Bonnaroo 2011

Since we’re in the spirit of sharing things, here’s a pic summary of the glam-fabulous time that was Bonnaroo. I was a newb. I was beside myself with excitement. I had high, HIGH expectations. It did not disappoint. Couldn’t have gone with better folks: The gf, her bro and his gf. Chill, happy, drunken, sloppy times had by all.

Since I was delirious/euphoric with heat and musicgasm I regret to say I didn’t take a single picture. Instead, I scoured the internet for images that I thought may sum up the experience.

My Morning Jacket: Main Stage.

The Bonnaroo sculpture next to the cob house that I drooled over:

Bodies: No holds barred. Wanna sleep in the entrance/walkway/bathroom? Whatever.

The Acclaimed Ferris Wheel:

Bodies

Bonnaroo Main Stage HOT AND SUNNY x100000

Ratatat. So good. Sooo good.

Dude at Girl Talk. ❤

Girl Talk set.Crowd was unreal.

How do you describe something that defies gravity, words, sound? Suffice to say it’ll challenge everything you think you know about music, people, your own will (sooo hot). Legends like Loretta Lynn and Bootsy Collins (Bonnaroo was named after one of his songs) grace the same stages as The Black Keys and Gogol Bordello. I was lucky enough to catch Florence and the Machine, Robyn, My Morning Jacket (a fave of the festival), Beirut, Black Keys, Scissor Sisters, Wavves, Sleigh Bells, Bassnectar, !!!, Man Man, The Drums, Pretty Lights, Ratatat, Girl Talk and STS9.
Scissor Sisters stole the show for me. Each of them were on point as individuals and they were clearly thrilled to be at the Tenth Anniversary of the ever-growing event.
To the guy who gave me a cigarette at STS9, you are a good man. To the guy with the clear umbrella with LED lights that looked like a jelly fish, I’ma steal that.
Thanks, Bonnaroo. See you next year.

Green Festivals

Last year I went to the Solar Festival in Vermont, which was amazing. Bill McKibben spoke there and he is one of the pioneers of the modern environmental movement. I found a great site that advertises green festivals around the country. It’s called GreenFestivals.Org

Harmonica Beatbox

The multimedia availability and versatility of the internet never ceases to amaze me. I spend the majority of this blog blabbering and bitching about the media, but most of us would miss out on stuff like this without it. THis kid rocks my socks!

Sleater Kinney

I wish I’d gotten to see them live while they were still together…

Joshua Bell

An article in the Washington Post describes a sociological experiment in which the wildly talented and well known violinist Joshua Bell plays in a terminal to see whether people would stop to notice or recognize his talent.

In short, some did, but not nearly as many as should have. The moral of the story seems to be that America is devastatingly disconnected from beauty, from life, from happiness. How could a thousand people pass by such magnificence without so much as a glimmer of acknowledgement? Call me old fashioned, call me a hick, call me what you will, but I can barely pass by ANYONE on the street without at least a smile, let alone passing by someone playing as beautifully as he is. I would be late to work, and I would not apologize. Please, don’t misread me as thinking I am somehow superior–far from it. It’s just that I never want to lose that sense of wonder, that sense of really really living.

Take a moment to read the article and watch the videos. If nothing else you may recognize yourself in it somewhere.

Tori Amos’ New Album Release

I’ve been a huge fan of Tori since as far back as I can recall. She is incredibly articulate, poetic, political and talented. But the last few albums were less than astounding, as far as I’m concerned.
May 1, 2007 her newest album is set for release and is causing quite a stir. The title is American Doll Posse, which carries it’s own connotation, but what is most “controversial” is the cover art:

The bible in her right hand and the word “shame” scrawled across the left has been talked about in several countries and in several forms of media such as (MTV and Uncut ) Another reason, aside from the art work is her not-so-subtle political agenda: the album opens with a manifesto called “Yo George” which is addressed to the President, asking such things as “How many young men have to lay down their life and their love of their woman for some sick promise of a heaven?”
What is interesting to me is that her next year of touring is entirely international and outside of the United States. She says, in interview, “I’m sorry, but ‘Love thy neighbor as yourself’ is nowhere to be found in our current regime.” More than ever I understand and appreciate the importance of Freedom of Speech. I am glad she’s doing it and I’m glad people are listening, I just wish she was doing it IN the US, not yelling across the ocean.