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| Josh Ritter peforming at Bonnaroo 2005. Bonnaroo photos, reviews, and mp3's. On the Josh Ritter Fansite, by Doug Rice. |
| Date: Friday June 10, 2005 Venue: "Bonnaroo Music Festival" in Manchester, TN The Big Deal: It's a four day long festival, held on a 700 acre farm. 90, 000 music fans come. NINETY THOUSAND. Rolling Stone magazine called Bonnaroo the "American rock festival to end all festivals," and in a special issue, it named Bonnaroo "One of the 50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock and Roll." This year, more than 80 bands were lucky enough to appear, including The Dave Matthews Band, The Black Crowes, Widespread Panic, Trey Anastasio, The Allman Brothers, Jack Johnson, John Prine - and Josh Ritter. When you play Bonnaroo, you're either a big deal, a best kept secret - or the next big thing. |
| Review (DAY 1 / pre-show): To say we rolled into "Manchester, Tennesse" totally psyched is a huge understatement. We had been talking about it all week, and not just about Josh's set; we're big fans of many of the artists playing, and even have some old friends there. Days before, we all sat in a restaurant with Bonnaroo schedules, circling the bands we'd like to see. Each of our scribbled schedules looked like mine (at right). As you can see, there are tough decisions to be made; it's a bummer that one of the coolest bands, Old Crow Medicine Show, is on at the same time as Josh. And though the festival officially started the day before, this is the first day of concerts - and Josh is among several artists who are "Day 1, Show 1". It's early, but the consensus is that it's a good thing: everyone is fresh, not worn down yet, and pumped to get the weekend going with live music. The day starts extremely sunny. And hot. Extremely hot. And we rise, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.... |
| Thanks to Josh, Darius, Zack, Sam, Myk, Mike L., and my fellow passionate Josh Ritter fans - both on the road and at home - for making "The June 2005 Shows" such an unforgettable time for the band and me. |
| > Josh Ritter Fansite > Features > June 2005 Shows > Bonnaroo |
| Bonnaroooooooooo! |
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| We drive ourselves - and our equipment - to another nearby hotel, where artists check in and get their passes. We receive maps, guidelines, updated schedules, comp tickets, and the most useful and coveted item: the artist tags. These tags, which will be draped around our necks for the next couple days, prove to be a luxury that truly make the weekend something unique and special. It will enable us "all access" - which means backstage at all stages, no lines, and private camp sections like catering and a bar. Though we're "professionals," we're also music lovers at the world's biggest and coolest music festivals. But we contain our excitement. That's a lie. I'm giddy as all hell. |
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| While there, we "cross-load" the band equipment into another trailer with Bonnaroo crew. Zack hops in with them to make the very short drive over to the grounds, while me, Josh, Sam, Dave, and Myk jump into a different van. As we pull away, a guy asks for a lift and doesn't mind just squeezing into the very back with a guitar, sitting on the floor. We introduce ourselves, he says "Hey, I'm Keller." It's Keller Williams, the amazing guitarist/singer/jamband rocker. |
| Upon pulling into the grounds, most of what is going on around us is blocked from our view - and it's still a crazy scene. It's indescribable. The sea of humanity, which is the campsites on the other side of the grounds, is something we don't glimpse til later, when my jaw drops and remains dropped for a good hour. We are dropped off at a VIP section that has a catering tent and bar tent. As the guys pop into catering for some breakfast, I tackle the Josh Ritter merchandise. I meet with the Bonnaroo people, who tell me that only one design (shirt) can be sold. I pick the brown "starling" one, and sort out the different sizes and inventory. That frees up my "soft merch" duties until we leave Bonnaroo and I collect, so I'm relieved. I join up with the guys and we hop onto a golf cart, driven by one of the eclectic Bonnaroo staffers, and head toward our stage, which is called "The Other Tent." Showtime is just an hour or two away. |
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| When we get to "The Other Tent," the equipment is there, and we all lend a hand in loading it onto the stage. The Bonnaroo crew, though, is on top of it all, doing most of the work. Being the first artist to play that day certainly has one big benefit: soundcheck. Most bands don't get this privelege at Bonnaroo, since once the music starts on a stage, it's continuous. There's only time to break down one band's equipment and set up the next. And the fans are there, waiting. So it's a treat to be able set up and get a chance to soundcheck and make sure it sounds the way Josh and the band want it. After soundcheck, I need to take our Josh Ritter cd's over to the music tent and make sure they're fully stocked to sell them. Zack hops onto another golf cart with me and a driver takes us away. How big is the scene? Well, we get lost. We get a total kick out of being driven around the Bonnaroo atmosphere, but we - even the driver - can't find the music tent. We finally do somehow, and I'm thrilled to find that the makeshift cd store, "Cat's Music," is fully stocked with Josh's cd's, and will do all the selling for us. I'm pumped. I'm basically freed up to enjoy the festival and help in other ways. |
| We're all back at the stage now, prepping for the big show. None of us have ever been to Bonnaroo before, so the anticipation is huge, yet we have no idea what to expect. How will this very diverse audience react, and how many will actually come to see Josh? Afterall, it's the first day, first show on that stage. Festival goers have been up ALL night - either driving in the infamous traffic jam, or partying their faces off in the "sea of humanity," the campgrounds that is literally hundreds and hundreds of acres in size... |
