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Pastimes : Deadheads -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JakeStraw who wrote (29740)	6/26/2002 11:17:27 AM
From: SIer formerly known as Joe B.	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 49843

Lesh, Anastasio Provide Serious Jams For Oddly Named Festival By Laurence Freedman MANCHESTER, Tennessee — The inaugural Bonnaroo Music Festival treated more than 70,000 fans to three days of camping and music this past weekend, proving that the reality of successful large American rock festivals did not burn down with the fires that engulfed Woodstock '99. While that festival three summers ago culminated in frightening scenes and utter chaos, Bonnaroo offered an entirely peaceful weekend of eclectic music featuring performances by Jurassic 5, Widespread Panic, Ben Harper and Jack Johnson. With a lineup of 42 artists that brought together almost all of the marquee acts in the jam band universe, the festival went off smoothly, turning a 500-acre farm in Central Tennessee into a virtual amusement park for music lovers. Given the jam band scene's penchant for collaborations, naturally there were many, and the artists appeared to be having the time of their lives playing to enthusiastic crowds with their fellow musicians. The result was a weekend of high-energy performances from performers like Southern rockers Widespread Panic and Warren Haynes' Gov't Mule. There was groove-laden funk supplied by scene favorites such as Galactic, Soulive and Karl Denson's Tiny Universe. Hip-hop artists Blackalicious and Jurassic 5 earned new followers among the tie-dyed fans with blistering sets that many thought were the highlights of the weekend. Jurassic 5 brought down the house, even trying out some cuts from their upcoming Power in Numbers, due in September. Those who wanted to simply sit in the sun and relax with some tunes were treated to a rare acoustic set by Harper and a solid performance by rising star Johnson, whose chilled-out acoustic cuts from his recent bluesy Brushfire Fairytales were the perfect complement to the tasty microbrews on hand. Those more inclined toward electronica could enjoy the Disco Biscuits, who will release their fourth album this fall, Senor Boombox. California-based newcomers Particle brought their intense "space porn funk" to the ballroom stage on Saturday afternoon but returned for what the "Particle people" were really hoping for later on — an unannounced set that started around 5 a.m. and ended at 8. Bonnaroo also made sure not to disappoint fans of those acts typically associated with the jam band movement. Although the Grateful Dead and Phish are not currently touring, they were well represented when Phil Lesh and Friends with special guest Bob Weir took the stage Sunday afternoon followed by Phish frontman Trey Anastasio's new band. Lesh and Weir jammed through Dead classics, keeping them fresh and full of energy. As the opening notes of "Franklin's Tower" echoed throughout the massive venue, faces in the dancing crowd beamed with smiles. Perhaps it was during those two hours that Bonnaroo seemed most perfect, as the music that started it all was enjoyed live under the late-afternoon Tennessee sun. Guitarist and reigning jam band king Anastasio and his nine-piece band closed the festival with two sets of material largely taken from his recent self-titled solo release. The new material is firmly rooted in a mixture of Afro-beat and psychedelia, and although his live show recently blew away crowds at smaller venues like New York's Radio City Music Hall, his music seemed almost too sophisticated and complicated for the concert field at Bonnaroo. The glowstick wars initiated by the crowd didn't complement Anastasio's new tunes the same way they did during Phish shows. Nonetheless, festival-long anticipation of Anastasio busting out some Phish songs or even reuniting with Phish at Bonnaroo was met by his encore solo acoustic performances of Phish favorites "Wilson" and "Bathtub Gin." Perhaps as remarkable as the music, however, was the fact that organizers managed to stage the biggest party in America last weekend while maintaining a peaceful vibe throughout. Around 3:30 in the morning on Saturday, Denson begged the massive crowd to shout back at him a refrain from one of his band's infectious, groove-laden numbers: "If it's all right with you, suddenly it's all right with me!" Everyone yelled it over and over as loud as they could as the fireworks that had been exploding all weekend continued. Denson's refrain might as well have been Bonnaroo's motto.