More Than Just Music: Bonnaroo Closes the Gap Between Artists and Fans With An Overwhelming Sense of Community (Pt. 2)
Dear Pleaser Reader, welcome back to our Bonnaroo Bonanza!! Our Bonnaroo coerage was simply too juicy and we had to split it up into two days. Make sure to check out Part 1 to get the full scope of this legendary festival!
“For so many, Bonnaroo is much more than just a concert. The experience extends beyond the nonstop music, the unpredictable weather, or the 90-degree heat. It’s a community of people who gather from all walks of life, connected by their pure and undeniable love of music. ”
SATURDAY:
Between yoga and wellness activities in Outeroo, marriage ceremonies at the house of MatROOmony, set after set in Centeroo, and plenty of pride parties, Saturday was filled to the brim with activities.
Kicking off music for the day with a truly beautiful set, LA-based trio Trousdale brought heartfelt harmonies and messages of empowerment to That Tent. The all-female band consists of Georgia Greene, Quinn D’Andrea and Lauren Jones, and they’re a true powerhouse within the music industry. Statistically speaking, only about 3.4 percent of all music producers in the industry right now are women. Despite the numbers, Trousdale made it a point to write and produce their own music, inspiring those who wish to take the same path.
Like many, this was the first Bonnaroo that Trousdale performed. Since their set was a little earlier in the day on Saturday, the band was apprehensive about whether or not people would actually show up to the set—but the crowd was ready to show some love.
Trousdale filled That Tent with flawless harmonies and vocal arrangements, and the crowd matched the band’s heartfelt energy. Looking around, you could see mothers with their arms around their daughters, best friends screaming the lyrics, and couples wrapped around each other as Trousdale serenaded the audience with songs such as “Out of My Mind” and “Bad Blood.”
Their song “If You’re Hurting,” however, hit close to home for many audience members. The song, which encourages listeners to release whatever emotions they have been holding back, created a safety net for those in the crowd who needed it. With lyrics affirming “If you’re hurting, I hope you hear me / When you’re barely hanging on / There is a light at the end of this tunnel / If you’re hurting, it means you’re here,” the words felt like a heavy sigh, and there was a noticeable emotional pull coming from audience members.
“I feel like that song as such a way of cleaning your soul,” Jones told Pleaser. “It finds the little dirt in there, and it’s like ‘What have you been hiding?’ I feel like I’m someone who has a big wall defensively and emotionally, so when I see that being broken down in someone else, it makes me feel like I’m allowed to do it as well. I feel so grateful to be the cause of that experience and to feel that safety, as well.”
At Bonnaroo, there are a lot of moments where it’s totally okay to feel whatever you’ve been holding back. Whether it’s from a moving set, or a visit to one of the weddings held on the festival grounds, or witnessing one of the several proposals that occurred, emotional reactions were not hard to find. Even small things such as trading bracelets or receiving a sticker that says something like “Thank you, I love you,” resonated with vulnerability. Behind every act, there is an emphasis on kindness, and that’s what makes Bonnaroo so special.
Apart from just the music, Saturday Bonnaroo held their annual Pride Parade, where thousands of Bonnaroovians met at the House of Yes to march through the campgrounds all the way to Where in the Woods. The parade manifested a spirit of inclusiveness and expression, complete with glitz, glam and glitter as so many Bonnaroovians gathered to celebrate their identities. Bonnaroo’s crowd proved to be very diverse, and the annual pride parade demonstrates beautiful examples of this diversity through creativity and the expression of sexuality and humanity.
In the same spirit, several acts performed sets that drew people closer together in more ways than just one. Cage The Elephant performed a high-energy set that included hits such as “Ain’t No Rest For the Wicked” and “Cigarette Daydream,” and Red Hot Chili Peppers headlined, serenading the crowd with some of their rock cult classics.
SUNDAY:
As music and festivities continued Saturday night through the sunrise Sunday morning, there was one last day of partying to be had. Sunday’s lineup went crazy, and there were so many insanely talented performers who showed up to end Bonnaroo with a bang.
Your favorite artist’s favorite artist Chappell Roan made her Bonnaroo debut Sunday afternoon. Many fans were stationed for hours in front of the Which Stage in 92-degree heat, though still decked out in hot pink, glitter, drag, and, of course, plenty of pink cowboy hats.
Her entrance began with a Google search visual of the legendary “Am I Gay?” quiz. The audience lost their minds as Chappell Roan walked onto the stage in a latex nurse outfit and dramatic eye makeup.
“I’m so happy to be here. My name is Chappell Roan. We’re gonna have so much fun today, but if someone in the crowd needs help, just point to them,” she said in the middle of her set. “I have direct communication with security, so I can send them out! Let’s be safe out here, okay!”
Chappell Roan’s set was nothing short of phenomenal, and she performed every song as if it would be her last time performing anything ever. The energy in the crowd was unmatched, and it was truly a set to remember.
Headlining and closing out Sunday was British EDM artist and multi-instrumentalist Fred Again, whose set at Bonnaroo was an exclusive U.S. performance. Bonnaroo traditionally closes out Sunday with legendary acts, the last few years bragging Stevie Nicks (2022) and Foo Fighters (2023), but this year, there was a significant deviation from Roo’s routine.
Fred Again’s set was stunning. Captivating audiences from the very beginning, he started his set by playing just a single note on a piano, followed by a visual graphic displayed on the screen behind him that introduced him to the crowd. It was also stated that it was Fred Again’s first time playing in Nashville and that he had heard that Bonnaroo is like the Glastonbury Fest of the American South. The set was extremely high-energy and closed the fest in a way that Bonnaroo had never quite seen before.
Bonnaroo this year was nothing short of spectacular. Despite the sometimes debilitating Tennessee heat, there was a strong sense of community that made a safe, [add word that isn’t repeating community lol] environment for festival-goers. There were so many special moments we’ll hold onto as we wait to see what the festival has in store for next year.
