The Road to Bonnaroo: I always wait until the last minute to get wristbands for Bonnaroo. In 2017, I scored VIP and Artist Tier 2 wristbands. In 2018, I scored Platinum Wristbands. In 2019, I scored VIP and Artist Tier 1 wristbands. This year I got my wristbands at the very last second.
What changed for me this year was selling my RV two weeks prior to Bonnaroo. I had given up on the idea of going when I saw an Ad on Craigslist about renting a bedroom in a house for $400.00 total. It was really $300.00 but they guy was awesome, so I gave him $400.00. The owner would bring us to the festival and pick us up. I could not imagine that without a parking tag, he could get close. So, I choose to drive my own vehicle since I was VIP anyway.
The drive in was easy and quick. VIP does that for you. The drive out on Thursday night was tough and long. I went completely around the festival. It was a very slow yet interesting drive. I came back to the home, bought myself a Chicken Salad sandwich and Hostess tiny donuts for dinner at a gas station. It was my choice, I have plenty of money to spend on food if I choose. I simply was not in the mood for festival fare this first evening.
Part of the Road to Bonnaroo was how I got my wristbands. I hawked both Reddit and Craigslist. If you are nice to people and they will remember you when they want to sell their wristbands at the last minute. The VIP wristbands came from a local young lady who gave her two VIP wristbands and a VIP Camping Pass. The retail price of them is approximately $1,800.00. I bought them for $800.00. The artist wristbands were initially from talking very nicely to all the scalpers on Reddit and Craigslist. On day one of Bonnaroo the prices drop rapidly. My plan was to finally get a Tier 1 Artist wristband. Extremely hard to come by and very expensive. All that was available was Tier 2 which is pretty good.
Then the lord parted the red sea and at the last minute there was an add for Tier 1 Artist wristbands. They guy wanted $500.00 for them. That can’t be the case, these go for $1,500.00 to $2,200.00. It seemed a local scalper hit pay dirt and did not know what he really had. Look story short, I sold my extra VIP and FINALLY got Artist tier one for cheap. I say cheap gut it was still $1,400.00. Believe it or not, that is a beyond super deal.
The key is being willing to wait until the day before and be nice to everyone online.
Thursday, June 13, 2019: After securing the tickets, I went to my rented room. I was a little afraid of this but when I got there, it was perfect. Clean bed, A/C, clean private showers. I also needed electricity for my CPAP machine. I emptied my stuff out, put on long jeans and ventured out.
The ride was a quick 15 minutes. They parked me in VIP Day parking which means you will not be sleeping in your car and you will leave the festival each evening. The best way to enjoy Bonnaroo is with a nice RV, with electrical ($795.00 just for electrical hookups). You can go back to your RV anytime you want, chill, nap or sleep the night away. I missed that a bit but having actual home five miles from the festival was awesome also.
Once my car was parked, I navigated to the entrance. It helped that I did Platinum last year and VIP the year before. I kind of knew where I was going and how to get back home late when it was dark. If you ever go to festivals, that first night you get the lay of the land. I was nervous my Artist Wristband was not for real, I had to find my way to the Artist lounge first thing. Since you must get scanned into the backstage area and in the lounge, I am glad to report I was good.
The best bargain in the festival is the $20.00 fee you pay to have unlimited drinks the entire four days in the artist lounge. Then I first got the loveliest bottle of water. I sat, drank it and started to relax. My quest reached pay dirt in that very moment. I then found the shortcut to the main stage connected by the Artist Lounge. This is super important, you can take you walking from main stage to artist Lounge for drinks, to the over main stage. Your walking is cut in half. I missed this in 2017 because I found out to late. Check for 2019.
Then off to tour the festival, people and stages. I went to one of the smaller stages (That Tent) to see a band called, “The Nude Party”. I had to find the way in to the front of the tent. That is the secret. Find it, find on day one. Don’t forget where it was. That is the benefit of Artist Wristbands. You have the same access on the big stages.
About this time, I was getting a bit worried and hungry. Could I find my car and what did I want to eat? I toured the food venders and decided to skip. Doing a full circle, I ended up back at the entrance, rolled into VIP and out to the VIP parking. I left at 10:30 PM. It took 20 minutes to get out. Interesting drive and only hit one major pot hole.
On the way home, I stopped at a gas station for a sandwich and water. Went to sleep about 1:00 AM. The perfect meal for the perfect day.
Friday, June 14, 2019: Woke up at close to 09:00 AM. My CPAP and Ambien created a much-needed night of sleep. They guy rented the room from had coffee and snacks waiting. I started my day by petting his 400 lbs. pig. You got that right, a pig. What a doll baby. Coffee and conversation. Out of the corner of my ear I say a fantastic drum set. This house thing is working out well for me. I was a professional drummer in early life. This morning is starting out perfectly until.
Until it was my turn for the Massage Chair. This chair was one of the great ones. It works on every part of your body. What got me was how it held my legs and rolled my feet. I know from experience not to do too much of this, but it was very welcome the morning after a festival walk.
I will now look at the Bonnaroo App. It shows me every band and allows me to decide on whom to go see. Much easier then hit and miss. I don’t know any of these bands. So, I will miss a lot if I don’t do my research.
Before I start my day, some lesson’s I learned when I got the lay of the land last night.
- Instead of driving myself, I will have the guy drop me off at the Guest gate behind the main stage. That should be an easy in and out. Save time and give me plenty of options. I hope that is. We will report back.
- The huge bottle of water free in the Artist Lounge will be my saving grace. Funny, free adult beverages used to mean more to me then it does today.
- The weather is great so jeans and really good running shows will be my dress. I will immediately buy a nice Bonnaroo shirt. My Polo brand shirts make me look like an under cover police officer.
- During the night, I will bring a sweat shirt.
- Food wise, they have a place with Cajun food that I remember was great. The huge Dutch donut is also on my agenda.
I got dropped off at the Guest Camping because that was a quick wake to the festival grounds. Great idea, however that told me it was against the rules. They let me in once and I could go out later. Out was ok, in was against the rules. Go figure.
I went in and immediately went to the Which Stage. I walked up the back and onto the stage. I asked permission to setup my backpack chair on the stage side. I was set to go. The group was called, “The Teskey Brothers”. The were fabulous.
I then went into the Artist lounge to have some lunch. This was the only place I could find some healthy options. I got a bean salad with chicken and it really hit the spot. I made a commitment not to drink to much. They say commitments are made to be broken. Three vodka’s later I was feeling no pain.
I actually took a nap under a huge shade tree for an hour. I was going to call it a day then I remembered you are only as old as you feel. I felt like shit so I had another drink. Then I went back to the Which Stage and saw the end of a group that crushed it, “Nahko and Medicine for the People”.
While they were setting up for the next band, I stayed behind the Which staged and found a tent by trailers. I found out a few minutes later, these were the actual artist trailers. I set up my chair and just chilled. I had no idea but I was Chilling with all the members of the next band up, AJR. These guys were total nerds. Quiet, friendly and visiting with their family and friends.
I went on the side stage again to see them play. I looked out into the audience and it was completely packed. At one point prior to the band starting, the crew started to sing the bands songs. The member of the band came out and instantaneously, they were SUPER energetic and turned into some pretty special entertainers. This is a sight you done normally see. It was special and the crowd went nuts.
I was at the festival now for over 6 hours, I called my right to pick me up. On the way home, I saw a Logan Texas Road House. For me, life can’t get better then this. Arriving at this house, I made a bee line to the massage chair. My legs and feet were killing me.