Dr. Seuss once said, “Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”
Right now, my memories are strong, and my Bonnablues are real.
The Bonnablues time is filled with flashbacks to the farm, putting away the camping gear, constantly remembering little amazing moments from the previous week, and let us not forget – forever itching chigger bites & rubbing aloe on gnarly sunburns.
I have to admit that I was not thrilled when I originally saw the headliners for Bonnaroo this year. Don’t get me wrong – they are all great artists, but I just remember being so excited when I saw previous lineups so the lack of excitement I felt was a bit of a bummer at first.
However, headliners are not everything. One of my favorite things about music festivals, in general, is the unexpected shows you get to see – the shows of the artists you do not know but end up loving the most.
For the past three years, I have attended Bonnaroo; for the past two years, I have volunteered at Bonnaroo. This experience – volunteering – is the best.
Not only do you get to come to the farm early, but you also only pay a $25 non-refundable deposit. So, you are essentially going to Bonnaroo for longer, getting more benefits and paying less. What could be better? Oh. Right. Flushable toilets. Well, guess what! The farm upgraded and got flushable toilets for the first time ever, and it might have been one of the greatest things to date.
When we first arrived at the farm, we set up our cozy camp that was equipped with tapestries, a canopy and lawn chairs. It was a great place to relax after a long day in the Tennessee sun.
On the second day, we explored the eerily deserted Centeroo. It is always fun to walk around when there are only volunteers and Bonnaroo staff on site. Tons of unique photo ops, too.
Since we saw a variety of acts, I am only going to highlight my favorite show from each day with a little description as to why it was my favorite.
Thursday: Vulfpeck
This band really surprised me. Since they produce mostly instrumental music, I did not expect for them to be my favorite show of the day. Their soulfulness and genuine love for performing made their set one of a kind.
Friday: Purity Ring
If you would have asked me who I was looking forward to seeing on Friday before Bonnaroo, I would have answered Tame Impala. Ask me now, and my answer is different (obviously). Tame Impala put on a great show; however, I was blown away by Purity Ring. This duo had great visuals, interaction with the audience, constant entertainment on stage, and overall, a better show.
Saturday: Chris Stapleton
Words cannot describe my love for this man’s music. I was so excited when I saw that he was featured on the lineup, and I was even more excited when I saw that I would not be working during his set. I hardly even noticed the summer heat during his set due to his fantastic showmanship and beautiful tunes.
Sunday: Death Cab for Cutie
I have never been a huge Death Cab fan personally. However, their set was absolutely amazing, which surprised me considering I only know a few songs by the seasoned band. The timing of the day in which they played definitely added to the mood. The sun was setting, the heat was disappearing and it was a sentimental last day. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by these guys.
In addition to the great tunes at Roo, there is also a specific sense of happiness felt there; a sense of acceptance, love and care for one another.
The Bonnaroovian Code states that if you follow it that you could “possibly even help change the world (in a good way).”
To carry out the “Radiate Positivity” and “Stay True Roo” codes, I am going to start ending all of my blog posts with three things that I am grateful for. They may be small things; they may be more deep & meaningful things. Either way, I want to start a habit of recognizing how blessed I am.
Because nothing feels better than being happy, and sometimes we just need a little reminder to keep our head up & be thankful.
Today, I am Grateful For:
- Clean, drinking water that is easily accessible
- The ability to go on road trips & travel to new places with friends
- The fact that we all have the ability to choose kindness
everything is connected 