Sunday
There’s a feeling of sadness on the last day of Bonnaroo. It’s akin to that feeling of being a senior in high school and looking around and identifying those friends you may never see after graduation. —Aaron Pylinski
We get arrive at Gregg Allman’s set sun-soaked. After much anticipation Allman finally strolls out and takes a seat, pounding away at the keys. Allman Brothers classics like “Melissa” and “Whipping Post” make my spine tingle and it’s almost impossible to say goodbye.
From one rock deity to the next, we head over to see Robert Plant and the Band of Joy. This is a band of legends composed of Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin and Darrell Scott, to name a few. They rip into a folksy version of “Black Dog” and the crowd is immediately seized. Moving beyond Zeppelin, the band proves they’re a wicked force in their own right. Miller, Griffin and Scott each trade off singing lead as Plant adds backing vocals and sultry harmonica. Highlights include the Los Lobos cover “Angel Dance” and the Richard & Linda Thompson cover “House of Cards.” Plant’s pull is gravitational as his voice soars over the beautiful instrumentation. It’s clear he’s living out his fantasy of fronting a true American folk band. —Kris Bass
The evening was split between watching Widespread Panic and the campsite teardown. The feeling of leaving was that of an institutionalized prisoner. Part of the mind doesn’t want to leave and the other half wants to be free from the dusty, hot chains that bind it. As the tents came down and the car was packed up, the beams from distant searchlights still illuminated the sky as dirty car after dirty car rolled toward the exit. If there were one word to describe Bonnaroo 2011 it would be: Unparalleled. There is no experience like it, and though it can be compared to Woodstock, it has a flavor all its own. The fans, the gushing mushroom fountain, the dirty campsites, the 70-foot waterslide and all the music rolled onto a sea of grass is something that is truly out of this world. —Aaron Pylinski
