What a hot cookin' afternoon here at 'Roo. I was intending to... well, I forget now what exactly it was I intended to see, but the groovin' funk of the Pimps of Joy Time just reached out and grabbed me as I was passing by the smallish On Tap Lounge. I couldn't see the band (most of the crowd couldn't) but that didn't stop them from throwing down a blistering set that got the crowd dancing in the sweltering Tennessee sun.
Next I walked through the shopping district of planet 'Roo known as Centeroo. Hayes Carll was just finishing up his set. We're in for a treat when he & his band comes to Waterfront Wednesday in July. From there I made my way to the This Tent and caught some of Phosphorescent. They do a unexpected blend of modern rock (lots of multiplier effects) but still maintain an Americana feel to their music. Then it was time to catch some Bela Fleck & The Flecktones in their original line-up formation. As you can image, it was killer. I heard one guy saw "Is this Jazz?" Well, yeah, sort of. Their crowd was huge. This picture only begins to capture what the band saw.
One more thing to note: It seems like Bonnaroos are either nutty dusty or muddy beyond belief. My first two 'Roo's in '06 & 07 were choke inducing dust covered. The last three have been mired in bad smelling mud that turns into a monterous La Brea Tar Pit. While the dust can be daunting (it covers EVERYTHING!) I'll take that over the mud because it's easier to walk from stage to stage.
I'm off to reapply sunscreen & then Ill be interviewing Walk the Moon in an hour or two. Then the fun totally kicks into overdrive: Ray LaMontagne, My Morning Jacket and Primus. It might be hotter than hell here, but I think I've died and gone to heaven!