Bonnaroo Preview: A Writer’s Top 5 Bands To See
Old Crow Medicine Show
Photo from Old Crow Medicine Show Facebook.
As a Nashville native, I’m a little ashamed to say I’ve never caught Old Crow live. I’ve been jamming out to their bluegrass tones since before I was a teenager but never ponied up to seeing them live. I can’t think of a better place than The Farm to catch them for the first time. I would be on the lookout for them to pop up at the Superjam or the Grand Old Opry show as well.
Alt-J
Photo courtesy of Alt-J instagram.
Alt-J are probably the most popularly acclaimed band I’m really excited about. I’ve heard amazing things about their live shows, and know that I love their English indie rock sound. Their songs are so catchy that they could easily play in the heat of the day on Sunday and still draw a big crowd to sing along to their clever tunes, or they could put on an energetic evening show. Either way you’ll catch me there about 2/3 of the way back in the crowd, dancing and singing along.
Pond
Photo courtesy of PSquared Media
Truth is, I do not know that much about Pond. They are a band that I’m seeing based upon the heavy recommendation of the Bonnaroo subreddit, who seem to unanimously liken them to ‘Roo royalty such as Tame Impala, Glass Animals, and M83, all of which are bands I’ve seen and loved on The Farm. I’ve gotta say, listening to them on Spotify, I really dig their old-school psychedelic stylings. Also, let’s be real, I really just love that a band named Pond as a song called Zond. +1 for fun song names.
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Photo courtesy of Jody Carbone
If you love life brass, be there. Enough said. But seriously, Trombone Shorty is one seriously funky act, and I firmly believe that some babies may be made in the crowd.
Billy Kenny B2B Mija
Photo courtesy of Mike Greene/Full Frame Film.
Finally, the Billy Kenny B2B (back to back) Mija show. Mija is an Electronic Dance Music DJ who stole my heart in 2014 when she and Skrillex did a true Sunrise set on the Kalliope stage. Her mixing is generally very light and upbeat, which is really fun to just kind of lose your thought process to for a moment and dance. Expect her to make a return to Kalliope at some point throughout the weekend, but you will have to keep your ears peeled since they do not, historically at least, release a schedule for when artists are gong to pop up on that stage.