It’s fair to say we’ve been down this path before. And yet…

As Bonnaroo enters year seven there is a certain familiarity to the course of events. Wednesday tends to be a day of line checks and final coats (or nearly so). A stroll around the festival grounds on this day revealed that such efforts were indeed underway, from the performance spaces on through Planet Roo. Indeed there was something of a measured pace, mandated not only by the heat but also by a dollop of well-earned confidence, since as many of the tasks were being handled by the same individuals who had taken them on in years past.

A sense of quiet assurance was in evidence at a mid-afternoon press conference. Local politicians and law enforcement officials joined AC Entertainment’s Ashley Capps and Superfly Presents’ Rick Farman for an overview of what is to come. Farman noted that Bonnaroo has become a “family gathering.” This is true not only in the sense of familiar faces returning annually but also in the age range of the concertgoers, with an increasingly number of parents bringing their young children to the Roo. Manchester Mayor Betty Superstein spoke of her family’s own enthusiasm for the festival, where the presence of fourteen house guests led her to prepare a “wagon load of food.”

Still this wouldn’t be Bonnaroo without an element of novelty and flux. Some of this can be found in the line-up itself, with debut performances from Metallica, Pearl Jam, Chris Rock, Sigur Ros and many others looming on the horizon. The announcement that Kayne West would be performing a late night set from the What Stage with his full-on Glow In The Dark show provided fodder for conversation, while the identity of the SuperJam players remained a subject of intrigue. In addition, talk also turned to concert strategy with so many simultaneous performances, and particular angst regarding Friday’s late night offerings (My Morning Jacket/SuperJam/Tiesto/Disco Biscuits/New Orleans SuperJam).

Much of the focus and energy on site during the day was directed to the newer structures and facilities. One of these is a U.S. postal facility, which is being created out of mud and straw in Centeroo. As evening neared, the Post Office was still in process, with numerous volunteers pitching in to assist. The building should receive much traffic over the course of the weekend, as beyond being an impressive edifice, the USPS will be offering a special pictorial postmark based around the Bonnaroo logo.

Another new construct is the Fuse Barn. The first such facility to grace the fest, the area boasts a mechanical bull and will build on a down-home country theme, with pie eating contests and calf-roping roping demonstrations, Still as befits a cable TV network, the Barn also will offer live stage feeds, a cellphone charging bar and an “internet corral.”

All in all, however, the new component of Bonnaroo that seemed to generate the most interest on Wednesday was Something Else New Orleans. This area will present a range of musicians, photos, food and drink with Crescent City origins. Something Else New Orleans also will have a charitable component, with a five dollar donation required at entry to help support a number of New Orleans based charities.

As evening approached, Ashley Capps was on his way to visit Something Else and beamed as he discussed it. “It’s not right to call it a tent,” he noted, “it’s so much more than that. It has the vibe of a classic New Orleans juke joint.”

Then, just before moving on, Capps paused, smiled and added, “I’m just so excited, we’re going to have a good one this year.”

This sentiment prevailed all around the festival grounds on Wednesday, as Bonnaroo certainly has shaken off any seven year itch.

Laissez le Bon Temp Rouler.