Centeroo opened its gates yesterday at noon to nearly 85,000 wild and wonderful campers ready to bake, I mean, bask in the Tennessee sun and experience there favorite artists amongst the 10+ stages. Thursday is a unique day for Bonnaroo because, well, it’s the first day! All the the festival energy that has been pent up for weeks (months?) is now finally bursting out of every pore and flooding all 700 acres of farmland in Manchester. It’s a magical day to finally be at the 'Roo, living and breathing music culture in a way that is unattainable anywhere else.
Here is what we checked out Thursday:
Dej Loaf
If you haven’t heard this Detroit rap artist, go listen now. A tiny lady with a feisty attitude. Dej Loaf's light voice packs an authoritative tone that is mater-of-fact and to the point. She’s earnest. Loving the crowd just as much as they loved her. Even taking a break to get into the pit and take selfies with eager fans.
Houndmouth
A local favorite and native played to a packed crowd in That Tent. Katie Toupin even commented, “Wow, you guys brought your friends this time,” in reference to the much larger crowd present than their previous years at Bonnaroo. A delight to see some of our own local musicians continually gaining popularity. Matt Meyers cloaked himself in a homemade cape and Zak Appleby rocked a pair of tight bell bottoms as they gave fans a high energy performance. Aside from the visually interesting wardrobe choices, Houndmouth’s energy and ability to just have fun on stage was, as always, a pleasure, but this time surreal to see thousands of fans singing along to our hometown band.
Courtney Barnett
Barnett was the show stealer for Thursday. The Melbourne native has the fundamental qualities of a great musician and performer. Barnett was modest and a bit surprised at the crowd she drew to This Tent. A powerful guitar player and intriguing singer/songwriter. She has a sense of raw truth about her that is witty and engaging. It was a “magical moment” for Barnett as the crowd and Barnett sang the last lines of “Depreston” together in an intimate moment between performer and audience.
Glass Animals
A group out of Oxford with a debut album released only a year ago drew the largest crowd for the evening. A psychedelic, indie rock band with a flare for performing. If you missed Glass Animals at the Roo, no worries because these guys will be headed to Headliners July 27th.
Stay tuned for more happenings, experiences, and whimsicals from the farm. Thursday was only the beginning! In the meantime check out our Spotify playlist to hear more bands performing this weekend. Also visit Bonnaroo's website to see live streaming performances.
