By Scott Lapatine & Amrit Singh
Sets from Jimmy Buffet and Bruce Springsteen bookended a day of mellow, familiar dadrock with more mass appeal than the inscrutable indie pop that dominated Friday. Backed by Elvis Perkins In Dearland, the ever humble Bon Iver followed Robyn Hitchcock And The Venus 3 under This Tent in the afternoon. It was unbearably sweaty, and Justin tried admirably to distract us with a cover of Yo La Tengo’s “I Feel Like Going Home” while a few Decemberists and Dirty Projectors looked on. The even-bigger-than-you-realize troubadour wrapped up with his customary request for audience participation in a singalong of “The Wolves (Act I & II).” Afterward we heard all the people talking about how Bon Iver’s set made them cry. Meanwhile on the Which Stage, the Drive-By Truckers were tearing it up with Booker T. Jones on cuts from the legendary soul man’s recent solo LP, DB-T faves like “Let There Be Rock,” and an Outkast cover (guess which).
By now, the campy costumed shenanigans at of Montreal shows have been so thoroughly documented you’d think by now the charm would wear thin. But the Kevin Barnes team has created something akin to the Flaming Lips’ audio-visual orgy with its own brand of sensory-overloading bacchanalia: only mildly tweaked each time out, and still totally delightful. This time tunes like “Nonpareil Of Favor,” “Id Engager,” “Rapture Rapes The Muses,” “Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse,” and “A Sentence Of Sorts In Kongsvinger” soundtracked skits about, like, Christmas morning if all the presents emitted lethal gasses, just in case that’s something you’re keeping track of. This Tent was every bit as stuffy as it was for Bon Iver’s set (if slightly less packed), giving KB another reason to strip (as if he needed it). Layers started coming off his torso as we set off to locate water (scarce among vendors) and peruse Centeroo’s mostly fried food options. Haven’t heard of any cameos from Kevin’s hissing fauna, though.
Jenny Lewis, in high waisted short shorts (always), strummed and smiled and imparted wisdom (“You are what you love and I love you”) in between twangy solo tunes like “See Fernando” and “Jack Killed Mom.” On deck was her BFF Elvis Costello in a leather jacket, purple fedora, and multiple scarves. (Dude didn’t get the memo that it’s a million degrees?) The genre-hopping pop statesman is currently supporting a sleepy Starbucks-distributed country LP, so the performance’s curiously specific billing — “Elvis Costello Solo” — was not promising. Turns out Elvis actually came to please. He opened with three of his oldest hits (“(The Angles Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes” > “Watching The Detectives” > “Radio Radio”) and closed with a roaring “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, And Understanding” backed by Jenny Lewis and band. Over on the What Stage, fest vets Wilco sounded tight on tracks new (“Wilco (The Song),” “Bull Black Nova”) and old (“I Am Trying To Break Your Heart,” “Company In My Back”). “Impossible Germany,” with its gorgeous crisscrossing guitar harmonies, was a highlight as always.
The Decemberists got a late start on the evening’s final tent set, partially because of Montreal (who also started late) left a feathery mess in their wake, possibly because they were playing Dungeons & Dragons backstage. Polarizing prog opera Hazards Of Love ultimately played to the least crowded tent we’d seen all weekend, but the players’ lockstep musicianship along with the Diamond ladies’ dramatic vocal delivery made for a compelling performance. Alternatively, last chance to nap before the Boss.
