Bonnaroo 2011 Line-Up Announced

You know how Mama loves her Bonnaroo...

But I was initially a little lukewarm when they announced the line-up yesterday.  Roommate and I always debate about music festivals.  For me, the best music festivals feature a knock-me-on-my-ass-good headliner who I've wanted to see for SO LONG and a solid line-up beyond that.  Roommate prefers his festivals to feature lots of good new bands.  I want my Pearl Jam.  I want my Springsteen.

What I do not want, frankly, is Eminem.  Or Widespread Panic.  Or Lil Wayne.  Or any of the other "big names" featured at this year's Bonnaroo.  Sure I'm interested in seeing Arcade Fire, but meh.  Neil Young will be awesome, but why do we have to lump the legend in with, well, a whole bunch of other legends? I really get almost halfway down the list before I'm psyched.  My first "ooh, that's cool" outbursts came with Dr. John and then with Florence and the Machine.

Interestingly enough, two of the names I'm most excited about are favorites from previous Bonnaroos.  I can't WAIT to see Low Anthem again.  And I "discovered" Abigail Washburn (with the Sparrow Quartet, including our own Ben Sollee) a few years back at Bonnaroo.

I do like Mumford & Sons, and maybe by June I'll be as wackadoo crazy about them as 95% of my hippest friends.

And as I've admitted before...  I KNOW that My Morning Jacket are a local TREASURE.  I KNOW that.  But I cannot, cannot, cannot get over how annoying the "Yim Yames" thing is.  I just can't.  I've been trying for three or four years, and I... I will continue to try.  For the love of Louisville.  But seriously.... "Yim Yames." I know he's made of puppies and awesome, according to most of you, but seriously... "Yim Yames"?  Ugh.

Here's the full line up, which I have shamelessly cut and pasted from The Nashville Scene:

* Eminem
* Arcade Fire
* Widespread Panic
* The Black Keys
* Buffalo Springfield feat Richie Furay, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Rick Rosas, Joe Vitale
* My Morning Jacket
* Lil Wayne
* String Cheese Incident
* Robert Plant & Band of Joy
* Mumford & Sons
* The Strokes
* The Decemberists
* Ray Lamontagne
* Bassnectar
* Iron & Wine
* Girl Talk
* Primus
* Dr. John and The Original Meters performing Desitively Bonnaroo
* Alison Krauss and Union Station
* Pretty Lights
* Florence & the Machine
* Superjam ft. Dan Auerbach and Dr. John
* Explosions in the Sky
* STS9
* Gogol Bordello
* Beirut
* Big Boi
* Scissor Sisters
* Gregg Allman
* Ratatat
* Global Gypsy Punk Revue curated by Eugene Hütz
* Robyn
* Warren Haynes Band
* Deerhunter
* Opeth
* Atmosphere
* Old Crow Medicine Show
* Bootsy Collins & the Funk University
* Wiz Khalifa
* Matt & Kim
* Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
* The Del McCoury Band and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band
* Mavis Staples
* Béla Fleck & the Flecktones
* Chiddy Bang
* Javanotti
* Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers
* Loretta Lynn
* Cold War Kids
* The Walkmen
* Devotchka
* Wanda Jackson
* Neon Trees
* Portugal. The Man
* Sleigh Bells
* Amos Lee
* Best Coast
* Dãm-Funk
* The Sword
* The Drums
* The Black Angels
* School of Seven Bells
* J. Cole
* Nicole Atkins & the Black Sea
* Wavves
* !!!
* Junip
* Freelance Whales
* Justin Townes Earle
* Ryan Bingham
* Deer Tick
* Band of Skulls
* Sharon Van Etten
* Abigail Washburn
* Omar Souleyman
* Twin Shadow
* Kylesa
* Man Man
* The Low Anthem
* Alberta Cross
* Railroad Earth
* Jessica Lea Mayfield
* Smith Westerns
* The Head and the Heart
* Karen Elson
* Beats Antique
* 22-20s
* Phosphorescent
* Clare MaGuire
* Hayes Carll

Bonnaroo 2010 Line-Up Announced: It's (Stevie) Wonder(ful)!

