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February 06, 2008
Bonnaroo lineup: Grunge, Metal gods overtake the jambands
Bonnaroo organizers announced their initial 2008 lineup shortly after midnight Eastern Time last night. Headliners Pearl Jam and Metallica seem to be the most significant bellwether yet of the 'Roo's shift towards a more mainstream image than its hippie jamband roots imply. Lest we mention one of the most notorious of American rock festivals, Woodstock '99 tried to co-opt both the love everyone ethos most closely associated with the 1960s with the then contemporary hard rockers of Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Korn, Insane Clown Posse, Rage Against the Machine, among others, with shameful and tragic results.
I'm not trying to imply anything by these mentions, really. It would be a terribly misinformed conclusion to think the fine folks at Superfly do not know what they are doing by linking them to the gross incompetence displayed by profiteering backers of Woodstock '99. Undeniably noteworthy, however, is the long term slide in focus from the enormous jammy wonderland of early Bonnaroos to the newest incarnation of a true "big tent" American music festival.
Bonnaroo is inching into territory its most infamous festival cousin scorched in the heat of upstate New York in the way it's bridging vastly distinct and often diametrically opposed musical cultures. Surely offending some Roo loyalists as much as thrilling diversity loving members counted in the "shuffle generation" along the way. What we can all agree on is how insane one would have been a few years ago if he or she predicted Metallica would take top bill at Bonnaroo.
After the jump, some of this year's Bonnaroo-ians broken down in arbitrary lists. Starting with Hippie & Dippie.
Previously: Coachella '08 lineup
Hippie:
Phil Lesh & Friends
My Morning Jacket
Allman Brothers
Willie Nelson
Umphrey's McGee
Yonder Mountain String Band
Dark Star Orchestra
Drive-by Truckers
Dippie:
Raconteurs
Jack Johnson
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
B.B. King
O.A.R.
Jakob Dylan
Indie:
Death Cab for Cutie
Sigur Ros
M.I.A.
Iron & Wine
Tegan & Sara
Broken Social Scene
Rilo Kiley
!!!
Ladytron
Battles
The Fiery Furnances
Black Kids
Vampire Weekend
Big Names:
Pearl Jam
Kanye West
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
WTF?:
Against Me!
Metallica
Final note - no Phish reunion, or ex-Phish member solo projects. M.S. researchers are all on loan to political campaigns, but this must be a first. Of course this means no Trey - who is likely taking a lower profile since some unfortunate recent struggles, though he seems to be doing better.
Posted by Merry Swankster at February 6, 2008 03:10 AM
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