hallahan with the full article here: Rocking in the Campground with MMJ’s Patrick Hallahan