The Blog Has Moved

My time here at Blogspot has come to an end. I've officially moved my music blog to broken mic.

R.I.P. Jay Bennett

Although I came across Wilco rather late (2006), I fell quickly in love with this band. They are easily in the Top 5 of my favorite bands of all-time.

Bennett was a multi-instrumentalist with Wilco from 1994-2001, and I'll never forget the work he did on some of my favorite songs like "Misunderstood", "A Shot in the Arm", "Via Chicago", "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart", "Jesus, Etc." and "Ashes of American Flags."

Read the full story on NPR here.

Hookahville Day 1

Headed to Hookahville!

I'm heading to Hookahville in the morning!!!

The 31st installment of the festival actually kicked off earlier tonight, with an early-bird special concert from Great American Taxi, featuring Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon.

The festival returns to the Frontier Ranch in Pataskala, Ohio, for the first time since 2005.

On the agenda for tomorrow includes the acoustic duo Higgins and Madewell, instrumental African music from Toubab Krewe, experimental-jamband Sweet Water Meltdown, Steve Kimock's new gospel and soul outfit Crazy Engine, Columbus reggae band the Ark Band, the legendary Wailers (performing the Exodus album in its entirety, which includes songs like "Natural Mystic", "Exodus" of course, "Jamming", "Three Little Birds" and "One Love"), the Afro-electronic-jazz outfit Mifune, two sets from psychedelic jamband Ekoostik Hookah and a latenight show from Denver bluegrass band Oakhurst.

Sunday wraps up with local funky bass player Freekbass, Dayton's psychedelic jamband Skeleton Crew, experimental-art rock band Secret Chiefs 3, soul and roots band Train Jumpers, the always interesting Les Claypool, Michigan's funky-techno outfit My Dear Disco, two more sets from Ekoostik Hookah and a latenight show from Afrobeat-folk band Ragbirds.

I won't be doing any live blogging or updating from the festival, but check back early next week for reviews, pictures, video and maybe some interviews.

The Ultimate Concert List for the Cincinnati/Tri-State Area

May 23
Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk with Delbert McClinton
Riverscape Park
Dayton, OH

May 23-24
Hookahville feat. two nights of Ekoostik Hookah, Les Claypool, The Wailers and many more!
Frontier Ranch
20 minutes east of Columbus, OH

May 23-25
Taste of Cincinnati
5th St. (downtown)
Cincinnati, OH

May 27
The Felice Brothers
Southgate House
Newport, KY

May 28
Camera Obscura
Southgate House
Newport, KY

May 29
Todd Snider
Southgate House
Newport, KY

June 2
Carbon Leaf with the Alternate Routes
20th Century Theatre
Cincinnati, OH

June 3
PJ Harvey with John Parish
Madison Theater
Covington, KY

June 4
Coldplay with Pete Yorn and Howling Bells
Riverbend
Cincinnati, OH

Gomez with Jason Isbell
Madison Theater
Covington, KY

June 5
The Dynamites feat. Charles Walker
Southgate House
Newport, KY

June 6
Vertigo
Southgate House
Newport, KY

"Three Girls and Their Buddy" feat. Buddy Miller, Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin
PNC Pavilion
Cincinnati, OH

June 7
Viva Voce with Cut Off Your Hands
Southgate House
Newport, KY

June 8
John Vanderslice with the Tallest Man on Earth
Southgate House
Newport, KY

June 9
St. Vincent
Southgate House
Newport, KY

Tech N9ne with MURS
Bogart's
Cincinnati, OH

June 10
Lucinda Williams with Buick 6
Madison Theater
Covington, KY

Isis with Pelican and Keelhaul
20th Century Theatre
Cincinnati, OH

June 11
Bonnie "Prince" Billy with Bachelorette
Southgate House
Newport, KY

June 12
Wilco
Aronoff
Cincinnati, OH

June 13
Passion Pit with Harlem Shakes and Cale Parks
Mad Hatter
Covington, KY

O.A.R. with The Wailers
PNC Pavilion
Cincinnati, OH

June 15
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists with Titus Andronicus and Pomegranates
Southgate House
Newport, KY

June 16
Dave Matthews Band with The Hold Steady
Riverbend
Cincinnati, OH

June 20
311 with Ziggy Marley
Riverbend
Cincinnati, OH

June 21
Black Moth Super Rainbow
Southgate House
Newport, KY

The Avett Brothers with Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers
Madison Theater
Covington, KY

Toumani Diabate
TBA

June 24
Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam
Southgate House
Newport, KY

June 25
Cotton Jones
The Comet
Cincinnati, OH

June 26
Chuck Mead with Ha Ha Tonka
Southgate House
Newport, KY

Backyard Tire Fire
Moonlite Gardens at Coney Island
Cincinnati, OH

June 27
Steve Earle with Joe Pug
Memorial Hall
Cincinnati, OH

June 28
Dr. John with Robert Randolph and the Family Band
Fraze Pavilion
Kettering, OH

June 30
Joe Cocker
Fraze Pavilion
Kettering, OH

July 2
Marah
Southgate House
Newport, KY

July 3
The Legendary Shack Shakers
Southgate House
Newport, KY

July 4
Yonder Mountain String Band
Moonlite Gardens at Coney Island
Cincinnati, OH

CityFolk Festival feat. Bela Fleck, the Duhks, the Afromotive and many more!
Dayton, OH

July 5
Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys
Riverscape Park
Dayton, OH

July 7
Jackie Greene
20th Century Theatre
Cincinnati, OH

July 8
Stone Temple Pilots
PNC Pavilion
Cincinnati, OH

July 10
Bob Dylan with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp
Fifth Third Field
Dayton, OH

July 11
Gov't Mule
Fraze Pavilion
Kettering, OH

July 15
The Black Crowes
Fraze Pavilion
Kettering, OH

July 20
Merle Haggard with John Anderson
Fraze Pavilion
Kettering, OH

July 24
Bad Veins CD Release Party
Fountain Square
Cincinnati, OH

July 28
Jackson Browne
PNC Pavilion
Cincinnati, OH

July 29
Vans Warped Tour feat. Less Than Jake, Bouncing Souls, Shooter Jennings and many more!
Riverbend
Cincinnati, OH

July 31
Crosby, Stills and Nash
PNC Pavilion
Cincinnati, OH

August 2
"Heroes of Woodstock" feat. Big Brother and Holding Company, Country Joe McDonald, Jefferson Starship and a few more
Fraze Pavilion
Kettering, OH

August 7
The Fiery Furnaces with Brian Olive
Fountain Square
Cincinnati, OH

August 27
Elvis Costello
Fraze Pavilion
Kettering, OH

September 24-26
MidPoint Music Festival feat. Jason Isbell, Chairlift, Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles and a couple hundred more!
Downtown/Over the Rhine/Newport, KY

Bonnaroo Schedule Changes/Updates

A couple changes and additions in the Bonnaroo schedule recently. Here they are:

Thursday

Charlie Allen will be playing That Tent at 4:50 pm

Tangiers Blues Band from 10-11 pm in the Troo Music Lounge

In the Arcade Discotheque...
Tobacco at 10 pm
DJ Quickie Mart at 10:30
Gypsophonic Disko at midnight
Kraak & Smaak at 2 am

In the Silent Disco...
J. Boogie from 5-9 pm, with the Latin/Funk/Dance Hour going from 7:30-9:30
Aaron LaCrate from 9-11 pm
The Hood Internet from 11-1 am
Motion Potion from 1-4 am

Friday

Trombone Shorty and Corey Henry will be joining Galactic at 3:45 on the What Stage

Phoenix is now at 11:30 pm in That Tent

Heypenny from 5:20-6:10 pm in the Troo Music Lounge

The Features from 6:40-7:30 pm in the Troo Music Lounge

In the Arcade Discotheque...
The Hood Internet at midnight
Aaron LaCrate at 2 am

In the Silent Disco...
Motion Potion from 4-7:30 pm, with the '70s Funk Hour going from 6-7:30
J. Boogie with the '80s Dance Party from 7:30-8:30 pm
Gypsophonic Disko at midnight
Kraak & Smaak at 2 am

Saturday

Ben Harper and Relentless7's set has been cut an hour short, going from 1-2:30 am, rather than 1-3:30 am

Ilo and the Coral Reef Allstars at noon on the Which Stage

In the Arcade Discotheque...
Kraak & Smaak at midnight
Aaron LaCrate at 2am

In the Silent Disco...
DJ Quickie Mart from 4-7:30 pm, with the Old School, Hip-Hop Hour from 6-7:30 pm
The Hood Internet at midnight
J. Boogie from 2-5 am, with the '80s Dance Party from 2-3 am

Sunday

In the Silent Disco...
Motion Potion from 3-5 pm
DJ Quickie Mart from 5-7 pm, with the '80s Hip-Hop/Soul Mashup from 5:30-7 pm

The Road to Bonnaroo

The road to Bonnaroo is long, and even longer once you see the stretch of tens of thousands of vehicles, lined bumper to bumper, for miles and miles, at a dead stop, on the shoulder of I-24. Wait...that's not the road I'm talking about.

I'm talking about the battle of bands contest, that Bonnaroo held for Tennessee area bands.

The Road to Bonnaroo was held on three seperate nights, over the past two months at Nashville's Mercy Lounge. Twenty-four bands competed, that makes eight per night, with one band going home the winner, earning a spot to play at Bonnaroo this summer.

Festival organizers are making the dreams come true for these three lucky bands: The Features, The Protomen and Heypenny.

The Features are an indie-rock band from Murfreesboro, who despite being carried by Universal at one time, have had rather limited success in the U.S., although they have a very loyal following in the southeastern states, as well as the United Kingdom.

Once dubbed the "local band most likely to succeed", they were dropped from Universal after a year, when they refused to cover a Beatles song for a credit card commercial.

The Features have never been about building their success through commercialization. They have opted to take the road less traveled - doing things on their own terms, dispite the difficulties and challenges they were likely to face.

