MANCHESTER, TN (CelebrityAccess) – Festival season is in full swing, and that includes the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, a four-day experience of celebrating the best in live music ranging from legends to electronic, jazz, country, rock, and hip hop. The AC Entertainment and C3 Presents produced festival is held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, TN and kicked off Thursday (June 15), running until Sunday (June 18).
Editor’s note: The festival is over, but you can check out all CelebrityAccess’ (CA) live event coverage on Instagram.
Friday (June 16):
Bonnaroo’s Friday lineup included breakout country singer Morgan Wade, Memphis’ Three 6 Mafia, DJ Griz, funk band Vulfpeck, DJ Diesel, aka Shaquille O’Neal and headliner Kendrick Lamar, among others.
Nashville recording artist and singer/songwriter Morgan Wade opened her set at the ‘Which Stage’ with “The Night,” a song about Morgan’s struggle with sobriety and subsequently finding herself. Scheduled to attend the ‘Roo in 2021 before heavy rain caused the festival’s cancellation – the fans were anxious to soak up what she could give them. And deliver she did – strumming her pink guitar and pulling out her harmonica to play halfway into her set.
Shortly after 5 pm, hardcore band Knocked Loose opened up the mosh pit and, as our story contributor Ryan said below, “kicked the crowd around.” News outlet The Tennessean reports that a fan in a wheelchair was in the air at one point. Festival attendee Juan Buitrago posted the moment the pit opened on his Twitter account, which you can view below.
.@knockedloose opening up the pit at Bonnaroo was quite an unforgettable sight. https://t.co/tS27pdFQuG pic.twitter.com/fCJkbYyobq
— Juan Buitrago (@shellacandvinyl) June 17, 2023
Even though the sweaty sun-baked crowd thrashed in circles, frontman Bryan Harris told the crowd, “I love this energy. There’s nothing in the world I love more than this energy, and I need you to pick it up.”
Memphis natives Three 6 Mafia made the crowd go wild during their set on the ‘Which Stage’ which began at 7:45 pm – opening with “Who Run It,” from the 2000 album release, When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1.
Unbelievable, the crowd kicked up the energy a notch when the rap group brought Country Music Television (CMT) award winner and record-breaking singer/songwriter Jelly Roll to the stage for a guest appearance on the track “Hard Out Here For a Pimp.” Jelly Roll, never one to shy away from his love of hip-hop, yelled to the crowd before exiting, “We are in the presence of living legends.”
Charley Crockett dusted off his boots and turned the ‘That Tent Stage’ into his honky-tonk. The Texas native reeled off several songs from his extensive catalog singing “Paint It Blue” and others as Roo couples danced in the makeshift “roadhouse.”
MUNA took to the stage as the shade began to enter the landscape. The band’s performance was capped by honorary MUNA member Stacy the Inflatable Horse crowd surfing during the band’s latest single, “The One That Got Away.” Like others to hit the stage, MUNA addressed the anti-LGBTQ laws passed in TN this year, denouncing Governor Bill Lee and his views.
Kendrick Lamar’s cousin Baby Keem provided the warm-up set before Lamar took the stage. The MC brought his rhymes to the ‘What Stage’ at 8:45 pm. Performing alone with screens on the stage, he told the crowd, “If you got a beautiful soul, make some noise!”
Headliner Lamar took to the ‘What Stage,’ the stage set for the festival’s most prominent performers at 11 pm, asking the crowd, “Is anyone alive out there?” He received his answer as he launched into his set, and the sea of live music fans began head-banging and bobbing along to each song Lamar played, including “Backstreet Freestyle,” “Swimming Pools (Drank),” and “Humble” from Lamar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning DAMN. The set featured a dance crew pushing mail carts and shining shoes during Lamar’s “Money Trees.”
His cuz, Baby Keem, returned to the stage near the end of the set to join in on their Grammy-winning collaboration, “Family Ties.” Then, as Friday turned into Saturday, Lamar celebrated turning 36 with a sea of cellphone lights as the crowd sang, “Happy Birthday.”
Bonnaroo performers for day two also included Portugal. The Man, Noah Kahan, Rina Sawayama, Fleet Foxes, Black Midi, Christone Kingfish Ingram, Nashville hip-hop group Six One Tribe (who played the Lamar afterparty), and many more.
As our story contributor, Ryan Buynak (@botheringtheband), had this to say as Bonnaroo closed out Day 2.
“Punk legends AFI gifted the crowd an emotional energy drink spiked with a splash of flamboyant fierceness that the audience desperately needed. This motion moved over to MUNA, who gave a humble and haunted performance – followed by what was a blur.
“Knocked Loose kicked the crowd around with their set, followed by Charley Crockett, who took to the stage and conquered with a more rock-n-roll set than his studio albums capture.
“Then, in the middle of all the madness, a vision – at first terrifying, and then realistically silly parted the sea of sweaty, neon humans … and a man with centaur horns galloped through the crowd. Next to him is a kid, a mini version of this grinning goat demon man.
“It’s all in a day’s work photographing Bonnaroo.”
Saturday (June 17):
Bonnaroo’s Day 3 Saturday lineup included performances by headliner Odesza, Lil Nas X, Louis The Child, Korn, Sheryl Crow, J.I.D, Sofi Tukker, Cory Wong, Jenny Lewis, Danielle Ponder, The Backseat Lovers and many more.