A lot of press leading up to last night suggested that Bruce & The E Street Band, unaccustomed to playing festivals, had their work cut out for them and would find connecting with the Bonnaroo audience a challenge. Which doesn’t make a lot of sense to us. If Widespread Panic can headline Bonnaroo, the country’s most popular classic rock band has no need to worry — their working class anthems have been the soundtrack to summer fun for thirty years. (Not to mention, Tom Petty and The Police successfully headlined in recent years.) Still, three songs from Working On A Dream in the first half hour is three too many. The vibe was more fun starting with the “Stump The Band” segment. Before granting a request for “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” Bruce claimed “It’s too fucking hot for Santa!” Funny, true. Max Weinberg’s son Jay took over for a few songs before the encore. (And speaking of the Tonight Show team, Triumph The Insult Comic Dog was in the photo pit, plotting insults for a forthcoming Star Wars nerds-style remote from the fest.) Bruce’s preaching (“Bonnaroooooooo … Roooooo”) and well-tread knee-slappers (brown acid jokes, still?) was predictably cheesy throughout (he also wore a cowboy hat at one point), but no complaints about the energetic, hit-filled seven song encore ending with “Rosalita” > “Glory Days” > “Dancin’ In The Dark.”
After cooling our heels at the Such N Such performance art area to take in some burlesque (and risqué) midnight fire twirling, it was time for Bonnaroo Late Night. Last year that ended tragically. This year it ended much more emotionally. Plans to hop between Nine Inch Nails‘ 1AM slot and MGMT’s 2:15AM start were thwarted when MGMT’s crowd (including Bruce and security) proved impenetrable, but that was a blessing in disguise, keeping us at NIN’s side for the entirety of an especially powerful and unforgettable set. As the artist formerly known as @trent_reznor has made abundantly clear, this tour is NIN’s last stand. But that didn’t take the edge off the moment when Trent realized, onstage, that “this is our last ever show in the United States.” He tempered it with some optimism (“Don’t be sad, I’ll keep going…”) and some explanation (“…it’s just that I think I’d lose my fucking mind if I kept doing this”). The set mixed a visceral light show with searing performances throughout (“Reptile,” the Bowie co-written “I’m Afraid Of Americans,” “The Hand That Feeds,” “Head Like A Hole,” and the Dillinger Escape Plan joining on “Wish” in Trent’s effort to “increase their coolness”), but if there was any possible way to make the show-closing “Hurt” more poignantly epic, knowing it was Nine Inch Nails’ last notes on American soil was it. Make that the second time we heard all the people talking about how they just cried. Incidentally, MGMT played new song “Congratulations,” the title track from their next LP. It looked like this:
So, what’s the over/under on year ’til the NIN reunion tour?
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I’m now crying, too. because I didn’t go.
Sorry, but no way in Hell is the last time Trent plays live in the US. Not buying it. Marriage will get boring after a few years and he’ll get itchy.
i think people aren’t reading things clearly enough.
Trent will most likely do whatever the hell he wants whenever he wants.
the point is that this is the last time he’ll play with NINE INCH NAILS.
doesn’t mean HE won’t still do stuff.
Of Montreal really lost me.
The pic of the Boss up there is awesome, nice work Amrit!
Why was Jimmy Buffet there? Is it one of those “irony” things?
Sounds like an awesome time!! The phish, beasties, and boss sets all look great, can’t wait to hear ‘em! maybe next tear
if you’ve still got the festival bug, check out the lineup at rothfest dot net, it’s right around the corner!
cant wait to see booker t and the dbts at taste of chicago!
NIN is scheduled to play the Hollywood Palladium in Sept…
lol wut? Crying over NIN playing their last U.S. show is more laughable than reading the lyrics to “The Fragile” album. Crying over (living) famous people should be reserved for when Michael Jordan or Wayne Gretzky (or whomever you loved as a child) gets pulled from their final game with a minute or so to go, and as they head towards the bench everyone in attendance gives them a rousing ovation while a montage of their greatest moments is shown, so you can once again live vicariously through their accomplishments. Jordan’s final shot as a Bull >>> “Hurt.” No comparison.
apples and oranges, mate.
sportsillustrated.cnn.com/
that link is for you. maybe you’ll find acceptance there!
WHAT?!?!?
so it is ok to be emotionally affected by an athlete, but not a musician/band???
got it. thanks.