The band has had a few members leave throughout their fifteen year career, but some of the core original members still remain. Matt Pelham and Roger Dabbs studied music at Middle Tennessee State University, where they would meet drummer Jason Taylor. Taylor joined but left the band in 1998, being replaced by Rollum Haas. Former members, Don Sergio and Parrish Yaw, met while at Tennessee Technological University.

The Features were also signed to local label, Spongebath Records, but their first two full-length albums made during this time were never released. Universal re-released "The Beginning" EP in 2004, followed by their first officially released album, Exhibit A. They later gained a lot of exposure opening for another Tennessee band, Kings of Leon.

Speaking of the Features, they'll be appearing tonight at the Southgate House, in the parlour, with another band playing Bonnaroo this year, Those Darlins. The show is $10 and starts at 9 pm.

Also from Murfreesboro, are the Protomen. Best known for composing an original rock opera based on the popular video game, Mega Man, very little is known about this band. They formed in 1993 and insist on wearing costumes and using code-names, even when being interviewed.

According to the band, Murphy and Panther met by accident in "the middle of the state of volunteers" and "delivered the fury from their instruments and an army was discovered."

Their music is heavily inspired by the music you'll hear in Mega Man, although they fuse it together with hard rock, and never directly borrow from the original score. Their stage presence has been compared to that of Daft Punk. They've also been known to occasionally play music from the Rocky series of movies.

Heypenny is an indie-rock band from Nashville, influenced by the Beatles, Radiohead, Wilco, Coldplay and Elliott Smith.

The story starts with Ben Elkins, who moved from Arkansas to Chattanooga, where he began to play in a jamband called Kingfisher. He was introduced to indie music by some friends, and later became interested in making music with the feel of both jam and indie styles. That leads us to Heypenny's debut album, Use These Spoons. The album featured several local musicians, although Elkins performed most of the tracks by himself. It was also named top local album of the year (2005) by the Chattanooga based magazine, The Pulse.

Elkins later moved to Nashville, and Heypenny would become complete when a few of the musicians who worked on Use These Spoons, and a few others, would join.

Bonnaroo 2009 Ultimate Camping Supply List

Inforoo member, rideincircles, has composed an enormous list of everything you'll need while you're living on the Bonnaroo farm for several days. Check it out here.

The Diversity of Bonnaroo

Bonnaroo has undergone a number of changes through the years, mostly in the music. Sure, there were people who cursed the idea of Bonnaroo going from a jamband festival into, let's just say, what it has become today. I like to think for the most part, that the majority of people welcomed these changes with open arms. I know I did. I also like to think of Bonnaroo as not just a music festival.

Putting "all things music" aside, I'd like to focus on everything else.

If you're looking to escape the heat for a couple of hours, why not stop into the Bonnaroo Cinema? It's one of the few places on the farm where you'll find air conditioning. There, you'll also find movies going 24 hours a day, including comedies, classics, world cinema, documentaries, short films, animated films and even the NBA playoff games.

On the newer additions at Bonnaroo, is the Fuse Barn. Built last year, the Fuse Barn broadcasts the festival live, all weekend long. Also located just outside of the Fuse Barn, you'll find horseshoes, cornhole and the bull (the kind you ride).

Sponsored by XBOX 360, the Arcade Discotheque is the place to be for all you gamers. They've got the classic arcade games, the latest in HD gaming and during the latenight hours, DJ's stop by to host some hot, dance parties. New this year, is a stage where you can have a chance to play Rock Band 2 on the big screen.

The Comedy Sweet, is the new name of the Comedy Tent. It's also got air conditioning, but you may have to wait an hour or two in line before you even get in. This year's performers include Jimmy Fallon, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and an "Evening/Afternoon with the Daily Show" featuring correspondents John Oliver, Rob Riggle and executive producer Rory Albanese. Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter are performing ahead of their Comedy Central debut show, Michael and Michael Have Issues. Also performing are Janeane Garofalo, Aziz Ansari, Kristen Schaal, Arj Barker, Todd Barry, Nick Thune, Wayne Federman, Nick Kroll, Kurt Braunholer, Amy Schumer, Kumail Nanjiani and Pete Holmes.

Hosted by Garnier Fructis, the Bonnaroo Salon hair stylists will be there to keep your hair clean and looking good. They'll wash your hair and style it, hook you up with some free samples, and you'll even find a karoake contest and other giveaways.

Ever wonder what it's like to spin the ones and twos? The Scratch DJ Academy offers a workshop, featuring a 20-minute showcase and dem onstration, followed by a Q&A session and hands-on learning for select crowd members. You can go one on one with a DJ, and even record your debut as a DJ. These workshops will begin every two hours, starting at noon.

When you first walk by the Silent Disco, you may wonder what the hell is going on and what are those people on? Yes, you'll see people dancing and shaking, but you won't hear music. That's because everyone is given a pair of headphones, but everyone dances to a different tune, as they don't play the same thing. Also on tap, are fresh, refreshing drinks courtesy of Vitamin Water.

Do you love America's past time? Are you a "boy of summer"? Then check out Bonnaroo Baseball, the batting cages that let you stay close to the game. Swing away at the curveball and fastball.

Brought to you by STANLEY nineteen13, the Less-Bottled Water Program raises awareness of water issues facing the world, reducing waste and upgrading the drinking water onsite. Purchase some Bonnaroo memorabilia, with a stainless steel water bottle. $1 of every bottle will go to the Global Water Challenge, who's mission is to generate a global movement to meet the urgent need for safe water and sanitation by spurring collective awareness and investment in innovation by corporate, public and nongovernmental sectors.

If you're looking for a different kind of memorabilia, you may want to check out the Silent Auction. Artists and sponsors will donate autographed items, and the highest bidder will leave...well, you know how auction's work. This also includes master rock photographers, Jeff Kravitz, Danny Clinch and Taylor Crothers.

One of the most popular activities at Bonnaroo, is the Broo'ers Festival. Featuring 20 different breweries from around the country, you're sure to find a beer that fits your fancy. Fully furnished with newly installed authentic wooden bars, Oktoberfest-like picnic tables, hop vines, whiskey barrels, haystacks and an outdoor seating area, you can enjoy hearty bocks, revitalizing pilsners, crisp pale ales and more.

Bonnaroo has cooked up the biggest, hottest interactive art show yet, with this year's Art of Such N Such. Chill out in the day by checking out some cool art, but at night, things get crazy with freaky fire shows.

The Sonic Village is the audio mecca of Centeroo. Companies all over the music industry will be on hand including Ourstage.com, Rolling Stone Magazine, BluHammock Records, Relix Magazine, Gibson Guitars and Paste Magazine. The folks at SoBe will be sampling the latest concoctions from their line of healthy refreshment beverages, while the folks at Lala.com will create a record store and help out with artist signings and contests.

The festival experience can take quite a toll on the mind and body. That's why they have Yoga Classes. Restore your energy each morning at the Solar Stage, to feel refreshed both physically and spiritually.

The Bonnaroo Ambassadors and Pods are strategically placed throughout the campground. In collaboration with the Knoxville Museum of Art, this year's unique, interactive art include Banneroo with the Birdhouse at Pod 4, Matt Hall features Dis Assembly Line at Pod 3, Sarah Shebaro's Disco Shelter at Pod 5, Message/Communication Board at Pod 6 and Jacob Stanley's Analog Hub at Pod 9.

In the '60s, artists revolutionized the rock 'n roll poster by creating beautiful, gallery quality art to publicize show. The Bonnaroo Poster Art Exhibit will showcase the work of some of the most innovative and creative artists in the business.

The 6th annual Conscious Alliance Food Drive will benefit the Good Samaritan Food Pantry of Manchester, TN. Last year's food drive brought in 7,000 pounds of food donations, and the goal this year is set at 10,000. The first 2,000 patrons who donate 10 non-perishable food items will receive a free, limited edition Bonnaroo poster created by rock artist Michael Everett. Two food drive donation tents will be located outside the main entrances to the concert areas.

The Bonnaroo Buskers are street performers whose offerings range from the sublime to the bizarre. Colorful parades, individual acts and zany skits including Miss Lolly Pop and her burlesque coterie, Lost Lunar Vaudevillian Troupe, the Human Coloring Factory, the Roovians, the Unbearable Light Cabaret and CCCome, an experimental post-circus with gypsies and magicians.

For those bringing their children to Bonnaroo (I wish my parents would've done something like this for me) is the Kidz Jam. Plenty of water, sunblock, earplugs, safety tips, instruments for the children, performances, interactive games, sports and challenges, as well as recycling art projects. Parents must attend!

Located directly in Centeroo, you'll find the Bonnaroo Founatin & Market. The fountain offers the poor man's version of a shower, for those who don't want to pay, however, the water gets pretty dirty and brown after the first day or two. The market offers some of the best shopping this side of the Mississippi. Also includes the I'm Connected Internet Cafe.

The Bonnaroo Beacon is the daily newspaper, offering previews of each day, as well as reviews from the previous day. Relix Magazine is also on-site, so sign up for a year's worth of issues - they come with free, sampler CD's.

Clean Vibes is the company handling the waste and recycling management of outdoor festivals and events. Having been a part of all of the previous Bonnaroo festivals, there certainly are no other people who work harder than the people of Clean Vibes. Please respect them and what they do, don't be an idiot, and clean up your shit!

Planet Roo is the place where you'll find that hand sculpture holding a giant globe. In this part of Centeroo, you'll find nonprofit organizations committed to protecting the resources of the world, promoting healthy lifestyles and making the world a better place. Learn about issues affecting the earth, from global warming to water protection to human rights issues.

The Solar Stage is just as it sounds. A solar-powered stage presenting music, dance, environmental speakers and interactive entertainment.

New this year is the Academy, located in Centeroo. Offering classes, from art to theatre to different kinds of dancing. Also, workshops on all kinds of environmental topics.

Also new this year, is the Whole Foods Market. Don't worry about what food to bring. You'll be able to sample and purchase a variety of healthy and organic items including fresh produce, frozen fruit bars, nuts and dried fruits, snacks, granola and their own line of 365 Everyday Value products.

