High Temp:
93°F
Low Temp:
64.9°F
8:30am. Like a clock.
Saturday was the hottest day of the event. Which is weird because Saturday night would feel like the coldest… Go figure. Not feeling 100% so, except for the occasional venture to the porta-potties or nearby mist-tent, we did not leave the shade. Which sucks because we missed a few great bands that played in the afternoon, including reggae guru Ziggy Marley.
Yesterday’s events had taught us and there were many bands to see tonight so we sat and slept – near the ground, moving with the shade as the sun moved. It was after dinner and near 6pm when we decided to head in. I grabbed a brownie for the road.
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| Bonnaroo campgrounds 2007 |
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| Walking under the Bonnaroo Arch 2007 |
We dropped in to the What Stage to find a very talented
Ben Harper playing. This guy can play slide guitar like nobody’s business. He was a couple songs into his set when he stopped to introduce
John Paul Jones – from god’s favorite rock band: Led Zeppelin. They played an amazing version of
“Dazed and Confused.” Another song later he brought out
Ziggy Marley, where the two teamed up on
“Get up, Stand up.” Mike and I watched the rest of the set from a crowded but cool tent farther back. I am now a fan of Ben Harper.
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| Ben Harper and John Paul Jones, Bonnaroo 2007 |
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| Bonnaroo dancers 2007 |
When the set was over, a mass exodus of people left the field and we headed in. We got a nice patch of grass, up close and personal, to watch
The Police in action. It was a long wait, made even longer by the fact that they showed the same video on the jumbotrons, advertising the Vegoose Music Festival in Las Vegas about 30 times.
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| What Stage Crowd 2007 |
But at 9pm the stage went dark and the crowd leapt to their feet. They were solidly greeted by the famous trio and
“Message in a Bottle.” They played the classics.
“Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” “Roxanne,” “Every Breathe you Take,” “Walking on the Moon,” “Doo Doo Doo, Da Da Da,” “Synchronicity II,” and
“Cant Stand Losing You.” They were utterly fantastic - though Sting seemed a little disconnected from the crowd. Maybe he expected a surging group of beer-swilling crooners – when what he was actually playing to was the proverbial hippie crowd. It was impossible to attend any of the concerts without the faintest whiff of patchouli or marijuana. And while their set ended early, they came back for two encores and played almost everything I wanted to hear. Almost.
“Don’t Stand So Close To Me” and
“Spirits in a Material World” were missing. But the show was damn near perfect and was certainly unforgettable.
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The Police, Bonnaroo 2007
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It was back to the campsite for a cold beer and a late-night brownie. After a rest, we headed back in to catch techno masters
Sasha & Digweed in action. Due to technical problems, their set started late,
(to the dismay of some very wide-eyed people -- most of the crowd.) But they came out with a hammering beat and dazzling lights to make up for it. It wasn’t long before I was claustrophobic,
(and thirsty), and as I went to get refills for Mike and myself, I realized - walking through the dense, pulsating crowd – that I would never make it back in. And certainly not with two full-beers. I walked around the surrounding areas awhile, taking pictures, sipping beer – all the while hearing the music loud and clear. Mike came out, realizing the situation.
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The Other Tent, 2007
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| Sasha & Digweed, Bonnaroo 2007 |
We sat awhile listening to music and talking with different folks. I met a guy named Wil, a self proclaimed veteran of Bonnaroo though he was much younger than I. He recounted his drug intake that night and asked me of mine. I replied sarcastically that we tried "a little of everything." He must of thought I was cool because as we left he called me his “friend for life.” Then we made our way over to
Gov’t Mule who played a rocking version of
“Warpigs.”
Setlist: Play With Fire (The Rolling Stones cover with Michael Franti); Thorazine Shuffle; Banks of the Deep End; Million Miles From Yesterday; Sugaree (Jerry Garcia cover with Bob Weir); Loser (Jerry Garcia cover with Bob Weir); Johnny Bratton Jam; Lewis Black (Comedy); Johnny Bratton Jam; Unring the Bell; Drums; Moby Dick (Led Zeppelin cover); Living Loving Maid (Led Zeppelin cover with John Paul Jones); Since I've Been Loving You (Led Zeppelin cover with John Paul Jones); No Quarter (Led Zeppelin cover with John Paul Jones); Come Back Baby (with Hot Tuna); Death Don't Have No Mercy (Reverend Gary Davis cover with Hot Tuna); Streamline Woman; Brand New Angel; That's What Love Will Make You Do (Little Milton cover with Luther Dickinson); 32-20 Blues (Robert Johnson cover with Luther Dickinson); Encore: Sweet Leaf (Black Sabbath cover); War Pigs (Black Sabbath cover) Encore 2: Soulshine
Sasha & Digweed played until 5:15 am and we got back to the campsite just in time to watch the sunrise.
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Silent Disco, Bonnaroo 2007
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