You know how Mama loves her Bonnaroo. Personally, I think if Bonnaroo had a contest for "most strident fan," I'd have a story that would make the top ten. In 2008, I had a bilateral mastectomy twelve days before Bonnaroo... and went anyway. Everyone thought I was nuts. My surgeon tried to outright forbid me to go. But Roommate realized that I was determined... that it was in some ways symbolic to me... and he got in touch with the Bonnaroo folks, secured us handicapped status, and made all kinds of preparations for three nights of camping with a desperately hurting, somewhat disabled, but very determined fan.

I went to Bonnaroo 2008 drugged up on a buffet of painkillers and with every kind of anti-bacterial crap available. I slept in a tent that was wall-to-wall pillows. We had handicap proximity camping and handicap seating at the big stages. And I had the time of my life. Or I think I did. I honestly don't remember all that much about Bonnaroo 2008, thanks to the copious (but very legal) drugs I was taking.

The one thing I remember, clear as a bell? Seeing Pearl Jam, one of my favorite bands, for the first time, and feeling like Eddie Vedder was singing "Alive" just because I was there. It chokes me up just thinking about it. It was a transcendent moment.

But this year, Roommate is running his workshop (www.writersretreatworkshop.com) during Bonnaroo. Speaking of crying, I nearly cried when he told me he wouldn't be able to go to Bonnaroo 2010. I kind of think of it as "our thing." The 2008 experience really cemented that in my noggin. So I said this year that I wouldn't go without him unless one of my Big Three were headlining: U2, REM, or Leonard Cohen. (In my head, I sort of also added Prince, Madonna, and Tom Waits.)

But this year's line-up, while lacking my Big Three (or Medium Six), is pretty drool-worthy, and I'm rethinking my vow (he WANTS me to go, so it's not a betrayal!).

Here's the line-up. There's sure to be a few more acts announced.

Dave Matthews Band • Kings of Leon • Stevie Wonder • Jay-Z • Tenacious D • Weezer • The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs perform "Dark Side of the Moon" • The Dead Weather • Damian Marley & Nas • Phoenix • Norah Jones • Michael Franti & Spearhead • John Fogerty • Regina Spektor • Jimmy Cliff • LCD Soundsystem • The Avett Brothers • Thievery Corporation • Rise Against • Tori Amos • The National • Zac Brown Band • Les Claypool • John Prine • The Black Keys • Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers • Jeff Beck • Dropkick Murphys • She & Him • Against Me! • The Disco Biscuits • Daryl Hall & Chromeo • Jamey Johnson • Clutch • Bassnectar • Kid Cudi • Baaba Maal • Kris Kristofferson • Medeski Martin & Wood • The xx • GWAR • Dan Deacon Ensemble • Tinariwen • Wale • Deadmau5 • The Melvins • Gaslight Anthem • Miike Snow • The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band • Dr. Dog • They Might Be Giants • Punch Brothers • Isis • Blitzen Trapper • Blues Traveler • Miranda Lambert • Calexico • OK Go • Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue • Martin Sexton • Lotus • Baroness • Dave Rawlings Machine • Mayer Hawthorne and the County • Japandroids • Jay Electronica • Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros • Ingrid Michaelson • The Dodos • Manchester Orchestra • The Temper Trap • Cross Canadian Ragweed • Big Sam's Funky Nation • Carolina Chocolate Drops • Needtobreathe • Tokyo Police Club • The Entrance Band • Local Natives • Brandi Carlile • Mumford & Sons • Rebelution • Diane Birch • Monte Montgomery • Julia Nunes • The Postelles • Lucero • Here We Go Magic • Hot Rize • Neon Indian • B.O.B

Hello, Hiatus: Off to Bonnaroo '09 and then Newfoundland, ho!