Last but not least, one of the best views of the farm - the Ferris Wheel. Located right next to the Arcade Discotheque and next to one of two entrances, the Ferris Wheel is ideal for capturing the beautiful sights that shout a thousand words.

Ten Activities You Can't Miss
Comedy Sweet, Bonnaroo Cinema, Scratch DJ Academy, Silent Disco, Art of Such N Such, Ferris Wheel, Arcade Discotheque, Broo'ers Festival, Bonnaroo Ambassadors & Pods, Bonnaroo Buskers

Keep 'em Coming: MidPoint & Indie Summer Additions

Was not really expecting this many additions so soon.

Just added to MidPoint:

Annie and the Beekeepers
Black Saints Cartel
Chairlift
Eat Sugar
Giselle Grayson
God Made Me Funky
Kagero
Kim Taylor
Lightning Love
Mark Zaleski Band
Micachu
Mock Orange
Peter Adams
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
Sweet Cyanide
The Chocolate Horse
The Harlequins
The Koala Fires
Yourself and the Air

Added to Indie Summer:

Baby Teeth (added to Friday, July 31, 10 pm)
Enon (added to Friday, June 26, 10 pm)

The Fiery Furnaces will be playing Friday, August 7 at 10 pm, along with Brian Olive, Fists of Love and one more band to be announced...

A Look at Bonnaroo Sunday, June 14

What Stage
Erykah Badu (3:30-5:00 pm)

Known as the "First Lady of Neo-Soul", Erica Abi Wright is a multiple Grammy-winner, encompassing elements of R&B, hip-hop and jazz. Her first taste of show business came at just four years old, when she sang and dance with her mother at the Dallas Theatre Centre. By 14, she was free-styling for a local radio station alongside Roy Hargrove. She changed the spelling of her name to Erykah because she believed it to be her "slave" name. The term "kah" signifies the inner self, while "Badu" means "truth and light" in Arabic. Leaving Grambling State University upon graduation, Erykah worked several minimum wage jobs and taught drama and dance to children at the South Dallas Cultural Center. In early 1997, she released her first album, Baduizm, which debuted at #2 on the Billboard charts. Known for introspective lyrics and jazzy, bass-heavy sound, her sophisticated style drew many comparisons to Billie Holiday. She was at one time involved in a relationship with Andre 3000 of OutKast, with whom she had a child, Seven. She has collaborated with both the Roots and Common, whom which she also had a relationship with. She has also appeared in several movies, and even joined My Morning Jacket on stage in Dallas, for her song, "Tyrone."

Watch My Morning Jacket perform with Erykah Badu on "Tyrone"

Snoop Dogg (6:00-7:30 pm)

One of Dr. Dre's most notable proteges, Calvin Broadus, Jr., got the name "Snoop" from his mother, who had nicknamed him "Snoopy" because of his love of the cartoon, Peanuts. At an early age, Snoop began singing in Golgotha Trinity Baptist Church and playing piano, and in sixth grade, started rapping. As a member of the Crips in high school, Snoop was busted for cocaine and served six months at the Wayside County Jail. Over the first three years he was out of high school, Snoop would be in and out of prisons. Dre discovered him, when he heard a solo freestyle on En Vogue's "Hold On." Dre taught him how to structure his lyrics and seperate the thematics into verses, hooks and chorus. Snoop was with Death Row Records from 1992-1998, appearing on Dre's The Chronic and his own, Doggystyle. Since 2004, Snoop has been a part of Geffen, which saw his first single go #1, "Drop It Like It's Hot" from R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta).

Watch a Snoop Dogg classic

Phish (8:30-12:00 am)

Watch Phish's "First Tube"

Which Stage
Mike Farris & the Roseland Rhythm Revue (12:30-1:30 pm)

Watch Mike Farris performing at the Ryman

Citizen Cope (2:15-3:30 pm)

Watch the last time Citizen Cope performed at Bonnaroo

Andrew Bird (4:15-5:45 pm)

Watch Andrew Bird at Cincinnati's MusicNOW Festival

Band of Horses (6:30-8:00 pm)

Watch Band of Horses at ACL last year

This Tent
The Lovell Sisters (12:30-1:30 pm)

Watch the Lovell Sisters at MerleFest 2008

Todd Snider (2:00-3:00 pm)

Watch Todd Snider "Live in Nashville"

Robert Earl Keen (3:30-4:30 pm)

Watch Robert Earl Keen on Austin City Limits

Merle Haggard (5:00-6:15 pm)

Watch a Merle Haggard classic

Neko Case (6:45-8:15 pm)

Watch Neko Case's "Hold On, Hold On"

That Tent
Cage the Elephant (12:15-1:15 pm)

Watch Matt from Cage the Elephant at SXSW 2009

Dillinger Escape Plan (1:45-2:45 pm)

Imagine this band at Bonnaroo

High on Fire (3:15-4:15 pm)

Watch High on Fire

Shadows Fall (4:45-6:00 pm)

Watch Shadow Fall

Coheed & Cambria (6:30-8:00 pm)

Watch Coheed & Cambria in concert

Other Tent
AA Bondy (12:00-1:00 pm)

Watch AA Bondy

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists (1:30-2:30 pm)

Watch Ted Leo

Brett Dennen (3:00-4:00 pm)

Watch Brett Dennen

Okkervil River (4:30-5:45 pm)

Watch Okkervil River

Cafe Where
Jessica Lea Mayfield (2:30-3:30 pm)

Watch Jessica Lea Mayfield

Outernational (5:00-6:00 pm)

Outernational Live at CBGB's

The Heavy Pets (7:30-8:30 pm)

Watch the Heavy Pets live at the 9:30 Club

Troo Music Lounge
Sons of Bill (12:00-12:50 pm)

Watch Sons of Bill

MyNameIsJohnMichael (1:20-2:10 pm)

Watch MNIJM

Nikhil Korula Band (2:40-3:30 pm)

Watch Nikhil Korula

Madi Diaz (4:00-4:50 pm)

Watch Madi Diaz

Dear and the Headlights (5:20-6:10 pm)

Watch Dear and the Headlights

Dirty Guv'nahs (6:40-7:30 pm)

Watch the Dirty Guv'nahs

Vertigo (7:50-8:40 pm)

Comedy Sweet
Daily Show Stars (2:00-3:15, 3:45-5:00 pm)

Michael Ian Black & Michael Showalter (5:30-6:45, 7:00-8:15 pm)

Sonic Stage
Ben Sollee (12:00-12:30 pm)

American Princes (12:45-1:15 pm)

Erin McCarley (1:30-2:00 pm)

Elvis Perkins (2:15-2:45 pm)

Julia Nunes (3:00-3:30 pm)

The Lovell Sisters (3:45-4:15 pm)

Ted Leo (4:30-5:00 pm)

AA Bondy (5:15-5:45 pm)

Mike Farris (6:00-6:30 pm)

Nikhil Korula Band (6:45-7:15 pm)

Solar Stage
Gypsy Hands Tribal Dance (12:15-1:00, 9:15-10:00 pm)

Panel: Socail Change Through Music (1:00-2:30 pm)

Grace Potter Interview (3:00-3:45 pm)

Rock the Earth: Interview and Performance TBA (4:00-4:45 pm)

Brett Dennen Interview (5:00-5:45 pm)

Poetix (6:30-7:00 pm)

Hunab Kru Breakdancing (7:45-8:30 pm)

African Drum and Dance by Mawre Company (8:30-9:15 pm)

Five You Can't Miss
Phish, Band of Horses, Andrew Bird, Erykah Badu, Merle Haggard

Ten Other Favorites
Snoop Dogg, Coheed & Cambria, Okkervil River, Brett Dennen, Mike Farris, Neko Case, AA Bondy, Cage the Elephant, Dear and the Headlights, Jessica Lea Mayfield

News on MidPoint, Indie Summer & the Weekend Round Up

MidPoint Leaking Artists

More bands have been added, via MidPoint's Twitter page.

Added to the lineup were New York's Rosewood Thieves, an AltCountry/Indie-Folk Rock band who've had hits on television shows Entourage and Grey's Anatomy, as well as having appeared in Verizon's LG Decoy commercial, covering the Turtles "Happy Together."

Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles come from a town just south of Boston. The country, punk rockers got signed thanks to a strong performance at South by Southwest.

You'll find beautiful melodies backed by a solid rock foundation in Iowa singer/songwriter Dick Prall.

21-year old London native, Micachu, gets all electronic and experimental, having studied music composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Check out the local blues/rock trio, The Sundresses, who's longly, anticipated album "Barkingaus" walked away with Album of the Year at last year's CEA's.

These artists join a lineup already including former Drive-By Trucker, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Brooklyn indie-pop, rock band the Subjects, local indie-folk rock band Wussy and D.C.'s soulful, Southern pop-rock band Middle Distance Runner.

Indie Summer Goes Big
Now teamed up with MidPoint and CityBeat, the free concert series happening every Friday night on Fountain Square just got a lot bigger. Aside from a variety of local acts, they're bringing in some bigger names.

Just added was the Brooklyn, experimental rock group, The Fiery Furnaces, who'll be playing the Square on August 7.

Other big shows also include the debut of Mysts of Time, a local band made up of former members of the Cincinnati Suds.

The 30-piece freakshow from Chicago known as Mucca Pazza.

And finally, after years of waiting, local indie sensations, Bad Veins, will be finally releasing the long-awaited full length debut on Dangerbird Records, with a free show on July 17.

Here's what the rest of the schedule's looking like:

May 29
Peter Adams, Fairmount Girls, Iolite

June 5
Lions Rampant, Mysts of Time (debut show, ex-Cincinnati Suds), J. Dorsey Blues Band

June 12
Cari Clara, Cash Flagg, Wake the Bear

June 19
The Hiders, Kim Taylor, The Emeralds

June 26
Mucca Pazza, Culture Queer, The Damn Thing, The Sleeping Sea

July 3
Freekbass, Abiyah, Eagle to Squirrel

July 10
Pomegranates, Bloodsugars, Enlou

July 17
Bad Veins (CD release show), You You're Awesome, Thing One, A Decade to Die For

July 31
Matthew Shelton's Picnic, Nathan Holscher, Messerly & Ewing

Happening Tonight...
CEA Showcase at the Southgate House featuring the Harlequins, Knife the Symphony, Whitney Barricklow Band, Chakras and the Flux Capacitors.

