Bonnaroo Battles: Willie Nelson vs. Chris Rock
Yesterday, Bonnaroo released the daily schedule, allowing all of us festival-goers a chance to debate over which act to see. At each festival there are always tough choices to be made. These conflicts can make or break one’s concert experience. This year’s Bonnaroo is no different. In our new feature, Bonnaroo Battles give us an opportunity to square up some of the major scheduling conflicts. In the first match, Willie Nelson and Chris Rock go head to head. Who will reign supreme?
Celebrity Supporters
Chris Rock and Willie Nelson both have a lot of famous friends, some of who will end up enjoying Bonnaroo from a front row stage location. At Coachella 2007, both Flea and Johnny Knoxville were seen on stage watching Nelson’s set. Nelson is also a big fan of collaborations and has played with Bob Dylan, Keith Richards and Kid Rock. Chris Rock is friends with some of the biggest names in the business; Denzel Washington, Tom Cruise and Oprah. Rock has also poked fun at fellow Bonnaroo performer Kanye West. I wouldn’t be surprised if West makes an appearance during Chris Rock’s set.
Winner: Chris Rock
This one is a gimmie. Everyone knows that you don’t mess with friends of Oprah.
“Damn the Man” factor
Both Willie Nelson and Chris Rock have strong feelings against this country’s government.
Willie Nelson doesn’t pay his taxes, fights for the environment, and has been issued a misdemeanor drug charge after his stash was seized from his tour bus.
Chris Rock has joked that the government put out the California wildfires with Hurricane Katrina Water, that George Bush is behind all of the celebrity tabloid news in order to distract us from the war in Iraq, and claims that the government doesn’t want you to vote, “They don’t want you to vote. If they did, we wouldn’t vote on a Tuesday. In November. You ever throw a party on a Tuesday? No. Because nobody would come”.
Winner: Willie Nelson
Chris Rock may talk the talk, but Willie walks the walk.
Live Show
Willie Nelson has a great live show. He brings out his family band, and they jam out. Willie jokes and smiles and you feel like you’ve gone back in time about 100 years to a time when farming was a way of life, before corporations took over the world.
Chris Rock is arguably the funniest stand up comic of today. He is an equal opportunity offender tackling racism, gay rights, and relationships in a way that would end any other comic’s career.
Winner: Chris Rock
Chris Rock playing the main stage at Bonnaroo is going to be historic and is expected to be one of the largest crowds ever for a comedy show.
Overall Winner: Chris Rock
Bonnaroo Battle Rock vs. Nelson was a nail biter, but ultimately Chris Rock is the victor. Rock’s show is going to be epic and should not be missed.
Check Out:
Chris Rock on Rap Music
This isn’t a conflict. They only overlap for 15 minutes. The real conflict is Willie vs. MIA.
Saw Willie Nelson a couple of years ago. Was really looking forward to it as I had never seen him before. I left the show a little disappointed. He played a ton of songs, all his hits, but the problem was he either sped them up a lot or did medleys in order to fit them all in. As a result, Stardust or On The Road Again or [insert song here] just felt rushed (obviously) and there was no time to connect to the song. I would still see him again, but only at a big festival like this and only if there were no other bands on at the same time that I wanted to see. Needless to say, I’ll be at Chris Rock.