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| The guitars - with the notable addition of Josh's electric. |
| "The Other Tent," where Josh and band will perform. |
| Me, Josh, and Sam on the back of the cart, heading over to the stage. |
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| Josh and the band during "soundcheck," a Bonnaroo rarity. |
| Fans pour in through the main entrance, just minutes before Josh's set would start at "The Other Tent." |
| [ all photos by Doug Rice ] |
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| No photo can capture the "sea of humanity" that is the campgrounds. Standing at the edge of the main concert grounds, this is the view - in every direction you look: thousands and thousands of tents, set up for a weekend of music, peace, heat, beers, rain, drugs, and more. |
| Review (Day 1 / the show): Backstage, we all huddle up and say a few words - a ritual for the band. It's showtime. The music of Josh Ritter and his band was about to reach a whole new audience... |
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| At approximately 1:00 pm., Josh Ritter and his band take the stage at the 2005 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. |
| During their introduction, Sam steals a glimpse toward the audience, to see if anyone came... |
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| The audience that came to see Josh Ritter and his band at Bonnaroo. |
| I've been to many Josh Ritter concerts. So many that I've lost count over the past couple years. This one, at Bonnaroo though, was a landmark. Now, of course there's nothing like seeing Josh in Ireland, playing to so many die-hard fans who know and love his music. No, this was a different kind of energy. I don't believe Josh has ever played to this many people who DIDN'T know his music and who were all amped to hear it.. And they loved it. I got the impression that much of the audience was there not because of the Josh Ritter music they've heard - but for what they've heard ABOUT Josh Ritter music. It's exactly the kind of audience you want to be playing for, and what Bonnaroo is all about. |
| Talking about the setlist to be played at Bonnaroo, we all had different opinions and thoughts. But we all agreed that it should rock. Josh and the band think that the setlist from the previous night in Knoxville worked great, and with some tweaking it could be great for Bonnaroo. I check my recording of the Knoxville show for TIME. It's almost perfect for the time allowed here. So using this as a basis, Josh and the band decide to open with "The Bad Actress" and keep the haunting ballad "Idaho" for midway through the show. And they leave out "You Don't Make it Easy, Babe," and replace it with what would be the highlight of the show: the new, 9 minute-plus rock anthem "Thin Blue Flame." |
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| 1. The Bad Actress 2. Snow is Gone 3. Roll On 4. Me and Jiggs 5. Man Burning 6. Idaho 7. Harrisburg 8. Thin Blue Flame 9. The Other Side 10. Wolves 11. Golden Age of Radio 12. Kathleen |
| BONNAROO SETLIST: |
| Rain had moved in before showtime, but minutes before Josh takes the stage, it stops. And the sun emerges. It was perfect. When the band kicks into the first song, it's thrilling. Pockets of fans who are familiar with Josh's songs scream in excitement, while everyone else gets instantly drawn in. Heads start bobbing, feet start tapping, and some start dancing. Everyone is just so psyched to be there, to get Bonnaroo 2005 underway, and to enjoy - or discover - great music. |
| While the band has a blast onstage, I have a blast in my own way: I hurry to the very back of audience area, grab a very cold beer, and take in this moment. It was how it all started for me - in the audience, with nothing to do but enjoy it. And in a way, this was like seeing Josh Ritter again for the first time. The grin on my face is so big that it literally hurt my cheeks and makes drinking my beer difficult. But I was on Cloud Nine. This show was not just the climax of the week; for me it was the pinnacle of the last three years, since I first heard a Josh Ritter song. For the band, I'm sure it was a pinnacle of a time a lot longer than that. So for the moment, especially on my side of the stage, nothing else mattered; it all floated away, and what was left was this concert at the world's premeire music festival. The fact that I was working as part of the band didn't matter. That I call these guys friends didn't matter. No, at this moment, standing in the back, I was nothing but a huge Josh Ritter fan. And I was euphoric. |
| After enjoying most of their set in the mode I do best (as simply their biggest fan), I returned to my duties as leader of the Street Team, creator of the Josh Ritter Fansite, and unofficial historian. I grab my camera and moved (actually I danced, yelled, and grooved) around the tent and stage in an effort to document this show with some pics. |