Northside Festival at Northside Tavern. Wonky Tonk kicks things off outside in the garden at 7pm, followed by the Chocolate Horse at 8. Inside, the front room kicks off with State Song at 9, followed by Culture Queer at 10. On the newly, remodeled back room stage, Kim Taylor kicks it off at 9:30, followed by J. Dorsey Blues Band, Caterpillar Tracks and the Lions Rampant.

Covington's Maifest runs this weekend in Mainstrasse. If the weather persists, the streets are sure to be packed. The German influenced festival features German beers, wines, foods, arts, crafts, rides, or just go to catch up with old friends. A number of bands will be playing including Kelly Thomas & the Fabulous Pickups and Kristen Key.

A Look at Bonnaroo Saturday, June 13

The What Stage
The Wailing Souls (1:15-2:30 pm)
(Reggae)

Dating back to the late '60s, the Wailing Souls were the first group to record for Bob Marley's Tuff Gong label. They've performed under several names aside from the Wailing Souls, including the Renegades, the Classics and Pipe and the Pipes. They've seen various lineup changes throughout the years, members coming and going. They've released over twenty albums and have recorded cover songs like the Who's "My Generation", the Beatles "Tomorrow Never Knows" and Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone."

Rodrigo y Gabriela (3:30-5:00 pm)
(Acoustic/Flamenco/Instrumental)

Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero met in Mexico City while playing in a thrash metal band called "Tierra Acida." They left for Dublin, Ireland, after growing frustrated with the limitations in the Mexican music scene. They caught their break when Damien Rice approached them and asked them to be a part of the Oxegen Festival. They've put out a couple studio albums, as well as a couple live albums, including popular Metallica and Led Zeppelin covers. They also performed Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" at Bonnaroo 2007, with the audience handling all of the vocal duties. It really was a beautiful thing.

Wilco (6:00-8:00 pm)
(AltCountry/Rock)

Rising up from the ashes of what was Uncle Tupelo, Jeff Tweedy and several others including bassist John Stirratt went on to form Wilco, while Jay Farrar went on to form Son Volt. The Wilco lineup has changed over the years, but the current lineup is perhaps the closest knit unit in the group's history. The last time they played Bonnaroo, in 2007, they were touring in support of the critically acclaimed Sky Blue Sky, a collection of healing songs for Tweedy, to say the least. The follow-up, Wilco the Album, will be released at the end of June this summer.

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (9:00-12:30 am)
(Classic Rock)

There's nothing I can really say, that you don't already know about Springsteen. Everyone knows him, or at least "of" him, and if you don't, then, well, how can you not knowing anything about him? Once said to be "the next Dylan", he's been at it for well over thirty years, and has sold over 120 million albums worldwide. With a catalogue as immense as his, there's no telling what he'll bring out for his debut performance on the Bonnaroo farm. Expect a handful of hits including "Born to Run", "Born in the USA", "Glory Days" and probably "Atlantic City", among countless others.

There's been some press recently, regarding the Boss and the E Street Band's thoughts on their current live show setup.

Here are the words of guitarist, Little Steven Van Zandt...

"We can't really change things all that much in terms of what we do by now," Van Zandt said. "But one thing that is different night to night concerns the ratio of covers to originals, and the types of things that we cover. There have been some nights here recently where we've done Clash covers, Ramones, Tommy James, even the Troggs' ‘Wild Things’ and that's fun. We do a lot of songs from the new disc, then it's kind of a toss up as to where we go in the shows.""One thing that we've discovered over the years is that the audience really tends to love and request a lot of our more obscure songs, and it's always kind of fun to see where playing those will take the show," Van Zandt concluded. "The people really seem to love both our doing some different songs and those unusual covers, and they really add something to the shows."

The Which Stage
Heartless Bastards (1:30-2:30 pm)
(Blues/Folk/Rock)

Booker T & the Drive-By Truckers (3:00-4:15 pm)
(Instrumental/Southern Rock)

Gov't Mule (5:00-6:30 pm)
(Blues/Jam/Rock)

Warren Haynes, Allen Woody and Matt Abts formed the Mule, as a way to keep jamming, during downtimes during the Allman Brothers shows on the road. Woody would go on with the band for the first three albums, but tragically his life was cut short in 2000. Not knowing where to go from here, the band added Andy Hess on bass and Danny Louis on keys a few years after the fact. Over the next several years, this new group of friends would tour almost non stop, hitting up town's, countries and festivals all over the globe. Hess would leave in 2008, soon after being replaced by Jorgen Carlsson, who brings a touch of Woody back into the sound.

The Mars Volta (7:15-8:45 pm)
(Experimental/Progressive Rock)

Nine Inch Nails (1:00-3:00 am)
(Industrial Rock)

This Tent
Elvis Perkins in Dearland (12:30-1:30 pm)
(Folk/Rock)

Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 (2:00-3:00 pm)
(Alt/Psychedelic/Rock)

Bon Iver (3:30-4:45 pm)
(Folk/Indie)

After battling a series of personal struggles and demons, singer/songwriter Justin Vernon moved to his father's remote cabin in the woods in Wisconsin, where he spent three months completely alone. When he left, he walked away with a group of songs that weren't even planned to be written. Those nine songs, make up his debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, which received massive critical acclaim around the country, some critics and blogs even saying it was the best release of the year. When it came time to put together a tour, he asked a few friends to set aside their personal lives, learn his songs, and go out on the road with him, not knowing what would happen, whether he would fail or succeed. The trio each adds vocals at different times, Justin being the lead vocalist and guitar player, while Sean plays drums and piano and Mike Noyce on the baritone guitar.

of Montreal (5:15-6:30 pm)
(Indie/Pop/Rock)

The Decemberists (7:00-8:30 pm)
(Folk/Indie/Pop)

moe. (1:00-4:00 am)
(Jam/Psychedelic)

That Tent
Alejandro Escovedo (12:15-1:15 pm)
(AltCountry/Rock)

Allen Toussaint (1:45-2:45 pm)
(Funk/R&B/Soul)

Raphael Saadiq (3:15-4:30 pm)
(Funk/R&B/Soul)

Jenny Lewis (5:00-6:15 pm)
(Folk/Indie/Pop)

Elvis Costello (6:45-8:15 pm)
(Rock)

Yeasayer (1:00-1:45 am)
(Experimental/Indie/Psychedelic)

MGMT (2:15-3:45 am)
(Electronic/Indie/Psychedelic)

While at Wesleyan University, Goldwasser and VanWyngarden began experimenting with noise rock and electronica, before discovering their signature psychedelic-pop sound, often compared to the Flaming Lips. In 2006, they signed with Columbia, and a year later they were making an album, produced by the Lips producer. That album, Oracular Spectacular, would draw huge praise from critics everywhere, earning them gigs at festivals around the world. The followup is planned to be released this year, entitled Congratulations.

The Other Tent
The SteelDrivers (12:00-1:00 pm)
(Americana/Bluegrass)

Cherryholmes (1:30-2:30 pm)
(Bluegrass/Folk)

Tony Rice Unit (3:00-4:15 pm)
(Acoustic/Bluegrass/Instrumental)

The Del McCoury Band (4:45-6:00 pm)
(Bluegrass/Country/Folk)

David Grisman Quintet (6:30-8:00 pm)
(Acoustic/Folk)

Ben Harper & Relentless7 (1:00-3:30 am)
(Alt/Rock)

Learning guitar in his grandparents music shop as a child, Harper was lead to the Weissenborn guitar, where his signature blues-slide sound was born. Through his various musical endeavors over his career, Harper has found friends touring with the likes of Dave Matthews, Pearl Jam and Jack Johnson. His newest project, Relentless7, was born out of the sound (not the band) that he would create in the Bonnaroo 2007 SuperJam with Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones and ?uestlove of the Roots. Harper had been searching to create an edgier, harder rock sound. That sound took him back about ten years, where he was given a demo by a band that was driving him to and from gigs in Texas. Harper took these guys under his wing, and headed out for a tour, playing both original and cover tunes, including some Zeppelin and what would become a big hit in their live show, David Bowie's "Under Pressure." As respected as the well-grounded Ben Harper may be, he has made a countless number of fans and friends, both inside the music industry and outside of it, there's just no telling who may show up during his latenight gig this year at Bonnaroo or what songs they may cover. The Relentless7's debut album recently came out entitled, White Lies for Dark Times.

