The Official Bonnaroo Podcast

Everyone who has been to Bonnaroo knows it's more than a music festival, it's a four day communal city like nothing else in the world. This year, Bonnaroo added elaborate art installations in the campground known as plazas curated by Matt Schultz from Cage the Elephant and Brooklyn nightclub, House of Yes. On this episode, John talks to Kaitlyn Maloney, the creative director for community experiences about these plazas, her experience as a fan before working the festival, and the Bonnaroovian code.

As the sun set on Day 3, we sat down with the creators of Friday night's epic Tom Petty SuperJam to get a little insight into how it came to be and reflect on how it went. Patrick Hallahan of My Morning Jacket, Craig Pfunder of VHS or Beta, and Director of Programming at Superfly Productions, Josh Roth, talked about their love for Tom Petty, how the music dictated their decision making, and how Sheryl Crow came to sing American Girl.  Co-producer Patrick Hallahan called the Tom Petty SuperJam a "celebration of life," and added, "What better way to do it than through the music itself." 

Known as the "blind couple from Mali," the French-speaking performers took a break from the Bonnaroo scene on Day 4 to talk with John about their musical history, politics in their home country, and what's on the horizon for the Malian blues duo.  

Recorded on Day 3 of Bonnaroo, Duckwrth talks to us about the changing vibes at festivals, how he almost quit making music, his kick-ass videos, and his love for Michael Jackson and all things Japanese. Duckwrth gets particularly excited when Nigel Rodgers takes the stage behind them!

Andrew Bazzi's has never played a festival before Bonnaroo, and sat down to tell us all about his experience as the opening act at That Tent on Day 4. The 20-year old Michigan native shares how his music demonstrates the ups and downs of the human experience, and how he wants to inspire people through his music. Bazzi talks about his first headliner tour, the festival circuit he's playing this summer, and hints at a special re-mix in the works for his song, "Beautiful." 

Kevin Drew takes a few moments from the festival to spend some quality time with John and talk about his band's music and the current state of the world. The Canadian indie rock band co-founder opens up about the highs and lows of the music industry, how you determine whether to keep going or not, US politics, and mental health.     

One of the hottest bands in the world right now is North Carolina's Sylvan Esso and we're pumped they were able to come and talk to John for the podcast. With Bon Iver performing in the background, Amelia and Nick talk about the pressure of following up a hit album, playing the Tom Petty SuperJam, gaining confidence in themselves, and getting ready for their biggest tour yet with a headlining slot at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheater. Fun Fact: The track heard in this episode was recorded by Sylvan Esso at The Hay Bale Studio during Bonnaroo 2018!

We were lucky enough to be in the artist hospitality area talking to LA electronic trio, the Glitch Mob, just before their performance on The Other stage on Saturday night. The group talks about making their fans happy, the transformational festival scene, the visual aspect to their live shows, and their new album.

One of the few "jam bands" at Bonnaroo this year, Spafford is happy to fill the role. The down-to-earth guys talk with John about their excitement for playing at The Farm for the first time, and joke about their self-produced album, and playing at a birthday party they thought was a festival. Plus hear some details on how they come up with their setlists. Kick back with the Arizona-based band for a conversation that's sure to leave you smiling. Remember to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any episodes! We've got more from The Farm headed your way!

Hey Bonnaroovians! We're escaping the heat with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, whose personalities are just as cool and funky as their music. We talk about their epic, late-night Roo set, the growth of their own festival, Domefest, and their love of Disney music.

Planet Roo is the place where Bonnaroovians can take a break from the music, learn and relax. From conversations about the #MeToo movement and gun reform, to poetry, beekeeping and gardening classes, there's something for everyone who visits Bonnaroo's haven for sustainability and global consciousness. Director of Sustainability Laura Sohn joins John to talk about the festival's commitment to social justice and the environment, and all of the ways attendees can get involved.    

Trevor Terndrup and Tommy Putnam join John before their Which Stage performance for a quick sit down to talk about music and a whole lot more. The "Two High" musicians open up about coming to the very first Bonnaroo in 2002 right after they graduated high school, and how the progression of their band, Moon Taxi, has followed a similar path to the festival. Hear them talk about what's special to them about The Farm and how recent politics have influenced their songwriting.

Wrapping up day 2 at The Farm John sits down with the versatile Dj Carnage just before he hits The Other Stage, to discuss his latest project, "Battered, Bruised, and Bloody." They talk about his collaboration with Lil Pump, working with Scarlxrd, the disconnect between the old and new generations, New York's Tekashi 69, 97.1's Ebro, and much more. We've got more conversations from The Farm with artists and festival insiders lined up for day 3! Subscribe to the podcast and be the first to hear new episodes!

Hey Roo crew! We're back for day 2 of Bonnaroo with indie darling Japanese Breakfast. She talks with John about playing festivals, directing music videos, and turning grief into art.

So what are all of these hay bales for? For this episode we'll be discussing a lesser known component of what makes Bonnaroo so special—it's own recording studio, the Hay Bale. We'll go inside the Hay Bale with Hay Bale director Zac Altheimer and discuss the differences between the studio during the early years of Bonnaroo vs today, the layout of the Hay Bale, the time Zac tried to recruit U2 for the studio, and much more.

For our final episode documenting day one of this incredible experience at Bonnaroo, John talks with British singer/songwriter Jade Bird about performing at her very first American festival. She discusses her passion for country music, her debut EP Something American, and her upcoming full-length album. We also catch up with critically acclaimed New Jersey rapper Topaz Jones. He dives deep into the meanings behind some of his new singles like "Toothache" and "Zoom" and how he continues to grow, evolve, and draw from inspiration.

Day 1 on the farm and things are already heating up. We're here with the first artist on the podcast, LA-based rock revival band, Dreamers. The band talks with John about playing Bonnaroo for the first time, camping festivals, moving from New York, and the current state of Rock-n-Roll.

Hey Bonnaroovians! We're coming to you straight from The Farm with the first episode of the Bonnaroo podcast. We're kicking things off by speaking with a man synonymous with the festival, Bonnaroo co-founder Ashley Capps. Ashley tells John about what's new this year on The Farm, his most memorable Bonnaroo moments, Bonnaroo's connection to Tennessee, the Kanye incident, his partnership with Live Nation and more!

Veteran music reporter John Norris gets ready to head to the farm for the 17th annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, June 7-10, 2018! He'll be bringing you artist interviews and exclusive details, with multiple episodes each day for the duration of the festival. This podcast will be the next best thing to being there!