It’s hard to believe we’re only one day deep in Bonnaroo 2015’s wild musical adventure in the woods – the last 24 hours have seen a kaleidoscope of oddity, adrenaline and neon freakouts to kick off this year’s star-studded incarnation of the best festival in America.
The first day of ‘Roo never has a full-fledged headliner, opting instead for a soft-start production that allows attendees to get their bearings as they set up camp and familiarize themselves with the festival’s unique campground culture.
Naturally, not everyone followed the easy-entry method. One couple got married at Oxfam’s fantastic BonnaROOTS dinner on Thursday, and was the talk of the field throughout the night. Only one other topic of conversation seemed more heavily on the lips of ‘Roovians last night:
Good Golly Miss Molly
It’s everywhere. With “Molly By The Gram” pumping through the campground like a thematic anthem, signs cropped up left and right in search of what appears to be everybody’s missing friend, Molly. With the rise of dance music and neon strobes commandeering the late-night experience on the Farm, the cultural shift in tandem with chemical trends is a fascinating concept. As is the new trend of responsible intake, such as texting kits provided with enthusiastic measure by compassionate passersby:
Too Big For Their (Stage) Britches: Glass Animals
Glass Animals were high on our Day 1 list of sets to catch, but even arriving ten minutes early gave us no nope of getting within earshot. Packed masses and shaking asses populated the Other Stage area as far as the eye could see, while the sidestage screens showcased a good bit of singer Dave Bayley’s intensely enthusiastic dance moves.
Punk-Blues Goodness: Benjamin Booker
Benjamin Booker was astoundingly good, buoyed heavily by whipcrack metronomic percussion via Max Norton. With an explosive punk-blues core, the unexpected potency of the late-night performance was a polar shift from the LCD flash-freak EDM throb surrounding us – and a damn welcome one at that.
Ethereal Enchantment: Jungle
Across the way at That Tent, a deep and excited chant was impossible to ignore. “Jun-gle! Jun-gle! Jun-gle!” The stage was set for the UK outfit to deliver a captivating, impassioned set of emotive chilljams, and they delivered in spades.
The Flame Burns on at Kalliope
With the DJ doubling as a horn player on the upper platform, the Kalliope stage churned far into the late-night as the dance-driven masses and those whose pupils won’t allow sleep to creep in expended every last ounce of energy. With light dancing in the trees above like a patch of psychedelic mushroom clouds, Kalliope served as a surreal conclusion to a fantastic beginning to Bonnaroo 2015.
Keep up with our livestream of the weekend, as well as our extensive Bonnaroo 2015 coverage!
All photos by Johnny Firecloud except wedding couple, by Bob Ferguson of Oxfam