Cafe Where (hosted by AT&T)
William Elliott Whitmore (2:30-3:30 pm)
(AltCountry/Blues/Folk)

Zee Avi (5:00-6:00 pm)
(Alt/Indie)

Cotton Jones (8:00-9:00 pm)
(Folk/Indie/Soul)

The Troo Music Lounge (hosted by Budweiser)
Turbine (12:00-12:50 pm)
(Rock)

Fiction Family (1:20-2:10 pm)
(Alt/Folk)

Joe Pug (2:40-3:30 pm)
(Acoustic/Folk)

Dan Dyer (4:00-4:50 pm)
(Rock/Soul)

BrakesBrakesBrakes (5:20-6:10 pm)
(Rock/Pop)

Jerry Hannan (6:40-7:30 pm)
(Americana/Folk/Rock)

Russian Circles (8:30-9:20 pm)
(Experimental/Instrumental/Post-Rock)

The Giraffes (12:00-12:50 am)
(Alt/Hard Rock)

Kuroma (1:30-2:20 am)
(Psychedelic Rock)

The Comedy Sweet (humored by Butterfinger)
Triumph the Insult Comic Dog presents Bonnapoo 2009 (1:00-2:15 pm)

Daily Show Stars (2:45-4:00 pm, 12:30-1:45 am)

Jimmy Fallon with Wayne Federman (4:30-5:45 pm, 6:15-7:30 pm)

The Sonic Stage
Chairlift (12:00-12:30 pm)

Katzenjammer (12:45-1:15 pm)

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals (1:30-2:00 pm)

Brett Dennen (2:30-3:00 pm)

Heartless Bastards (3:15-3:45 pm)

Allen Toussaint (4:00-4:30 pm)

Cherryholmes (4:45-5:15 pm)

Raphael Saadiq (5:30-6:00 pm)

Tony Rice Unit (6:15-6:45 pm)

The Del McCoury Band (7:00-7:30 pm)

The Solar Stage
Gypsy Hands Tribal Dance (12:15-1:00 pm, 12:00-1:00 am)

Panel: Social Change Through Music (1:00-2:30 pm)

Del McCoury & Friends Interview (3:00-3:45 pm)

Ben Sollee Interview (4:00-4:45 pm)

Poetix (4:45-5:15 pm, 7:30-8:00 pm)

African Drum and Dance by Mawre Company (5:15-6:15 pm)

Julia Nunes (6:30-7:30 pm)

Black Lillies (8:00-9:00 pm)

Hunab Kru Breakdancing (9:00-10:00 pm)

Guided Meditation (10:00-10:45 pm)

Bonnaroo Buskers (1:00-2:00 am)

Five You Can't Miss
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Nine Inch Nails, Elvis Costello, Booker T & the Drive-By Truckers, Ben Harper & Relentless7

Ten Other Favorites
Rodrigo y Gabriela, Wilco, Heartless Bastards, Gov't Mule, The Mars Volta, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Bon Iver, The Decemberists, Jenny Lewis, MGMT

Spring Hookahville Around the Corner

Spring Hookahville returns on Memorial Day weekend, at the Frontier Ranch in Pataskala, Ohio.

Starting in 1994, the multi-day festival was created by Ekoostik Hookah, and has featured acts like Willie Nelson, Bruce Hornsby, Dr. John, Blues Traveler and George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, to name a few.

Now in its 15th year, this year's lineup includes 31 bands, ranging from jambands to funk, metal, psychedelic, reggae, world music, americana, surf and everything in between.

Here's the lineup:

Ekoostik Hookah, Les Claypool, Steve Kimock Crazy Engine, The Wailers, Toubab Krewe, Great American Taxi, Freekbass, Oakhurst, Mifune, the Ark Band, Sweet Water Meltdown, My Dear Disco, the Ragbirds, Secret Chiefs 3, the Train Jumpers, Higgins & Madewell Band and Skeleton Crew.

The Schedule

Friday, May 22

Bluegrass Stage
Great American Taxi (9pm-Midnight)

Founded in 2005 by Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon and Chad Staehly, the Taxi combines electric folk, alt-country, bluegrass and rock and roll. With over 400 shows under their belt, they've played a lot of music festivals including High Sierra, Wakarusa, Summer Camp, 10,000 Lakes, Dunegrass and Telluride. 2008 saw a brief tour with Railroad Earth, a new lineup and a new album. Aside from Herman and Staehly, the band now features Jim Lewin on electric guitar and vocals, Edwin Hurwitz on bass, Chris Sheldon on drums and vocals, while Barry Sless is considered a member at large adding pedal steel and guitar. Their sound has been compared to New Riders of the Purple Sage, a "Grateful Dead for the new millennium", Wilco, Uncle Tupelo and The Byrds.

Saturday, May 23

Main Stage
Ekoostik Hookah (8pm-Midnight)

The jamband from Columbus that formed in 1991, created the bi-annual Hookahville in 1994, taking place on both the Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. Though they've put out a number of albums, the band is what you would call a "live band." Having played a number of the smaller music festivals and sharing the stage with artists like Willie Nelson, Arlo Guthrie, Bob Weir and Bruce Hornsby, the band can often be found performing in and around their hometown at venues like Newport Music Hall, the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion and Nelson's Ledges Quarry Park. Check out CincyGroove's Scott Preston's interview with bass player Cliff Starbuck here.

The Wailers (5:30-7pm)

With Bob Marley, they have sold over 250 million albums worldwide. The greatest living exponents of Jamaica's reggae tradition, they have played to over 24 million people across the globe. The current lineup includes original members Junior Marvin on rhythm guitar and lead vocals, Al Anderson on lead guitar, Aston "Family Man" Barrett on bass and Marcia Griffiths on backing vocals. Also in the band are Keith Sterling on keys and Drummie Zeb on drums. While they continue on with the Marley legacy, they also write and record original material.

Steve Kimock Crazy Engine (3-4:30pm)

A new project for guitar prodigy Steve Kimock, Crazy Engine pushes the boundaries of rock and roll, R&B, gospel and soul. Featuring members of the Jerry Garcia Band, Family Groove Company and Steve's son, John, on drums. Aside from fresh material, they'll also be covering Kimock classics and other classic covers.

Toubab Krewe (12:30-2pm)

An American band playing world music. The guys from Asheville, North Carolina combine American and World Music styles, using intruments from both. Creating instrumental music with the standard guitar/bass/setup, they also bring in the kora (a 21-string harp-flute), the kamelengoni (a 12-string harp-lute), the soku (a Malian horsehair fiddle) and African percussion. They have traveled to West Africa several times, where they have worked with local musicians. Forming in 2005, they have become a favorite at festivals like Bonnaroo, MerleFest, MagnoliaFest, High Sierra, 10,000 Lakes, Vegoose and the Lotus World Music and Arts Festival.

Bluegrass Stage
Oakhurst (latenight)

Denver roots rockers, Oakhurst, combine bluegrass and indie-rock, to make a rocking, unpolished sound, as opposed to the typical, lively jambands of the Rocky Mountain region. They've shared the stage with bands like Nickel Creek, Bela Fleck, John Prine, Junior Brown, Arlo Guthrie and Yonder Mountain String Band. In 2007, they were voted the Best Bluegrass Band in Colorado by Denver Westword magazine.

Mifune (7-8pm)

A Cleveland eight-piece with funky rhythms, tight harmonies, soulful vocals and blazing horns to create an irresistable force, using atypical rock instruments like synths, percussion, cello and trombone.

The Ark Band (4:30-5:30pm)

Columbus calypso, reggae band founded in 1987, combining heavenly harmonies and tight, crisp harmonies, covering both original and classic reggae compositions.

Sweet Water Meltdown (2-3pm)

Experimental jamband from Chicago, influenced by everyone from the Grateful Dead to Miles Davis, and the Talking Heads to Medeski, Martin & Wood.

Higgins & Madewell (11:30-12:30pm)

Strong vocals, acoustic guitar and heartfelt lyrics in a mix of country, delta blues and soulful classic rock. Influenced by bands like AC/DC, Sheryl Crow, Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, the duo of Erin Higgins and Jeff Madewell have opened for bands like the Plain White T's, Rick Derringer and Firehouse.

Sunday, May 24

Main Stage
Ekoostik Hookah (8pm-Midnight)

Les Claypool (5:30-7pm)

One of the funkiest, freakiest, baddest bass players of all-time, Les auditioned to be in Metallica after Cliff Burton had died, but was said to be "too good." A widely recognized signature sound, most famous for his work with Primus and Oysterhead, although he's done the solo thing, and a number of other projects including the Frog Brigade, Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains and his Fancy Band.

Secret Chiefs 3 (3-4:30pm)

Lead by Terry Spruance, the former guitarist of Mr. Bungle and Faith No More, the nine-piece band play everything from surf rock to world music, to death metal and electronica.

Freekbass (12:30-2pm)

Local bass wiz, Chris Sherman, was given the nickname Freekbass by Bootsy Collins, is a graduate of the School of Creative and Performing Arts. He got his start in the local scene, being recruited by P-Funk alumnus Gary Cooper to record a track for a Jimi Hendrix tribute. A mulitple Cammy award winner, Freekbass has played with Bootsy, Buckethead, Animal Crackers and Bernie Worrell.

Bluegrass Stage
The Ragbirds (latenight)

Michigan folk group, playing traditional and modern styles to create an infectious world groove.

My Dear Disco (7-8pm)

Electro-pop, funk, rock and techno, into a distinctive sound they call "DanceThink." Will be playing Wakarusa and 10,000 Lakes this summer.

Train Jumpers (4:30-5:30pm)

Skeleton Crew (2-3pm)

The Map

Everything else you need to know can be found right here.

Kings of the World

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus...but I can't give her identity away. Let's just say that miracles do happen, and one such thing occurred to me tonight.

The summer concert season officially kicked off tonight at PNC Pavilion, the baby brother amphitheatre of Riverbend Music Center. The 4100 or so seated pavilion opened last year, although, I never made it to a show there last year. I have no idea why either.

There's something different about the experience you get in this smaller pavilion. Maybe it's how you feel very close to the stage, even when you're standing at the very back. Maybe it's how the upper deck of the pavilion is on more of an incline, giving you an enclosed feeling, like you're watching the show in an arena. But the sound definitely does not sound as if you're in an arena.

Or maybe it's because I had a seat in the second row - much thanks and appreciation to this certain someone who came through for me at the last minute. Whatever it was, I liked it, and I guess I now owe this person my soul, which I earlier said I'd sell for a ticket. My soul is all yours - the show was worth the price I have to pay. No, but seriously, I'll get a hold of you and we'll work something out.

Maybe it's all these things - and a lot more. Maybe it's because the band who kicked off the summer season in Cincinnati, are a bunch of guys who have been called the next great American rock gods. I'm talking about Kings of Leon. There couldn't have been a better band to start off the summer concert season.

But the first band to take the stage was the New York indie-rock band, The Walkmen. If you know about concerts at Riverbend, then you know that for the most part, a lot of people could give two shits about the opening bands. Not me. I welcome any band to play anywhere at anytime.

I've only been going to shows at Riverbend for twelve years, which I guess is alright considering I'm 28 years old. But I've seen a lot of shows in my time, as well as many a drunken, messed up summer night spent down by the river. I've come to the realization that about half the ticket holders don't show up to their seats until the main act takes the stage.