Well, sure, a band that you had an attachment to as a child, perhaps. But I can’t see a grown adult making an emotional investment in a band to the point where said band’s departure (unless it involves members dying in a plane crash) makes them cry. Certainly not my man Stosuy, anyway. I love music as much as anyone, but I’m not going to get teary-eyed when Radiohead or Sonic Youth decide to call it quits. I’ll just be bummed out and say, “that really sucks,” and go on about my business (as I did when Grandaddy and Guided By Voices and [retroactively] Rapeman broke up). Elliott Smith stabbed in the chest is a reason to cry. Trent Reznor ending his embarrassing public therapy sessions is not. (Seriously, why is a fortysomething man still singing lines like “I want to fuck you like an animal” and “Bow down before the one you serve/you’re going to get what you deserve”?)
Radiohead going over a cliff in a fiery death would make me cry…..tears of joy.
You my friend are an idiot! The only thing sad about Jordan was him coming back and trying to play for the wizards. lol Now that was a tear of laughter. And Gretzky?????????? Who the hell even watches hockey anymore?????? lol Sad comparison man. lol Go listen to your Gwen Stefani album. lol
“The only thing sad about Jordan was him coming back and trying to play for the wizards. lol Now that was a tear of laughter.”
He averaged more than 20.0 ppg in his two season with the Wizards, so what are you talking about? It’s not his fault his supporting cast there sucked. And hockey is making a (minor) resurgence. If you didn’t like this year’s Stanley Cup Finals, then fuck you.
“Who the hell even watches hockey anymore??????”
YOU SUCK.
Trent will be back. It may be a while but he’ll be back.
I’m not sure I don’t take him at his word because apparently HBO and the BBC are prolly going to co-produce the Year Zero mini series which would eat up lots and lots of Trent’s time. I really hope he keeps releasing music though.
The Boss and Max Weinberg! Anyways, better lineup than previous days.
My first Bonnaroo! Had an amazing time, NIN was certainly the stand-out, although for me Elvis Costello came close. Santigold and Crystal Castles were both pretty great too. Frankly, I fell asleep during the Boss. Not all that much of a fan to begin with, and as time went on it felt more and more contrived. Thankfully the nap left me refreshed for NIN. Epic is absolutely the word for that rendition of Hurt. I didn’t cry myself, but fuck anyone who wants to judge people who did. Can’t wait for next year!
alright these stereogum dicks wouldnt mention it but the yeasayer show before MGMT was probably the best and most fun concert of the whole weekend. Completely off the wall, incredible light show and sound quality. Just needed to give them some due credit
Sadly it was not possible to see every set performed
Yeasayer > MGMT @ Bonnaroo. Also, did anyone else notice how many kids (no pun intended) were dressed like extras from the Electric Feel video, what with all the neon war paint, feathers in headbands, and wayfarer sunglasses? Amusing indeed.
* Electric Feel video. pardon.
* Time to Pretend video. pardon.
yeasayer> mgmt in every sense. anyone who saw that tour a couple years ago knows yeasayer blows mgmt off the stage. and yes…yeasayer was a lot better than mgmt that night.
i thought of montreal wast he best set of the weekend. people were freaking out. they destroyed all their guitars at the end (not in a cliche trail of dead way but it felt totally organic and unplanned). portugal the man surprisingly dominated the thursday night lineup in a packed tent. bon iver was great. mars volta killed it.
Now that Trent is calling NIN quits, will Axl Rose quit spending 15 years on each album to get that “new” NIN sound?
this description of decemberists hurts my feelings a little bit. this was my third year at bonnaroo and this decemberists set was one of the best i’ve ever seen by any band at the festival. i got into hazards of love a little bit before i saw the performance, but this show took it to a whole new level. not only that, but it was the first encore i’ve ever seen by a non-WHAT stage band. and within that 4song chunk of time came the famous “crazy on you” cover by Heart. Amazing… even when they finished the whole crowd was chanting “one more song! once more song!” i don’t know what show you guys went to, but your heads must have been clouded by some sort of illegal substances