



Next week, vehicles loaded down with music fans and their camping gear will head out to Manchester, Tenn., for the 17th annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Over the years the fest has had its share of high points that people still talk about (from acts as big as Paul McCartney and Jay-Z and as small as The Orwells), as well as lows that people also still talk about (the Kanye West production debacle in 2008, record low attendance in 2016). For better or worse, each fest is an experience shared by thousands at a time when our culture as a whole is marked by fragments and niches.

This year’s Bonnaroo headliners — Muse, Eminem and The Killers — don’t represent the height of the zeitgeist, but they are all exceptional performers nonetheless (scroll down to read more about them). There are lots of acts with arguably more cultural relevance further down the bill, and our staffers and freelance contributors have picked out 24 that we’re especially excited about — read about those here. There’s an exceptional amount of Middle Tennessee talent to check out, both on the stages and at two of the plaza areas out in the campground (we’ve got a roundup right here).

If you’ve ever been curious about the nonprofits set up around Planet Roo, this is a good time to check them out as well. Read our conversation with Bonnaroo sustainability director Laura Sohn for more on that. This year’s comedy offerings are impressive, too, and you won’t have to wait to get into the comedy tent to check them out — more about that right here. And speaking of funny, check out our ninth annual Bonnaroo Bingo card.

So maybe we’re on pace for a fest that’s a little bit more relaxed this year, but that’s not a bad thing at all: With more time to check out things you’ve never seen before, you might find some new friends or a new favorite band. It’s time to slather on the sunscreen, fill up that water bottle and check it out. — STEPHEN TRAGESER

Play along!

Illustration by Holly Carden









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The Headliners

More about the acts who'll close out the fest each night

Muse

Obvious parallels can be drawn between Muse and U2, the latter of whom played the Friday night headline slot last year. Both are groups from the British Isles who have a penchant for massive stage production and earnest anthems that draw from American blues and R&B, and both have frontmen who like fancy eyewear. But while most bands who share traits with Bono and the boys tend toward hero worship and often come off the worse for it, that’s not much of a problem for frontman Matthew Bellamy & Co. The blend that Muse has been tweaking for more than two decades includes bits from prog, glam, dance music, grunge, hair metal and post-punk, and the band embraces Queen as closely as it does, say, The Cure. In February, Bellamy told Rolling Stone that Muse was midway through making its eighth album, and set lists from the band’s shows so far this year show a thorough mix of fan favorites and deep cuts, alongside two new singles — “Dig Down” and “Thought Contagion.” 10:30 p.m. Friday at What Stage STEPHEN TRAGESER

Eminem

There were some aggro moments when Eminem headlined Bonnaroo back in 2011 — like when he had everyone in the audience flip one another off and yell obscenities. But now that the 45-year-old rapper has entered middle age, perhaps we can expect a kinder, gentler Marshall Mathers when he hits the main stage at Bonnaroo Saturday night. Or maybe not. Either way, don’t expect Em’s set to be loaded down with latter-day material from less-than-acclaimed albums like last year’s Revival. Recent set lists show that he’s been reaching way back into his catalog, playing hits and deep cuts alike from 2002’s The Eminem Show and 1999’s Slim Shady LP. His may not be the chillest and most good-vibe-heavy set you see all weekend, but hearing tens of thousands of people rap along to “Lose Yourself” will probably be pretty damn rad. 10:45 p.m. Saturday at What Stage D. PATRICK RODGERS

The Killers

Whether or not Las Vegas dance-conscious rockers The Killers and their immaculately wardrobed, eternally youthful frontman Brandon Flowers are your thing, they will to try their damnedest to win you over. Within every influence they pull from — the darker elements of Joy Division and The Smiths, the anthemic tendencies of U2 and Bruce Springsteen and the disco glamour of Donna Summer filtered through David Bowie — they seek out the grandest gestures to incorporate. This tour comes in the wake of 2017’s Wonderful Wonderful, The Killers’ first record since 2012, and even with bassist Mark Stoermer and guitarist Dave Keuning staying off the road (while remaining with the band), the team has been reveling in being road dogs, frequently moving songs around in the set and pulling from all across their catalog. And if the only thing you want to hear is their 2004 hit “Mr. Brightside,” that’s pretty much a given. 10:15 p.m. Sunday at What Stage STEPHEN TRAGESER