Well, Mama is mostly packed and ready to head out to her third consecutive Bonnaroo. I'll do my best to post from the festival-- probably more like glorified tweets than actual posts, seeing I'll be working on an iPod touch. But right after Bonnaroo, I take off for Newfoundland and Labrador, and while I'm there, I'm afraid Loueyville.com will fall silent til sometime in July.

We'll miss you! But it's a much needed and-- if I do say so myself-- much deserved vacation!

In the meantime, enjoy the Flyover Film Fest, Better than Ezra at 4th Street, Superman at the midnight Baxter movies, and all the other lovely things your city has to offer you in June.

Looking forward to getting back in touch when I get home!

Kisses,
Lou

Bonnaroo Tix Have Arrived! Let Summer of Awesome Adventures Begin!

Ah... Bonnaroo. This is year three for me & Roommate.

On the surface, Bonnaroo seems like the most un-Lou thing in the world:

• I don't do drugs. And neither should you. (PSA brought to you by the "Ask Me About My Other Vices Coalition of America")
  
  
• Despite the fact that I'm a liberal wing-nut, I don't particularly enjoy the company of hippies. (All that hula-hooping and hacky sacking and juggling sticks stuff makes me nuts.)
  
  
• I am crowd-phobic. And I have a particular aversion to drinking in crowded places. (After my first day of drinking at New Orleans Jazz Fest, I never had another drink at Jazz Fest in the other seven years that I went. Booze + crowds + sun = freakout!)
  
  
• I despise jam bands. (A twenty minute drum solo?? Really??)

But I do love my 'Roo. I do love camping. I do love any excuse to be dirty. (Yeah, take that however you want to, dear reader.) There are few things I love more than good music outdoors. I love the (overpriced) food. I love the marketplace, even the stalls that sell the strange hippy shit. I do love drinking back at the tent, listening to bands in the distance. I do love the people watching. It's all good. It's all fantastic.

But 'Roo '09 is just stop one in Lou's Summer of Awesome Adventures. The day after we get home from Bonnaroo, I'm hopping a plane to Halifax, Nova Scotia where I will be meeting up with a friend that I haven't seen in probably fifteen years to accompany him on a road trip through Newfoundland and Labrador.

Have we been in touch all these fifteen years? Uh, no. Am I basically taking a two week roadtrip with a Facebook Friend? Uh, yes. That's why it's called an Adventure.

What's the worst that could happen? (Rest assured, we have many mutual friends, all of whom attest that he's not a crazy ax murderer. Phew.)

Then we're back in the Ville for the month of July and then off on a solo road trip up the East Coast from Baltimore to Boston and beyond. Thelma and Louise without the Louise and without the whole-driving-a-car-off-a-cliff thing.

Why is Mama filling you in on her summer plans now? Because the Summer of Awesome Adventures officially begins in around six hours. (Cue: "School's Out for Summer!") Woo Hoo!

I'm looking for local adventures, too! I'll keep you posted!

Sunday Afternoon Randomness

Yeah, sure, I have real work that I could be doing, but it's a bright sunshiny Sunday, and I have zero motivation juice. So here's some mostly NTDWL randomness for you:

• Bri Tunes: Roommate and I had a great goofy time checking out Brian Williams' new music blog. Yes, that Brian Williams, from MSNBC. The first interview is with Deer Tick from Brooklyn, and if you've ever longed to hear Brian Williams utter the phrase "Give it to Me Right" check out his introductory blog. Made me go a little bit wobbly in the knees. Brian Williams = another Loueyville crush.
  
• Carla's AT Experience: Follow my kick-ass, tough cookie friend as she walks the Appalachian Trail alone. Gorgeous pictures and a very thorough log of the journey. Carla's doing this right.
  
• The Bonnaroo Schedule is out! No overlapping artists that will break my heart. I always get a bit nervous when first looking at the schedule. Sometimes they do stupid shit like pitching Bruce Springsteen against Elvis Costello (they didn't, but it wouldn't have suprised me). Looking most forward to the 1:00AM Nine Inch Nails show, honestly. For those of you 'Rooing this year, my hot tip is the Low Anthem at 10pm on Thursday night. The Low Anthem opened for Lisa Hannigan at the 930 Social concert. As I sat in the audience, I downloaded their album Oh My God Charlie Darwin. Great stuff.
  
