A few more observations from Friday night and Saturday at the now completed Bonnaroo 2008. Check back to Consequence of Sound for my full recap and some more interviews in the near future…

Friday Night:

Metallica: Certainly proved to many of the doubters that they could still rock.  In an attempt to please the fans there to see them and the traditional Bonnaroo kids, the band hit some songs from their classic, metal days and from the more jammed out, slower era.

My Morning Jacket: With a three hour set scheduled, lots of surprises were expected.  Those who braved it through the torrential downpour (and it was wicked for a while) were treated to probably MMJ’s largest gig to date, featuring many covers (including songs by Erykah Badu and Parliament) and collaborations with Metallica’s Kirk Hammett and Zach Galifiankis.

SuperJam: The now traditional, late-night SuperJam pleased the Bonneroo veterans and rookies.  Many stars shared the stage, including Les Claypool (in disguise) and multiple members of Gogol Bordello (who were set to perform on the Which Stage about 12 hours later).

Tiësto: The DJ megastar pulled in the party, keeping the crowd dancing “in search of sunrise” – and the entire campground found it (literally).  Tiësto shared his spotlight with fellow Bonnaroo artists Jose Gonzalez, Tegan & Sara and the Cary Brothers.

There were no tornadoes (a la Wakarusa), yet one did stumble across many tents washed out of the flooded campsites after the storm settled a bit.

Saturday:

Soul Rebel Brass Band: Funk toast was for breakfast, as the Soul Rebel Brass Band welcomed in the crowd.  Pumping up the crowd was not a problem and the mass of people in front of the stage continued to build, as more and more people walked nearby and heard the party music.

Against Me!: The boys were loud! Packing in That Tent as thick as M.I.A., the raucous crowd enjoyed a set consisting mostly of songs off of New Wave and the first couple of albums (only a couple off of Searching for a Former Clarity).

Ozomatli: The mainstage crowd seemed relatively sparse compared to the evening shows, but those in attendance spent the entire time dancing to the eclectic band.  Folks were particularly pumped when Tre Hardson of the Pharcyde (now at least a touring member of Ozomatli) worked “She Keeps on Passing Me By.”

Much of the crowd was left wondering where was Chali 2na?

Gogol Bordello: Gogol continued their tear through the festival circuit with their impressive performance on the Which Stage (the main stage going on at the time), which was simultaneously also shown in all the lounges.

The Avett Brothers: Chock full of sing-alongs, the group worked their way through their catalog, while a huge crowd dangled out of the sides of the tent, leaving an extraordinary amount of people sitting around the outskirts on blankets.

Ozomatli (on the Sonic Stage): Seeing a band on the Sonic Stage is like watching a concert in your own, personal backyard.  The Los Angeles band brought the funk, jamming out and dancing, showing that the artists can have as much fun as the crowd at festivals like Bonnaroo and, when they do, it will translate over to the other side.

De Novo Dahl: Polyphonic Spree with few members and more colorful.  Band members were seen sporadically throughout the weekend promoting themselves and making new friends.

Jack Johnson: It was a Jack Johnson set, featuring collaborations with Eddie Vedder and Money Mark (who helped him with “Whole Lotta Love”, before setting off to prepare for his own set in This Tent.)

Pearl Jam: In front of possibly the largest modern U.S. festival main stage crowd and keeping the Bonnaroo vibe going strong, Pearl Jam’s set featured collaborations with other festival artists (Jack Johnson), megajams and, of course, covers.  Rocking two encores (the first lasting as long as the initial show), the rock veterans played a three-hour set chock-full of favorites, including the essentials “Daughter”, “Better Man”, “Corduroy”, and “Alive”.

Sigur Rós: If one was seeking relaxation, the beautiful melodies evoking from the band sent shivers of emotions into the crowd.  While showcasing some of the new songs, they made sure to hit the fan favorite during their two hour set.

Talib Kweli: Commanded the stage and easily held down one of the tightest hip hop sets that Bonnaroo fans have ever witnessed.  Highlight of his tremendous set might have been Black Star’s “Definition”, although the crowd seemed to be most excited for “Get By”.

Ghostland Observatory: Pulled a heavy crowd from Kanye  and held it down as the surprise hit of the night (or morning).  The crowd at This Tent extended double the length of the shelter.

Chali 2na: Final surprise of Saturday night was the popular ‘Roo vets, Galactic, sharing the stage with their friend….

Kanye West: After clearly breaking down again and forcing organizers to switch around the schedule, West could not pull the proper headlining crowd that Pearl Jam did.

Photos via Brooklyn Vegan and ohnotheydidnt…

Categories: Festival News/Rumor, News
Tags: Against Me!, Bonnaroo Music Festival, Chail 2na, CoS at Bonnaroo, De Novo Dahl, Ghostland Observatory, Gogol Bordello, Jack Johnson, Kanye West, Metallica, My Morning Jacket, Ozomatli, Pearl Jam, Sigur Rós, Soul Rebel Brass Band, Talib Kweli, The Avett Brothers, Tiësto