Superfly & AC Entertainment confirm that
a who’s who of musicians across a striking number of genres will travel
to Manchester, TN this June for the annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts
Festival. Confirming numerous rumors, Pearl Jam will headline the
seventh annual event for the first time, along with heavy-metal titans
Metallica and longtime Bonnaroo staple Jack Johnson, who has slowly
grown into a headlining spot since his first appearance in 2002, the
festival’s inaugural year. As previously reported, Bonnaroo will take
place from June 12-15, on the same 700-acre farm that has served as its
home since the event’s inception.
Other marquee acts scheduled to appear include Kanye West, Robert Plant
& Alison Krauss, Phil Lesh & Friends, My Morning Jacket, The
Allman Brothers Band, The Raconteurs, Willie Nelson and Death Cab for
Cutie. While this marks The Raconteurs’ first Bonnaroo appearance, the
group’s guitarist, Jack White, made his Bonnaroo debut in 2007 along
with the White Stripes. Lesh has been a Bonnaroo staple since 2002,
performing with his solo band in 2002 and 2006, as well as The Dead in
2003 and 2004. Of all the bands on this year’s bill, perhaps My Morning
Jacket has become most synonymous with the festival itself, moving from
a humble tent performance in 2003 to the festival’s second largest
Which Stage from 2004-2005 to one of Bonnaroo’s coveted late-night
shows in 2005. After taking 2007 off from Bonnaroo, the group is
expected to play one of the festival’s most prominent slots, just days
after the release of its forthcoming studio album, Evil Urges.
As in years past, Bonnaroo has booked a number of legendary roots
performers, including blues veteran B.B. King, soul great Solomon
Burke, seminal African collective Orchestra Baobab, reggae stalwarts
Israel Vibration and Band icon Levon Helm, who will arrive with a
traveling version of his Ramble Sessions band, dubbed the Ramble on the
Road. Abigail Washburn will lead an all-star version of her Sparrow
Quartet featuring Bela Fleck, while Lesh and his current "friends"
Larry Campbell and Jackie Greene will offer a bonus acoustic
performance. Fleck will also join Luke Bulla, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Edgar
Meyer and Bryan Sutton for a set dubbed The Bluegrass Allstars.
In the indie-rock realm, Bonnaroo promises appearances by the
reunited Broken Social Scene, Sigur Ros, Iron & Wine, Gogol
Bordello, The Fiery Furnaces. Minus the Bear, Jose Gonzalez, Battles,
Two Gallants, Ghostland Observatory, Rilo Kiley and emerging buzz-bands
like the Black Kids, Nicole Atkins, MGMT and Vampire Weekend. Of
course, Bonnaroo will retain its roots in live, improvisational music
with performances by Umphrey's McGee, Yonder Mountain String Band,
Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi’s Soul Stew Revival, Little Feat,
Robert Randolph’s Revival, Ozomatli, Steel Train, Dark Star Orchestra
and The Lee Boys.
As in years past, the festival will also nod to organic pop (Ben Folds,
O.A.R., Mason Jennings, Jakob Dylan, Donavon Frankenreiter, Aimee Mann
and Dispatch offshoot State Radio), hip-hop (M.I.A., Talib Kweli and
Lupe Fiasco), trad-rock (Drive-By Truckers, The Avett Brothers, Back
Door Slam and The Felice Brothers), soul revival (Sharon Jones &
the Dap Kings), world music (Grupo Fantasma), acoustic-based music
(Swell Season, Serena Ryder, Tegan & Sara), country (Pat Green),
New Wave (Against Me!), electronica (Ladytron) and metal (Mastodon, The
Sword). While long-rumored headliner Led Zeppelin will not appear, all
girl tribute act Lez Zeppelin is on the bill.
Bonnaroo’s Comedy Tent will return at full force, with appearances by
David Cross, Janeane Garofalo, Zach Galifianakis, Jim Norton, Brian
Posehn, Mike Birbiglia, John Mulaney and Michelle Buteau. Cross' performance is billed as Bonnaroo Late Time Chat About,
"an original midnight talk show complete with a house band, comic skits
and special guests."
A handful of additional acts will be announced in the coming weeks. In
total, Bonnaroo will feature over 100 performances throughout 13
stages.
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