Last Night I Danced My Fanny Pack Off

Vikki here, blogging from the Troo Music Lounge.

Last night there was a fantastic lightning storm above me. In between the thundering clouds and the lightning bolts, there was a summer heat lightning show going on in the sky. As if there wasn't enough to be entertained by here at Bonnaroo. I walked home in the pouring rain, staying mostly dry under my rain jacket. I was coming back from Chair Lift, a disappointing show that wasn't worth staying up late for. The energy in that tent was such that I was able to completely fall asleep in the middle of hundreds of people on the floor on a pile of semi-wet hay. The band before Chair Lift was Hockey, my new favorite band. The lead singer was young and sexy, he wore a headband and alternated between singing lead and banging on the drums. Their music was funky, with a few songs reminiscent of a 70's rock and roll band, with a tambourine beat and harmocia leads. My friends Katie, Emily and I danced like wild women, looking around only to notice that the crowd just wasn't that jazzed up yet. It was a relatively early show, going from 8-9:15. Before the music started, I was feeling tired and considered going to the comedy tent where Jeanine Garafalo was going to be performing. After I discovered you had to wait in line to buy tickets and then wait in line to get into the comedy tent, I decided I had paid enough money already and went to see the music.

The wait to get into Bonnaroo wasn't that bad compared to years in the past. This is my fourth year at Bonnaroo and I have waited for 8 hours on the side of the highway to get into the festival. This year, we were driving down from Nashville into Manchester going East on 24. The exit for the festival is 111. The police blocked off every exit until 127. We had to drive 16 miles down the highway just to be able to trun around and get in line entering the festival on 24 West. The rain had stopped and the sun was shining as we crept along inch by inch, driving on the shoulder with thousands of other music lovers piled high into their cars with festival gear for the weekend.

As we approached the gate, we were asked if we had weapons, glass or drugs. Security made us get out of the car and they checked underneath the seat, in the glove compartment and looked through some of the blankets we had in the backseat of the car. We were directed to park and camp on West 1rst Street, between 8th and 9th Avenue. Our campsite is less than a 5 minute walk to Centeroo. Incredible, considering we could have been placed just about anywhere on this 700 acre farm, making the hike back and forth from the car to the music much more effort than it has to be.

I woke up this morning to an overcast sky, exited to go to Toubab Krewe, a band I have interviewed for Preview in the past. I am currently wearing hot pink spandex pants (in case it rains they dry quickly), flip flops (who cares about the mud?) and a blue dress to stay cool for when the Manchester sun decides to come out and play. I love being here, surrounded by thousands of people who love music and dancing but who also don't care about showering or wearing a watch. My kind of place.