Stevie Wonder performed at Bonnaroo in 2011 to a sold-out crowd of 80,000, most of whom sang along to every song from start to finish.
Paul McCartney is among the headliners for the 2013 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn. The four-day festival, held on a rural 700-acre farm, will be held June 13-16, 2013.IF YOU GOTickets for Bonnaroo, which range from $254-$269 (not including fees), go on sale Saturday at noon EST at bonnaroo.com. The festival runs June 13-16.
As the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival and its fans have matured, it could be argued that it is still a tattoos and ponytails event, but the ink has faded some, and the ponytails are graying a bit.
Whether that is a good or bad thing depends on your perspective.
The lineup for the inaugural Bonnaroo in 2002 was top heavy with jam, or “hippie,” acts such as Trey Anastasio of Phish, Widespread Panic, String Cheese Incident and Gov’t Mule.
But over the years, Bonnaroo has brought in older classic rock and country acts such as Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder and Kenny Rogers — and with them their fans. And with each new lineup, the festival has heard accusations of either selling out — or perhaps worse — getting old.