The Bonnaroo Experience - from Tennessee OR your Home!

For those of you that are familiar with the music festival Bonnaroo, you are well aware that the festival is taking place in the middle of an incredibly large field in the middle of nowhere Tennessee as I type this sentence.  The festival is held in Manchester, Tennessee but I am fairly convinced the 700-acre farm where Bonnaroo takes place every year is the ONLY thing in Manchester.

Ariel View of Bonnaroo Music Festival (2006)

 For those of you unfamiliar with Bonnaroo, it is a mecca of musical talent and is an experience that is not to be missed if you love a variety of musical genres and find joy in the discovery of new artists that suit your musical taste.  Let's put it this way, I was at Bonnaroo in 2008 and saw 33 concerts in 4 days which ranged from Avett Brothers (brilliant) to Kanye West (not so brilliant) to Newton Faulkner, Bela Fleck, My Morning Jacket, Stephen Marley and Jack Johnson. The sun is torturous, the days are long and the people watching is the best you will ever find...and I couldn't help but smile for four days straight.  It.Was.Epic. 

Either way, as much as I love food and traveling, I also love music and find that the right song at the right moment can add an extra burst of joy in my life when I least expect it!! With that said, this is one getaway I have no problem recommending for the music lover that doesn't mind camping with 80,00 people for four days.  Take note though, if you ever attend Bonnaroo, I would recommend the extra spend on VIP passes for the "fancy" porta johns and the short walk to the main stage and Centeroo. 

Avett Brothers - The concert where I became a fan

I've been thinking about Bonnaroo this year, because:
1. The lineup is amazing (per usual)  AND
2. I had the opportunity to potentially go this summer when I walked into two free tickets, but between time and ways to transport myself there it just wasn't in the cards...(sad day for me).

Anyway, this morning, I went to the Bonnaroo site to look at the schedule and try to figure out the concerts my friends are probably attending....and it was the best decision I ever made...


Lo and Behold - LIVE STREAMING IS AVAILABLE ON THE BONNAROO WEBSITE!

Check it out and enjoy the festival from the comfort of your own home!  Clearly the complete concert schedule isn't available for web viewing, but with a line up like Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Florence and the Machine and My Morning Jacket you can bet I will be watching live tonight and I will make sure to catch Ray Lamontagne, Alison Krauss, Mumford & Sons and Arcade Fire tomorrow!

Bon Voyage (even if your getaway dream requires live streaming to the internet)!!