What makes a music festival in Mexico feel so different from one in the United States? This week on The What Podcast, Barry and Bryan talk with Ricardo Gómez from OCESA, the promoter behind Mexico City's massive Corona Capital Festival. Ricardo shares how Mexican festival culture compares to the U.S., from the unmatched passion of Mexican fans and the emotional connection they have with artists, to how sponsorships help keep ticket prices affordable without compromising the experience.

The conversation goes deep into the logistics of building a large-scale event in Mexico City, including lineup curation, routing challenges, and the economics of booking international headliners. For Bonnaroo and music festival fans alike, it's a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how live music thrives south of the border, and what American festivals could learn from the energy, community, and creativity that define Mexico's biggest music festivals.

Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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(00:00:00) Intro

(00:01:44) Interview with Ricardo Gómez of OCESA

(00:48:50) Wrap-up

(00:53:24) Outro

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

CaveFest 2025: Exploring the Underground Magic of The Caverns

ticketmaster.com.mx

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The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat

The What Podcast is on location at The Caverns in Pelham, Tennessee for CaveFest 2025, just down the road from Bonnaroo! Barry couldn't make it this week, so our friend Beth Thorpe steps in to co-host. We talk about our experience at the festival, why CaveFest is more than just bluegrass, and how an independent venue like The Caverns runs differently from Live Nation's Bonnaroo. Plus, we get a full cave tour with the owner himself! Could CaveFest be the most magical small festival in the Southeast? Does it give Bonnaroo a run for its money when comparing vibes?

But that’s not all, we also cover the latest music and festival news. We speculate on Bonnaroo's radio silence over the past few months and what it might mean for the festival next year. Nine Inch Nails' Future Ruins Festival has been cancelled, Rush announces a surprise 2026 tour, and we share some hot takes on Taylor Swift’s new album.

Listen to this week's episode with our coverage of CaveFest 2025 here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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(00:00:00) Intro

(00:03:33) Bonnaroo updates and speculation

(00:06:09) Nine Inch Nails festival cancelled

(00:08:41) Rush tour announced

(00:12:42) Taylor Swift's new record

(00:24:20) Bonnaroo merch

(00:27:11) CaveFest Coverage

(00:52:33) Outro

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Radiohead, Oasis & Nine Inch Nails: The 90s Rock Revival Taking Over Festivals

Taylor Swift vs. Pixies - Actually Romantic/Where Is My Mind Mashup

Wood Brothers: Luckiest Man

Radiohead Vs. The Hollies

How The Caverns Became Tennessee's Premier Music Destination

Caveman Chronicles by Todd Mayo on Amazon

Thumbnail photo by: Elizabeth Thorpe

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The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat

The beloved Moon River Festival in Chattanooga, Tennessee is setting sail - literally! In this episode of The What Podcast, hosts Barry Courter and Bryan Stone sit down with Drew Holcomb, founder of Moon River, and Jeff Cuellar, CEO of Sixthman, to talk about the bold decision to move the festival from the banks of the Tennessee River to a cruise ship at sea. They discuss the challenges that made the Chattanooga version unsustainable, the emotional weight behind that choice, and why "Moon River at Sea" could be the next evolution of boutique music festivals.

From weather risks and financial realities to the excitement of an immersive fan experience on the ocean, this conversation goes deep into what it takes to produce a modern festival in a changing world. Drew shares personal insight into what Moon River meant to him and the city, while Jeff explains how Sixthman plans to bring that same community spirit to the high seas.

Listen to this week's episode with Drew and Jeff here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:01:55) Moon River at Sea with Drew and Jeff

(01:04:44) Outro

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Bonnaroo Gumbo

Saving Moon River: How the Festival Overcame a Sunday Rainout

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Why does a shower matter? This week on The What Podcast, Meredith MacLeod Jaulin from Shower the People joins us. Learn how a Nashville mobile shower and laundry nonprofit restores dignity, health, and trust - then channels festival energy into year-round impact through Planet Roo partnerships and tie-dye towel activations at Bonnaroo. Meredith shares the org's origin (founded 2017), why low-barrier access matters, and how a converted school bus now delivers showers, laundry, underwear, and essentials across Nashville - while Planet Roo grants, programming, and community touchpoints help amplify the mission.

Also, we look at other festival news too as many events are starting to announce their 2026 lineups, such as Coachella, Big Ears, and Summerfest. What does this mean for Bonnaroo? Bryan Stone also recaps his IBMA experience and how the VIP experience seems to miss the mark.

Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:03:06) Confusing seating at IBMA

(00:14:40) Coachella and other festival lineups

(00:18:17) Brad Parker's replacement

(00:21:37) Introducing this week's guest

(00:24:15) Interview with Meredith

(01:02:19) Outro

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

showerthepeople.net

stoneonair.com

Shaky Knees 2025 vs. IBMA Chattanooga: Live from the Red Carpet + Bilmuri Interview

Bonnaroo Shake-Up: Brad Parker Departs, & Kyle Hollingsworth on New Album, String Cheese, and Beer

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The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat

Shaky Knees 2025 and IBMA's World of Bluegrass in Chattanooga couldn't be more different, but this week on The What Podcast we were at both. From Atlanta's Piedmont Park with Devo, Johnny Marr, 4 Non Blondes, Weird Al, and more, to the Red Carpet in Chattanooga with Steve Martin, Alison Brown, and the bluegrass world’s biggest stars...we've got you covered.

PLUS: we sit down for an exclusive interview with Johnny Franck of Bilmuri (not Bill Murray), where he talks about festival life, Bonnaroo 2025’s cancellation, rocking jorts on stage, and how his genre-bending sound fits across rock, pop, country, and metal festivals.

Listen to this episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:01:56) Shaky Knees in Atlanta Recap

(00:17:28) IBMA in Chattanooga Recap

(00:38:09) More Shaky Knees Recap

(00:44:30) Interview with Bilmuri

(01:03:45) Outro

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Bonnaroo 2024 Recap Part 2 with Michigander

World of Bluegrass comes to Chattanooga and the Latest Bonnaroo 2025 News

How The Caverns Became Tennessee’s Premier Music Destination

Bonnaroo's Survey Questions and hey, nothing's Big Summer

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The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat

A Bonnaroo love story, fresh Farm updates from Manchester, and a Seattle grunge pilgrimage: all this week in The What Podcast! We preview Shaky Knees Festival 2025 in Atlanta and IBMA bluegrass events in Chattanooga, then detour into PBR beer-cheese soup before diving into the 90s revival with Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails and Oasis all doing big tours. Not to leave out The Farm though, it looks like new earth‑moving and drainage work could mean less flooding Bonnaroo campers next season.

Finally, we dive into Bryan's Seattle grunge pilgrimage via Port Townsend, Washington with stops like the Showbox, Pike Place Market, Andrew Wood's (Mother Love Bone, a precursor to Pearl Jam) gravesite, and the Singles apartment, and of course the post office! All of this can be traced back to the magic of Bonnaroo and how it can lead to unexpected connections. 

Listen to this episode about Bryan Stone's trip to Seattle here or watch it on YouTube. And if you'd like to hear more from Bryan Stone, subscribe to the StoneOnAir Podcast. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:03:09) Upcoming: Shaky Knees and IBMA

(00:14:49) Soup (PBR beer-cheese?)

(00:16:51) 90s wave: NIN, Oasis, Radiohead

(00:18:55) Farm update: earth-moving and drainage

(00:21:25) Bryan visits Washington State

(00:43:44) Grunge Pilgrimage: Andrew Wood, Singles Apartments

(00:57:08) CaveFest in October

(00:59:29) Outro

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

How Bonnaroo Changed Manchester Forever: Live from Planet Roo

Surviving Woodstock '99: Two Attendees Look Back 25 Years Later

How The Caverns Became Tennessee’s Premier Music Destination

Red Rocks, My Morning Jacket, and Bonnaroo Stories: RooHamm & Roo Bus Catch-Up

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The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat

Parker Reed from the RooHamm Podcast joins us to catch up and explain why there's been a lull since Bonnaroo, and how their group handled the festival's rainout before becoming optimistic about 2026. We also dive into My Morning Jacket's Red Rocks set and what makes the venue so magical, making it a bucket list stop for MMJ and Bonnaroo fans alike.

After the main chat, stick around for a bonus segment as Russ reports from The Other Farm over the holiday weekend before hopping in the creek with Lindsey and Daniel from Storytime at the Roo Bus podcast for a quick field update on TOTEM and a look ahead at fall plans such as CaveFest in October.

Catch up with RooHamm and Roo Bus here or watch this episode on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:04:27) Catching up with Parker (RooHamm)

(00:07:14) RooHamm origin story

(00:13:36) Reliving the Bonnaroo cancellation

(00:27:52) Why no new RooHamm episodes

(00:31:21) Brad Parker leaving C3

(00:34:56) Hinterland notes and fixes

(00:40:41) My Morning Jacket at Red Rocks

(00:47:58) Changes for Bonnaroo 2026

(00:53:14) Russ at The Other Farm

(00:55:39) Live from the creek with Lindsey and Daniel (Roo Bus)

(01:06:39) Outro

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

When Bonnaroo Breaks Your Heart: Our Reaction to the 2025 Cancellation

How Bonnaroo Changed Manchester Forever: Live from Planet Roo

Bonnaroo Shake-Up: Brad Parker Departs, & Kyle Hollingsworth on New Album, String Cheese, and Beer

Inside Hinterland: Sam Summers on Festival Challenges and the 90-Degree Guarantee

How The Caverns Became Tennessee’s Premier Music Destination

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The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat

Bonnaroo 2025 is behind us, so what’s next? On this week's The What Podcast, we do some porch sittin' and look ahead to more festivals still to come in 2025, including Shaky Knees, World of Bluegrass, and CaveFest. We dive deep into the legacy of Devo, one of our most-anticipated acts of Shaky Knees this year, and explore the surprising event that sparked the band's creation.