While that yet again appeared to be the case tonight, things did manage to take a turn for the better.

When The Walkmen first took the stage, you could tell that a decent amount of people were also there to see them as well as the Kings, but it was a sold out show and the half empty venue was rather disappointing at first. I'm sure they had some longtime, dedicated fans in attendance, as they've become a popular act around here at smaller venues like the Southgate House, but I'm very positive that they left with a bunch of new fans. That's when things changed.

Halfway through their set, the crowd started to fill in, partly due to the wailing vocals of frontman Hamilton Leithauser. I'd never seen them before, or even listened to them for that matter, but I have heard of them, and I am now a new fan of this band. After they finished their set, it was nice to see this band get the respect and cheers that they worked hard to deserve.

Kings of Leon (the Followill boys - three brothers - Caleb, Nathan and Jared - and cousin Matthew) walked out onstage to an energetic, standing ovation - one of the loudest I've seen in awhile, at any show. They also left to a standing ovation, which you probably could've guessed, however, the one after the show was longer, louder and more energetic, which I'm sure you also assumed.

Everything about this show cried that the Kings of Leon are truly kings. The loud music, their stage presence, the lights and fog, the alcohol and cigarettes, the hot girls, even the crowd atmosphere.

When frontman and lead vocalist Caleb Followill first found his place on stage, he turned his back to the crowd, raising his arms just like a true rock star would do. The band immediately kicked it into full gear, with the reverb soaked guitars and pounding drums of "Crawl", off of their latest, Only By the Night.

A third of their set came from that album in particular, although, they had a very nice mix of songs from their other two previous studio efforts. Noted performances from the Only By the Night disc also included "Be Somebody", "Sex on Fire", "Notion", "Use Somebody" and the first song of the encore, "Closer."

Eleven of the twenty-one song set, came from the other two previous albums, Because of the Times and Aha Shake Heartbreak. Noted tracks from the former included, well, all of them, but two were featured in the five song encore, "Knocked Up", while they ended the hour-and-a-half or so show with "Black Thumbnail."

From the latter of those two albums, noted tracks included, again, all of them, but I'll just say that they ended their regular set before the encore with "Slow Night, So Long."

They also managed to bring in one track, "Molly's Chambers", from their debut album Youth and Young Manhood, as well as a new song, played in the encore, "Lucyfur."

Kings of Leon are currently planning on releasing their fifth disc in 2010.

Here's the setlist:

Crawl
Taper Jean Girl
My Party
Be Somebody
Molly's Chambers
Fans
Milk
Four Kicks
Charmer
Sex on Fire
The Bucket
Notion
On Call
Cold Desert
Use Somebody
Slow Night, So Long

Encore:

Closer
Manhattan
Knocked Up
Lucyfur
Black Thumbnail

I found this video on YouTube from the show. Check it out to see their fantastic light show by clicking here.

(Courtesy of GaitherStephens)

Forecastle Festival: Becoming a Premier Festival of the Midwest

There's no reason Louisville's Forecastle Festival shouldn't be considered as one of the top, go-to festivals in the midwest. If you saw last year's lineup, you'd probably laugh at me and say I didn't know what the hell I was talking about. But have you seen this year's lineup? My god!

Bigger names, more bands, even more local (Cincinnati/NKY) bands on tap for this year, and many, many more exhibits and activities. Nothing will stop me from making my first trip to the festival this year...

Here is the proposed stage schedule for the three-day event:

Friday, July 10
West
The Black Keys, Zappa plays Zappa, Pretty Lights, the Whigs, Cage the Elephant

East
Jason Isbell, the Royal Bangs, Bad Veins, the Lions Rampant, Elmwood, Afromotive, the Broderick Parachute

Ocean
Designer Drugs, Jesse Jamz, Kid Color, OK DeeJays, the Mudkids, DJ Amtrak, Lady Killers

Disco
DJ Electrolyte, Da Riddem Warriors and over ten local and regional DJs tba

Saturday, July 11
West
Widespread Panic, the Black Crowes, the New Mastersounds, the Detroit Cobras, Dead Confederate

East
Man Man, Annuals, US Royalty, Autovaughn, Trevor Hall, the Deep Vibration, the Young Republic, J. Wail and Papadosio, Erin Hill and her Psychedelic Harp with the Space Rats, Madi Diaz, Arnett Hollow

Ocean
DJ Three, DJ Dory, Hac Le, Deepak Sharma, Paul Dailey, Sam Gracie, Ben Alan, Brian Neckel

Disco
DJ Elecktrolte, Obitykenobi, and over ten local and regional DJs tba

Sunday, July 12
West
Widespread Panic, the Avett Brothers, Yonder Mountain String Band, Christopher Childs (keynote speaker/Greenpeace), Umphrey's McGee, Outformation

East
Maps & Atlases, These United States, Backyard Tire Fire, Seabird, Hackensaw Boys, Adam Franklin, Gringo Starr Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights, Pokey Lafarge & the South Side Three, Rosi Golan, Almira Fawn, Chemic

Ocean
DJ Ben Wu, DJ Jackola, You You're Awesome, Jason Clark (of SKL)

Disco
DJ Elecktrolte, Staticalpha, and over ten local and regional DJs tba

Art
Art Exhibition by Brad White and the Sustainable Living Roadshow

Activists include:
Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the Sierra Club, Dogwood Alliance, Indiana Heartwood, Kentucky Heartwood, Citizens Action Coalition, Headcount, Urban Seeds, Growing America, Ohio River Foundation, Indiana Forest Alliance, Mountain Justice Summer, Green Energy Program, A Greener Indiana, Eco-Garden, Ohio Citizen Action, Community Farm Alliance, Bicycling for Louisville, Kentucky Resources Council, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, Student Environmental Action Committee, Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, Louisville Sustainability Forum, Partnership for a Green City, Student Legal Defense Fun, Olmsted Park Conservancy, Cultivating Connections, Generation Green Life, Voter Registration, L.I.N.E.

Outdoor Events
Extreme Sports Park, Camping, Speakers, Personal Empowerment Panels, Workshops, Films

Tickets
Single day passes are available for $40, weekend passes for $100

VIP tickets are also available which include access to the side stage VIP lounge, half off drinks, private bar, organic coffee, sponsored products and more!

Find everything you need to know about Forecastle right here

A Daily Guide to Bonnaroo: Friday, June 12

THE WHAT STAGE
The Itals (Post-Rock/Punk Rock/Reggae)
1:30-2:45 pm

Keith Porter, Ronnie Davis and Lloyd Ricketts worked together in the late '60s as The Westmorelites and formed The Itals in 1976. Davis and Ricketts had previously worked together as The Tennors. The Itals recorded several albums through the '70s and '80s, with their debut single, "In A Disya Time" topping the Jamaican charts. They were nominated for Best Reggae album at the Grammy's, for 1987's Rasta Philosohpy. Over the years The Itals lineup has changed, with David Isaacs joining in 1987 after Ricketts was sentenced to a prison term. Ronnie Davis left the group in 1994, being replaced by his daughter Kada. They're touring in 2009 in support of a newly released compilation of early works, as well as a brand new album, Let Them Talk, coming later this year.

Watch the Itals at the 2008 Richmond Folk Festival

Galactic (Electronic/Funk/Hip-Hop/Jam/Jazz/Rock/World)
3:45-5:00 pm

Galactic began as an instrumental sextet in New Orleans, after guitarist Jeff Raines and bassist Robert Mercurio moved from D.C. to attend both Tulane and Loyola Universities, respectively. They became enamored in the local funk scene, particularly with legendary acts like The Meters and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. They teamed up with renowned New Orleans drummer Stanton Moore, saxophonist/harmonica player and producer Ben Ellman and organist Rich Vogel. They later added vocalist Theryl DeClouet, who left in 2004 due to health problems. They continued on as an instrumental jamband, fusing together sounds of blues, electronic, funk, jazz, rock and world. They later added elements of hip-hop, when a number of underground MCs joined them on their album, From the Corner to the Block, also adding vocals.

Watch Galactic perform at Bonnaroo 2007

Critic's Pick
Al Green (Gospel/R&B/Soul)
6:00-7:30 pm

The legendary Reverend Al Green's rise to fame came in the '70s, with hit singles like "Let's Stay Together", "I'm Still in Love With You" and "Take Me to the River." One of the best-selling musician's of all-time, Green has put out twenty-seven studio albums, the most recent being 2008's Lay It Down, which reached #9 on the U.S. charts and #3 on the U.S. R&B charts. He's had fourteen hit singles, was named #65 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artist of All Time list, was inducted into the Gospel Hall of Fame in 2004, and honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2008 BET Awards.

Watch Al Green on Jools Holland in 2008

Beastie Boys (Hip-Hop/Punk Rock/Rap Rock)
8:30-10:00 pm

Mike D, MCA and Ad-Rock formed the Beasties in New York in 1979, with Mix Master Mike joining in the late '90s. Although they started out strictly as a hardcore punk act, they later switched to hip-hop, but still incorporate elements of punk in their sound. Recent inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Beastie Boys are one of the longest-live hip-hop acts. 2009 celebrates the release of their eighth studio album, entitled Tadlock's Glasses. Though they've only put out seven albums previously, the Beastie Boys are one of the major pioneer's of rap-rock.

Watch the Beastie Boys at Langerado 2008

Critic's Pick
Phish (Alternative Rock/Jam/Jazz Fusion/Progressive Rock)
11:00-2:00 am

What started out at the University of Vermont in the early '80s, Phish would go on to become one of the most successful touring bands of all-time, only next to the Grateful Dead. After twenty years together, they took a break in 2004, with each of the member's concentrating on various solo projects. 2009 marks the end of the five-year hiatus, and a new beginning or second coming, for those that may have been too young to experience Phish the first time around. They've proved that they can still sell tickets like hotcakes, with everyone of their shows this year selling out in a matter of minutes. They'll be performing on two seperate days at this year's Bonnaroo Music Festival, which is probably the best way for this band to mark their return.

Watch Phish perform "David Bowie" on the first night of their reunion tour

THE WHICH STAGE
Gomez (Folk/Indie Rock)
12:30-1:45 pm

These indie rockers come from Southport, England, where they formed in 1996. Two years later, they won the Mercury Music Prize for their debut album, Bring It On, although it's their only effort which did not recieve critical acclaim in the United States. For the most part, the band was put together while the members attended college together, however, vocalist/guitarist Ian Ball and drummer Olly Peacock had known each other since a young age, as well as having played in a number of bands before forming Gomez. First signed to Virgin Records, they were later dropped, only to be picked up by Dave Matthews' ATO Records in 2005. The band has toured extensively in the U.S. over the years in hopes of building their name, playing festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza, as well as sharing tours with John Mayer and Cake. They've played Bonnaroo a couple times, the last being in 2006. They'll be adding some new material to this year's Bonnaroo performance, as they're currently on the road in support of their newest disc, A New Tide, seen as their most experimental work to date.

Watch some video of Gomez

Critic's Pick
Animal Collective (Experimental/Freak Folk/Indie Rock/Neo-Psychedelia/Noise Pop)
2:45-4:00 pm

Not one genre can honestly define the sound that this Baltimore group of friends create. Highly experimental and often times psychedelic, the members known as Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Geologist and Deakin, have released nine albums since 2000. With Animal Collective, you'll find everything from the acoustic guitar and piano, as well as loops and samples, to whatever instruments or objects that were lying around, and everything in between. They're on the road this year, in support of Merriweather Post Pavilion, which was named after the popular Maryland music venue.

Animal Collective performing in Amsterdam

Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Alternative Rock/Art Punk/Dance Punk/Indie Rock)
4:45-6:00 pm

After transferring to New York University, Karen O came into contact with Nick Zinner, and the two formed an acoustic duo called Unitard. Before she transferred though, she had met a jazz student at Oberlin College, named Brian Chase. Unitard went electric after being inspired by the avant-punk scene, and Chase later joined, in which the three then created a trashy, punky, grimy art rock band. They began to write songs as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and quickly earned spots touring for bands like The White Stripes and The Strokes. They've rather quickly become one of the hottest electronica-indie acts of today, gaining popularity all around the world, especially Europe and Japan. They're touring the road this year, in support of their greatest effort to date, It's Blitz!

Watch the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at Coachella 2009

Critic's Pick
TV on the Radio (Electronic/Experimental Rock/Hip-Hop/Indie Rock/Jazz/Post-Rock)
6:45-8:00 pm

TVotR began as an electronic/hip-hop group from Brooklyn in 2001, with founding members Tunde Adebimpe (vocals/loops) and David Andrew Sitek (guitars/keyboards/loops). Just the two of them put out their debut album, OK Calculator, a reference to Radiohead's OK Computer. Later joining the group, was Kyp Malone (vocals/guitars/loops), Jaleel Bunton (drums) and Gerard Smith (bass/keyboards). The three members joined just in time, leading the band to great success. They've since put out three albums, all of which have received mass critical acclaim. Those albums also feature a number of guest appearances including David Bowie, Katrina Ford of Celebration, Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead, Martin Perna of Antibalas and Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They have also performed live Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. They'll be marking their debut at this year's Bonnaroo, opening for the legendary David Byrne of the Talking Heads, and maybe we'll even see some guest appearances with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs or Nine Inch Nails.

Watch TV on the Radio performing one of their hits on Letterman

Critic's Pick
David Byrne (Alternative Rock/Experimental Pop/New Wave/Worldbeat)
8:45-10:45 pm

You probably know of David Byrne through his work with one of the most important new wave acts of all-time, the Talking Heads. What you may not know about him, is the work he's done outside of the Talking Heads. Byrne has also lent his talents to film, photography and opera, as an actor, director and producer. Aside from all of this, he's also well known through various collaborations, most notably Brian Eno, as well as bands like Dinosaur, Robert Fripp, the Staple Singers, the Tom Tom Club, Bernie Worrell, Selena, Cafe Tacuba, 10,000 Maniacs, Thievery Corporation, Paul Van Dyk and the Brazilian Girls. Byrne's latest release sees him again joining Brian Eno on Everything That Happens Will Happen Today. Aside from performing his own set at this year's festival, opposite the Beastie Boys, David Byrne will host the first ever artist curated stage, playing host to bands like Ani DiFranco, Santigold, St. Vincent, the Dirty Projectors and Katzenjammer. Keep your eyes open on Bonnaroo Friday, as Byrne could pop up anywhere at anytime.

Watch a newer track from Byrne at ACL 2008

THIS TENT
Tift Merritt (AltCountry/Country/Pop)
12:15-1:15 pm

Although she began her music career as a teen in Chapel Hill (which was about twenty years ago), country-pop artist Tift Merritt has recorded just three albums in that time span. Having released six singles from those albums, only one hit the charts, "Good Hearted Man", reaching #60 on the U.S. country singles charts. At the same time, however, she has accomplished some amazing feats, winning a Grammy Award for her 2005 album, Tambourine, which featured guest appearance's from members of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers and Emmylou Harris's band.

Watch the video for Tift's "Broken"

Kaki King (Experimental Rock/Instrumental Rock/Post-Rock)
1:45-2:45 pm

She's the first female to ever be named a "Guitar God" by Rolling Stone Magazine. Her father encouraged her interest in music since an early age, starting her with the guitar, but the drums were actually her first serious instrument. She would later go back to the guitar while at New York University, where she occasionally played gigs in the subway. The drumming may have had some influence on her, as her signature style would come to include fret-tapping with a slap bass technique. She has released several albums, as well as having worked with artists like the Foo Fighters and Tegan & Sara. Dave Grohl had this to say about her..."There are some guitar players that are good and there are some guitar players that are really fucking good. And then there's Kaki King." But her hopes are to be known more for her music, not just that she's good for a girl. She is currently on the road in support of her latest, the Mexican Teenagers EP.

See a bit of what Ms. King does live at Tower Records

Critic's Pick
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals (Blues/Jam/Pop/Rock)
3:15-4:30 pm

Was she named after Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane? I'm not sure, but she certainly is much like a Grace Slick of the 21st Century, or maybe a Janis Joplin. Potter and her band the Nocturnals, blend funky blues, soul and rock, reminiscent to that of the '60s and '70s. If you've heard them, than you can certainly understand why I come to that comparison. They've had a couple songs hit the pop side of things, appearing on shows like One Tree Hill, Brothers & Sisters and Grey's Anatomy, but for the most part, they seem to be earning their success through festivals like Bonnaroo and Jam Cruise, and as well as tours with bands like Gov't Mule, the Black Crowes and the Dave Matthews Band. They've also won a Jammy Award and have been nominated at the Boston Music Awards, where Grace was nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year.

Watch their hit single, "Apologies"

Critic's Pick
Grizzly Bear (Acid Folk/Baroque Pop/Experimental Rock/Indie Rock/Lo-fi/Neo-Psychedelia)
5:00-6:15 pm

Call it freak folk, call it anti-folk, call it whatever you want. Grizzly Bear's sound is mostly dominant of acoustic guitars and vocal harmonies, however, they create hypnotizing, atmospheric landscapes of sounds, using electronic instruments and laptop's. Their debut, Horn of Plenty, was largely a solo effort of songwriter Ed Droste, where the material actually predates the band itself. Their first release as a quartet, Yellow House, received mass critical acclaim from both the New York Times and Pitchfork Media. They joined Radiohead on tour last summer, with Radiohead guitarist citing Grizzly Bear as his favorite band. They've also collaborated with the Dirty Projectors and Beirut, and have even performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. They'll be out on the road in support of their third studio album, Veckatimest, which comes out at the end of May on Warp Records.

Check out Grizzly Bear here

Lucinda Williams (AltCountry/Country/Folk/Rock)
6:45-8:15 pm

Lucinda Williams has been making music since the late '70s, although she is known for working very slowly, taking her sweet time with her work, generally only releasing one album many years at a time. She began writing at a startling age of only six, and began playing guitar at age twelve. By her early 20s, she had found her country-folk rock sound, and was playing publicly all over Texas. After moving to Mississippi, she put out a couple albums, which garnered little attention, but it may have been the interest that Tom Petty took in her, which really shot up her career. Although she's only put out nine studio albums over an almost thirty-year career, Lucinda is a multiple Grammy Award winner, and has worked with artists like Bob Dylan, David Crosby, Elvis Costello, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Vic Chesnutt and Ramblin' Jack Elliott. Her latest release was 2008's Little Honey. Don't expect any new material for a few more years.

A live performance of Lucinda Williams

Public Enemy (Hip-Hop)
12:30-1:45 am

Yeah boy!!! The Long Island hip-hop group featuring MCs such as Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff, DJ Lord and the S1W, has been one of the most influentially, politically charged of its kind since the early '80s. Rolling Stone listed them #44 on their list of the Greatest Artists of All Time. Their rise to fame came about through people like Rick Rubin and Dr. Dre, as well as Def Jam Records. They've released a number of albums, the latest coming in 2007 with How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul? They've been very popular on the festival scene over the past several years, and they'll be making their Bonnaroo debut this year, with a special late-night spot.

Public Enemy peforming at SXSW 2007

Critic's Pick
Paul Oakenfold (Progressive Trance/Techno/Trance)
2:15-4:00 am

Beginning his music career in the late '70s, Paul Oakenfold actually first set out to be professional chef. As a DJ, he started out spinning soul music and bands like Earth, Wind and Fire, later moving to hip-hop while in Harlem. At 21 years old, he used to sneak into the famed Studio 54 club, pretending to be a journalist for NME and Melody Maker, thus getting interviews with stars like Bob Marley, Brooke Shields, Cher, Donald Trump, Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali. His break into the mainstream came when he was working as an A&R man for Champion Records, where he signed DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, as well as Salt-n-Pepa. He later went on to become the promoter for both the Beastie Boys and Run DMC. He was also the first DJ to play the mainstage at Glastonbury, where he performed in front of 90,000 people. He's worked with and alongside a tremendous list of artists and celebrities, and mixing them too, including Perry Farrell, Hunter S. Thompson, Ice Cube, Nelly Furtado, Depeche Mode, Paul Van Dyk, U2 and Fatboy Slim. He's also lent his musical skills to a number of movie soundtracks including Swordfish, the Matrix Series and The Bourne Identity. It's a wonder that it's been so long to get DJ Oakenfold to the Bonnaroo farm, and his late-night dance party this year is sure to be one for the books.

