Mind on Music

Summer: a collegiate conundrum. Not quite pure relaxation, not quite constant work, all identity crisis. Every summer, there are a few concerts or music festivals that generate inordinate amounts of excitement and planning, and Bonnaroo has consistently topped this group.

For those of you who were out of the loop for your entire adolescent lives, Bonnaroo is the supreme trifecta of live musical performances, comedic standup, and camping, held each year on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tenn., for four straight days. In addition to live acts, the environmentally-friendly event entertains an assorted crowd, numbering in the 10s of thousands, with a disco, arcade, Internet cafés, cinema, yoga classes, and hundreds of vendors.

June 14 to 17 mark the sixth anniversary of the Bonnaroo, which promises to be on an unprecedented level. While in the past musical groups have typically been largely contained to jam bands, organizers have secured a wider variety of acts, delving into the electronica, hip-hop, and indie rock scenes in an effort to diversify.

Bonnaroo 2007's stellar lineup boasts recently reunited headliners the Police, along with Tool, Widespread Panic, Franz Ferdinand, the Flaming Lips, Manu Chao, Wilco, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, and the White Stripes. Other lesser-known but still top-notch performers include Feist, Regina Spektor, the Decemberists, Damien Rice, Michael Franti, Tea Leaf Green, Wolfmother, Spoon, Girl Talk, Cold War Kids, Keller Williams, Xavier Rudd, and more. And for the country music enthusiasts … there will be Dierks Bentley. Wee.

Now I, myself, haven't been to Bonnaroo since what I refer to as the Blind Spot Incident of '04, but it's pretty hard to pass up such an impressive lineup and amazing adventure. When it comes down to it, Bonnaroo is about energy from the fans that set aside a considerable amount of money and time from internships, lifeguarding, and waitressing to make the infamous pilgrimage. So, take a brief hiatus from your summer activities to schedule in the concert of a lifetime. Your boss may call it a carefree four-day weekend, but remember, there are rules. When at Woodstock, go topless. But at the 'Roo, wear a shirt. Take it from me, it's illegal not to.