It’s been five years since COVID-19 shut down the world, bringing live music and festivals like Bonnaroo to a halt. In this episode of The What Podcast, we reflect on how the pandemic impacted the festival industry, from the mass cancellations of 2020 to Bonnaroo’s remarkable post-COVID comeback. Barry even records while battling COVID for the first time, making this anniversary discussion all the more surreal. We revisit key moments—like when SXSW was the first major event to cancel, the uncertainty surrounding live events, and how the music industry adapted with virtual performances.

Beyond the five-year COVID milestone, we also go over the latest updates for Bonnaroo 2025 including the possible replacement of the House of Matroomony and events at the House of Yes. Also, be sure and join The What Podcast for a special meetup and live episode on The How Stage inside Planet Roo at 4:00 PM on Thursday during Bonnaroo!

Listen to the full episode right here, or watch the video on YouTube. And don't forget to like, rate, and subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get your podcasts!

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CHAPTERS

(00:00) Intro

(02:26) Last week's episode with Tuba

(15:30) Bonnaroo news

(27:00) Contest update

(31:27) 5 years after the COVID shutdown

(49:36) Outro

Enter our Bonnaroo 2026 ticket giveaway at thewhat.co/win! We've got two tickets to give away with a camping pass!

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The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat, used with permission.

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