By Tyler Larrabee and Rusty Odom
Friday showed the progression of a handful of bands, a few of which have been on the Farm before. Many of the bands who hadn’t yet played Bonnaroo are regulars on the festival circuit, so, to be honest, there wasn’t a whole lot that I hadn’t seen before.
But something interesting happened.
There were some pretty serious odes to the past on day two, and they came from artists at every level of success.
Larkin Poe kicked off its set on the main stage with a bruising Allman Brothers’ cover. It was the first song to be played on the What Stage on the day and a sign of things to come. The Driver Era were next on the main stage, and they crushed a cover of INXS’s “I Need You Tonight.” The band was another lovely surprise for those who braved the blazing sun in the middle of the day.
Later in the afternoon, word got around that Billy Strings was in the pit for Key Glock, so that warranted a visit. I love hip-hop, but I’m picky about the new stuff, and even though the backing track blared on occasion, Key Glock was a blast. I understand why Strings wanted to attend.
The temperature was hot, both onstage and in the crowd, and there were many moments that seemed perfectly curated to first-time attenders (like our own Tyler Larrabee) and people here for the 18th time (your boy here). Here are some of our favorites with a ton of pictures at the end. – Rusty Odom
Why we wake up early: 49 Winchester
With the first stage set of the day, 49 Winchester kicked off the Which Stage at 2 p.m. on Friday. Attendees sprawled out in the shade of the nearby trees and eased into the day with the backbeat of soulful country tunes. Isaac Gibson’s iconic voice moves listeners, and his lyricism hits home with many of the Nashville folks in attendance, with nods to the Exit/In and other local references. – Tyler Larrabee
Sunset shows: Khruangbin, Maggie Rogers
Khruangbin took to the What Stage as the sun went down over Bonnaroo, with a vibey, mostly instrumental set. There are a lot of musicians that make loop-based or instrumental tracks, but Khruangbin takes it to a whole other level. Even as just a trio featuring bass, guitar and drums, the band creates an incredibly full sound that slides gracefully from one idea to the next. Enchanting drum beats, reverberating guitar and stank face-inducing beat changes are the reason Khruangbin has risen to the top as festival-performing musicians.
Immediately following Khruangbin was Maggie Rogers on the Which Stage. She started gaining traction from a very young age, but she’s been at it for a while now. As a result, she has become a fully confident, comfortable and mature performer. She gives off the energy of Stevie Nicks in her prime, and her stage setup was similar to something you might see at Caesar’s Palace in Vegas. Maggie started her set at the top of a long, descending set of stairs and walked gracefully down in a slick black cocktail dress. Swinging between upbeat rock and chill acoustic singer-songwriter numbers, Rogers and her band were dialed in and delivered a performance that made her seem 10 times cooler than she already came across. Pharrell Williams said it best: “No notes.” – TL
Headliner: Post Malone
Leading into the weekend, a certain segment of attendees speculated about the possibility of Post Malone bringing out Morgan Wallen. It would make sense on paper, considering the two released a country track together that has spent four consecutive weeks on top of the charts. But nothing could be less traditionally Bonnaroo than Wallen. Happily, this thought ended up being a waste of energy.
Instead, Post brought out Billy Strings – and nothing could have been more classically Bonnaroo than that. It was already obvious when Strings was introduced, but Post Malone knew exactly where he was, and he captured the moment with equal parts composure and confidence.
This was a headlining show in every sense of the term, complete with the most pyrotechnics of any show on the Farm in memory, and it was nearly impossible to not find yourself smiling at the world’s most charming and likable face-tattoo guy. It’s not a shtick either; Malone goes hard. His playful crowd banter was quickly dismissed when it came to lyrics or instrumentation that meant something to him. He took turns letting loose vocally and sharing the spotlight with the various members of his band (which included a three-piece string section.) They shined early and often, many times while Post kneeled at their feet in appreciation. When he walked onto the stage, I thought, “I can’t believe this guy is famous.” When he left it, I couldn’t believe it took him as long as it did. – RO
Late Night: T-Pain, Thundercat
After Post Malone, the crowd filtered out from the main stage and right into the T-Pain audience. Immediately after fireworks ended at the What Stage, “I2I” by Tevin Campbell started blasting from the Which Stage. Suddenly, graphics took over the screen informing everyone in attendance of an impending alien invasion as Red Bull skydivers floated overhead, fireworks trailing them. And just when the “aliens” asked to be taken to our leader, T-Pain ran out from sidestage at full speed.
He dove headfirst into a set full of dancing, hit songs and performances of his collabs with some of the world’s biggest stars like Kanye and Lil Wayne. He was high-energy and incredibly funny, delivering an iconic performance that was deserving of such a massive crowd.
I was able to run to That Tent and catch the end of Thundercat, who still had a huge and rowdy crowd at his disposal at 2 in the morning. Drowning them in thick synth and nasty bass lines, everyone danced and screamed for more. Performing as a trio, his drummer and keys players had intricate setups with lots of auxiliary components, enabling them to create the perfect atmosphere. Rocking in-the-pocket grooves coupled with his sweet and quirky personally make Thundercat a festival must-see. It was a great way to end the night in Centeroo. – TL