| Josh and the band didn't play their songs, they attacked them. Josh has always had a reputation for the way he seems to enjoy himself onstage, but the satisfaction he seemed to be feeling on this day was as genuine as it gets. After "Bad Actress," they slide right into the infectiously happy "Snow is Gone," which hits the perfect note on this hot day, in front of a thousand or so happy music lovers. Josh doesn't say much during the set; each song leads right into the next, with only some comments from Josh here and there. And after rockin' versions of "Me and Jiggs" and "Man Burning," it's a perfect time to catch your breath - and Josh quiets the huge audience with the subtle opening thumps of "Idaho." He nails it. This song is really turning into Josh Ritter show highlight. And it's the last time the audience - or the band - would be able to catch their breath. Because from there, it's aggressive renditions of "Harrisburg," "Thin Blue Flame," "Other Side," "Wolves," "Golden Age of Radio," and "Kathleen." "Thin Blue Flame" has quiet sections, but it's hardly a rest. The tone and the lyrics are extremely tense, and it slowly builds each time to a thundering crash of a chorus. The audience, absolutely loving this brand of rock, applauds loudly and appreciatively each time the band finishes the hardcore chorus and returns to the soft, familiar medley on piano and electric guitar. It's the closest I've seen Josh Ritter come to "jamband" rock. And it was great. This is easily the climax of Josh's Bonnaroo show, and is what had most people talking about afterwards. After the song, Josh tells the audience, "You guys are fucking awesome!" "Wolves," once again, throws me into a tizzy. And the crowd loves it when "Golden Age of Radio" kicks into the familiar "fast" version after the first verse is done in the beautiful "slow" style. Calls for the song "Kathleen" were heard throughout the show, so when Josh thanks the crowd for a good show and ends the show with this one, it is met with pure gratitude and excitement. They end strong, with a thunderous outro. Dave launches a drumstick across the stage. It's the perfect end to the perfect show. |
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| [ all photos by Doug Rice ] |
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| Again, this was one of the greatest - if not the greatest - Josh Ritter show I've seen, and for completely different reasons than the classic ones I've witnessed elsewhere. All the fans didn't pump fists and belt out every word with Josh like they do in Ireland, and they didn't hang on every single word like they do in The States. No, some danced, some swayed, some applauded, some screamed approval; those who knew the songs sang along, those who didn't seemed to be hooked. It was a satisfying phenomena to witness, in this place, with this audience. That's Bonnaroo. |
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| How hot was it? Sam and Zack afterwards... |
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| JOSH RITTER, LIVE AT BONNAROO |
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| Yours Truly, in a self-portrait backstage. |
| -- MP3's -- |
| "Roll On" |
| "Kathleen" |
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| MORE ABOUT JOSH AT BONNAROO... |
| Check back here soon for another page that will have comments and some of my photos of other artists from our next day at Bonnaroo. PHOTOS AND COMMENTS NOW UP! ** CLICK HERE ** |
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| I couldn't have said it better myself! |
| Sure, there were many other artists at Bonnaroo that stole the spotlight and have been written about - and deservedley so. But many critics and writers DID point to Josh's set as a highlight, and did so very eloquently. Paste Magazine is one of the coolest magazines you can find about music, and from this magazine come wonderful perspectives from two different writers. Whenver I think about Josh Ritter's appeal, I think, "Maybe it's just me; maybe I can't be objective anymore," I'll read these comments and think, "Oh, okay. Thank God. Other people GET IT." |
| "Experiential education is crucial in surviving four days and nights of music. To this effect, the serial Bonnagroovians can be easily spotted by their Camelbacks and colorful mud boots briskly zagging and zigging through the meandering herd of zombied neophytes. They know where and how to locate the What and Which stages, who’s playing in This and That tent, and that The Other Tent can be the best place to begin the day. This year Josh Ritter christens it with infectious joy. His bouncing red-fro rhythms and mile-wide melodies power his piercing lyrical spotlight aimed at a world brimming with sanguine bliss, greed beasts and one or two capricious lovers. When the set ends I suddenly find myself on the verge of skipping." [from "A High Speed Essay" by Jay Sweet] |
| "The fields of Bonnaroo are a giant hippie playground. Pranksters in florescent body suits spray the crowd with super soakers and sling water balloons straight up in the air scattering crowds. Guys in Tevas hit the batting cage or play vintage video games. Girls in flowering skirts and bikini tops enjoy the swings at a giant playground. Campers take clothed showers in a giant fountain. A silent disco allows dancers to don headphones and rave to their personal choice of music. So it’s appropriate the first act I catch today is Josh Ritter. Watching the young Idahoan play and sing on stage, I can't imagine anyone having more fun than he seems to be having at this particular moment. His songs don’t come from a deep sense of despair or anguish. They’re the outflow of a guy with a particular sensitivity to the beauty and joy of living, of doing what you love and doing it well. And this joy, this sense of satisfaction is completely contagious. Live, the blips and bleeps of the upcoming record produced by Brian Deck (Iron & Wine, Modest Mouse), are filled in by Sam Kassirer's Wurlitzer and Hammond piano synth. On Idaho, a spooky new song about his home, Ritter begins with acoustic guitar and a haunting melody. He’s later joined by bowed hollow-body electric bass and ethereal keys. On another new one, “Thin Blue Line,” to the cadence of a drum march, Ritter sings of earth’s bounty of both heaven and hell. Having heard half the new record due next January, I can’t think of an album I’m looking more forward to with the possible exception of Death Cab’s new one." [from "Bonnaroo 2005: Day 2" by Josh Jackson] |
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| [The Frames] |
| [Iron & Wine] |
| - Doug (August, 2005) |
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| June 2005 Entry > Introduction > Brooklyn > Philadelphia > Boston > New York > Pittsburgh > Knoxville > Bonnaroo |
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