A week from today, I’ll be on The Farm, as they call it in Manchester, Tenn., for Bonnaroo, and for the first time in many years, there are questions as to what to expect.
Organizers have tweaked things before, and the moves toward increasing the VIP and day-parking experiences have changed the flavor of the festival over the years.
Barry CourterJust a few weeks before last year’s festival, Live Nation bought a controlling interest in Bonnaroo from co-founders AC Entertainment and Superfly. We didn’t notice too many changes last year because of the timing. There has been plenty of chatter among the regular attendees that I know about what might happen this year.
Earlier this year, it was announced that water mains were being installed on the nearly 700-acre property and that, for the first time, working toilets and showers would be available. I’m conflicted about this, to be honest. The whole camping thing is such a huge part of Bonnaroo for many reasons.
Going is a commitment that, for the most part, everyone shares. There is a kind of brotherhood that people form after sitting all day in a field or in your campsite surrounded by others who are there to share in the music. Portable toilets and showers are part of that.