Eric P. (last name removed) is a 21-year-old art student at the University of Arts in Philadelphia. Though an avid concert attendee, Eric had never before been to a large music festival. After spending “too much money” on concert tickets last summer, he decided the most cost-efficient option for musical entertainment would be to attend Bonnaroo for the first time.
Eric views Bonnaroo as a vacation within itself, and is excited to get away with his close friends and his girlfriend, Margaret. He thinks that one of the biggest aspects of attending his first Bonnaroo will be how he deals with camping in such a large crowd of people. Still, he remains open-minded and optimistic that his first trip to Manchester will be a positive experience that he’ll remember for years to come.
Bonnaroo or Bust interviewed Eric on the telephone and asked him to explain how it feels to be a first-time festival-goer, much like myself. Again, above the transcribed text is an uncensored audio supplement with more questions and more in-depth answers.
Bonnaroo or Bust!: When did you first hear about Bonnaroo?
Eric P.: I first heard about Bonnaroo like two years ago around this time when a bunch of my friends were going to it. I guess I had heard little blurts of it on the news and side stories, but I never really investigated until my friends started going. They came back and told me what a blast they had.
BoB: What made you interested in going this year?
EP: I’ve been looking for a vacation thing with [his girlfriend] Margaret just to get out of the way, and last year we’d spent way too much money on concerts. We’d go to like Kanye West, Dave Matthews, Widespread Panic and all these concerts are like $50 each, minimum. And we were in the back of the f***ing place. So, we figured why not go to the most cost-effective show which is actually Bonnaroo, which turns out to be pretty much a vacation in itself. For the price of the tickets, I think, basically, you get the four or five headlining bands. Phish twice, Bruce Springsteen, Al Green; all the bands I want to see are there, plus some other ones.
BoB: Were you worried about the price or the long trip to Tennessee?
EP: Everything kind of had some worry attached to it, but I kind of feel like the overall experience will outweigh the cost of it.
BoB: What other bands are you interested in?
EP: Al Green’s going to be cool, Yeah Yeah Yeahs are going to be cool. I’ve never been to a Phish show, so this might be neat. I’m not looking at a lineup or anything, but off the top of my head – Ted Leo & The Pharmacists. I wish the White Stripes were there, at least they’re back on terms. Snoop Dogg’s going to be f***ing crazy. And honestly, I want to see Erykah Badu, I’m sure she puts on a good live show.
BoB: What is the most alluring part of Bonnaroo that drew you in and made you say, “I’m definitely doing this?”
EP: I think the notion of camping out with 400,000 people is going to be kind of crazy. I’m a little worried about security, but at the same time, what are a bunch of f***ing hippies going to do to my stuff? We’ll get a lock on the tent or something like that, but I’m not too concerned about it. The most alluring thing is almost definitely the prospect of camping out, cooking burgers or whatever, smashed next to 200,000 other campers. That actually seems kind of cool to me.
BoB: What do you think you’re going to see, granted the circumstances?
EP: Excessive drug use. And you know what’s funny? Part of me really hates the people we’re going to be around, because I think they’re going to be your typical smelly, hippie pothead that didn’t go to college or whatever and they sold drugs to get to the concert. But at the same time, I’m kind of judging it on what it is and I haven’t even been – it’s an educated guess. It’s all in huge hyperboles; I have this terrible Woodstock envisionment. I don’t think it’s going to be as awful as I’m making it out to be.
BoB: What’s the one thing you really want to get out of the experience?
EP: I don’t want to have to wonder what it’s like to go to a big music festival anymore. I’ve never been to like a huge music festival and obviously, people I know have. Margaret’s been to Farm Aid and some other things that had pretty decent bands. I guess the biggest thing that I’ve been to is maybe a Reggae festival in Wilmington, which might have had 20,000 people. But even that pales in comparison to the Kanye West concert which was like 60,000 people. So I think what I want to get out of it is just the total experience. I’m going for the music but I think that’s probably like 40 percent of the whole ordeal. If all the bands suck, I’d be disappointed, but I’d still be happy I went.
Bonnaroo or Bust! 