Bonnaroo was a trip. It all started on June 12, 2008, when I left for Manchester, Tennessee. I hopped on a flight to Nashville with my hernia-inducing camping bag strapped tightly to my body, finally making it there after a grueling day of flight delays, delightful conversations with strangers and - the icing on the cake - gross airport food.
Little did I know that I was in for a much more physically taxing experience than I had anticipated. The sun had set by the time I found my camping spot, and let me just tell you that setting up shop in the night is way more complicated than you'd think. But I persevered, pitching a tent for the first time in my life (these hands have never done anything harder than typing on a keyboard) and proving everyone back home wrong that thought I'd immediately wither and die without my huge bed (it could fit a family of four, no joke).
Well, four days later and I was close to the withering stage. Over the course of the festival, I hopped from tent to tent, seeing bands at an exhausting rate. But it was well worth the trip to be able to catch sets from M.I.A. (she claimed it was her last show ever... right), Pearl Jam, Metallica, Kanye West, Aimee Mann, Jakob Dylan, B.B. King, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings and much, much more.
Luckily, I survived my time in Elvis' home state and made it back to New York in one piece. Fortunately for you, I had a camcorder glued to my right hand at all times so that I'd be able to show you how I made it through the hard times. So if you have 16 minutes to spare and could use a good laugh (not to mention see some exclusive footage of performances and interviews), then enjoy the videos below - but don't say I didn't warn you.
Part 1
If you can't see the embedded video, click here to watch it on YouTube.
Part 2
If you can't see the embedded video, click here to watch it on YouTube.
Part 3
If you can't see the embedded video, click here to watch it on YouTube.
Part 4
If you can't see the embedded video, click here to watch it on YouTube.
tell from your camera angles, we probably weren't far from each
other. C-c-crazy! Except I didn't think Kanye's performance was
that great. I thought it was the thinnest, cheesiest story line
to use to try to tie his songs together. Maybe I was just pissed
that I waited two hours for it. ha.