Singer/Songwriter Tyler Childers drew country music lovers to the ‘Which Stage,’ and many of them as the KY native has amassed a die-hard fan following throughout his career. He mesmerized the crowd by singing in support of his 2022 LP Can I take My Hounds to Heaven?
For over an hour, Childers and his backing band, The Food Stamps, traveled through bluegrass, country, americana and gospel music – somehow bringing all the eclectic fans in the audience together while he commanded the stage.
American Idol contestant, 27-year-old Cali native Remi Wolf took over the ‘That Tent Stage’ with fans spilling out across the lawn to catch her set. The Tennessean reports the crowd was chanting her name five minutes before she took the stage.
Remi was busy throughout the four-day festival – in addition to performing, she officiated four weddings.
Sheryl Crow, one of the OG’s to hit the stage, took her time throughout her set, sharing experiences and hoping to connect with the younger crowd in the audience.
The activist singer/songwriter used her time at ‘Roo to discuss mental health and transgender rights. She recalled a story from the ’90s when a transgender person was kicked out of a coffee shop in Pasadena for “disturbing” others. In that experience, she told the crowd that’s when she wrote: “Hard To Make A Stand.”
She dedicated “Cross Creek Road” to all of the people in attendance “struggling with their low lows.
The ball of energy that is Lil Nas X didn’t disappoint as he took the stage for his Saturday performance. Complete with costumed outfits and giant creatures; his performance was one of embracing who you are and not being ashamed of it – exuding the sex appeal he’s known for.
The crowd went wild as he launched into “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” which kicked off his exhausting set. Also on the setlist were the tracks “Don’t Want It,” “Down Souf Hoes,” and his hit collaboration with country star Billy Ray Cyrus, “Old Town Road.”
The night ended with fireworks and EDM artist Odesza’s headlining set in the early morning hours. The headliner’s set was complete with a full electronic display and fireworks.
Our story contributor, Ryan Buynak (@botheringtheband), provided the following insight on Bonnaroo’s day 3.
“Bonnaroo’s Saturday lineup brought headliners Odesza and rapper Lil Nas X to the ‘What Stage.’ Singer/songwriter Tyler Childers drew country fans to the ‘Which Stage,’ followed by Kentucky rock band My Morning Jacket to close out the large stage. On the ‘In This Tent’ Stage, iconic Nu Metal band Korn offered an energetic 12:45 am set.
“Saturday night’s energy started rising like a wave, building to a crescendo and crashing with cymbals and symbols. Saturday was a true example of the wide mix of artists, which has made Bonnaroo so memorable over the last decade.”
Sunday, June 18:
Bonnaroo’s final day was packed with names like Paramore, Paris Jackson, Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors, Umphrey’s McGee, Marcus Mumford, Alesso, and many more. The Foo Fighters brought the four-day festival to a close as the final and headlining band for the night.
Paramore returned to the ‘Roo and played the festival’s biggest stage – making their festival debut in 2018. The band’s latest album, 2022’s This Is Why, was the band’s first in six years.
Launching into “You First,” lead singer Haley Williams bounced around the stage with more energy than the energizer bunny – kicking, dancing and moving her entire body through their list of songs. Fans sang along as the sun began to go down.
Williams told the crowd, “We’re right here in our backyard, thank you, Tennessee. Last time we played was one of the most memorable shows we’ve ever had. Thank you for being here tonight.”
The Foo Fighters shut down the festival in the only way they could – tenacious, ferocious, forever leaving an impression. They took the stage a little after 9:30 pm as the skies became cloud-covered and rain threatened. But Mother Nature cut the crowd a break leaving the rain for another day as lead singer Dave Grohl and Co. hit the stage to the opening notes of “All My Life.”
Grohl, known for addressing the crowd throughout Foo shows, said, “It’s gonna be a light night, motherf*ckers!” The roar in response from the crowd signaled they could have cared less.
Drummer Josh Freese, taking over for the late Taylor Hawkins, didn’t disappoint on the skins and fell in line with his new band. A year ago, in the wake of Hawkins’ death – fans wondered if the band would ever retake the stage with the same passion. Yes, the answer to that is a resounding yes.
Paramore’s Williams came out to sing with the band during “My Hero,” and Grohl’s daughter Violet Grohl harmonized and sang next to her dad through “Shame Shame” and “Show Me How.” The song “Aurora” slowed the set down and was dedicated to Hawkins – of which Grohl told the crowd, “It was his favorite song.”
After nearly two hours on stage, the band ended with “Everlong,” cementing why the band is so loved and respected after all their years in the business.
Ryan Buynak (@botheringtheband), our story contributor, wrapped up the last day of Bonnaroo 2023 with the following.
“Bonnaroo provided yet another year of marathon jam sessions, ground-shaking EDM, hip-hop heavyweights, and old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll escapism.
“Paramore returned to the Bonnaroo stage – four years after making their ‘Roo debut in 2018. Marcus Mumford shut down the ‘Which Stage’ with an 8:15 pm performance.
“Foo Fighters took the ‘What Stage’ at 9:33 pm with emotional fervor. The skies threatened to open up with rain, but the weather held off, and frontman Dave Grohl came out of the gate screaming through the staccato machine gun rhythm of the song “All My Life.”
“All seemed right in the world – at least the ‘Roo world. It’s almost closing time – the four-night summer camp where thousands of sweaty, sun-soaked live music-loving festivalgoers experience a weekend unlike any other in live entertainment.
“Here’s to Bonnaroo 2024.”