Watch a performance from the Ultra Music Festival

THAT TENT
Katzenjammer (Country/Folk/Pop/Rock)
12:00-1:00 pm

The all-female group from Norway formed in 2005, and later appeared on NRK's Urort project and Kjempesjansen - basically talent shows for up-and-coming bands to gain national exposure. The multi-instrumentalist women cover a variety of musical styles, using a number of instruments such as the accordion, mandolin, guitar, piano, balalaika bass, glockenspiel, trumpet, kazoo, melodica, drums and banjo. In 2007 they scored a hit with the song "A Bar in Amsterdam", also making it to the finals as Artist of the Year on Urort.

The Dirty Projectors (Experimental/Folk/Indie)
1:30-2:30 pm

Known for their distinctive sound of electronic experimentation, Brooklyn's Dirty Projectors are lead by singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Dave Longstreth. Their recordings range from one-man recordings to arranged orchestrations to basic voice-over nylon string guitars. At one time the band featured musicians such as Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend) and Adam Forkner (White Rainbow). They collobrated with Bjork during a concert benefiting Housing Works, and more recently they collaborated with David Byrne on the track "Knotty Pine" from Dark Was the Night.

St. Vincent (Indie/Pop)
3:00-4:15 pm

Having previously worked with bands like the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens, the artist also known as Annie Clark, released her debut in 2007, but didn't see wide recognition until 2008, when she won Female Artist of the Year at the PLUG Independent Music Awards. She's been touring this year in support of her latest, Actor, and performed a buzzing set at South by Southwest.

Santigold (Alternative/Dub/Electronic/Indie/New Wave/Post Punk/Rock)
4:45-6:00 pm

A former A&R rep for Epic Records, Santigold broke out on her own when she was offered a solo contract by Martin Heath of Lizard King Records, while she was performing with Philly punk/ska band, Stiffed. Her debut album, 2008's Santogold (also the former spelling of her name), finished at #6 on Rolling Stone's Albums of the Year list, and also producing two hit singles in "Creator" and "L.E.S. Artistes", with the latter landing at #2, only behind Beyonce. She's had a ton of commercial success, having appeared along with her music in ads for Bud Light Lime, VO5 hair products, Ford Flex, and video games like FIFA 08, NHL 08 and NBA 08. She's toured with Coldplay, M.I.A., Bjork and Architecture in Helsinki, and has collaborated with GZA, Mark Ronson, N.E.R.D. and The Strokes. She's written hit songs for both Lily Allen and Ashlee Simpson. In the near future she'll be working with two bands also playing Bonnaroo this year - the Beastie Boys and David Byrne.

Ani DiFranco (Folk Rock)
6:30-8:00 pm

At the age of nine, Ani began playing Beatles covers in bars around Buffalo with her guitar teacher Michael Meldrum. At just nineteen years old, she started her own record company, Righteous Records, now known as Righteous Babe Records. She's recorded over twenty albums and is a Grammy Award winner. She is also a well-known female activist, and has won the Woman of Courage Award in 2006, one of the first musicians to win the award. She has a distinct guitar style, known as staccato, which is rapid and rhythmic fingerpicking based in a number of tunings. In her lyrics, she often includes alliteration and metaphors, covering topics like racism, sexism, sexual abuse, homophobia, poverty and war.

Crystal Castles (Electronic/Experimental)
12:30-1:30 am

The Canadian electronic duo started first with Ethan Kath in late 2003, and would later add vocalist Alice Glass, who added vocals to five tracks in 2005. They are known for both their chaotic live shows as well as the video game-like sounds they create. They recorded their first single, "Alice Practice", accidentally, as it was just a microphone test, but they were soon offered record deals after record companies had heard the song on MySpace. They've played some of the biggest festivals already in the world, including Reading, Leeds and Glastonbury, and have toured with Friendly Fires, Team Waterpolo and White Lies. Their current live drummer is Christopher Robin.

Critic's Pick
Girl Talk (Dance/Electronic/Experimental/Mashup/Pop)
2:00-3:30 am

Greg Gillis began making music as a biomedical engineering student while at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, but dropped out in 2007 to focus solely on music, and I can't say I blame him. His latest album, Feed the Animals, finished the year at #4 on Time Magazine's Top 10 Albums of 2008, #24 on Rolling Stone's Top 50, and #2 in Blender Magazine. Though what he creates would appear to be a lawsuit waiting to happen, Gillis cites fair use as a legal backbone for his sampling practices. He produces mashup-style remixes, in which he often uses a dozen or more unauthorized samples from different songs to create a new song. He's also done remixes for Beck, Peter Bjorn & John, Grizzly Bear, Tokyo Police Club, of Montreal and Simian Mobile Disco.

THE OTHER TENT
Toubab Krewe
12:30-1:30 pm

Although they are an American band, the instrumental Asheville group was influenced by the sounds of world music, particularly Mali, the seventh largest country in Africa. Using the instruments standard in rock and roll, what us Americans would come to know as guitar, drums and bass, Toubab Krewe also adds Malian instruments, completing and rounding out their West African influenced sound. These Malian instruments include the kora (a 21-string harp-lute), the kamelengoni (a 12-string harp-lute), the soku (a Malian horsehair fiddle), as well as African percussion.

Vieux Farka Toure
2:00-3:00 pm

The son of one of Africa's most renowned musicians, Ali Farka Toure, Vieux Farka Toure was deeply inspired by the music of his father. From a young age, he proved to live up to the Toure name, however, his father insisted he become a soldier, rather than be a musician and face similar hardships his father had experienced. Eventually Vieux decided to place his destiny into his own hands, and enrolled in the National Arts Institute in Bamako. There, he discovered the guitar and began to compose his own music. By the time he left the institute, he was sought as a guitar virtuoso. From there, African kora master, Toumani Diabate, took him under his wing. When the time came for Vieux to record his debut album, his father, who was growing ill with cancer, would join in on what would become his final recordings.

Critic's Pick
Bela Fleck & Toumani Diabate
3:30-4:45 pm

First inspired by the banjo playing in the Beverly Hillbillies theme song, Bela Fleck would later pick up the instrument at fifteen, and eventually go on to become a virtuoso at the instrument, a legend, one of the best in the world at his instrument. In 1981, Fleck was asked by Sam Bush to join New Grass Revival, of whom which he performed with for nine years. After New Grass, he hooked up with Victor and his brother Roy, or Futureman, and Howard Levy to become Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. Saxophonist/flutist, Jeff Coffin, would later join the group. A Grammy winner, Bela has been nominated in more categories than any other musician.

Toumani Diabate is perhaps the world's finest kora player. The Malian is very versatile, at home with traditional music, as well as cross-cultural collaborations in flamenco, blues and jazz. His father, Sidiki Diabate recorded the first ever kora album in 1970.

The pairing of these two fine gentlemen, seems only natural. The two best at their respected instruments, by coming together, they are clearly making history with something remarkable. DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!

King Sunny Ade & the African Beats
5:15-6:30 pm

Amadou & Mariam (African Blues/Jazz/World)
7:00-8:30 pm

Critic's Pick
Femi Kuti & the Positive Force (Afrobeat/Jazz/World)
12:00-1:30 am

Pretty Lights
2:00-3:15 am

THE BUTTERFINGER COMEDY SWEET
The Comedy Carnivale
2:00-3:15 pm, 3:45-5:00 pm

Triumph the Insult Comic Dog presents Bonnapoo 2009
5:30-6:45 pm

CAFE WHERE HOSTED BY AT&T
The Belleville Outfit (Folk/Gypsy/Jazz/Swing)
2:45-3:45 pm

Critic's Pick
Ben Sollee (Bluegrass/Folk/Jazz/R&B)
5:00-6:00 pm

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band
7:30-8:30 pm

Phoenix (Alternative Rock/Indie Rock)
10:00-11:00 pm

THE TROO MUSIC LOUNGE HOSTED BY BUDWEISER
Moonalice (Blues/Pop/Psychedelic Rock/Roots/Rock)
12:00-12:50 pm

Critic's Pick
Everest
1:20-2:10 pm

Evan Watson
2:40-3:30 pm

Dirty Sweet
4:00-4:50 pm

Tangiers Blues Band
6:40-7:30 pm

Jets Overhead (Indie Rock/Trance Rock)
8:30-9:30 pm

Critic's Pick
Justin Townes Earle
10:00-11:00 pm

Ki: Theory
1:00-2:00 am

THE SONIC STAGE
Portugal. the Man
12:00-12:30 pm

Alberta Cross
12:45-1:15 pm

The Low Anthem
1:30-2:00 pm

Patterson Hood & Screwtopia
2:15-2:45 pm

Gomez
3:15-3:45 pm

moe.
4:00-4:30 pm

Kaki King
5:00-5:30 pm

Galactic (interview only)
5:45-6:15 pm

Bela Fleck & Toumani Diabate
6:30-7:00 pm

Toubab Krewe
7:15-7:45 pm

THE SOLAR STAGE
Gypsy Hands Tribal Dance
12:15-1:00 pm, 12:00-1:00 am

Panel: Social Change Through Music
1:00-2:30 pm

Rock the Earth Interview and Performance - TBA
3:00-3:45 pm, 4:00-4:45 pm

Poetix
4:45-5:30 pm, 7:30-8:00 pm

Hunab Kru Breakdancing
5:15-6:15 pm

Justin Townes Earle
6:30-7:30 pm

Cotton Jones
8:00-9:00 pm

African Drum and Dance by Mawre Company
9:00-10:00 pm

Guided Meditation
10:00-10:45 pm

Bonnaroo Buskers
1:00-2:00 am