• On a personal note, I just celebrated my one year Cancerversary-- diagnosed May 7, 2008. I can't believe how much has happened this year, but it's really flown by. Last year, I went to Bonnaroo 2008 just 12 days after my bilateral mastectomy. I'm looking forward to going to a 'Roo that I will likely REMEMBER-- I was so hopped up on (legal) drugs last year. The one moment burned into my brain from 'Roo08 is Pearl Jam singing "Alive" and feeling very... alive.
  
• On a Loueyville note, somebody's got a birthday coming up!!... May 27, Lou turns (the terrible) two! Mama's gonna reboot sometime between now and then. Fun trivia: Lou's first post was about Birdzerk!

Sparrow Quartet Swoops into Louisville

The Sparrow Quartet, featuring Louisville's own Ben Sollee, was one of my favorite "discovery" bands from last year's Bonnaroo. The Quartet, which also features Abigail Washburn, Bela Fleck, and Casey Driessen, fuses Traditional Chinese music with bluegrass. The sound is ethereal and lovely.

They're playing two shows: one at Ear X-tacy at 4pm on Saturday and another at Comstock Hall at the U of L at 2pm on Sunday.

Go see. Go hear. You'll love it.

NTDWL: Super Bowl Commercial Peeve & Bonnaroo 09

I know, I know, this has nothing to do with Louisville. But my other two time-wasting hobbies are the general consumption of pop culture and reading Louisville, pop culture, feminist, and liberal blogs. So, of course I tuned in to much of the Superbowl, only to watch the commercials and BRUUUUUUCE! (Who by the way is headlining Bonnaroo 2009, more on that in a sec.) And, of course, like a good feminist, I was fracking disgusted by ads that showed dudes biting into chips and chick's clothes flying off. (I won't even touch the Danica Patrick ads-- what a waste of a potentially awesome role model for the young girls in NASCAR families.) And of course, I read all the blogs decrying said ads.

But I haven't seen one blog or article discuss the ticked me off the most-- because it was the most "innocent." WTF was up with the Bridgestone Mr. Potato Head ad?? You know, the one where Mr. Potato Head drives and Mrs. Potato Head nags and bitches and yap, yap, yaps until.... they hit a pothole and her mouth pops off! And suddenly all is right in the world.

Ugh. It still makes my blood boil...

... But on Superbowl night, said boiling blood was soooooothed by the sweet sweet sounds of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, who, as I said, will be headlining Bonnaroo 09. Artists announced today include Nine Inch Nails, Wilco, David Byrne, Al Green (!!!), Elvis Costello, Allen Toussaint (and we can only hope a performance by Elvis AND Allen who recorded and toured together after Katrina), and many, many, many bands to make the indie crowd go all gooey including the Decemberists, Animal Collective, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Ting Tings, and Bon Iver. (I give 'em all a [animal] collective shrug... Bonnaroo's as good a time as any to give them all a little check-out). Anyway... Lucinda Williams, Neko Case, Jenny Lewis, Erykah Badu... some serious chick power at this 'Roo.

Mama is so there. Maybe this time, she'll remember it.

MMJ on EW for ROO08

Loueyville's own My Morning Jacket is listed alongside "The women of Mad Men" and Viola Davis from Doubt (which I just saw an hour ago-- amazing movie) on Entertainment Weekly's "15 Great Performances of 2008" list.

Unfortunately for me, I heard but did not see the performance listed-- their 12am performance at Bonnaroo 2008. Faithful readers will remember that I went to 'Roo 2008, but it was less than two weeks after my first major surgery and I was definitely out of my gourd to even go (but I'm glad that I did). I had retired to the tent by midnight on that night, so I caught only the beginning of the show and only the audio.

Good job, hometown boys. Stay humble!