Who’s Missing – Round 2

With just over three months left until Bonnaroo, the line-up has yet to have any major changes or additions.  All of these artists have played the festival in the past, so if these suggestions fall on deaf ears, there’s always Bonnaroo 2010.

Les Claypool

Les Claypool performs with Primus at the Ottawa Bluesfest in 2008.

One of, if not the, most talented bassists to ever play music, Les Claypool has a love affair with Bonnaroo that dates back to the inaugural festival in 2002. He’s also made appearances in 2005 – when he played with protégé Gabby La La – 2006 and 2008. 

In recent years, Claypool has dabbled in a number of different entertainment outlets.  He wrote, edited, directed and starred in the mock-umentary “Electric Apricot,” made an appearance as a hillbilly the movie “Pig Hunt,” and scored the soundtrack to a video game, “Mushroom Men.” 

Claypool is on tour all March promoting his new full-length album, “Of Fungi and Foe,” a collection of music taken both directly and indirectly from his most recent projects. If you can play in March, Les, you can surely play in June. (Photo courtesy of bcymet on Flickr)

Regina Spektor

Regina Spektor performs at the Truck Festival in Oxfordshire, England in 2006.

After breaking out of the anti-folk scene with her 2006 hit-fourth album “Being to Hope,” Regina Spektor has remained relatively quiet for the past two years. She wrote and performed “The Call” for “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” soundtrack, collaborated with Ben Folds on his song “You Don’t Know Me” and played just a few shows, most recently on Jan. 22 in the Bowery Ballroom in New York City.

Rumors on blogs say she is working on a new album that could be due out as early as the end of the year.  The still-untitled LP may contain as many as five new tracks, as well as the rerelease of some of the dozens of unreleased Spektor gems. 

Spektor played Bonnaroo in 2007, just as her star was beginning to shine on the mainstream level.  With the announcement of Spektor’s involvement with the Hultsfred Festival in Sweden in July, at trip to Tennessee shouldn’t be that out of the question. (Photo courtesy of Stuart Leech on Flickr)

Medeski Martin and Wood

Madeski Martin & Wood perfom at the Slow Food Rocks Festival in San Francisco, CA in 2008.

The Brooklyn-based, experimental progressive-jazz trio has released over 15 albums since they formed in 1991. Medeski Martin and Wood were introduced to me by my brother a few years ago, but it’s their recent foray into children’s music, “Let’s Go Everywhere,” that has peaked my – and my 5-month-old nephew’s – interest.

Their most recent project, a trilogy of albums called “The Radiolarian Series,” is being produced in the exact opposite way that music is usually created. Over the course of 2008-09, MMW plans to write the music for one album, tour, record it and then start the process all over again.

Always eclectic and often-improvisational when they perform live, the band hasn’t graced the Bonnaroo stage since 2006.  With a handful of shows scheduled for April and May, a stop in Manchester would be a great way to test out some new material. (Photo courtesy of staxnet on Flickr)

Who’s Missing – Round 1

The lineup for the 2009 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival is extremely promising, with a number of big-name musicians from a wide array of genres slated to grace the stages.  Despite the roughly 80 musical acts on the bill, festival goers are still hoping that the “more artists to be announced soon” will include some of their favorites.  While this may be wishful thinking, I will continuously list prospective artists until Bonnaroo listens up.

Amy Winehouse:

Amy Winehouse performs at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis in 2007.

The Grammy-winning, British jazz-pop phenom Amy Winehouse has been holed up in St. Lucia for the past few months, attempting to break free from drugs and her soon-to-be-ex, Blake Civil-Fielder.  Undeniably talented, quick-witted and lyrically-gifted, Winehouse has the kind of name recognition that would draw humongous crowds (if not just to see if she falls over or punches another fan). Plus, a comeback appearance on this year’s Coachella bill leaves me wondering just one thing: why not Bonnaroo, Amy?  (Photo courtesy of Stacy Sandstrom on Flickr)

The Dead:

Phil Lesh, of The Dead, performs in California in 2008.

When I told my parents that I was going to Bonnaroo this year, they had two simple questions, “can we come?” and “is The Dead playing?” Needless to say, without the late, great Jerry Garcia, The Dead is just a shadow of the legendary band that my parents brought me up listening to.  Still, with a 2009 tour on the agenda, their headline appearances at Bonnaroo in 2003 and 2004 and Phil Lesh’s subsequent performances with his band in 2006 an 2008, I ask: where’s The Dead? (Photo courtesy of Scott Beale/Laughing Squid)

Joanna Newsom:

Joanna Newsom performs at the Latitude Festival in 2008.

The minuscule-voiced harpist hailing from Nevada City, California graced the Bonnaroo stage in 2005 right after her debut album, “The Milk-Eyed Mender,” was first released.  Since then, Joanna Newsom has reinvented her sound, released the epic “Y’s” and re-worked EP “Joanna Newsom and the Y’s Street Band,” and has been seen touring with a small, folk band.  Her lyrics tell grandiose stories, and her new-found tendency to lead her band in lengthy jam sessions seems to fit the Bonnaroo line-up like a glove. (Photo courtesy of Mario Menti on Flickr)