Guitar Musicians Institute
Bonnaroo 2010: Stevie Wonder signs, seals, and delivers, GWAR needs a band-aid, and Imelda May is the best act no one saw by venuszine
Could it be that 2010 is one of Bonnaroo’s best years ever? If Day Three was any indication, the answer is an easy yes. Saturday was one of the most eclectic lineups of the weekend and it kicked off with small stage performer, Imelda May. What is it about Europeans being able to revive rockabilly better than most Americans can? The Irish songstress, accompanied by her great jazz band, played in “Café Where,” a small tent that should have had a question mark after its name.
For those who were lucky enough to find it, however, the intimate setting was a definite treat. With a thick Irish accent and retro lounge kitten look, May quickly proved that she and her band were deserving of a much larger stage. The very humble group had one of the tightest acts of the weekend, as they ripped through a swinging hour-long set and closed the show with a fantastic rendition of “Tainted Love.”
Each year, one Bonnaroo stage spotlights a specific culture of music. This year, Latin music was the highlight with all-day lineups curated by Ozomatli. One stand-out was Mexican Institute of Sound, who might have sounded like a stiff orchestral set-up from the outside, but proved to be one of the most fun acts of the day.
Up next was Norah Jones who entertained a field of fans sitting on blankets in the sun. Although clearly Jones has come a long way from her easy-listening beginnings, her sound was still hard to pigeon-hole with a performance that ranged from haunting piano ballads to sweet country-infused diddies-but all showcasing her various instrumental talents. After all of the rumors about Neil Young performing at Bonnaroo this year, it was almost serendipitous that Jones chose to cover one of his songs in her set.
Godfathers of grunge the Melvins performed for a surprisingly small crowd, but proved they still have it together. With two drummers, the stage appeared perfectly symmetrical as did their solid performance. It was easy to see why the likes of Kurt Cobain admired them so much.
My inner 16-year-old, however, was pretty stoked for another ’90s mainstay: Weezer. Like many fans, much of my adolescence was spent scribbling flying W’s all over notebooks and analyzing every lyric from Pinkerton. But just as I’ve grown up, so has the band. Gone are the days of the awkward nerd rockers. Rivers Cuomo has abandoned guitar for stage antics and upgraded Patrick Wilson from drums to guitar, which has transformed the band into a five-piece. While the songs sounded great and the track selections were decent, I found myself pining for the golden years of Weezer, rather than their medley of MGMT and Lady Gaga songs.
When the sun went down, the big names came out to play. Conan O’Brien made yet another cameo and introduced the legendary Stevie Wonder, who scored a time slot all his own and rightfully so. Thousands of fans camped out until Wonder entered the stage, keytar in hand. While the set list might not have been too surprising (the show played out like a greatest hits album), it was well received by the large crowd who were just content to see the superstar perform.
Jay-Z followed Stevie Wonder and stuck to the same strategy of hit singles in his set list, even dedicating “Hard Knock Life” to all the fallen rappers. Completely aware of his audience, Jay-Z acknowledged everyone within his eyesight and invited one girl on stage for a birthday serenade. The unspoken question of the evening was if Beyonce would be showing up for a duet a la Coachella, and though she never did, Jay-Z had no problem holding his own.
Legendary in their own right, one of the best shows of the day (which sadly, went largely unnoticed due to various packed techno tents) was metal band GWAR. After a long and hilarious video intro entitled, “Behind the Murder” (in the style of VH1’s “Behind the Music”), GWAR took the stage in full costume and spared no time before the blood, vomit, and various other bodily fluids started showering the audience. “I need blood!” screamed one fan who pushed past me to happily join the bloodbath.
GWAR was not for the easily offended. Be it ripping off the nose of a zombie Michael Jackson impersonator (and spraying the audience with his blood), decapitating a President Obama impersonator (and spraying the audience with his blood), or encouraging a “Margaret Cho is a ho” chant (and spraying her down with even more blood), GWAR left everyone watching a bit faint with their late-night set.
The Music Magazine Venus Zine and venuszine.com feature interviews with legendary artists in addition to edgy and up-and-coming musicians, designers, writers, actresses, and DIY entrepreneurs.
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Venus Zine is the leading source for coverage of women in music, art, film, fashion,etc. Call at 773.327.9790 to reach VenusZine,the daily companion music magazine.
About the Author
Could it be that 2010 is one of Bonnaroo’s best years ever? If Day Three was any indication, the answer is an easy yes. Saturday was one of the most eclectic lineups of the weekend and
it kicked off with small stage performer, Imelda May.
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