Radio Bonnaroo’s Mark chats with the guys from Decemberists backstage at Bonnaroo.

MGMT plays Bonnaroo late Saturday night.  The band stopped by for a backstage interview.  Check it out, and make sure you tune in to a special Groove Show live from Bonnaroo, tonight from 10pm – Midnight.  We’ll have exclusive backstage songs from some of the artists playing Bonnaroo.

Brad and I arrived at Bonnaroo on Thursday night, just in time to catch White Rabitts (incredible) and Passion Pit.  While the music was fantastic, the drama surrounding the night was even more intense.  You see, Brad and I had a little mishap with our luggage, leaving us separated from our Bonnaroo life supplies.  He wanted his “stuff” and I wanted my makeup.  After every attempt at seeing music, we decided it was time to get our bags.  So we went on a hunt…looking for the bus carrying our only connection to civilization (besides the blackberrys and laptops and satellite TV on the tour bus which is our home for 3 days).  Long story longer, we found our bags and got them to the bus just in time to hear that the tornado watch that had been in effect for the area, had quickly turned into a tornado warning.  As I was ushered back to the media camp to escape the nastiness of mother nature, I could hear people saying “…in case a tornado hits, we need to get inside a building, like the Other tent”.  Um,  if I’m not mistaken, a tent is not even close to being a structurally sound entity.  But, I guess when one camps in a field with a tarp tied to a tree for shelter, a big tent with electrical wires strewn all over the place would present itself as a virtual bomb shelter.   In the end, all was good and the little people of Bonnaroo land were safe.  As we lay our heads down to rest with the thumping of the drums keeping beat to the rolling thunder clasps, we knew that once again, we were home…at Bonnarooooooooooooooo.

Laura

WTTS favorites Gomez hit the Bonnaroo stages this afternoon at 12:30.  Before their set, they stopped backstage for a quick chat with Mark, Radio Bonnaroo interviewer extraordinaire.

It’s Brad Holtz, from the rural fields of the 8th Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, TN.  We arrived late last night, just in time to catch a rousing, energetic set from Cambridge, MA newcomers Passion Pit .  Other sets of interest included Bonnaroo first-timers Erin McCarley and White  Rabbits. 

Check out the White Rabits “The Plot” music video 

Here’s Passion Pit doing “Sleepy Head”

The sky’s over Manchester opened earlier in the afternoon and the mud was in full force when we arrived.  Severe storms moved through the area around 10pm and evening rain made for an even muddier Bonnaroo experience this morning. Friday’s forecast calls for a 40% chance of storms, some potentially severe. 

But we’re not letting anything get in our way!  The music lineup is spectacular – Friday highlights include Al Green, Beastie Boys, Phish, David Byrne, TV On The Radio, Public Enemy, Animal Collective, Bela Fleck and more.  We’ll post backstage interviews, photos, video and more here on the Blogaroo.  And be sure to tune to 92-3 WTTS this afternoon for 3-7pm, as Laura and I broadcast live.  Bonnaroooo!

Brad Holtz here, and it’s hard to believe it’s already June, but it’s that magical time of the year where tens of thousands of music lovers gather in rural Tennessee for the unique social experiment known as Bonnaroo.  The 8th annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival kicks off Thursday afternoon in Manchester, TN.   Check out the official Bonnaroo preview video.

The lineup (again) is nothing short of stellar.  And the diversity is once again second-to-none.  Where else can you see Phish and Snoop Dog in the same weekend?  Or Public Enemy and Merle Haggard? 

Laura Duncan and I are heading south this week for what will be our 6th live broadcast from Bonnaroo.  We’ll broadcast Friday afternoon, and throughout Saturday (all afternoon and from 9pm-Midnight for a special Groove Show live from Bonnaroo).  Tune in for backstage reports, artist interviews and exclusive performances from some of the artists playing Bonnaroo.

We welcome your comments and feedback here on the WTTS Blogaroo.  And a very special thanks for some “behind-the-scenes” folks who are making the Blogaroo and live broadcasts happen:  Kelly Walker, Erin Masterson, Craig Shank and George Drake.  (We’ll have a few BonnaBeers for each of you).

New to Bonnaroo?  Check out these great “How To Bonnaroo” video tips with Rufus Leaking.