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.

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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.