Plus, we preview World of Bluegrass and the big guests heading to Chattanooga next month. And finally, we’re looking forward to CaveFest at The Caverns in Tennessee, our second favorite place in the world. What festivals are you most excited about as we wrap up 2025? Let us know in the comments!

Listen to this episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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CHAPTERS

(00:00) Intro

(03:36) Devo documentary

(11:39) Shaky Knees preview

(18:26) World of Bluegrass preview

(21:43) CaveFest preview

(22:04) Bonnaroo news

(25:23) Bryan in Washington state

(27:30) Weird Al

(31:04) More Devo documentary

(34:04) Back in the studio

(36:13) Outro

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

The Backseat Lovers on Growing into a Festival Band, Technical Difficulties and All

Bonnaroo 2024 Recap Part 2 with Michigander

Bonnaroo's Survey Questions and hey, nothing's Big Summer

Wet Leg: Tiny Desk Concert

World of Bluegrass comes to Chattanooga and the Latest Bonnaroo 2025 News

How The Caverns Became Tennessee’s Premier Music Destination

Bonnaroo Shake-Up: Brad Parker Departs, & Kyle Hollingsworth on New Album, String Cheese, and Beer

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The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat

Bonnaroo is facing a big change: Festival Director Brad Parker is leaving C3 Presents and saying goodbye to the Bonnaroo family. In this episode, we talk about what Brad's departure could mean for the future of The Farm, and look ahead to what’s next for Bonnaroo. It's a special "breaking news" edition of The What Podcast.

Next, we sit down with Kyle Hollingsworth of The String Cheese Incident for an in-depth conversation about his brand-new solo album All We Are, the evolution of String Cheese's sound, and his long-running passion for brewing craft beer. Kyle shares festival memories, songwriting insights, and the surprising connection between making music and making beer. If you love Bonnaroo, jam bands, and craft beer, you won't want to miss this interview!

Listen to this episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:01:23) Brad Parker leaving C3

(00:11:53) Flooding in Chattanooga

(00:17:18) Interview with Kyle Hollingsworth

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Moon River with Drew Holcomb and AC Entertainment

Bonnaroo 2026: Brad & Cory from C3 Answer Your Questions

Bonnaroo, Cruise Festivals, and More with Sixthman VP Jeff Cuellar

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The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat

Despite Bonnaroo's cancellation this year, fans persevere and call in to share what makes the festival so special: freedom, life-changing connections, and more. But first, The What Podcast crew celebrates a big milestone. Thank you for 2,000 YouTube subscribers! Fresh off last week's in-depth interview with Brad Parker and Cory Smith about Bonnaroo 2026 plans, we dive into the heartfelt listener voicemails, reflect on the 2025 shutdown aftermath, talk transparency, programming changes, and more. Want to share your own thoughts with us? Call our voicemail line at (423) 667-7877.

We also head into the off-season by spotlighting a few recent trips to The Caverns for a last-minute Drive-By Truckers show, and a visit to Dave's Little Magic Bar in Johnson City. Stay subscribed to The What Podcast for an upcoming interview with Kyle Hollingsworth from String Cheese Incident and some upcoming fall festivals we're covering, too!

Listen to this episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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CHAPTERS

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:02:41) YouTube milestone

(00:06:36) Recapping last week's show

(00:34:53) Russ' bus trip

(00:41:30) Bryan at The Caverns

(00:44:58) Hinterland Update

(00:46:39) Listener Voicemails

(01:06:56) Previewing next week's show

(01:08:32) Rock is dead, part 2

(01:15:45) Outro

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Bonnaroo 2026: Brad & Cory from C3 Answer Your Questions

The Real Roo Bus Joins The What Podcast

The Bonnaroo Yearbook: Capturing Festival Memories

How The Caverns Became Tennessee’s Premier Music Destination

Bonnaroo Community Spotlight: How Church Boners Became a Festival Family

Inside Hinterland: Sam Summers on Festival Challenges and the 90-Degree Guarantee

How Bonnaroo Changed Manchester Forever: Live from Planet Roo

Is Rock Dead? The Bonnaroo Music Census and Remembering Ozzy Osbourne

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The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat