Bonnaroo 2013

     The last time I went to Bonnaroo was June 2003.  It was the summer following the passing of Michael Houser and Widespread Panic was headlining the Saturday night show.  My group of Widespread Panic friends decided not to go the year before for some reason.  I remember having tickets but it did not happen.  It was bitter sweet once I did see my favorite band on stage playing a bluegrass version of Imitation Leather Shoes in such a beautiful environment without the lead guitarist that I had grown to love dearly over the years.  Needless to say it was a wonderful weekend.  It was completely wild and out of control, like most big events were back then.  I think we even hosted a bachelor party at our RV over the weekend which consisted of mass amounts of LSD and never ending air guitars.

     Other than Panic, I remember seeing RJD2 with my friend Joe from Detroit and was blown away when he covered the Pet Shop Boys in the arcade tent.  About the same time that night I saw Warren Haynes play an amazing Cortez the Killer and Galactic was riding around camp on the back of a horse drawn buggy playing like it was completely normal.  I slept and cleaned up the RV and campsite that Sunday night listening to The Dead play some of my favorite tunes.  Joan Osborne was playing with them at the time and did a fantastic job.  It is a weekend in my musical career that I will never forget.  

     Today, the lineup for this years festival was released.  I have not had any desire to go since 2003.  I definately got my fill that year.  Now my life is a lot different.  The party has ended and I have no desire to stay up all night dancing around a bon fire completely out of my mind.  But when I read that Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, and ZZ Top were on the bill I reconsidered my Bonnaroo hiatus.  I would like to consider myself a rock n roll  purist.  And as a purist I feel like I cannot pass up the opportunity to see these three Iconic bands in the same weekend.  Heck, time is running out to see Paul and ZZ top individually much less on the same bill in the same weekend.  That opportunity will probably never happen again.  I grew out of my Beatles phase years ago, but Band on the Run, She's So Heavy, and Come Together still remain some of my favorites.  Lets also not forget that Jimi Hendrix said Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top was the best guitarist he had ever heard.

     I feel that I am obligated to do my rock n roll duty and go pay homage to some of the best that's ever been and get my fix.  Hell, maybe I will get lucky and Tom Petty will play a Traveling Wilburys tune.  I would not know what to do with my self. Except Dance!

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