Pearl Jam Metallica Chris Rock Jack Johnson Talib Kweli Lupe Fiasco Kings of Leon (unscheduled but told Rolling Stone magazine they'd drive down and play after Pearl Jam on Saturday) The Raconteurs Widespread Panic Tiesto (AMAZING live... basically tuns the entire festival into a giant rave at 2AM) Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin's lead singer) B.B. King Les Claypool My Morning Jacket Sigur Ros (M Two One turned me onto these guys) Death Cab for Cutie Derek Trucks Band Stephen Marley Yonder Mountain String Band Charlie 2na (of Jurassic 5) Robert Randolph ...and many more. Bands I don't like but other people might be interested in - Kanye West M.I.A. Ben Folds Willie Nelson Who's going?
You're right it's a nice lineup of artists. How does the event work? Do you have to buy tickets for each day or do you just crash there for 4 straight days?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Shapecity @ May 27 2008, 12:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>You're right it's a nice lineup of artists. How does the event work? Do you have to buy tickets for each day or do you just crash there for 4 straight days?</div> Tickets are sold as four day passes with parking and camping fees included. It's held every year in Manchester, TN. It's usually a typical festival with the hippie crowd and whatnot, but this year it'll be a lot more commercialized. The festival has been sold to a group like Viacom or some MTV-like organization from what I understand, hence Pearl Jam, Metallica, and (unfortunately) Kanye West. The rest of the festival roster (the bands that I didn't list) is filled with the typical festival jam/electronic/blues bands though (I didn't list because most people wouldn't know them, ie: Phil Lesh, Iron & Wine, Bela Fleck, Henry Butler, Jakob Dylan, Dark Star, Little Feat, etc.), so it'll still have that vibe. They've also got a comedy tent all four days with comics like Louis C.K., Mike Birbiglia, Zach Galifianakis, Janeane Garofalo, etc., and something that's really exciting for me in particular, a tent with nothing but New Orleans music like Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave., Big Sam's Funky Nation, Soul Rebels, etc. It's expensive as fuck, but it's worth it, and I've figured out a bit of a loophole where you volunteer helping set things up the day before or clean up afterwards and get a free all-day pass plus free camping and parking. It's basically the four day escape that west coast festivals like Burning Man are but with great music. It'll be the kind of thing where I roll up with friends Thursday morning, drink a little, go see some great music, then come back to the camp site and party. Then I'll wake up the next day, go see a full day of good music with friends, meet cool people, go back to the camp site occassionally and rest and just shoot the shit, then see some more music. Sometimes it'll go until 6 - 7 in the morning, and it starts again at noon. It's basically everything you could want in a four day event. Get tired of music? Go see some comedy. Get tired of both? Go chill with friends at your camp site. And through it all, some of the most iconic, amazing bands I've wanted to see will be playing, like Pearl Jam, Metallica, etc. And honestly, I'm the most excited to see Chris Rock, haha.
The only time I saw him play was when it was still Ben Folds Five. They opened for DMB and it was my first concert back in '98. I had no idea how great his music was/is and ignored the entire show. A friend of mine saw him play in PA a month or two back and apparently he said he'll have a new album coming out fairly soon. Can't wait.
