The What Podcast - Bonnaroo, Festival News, and More

Latest Episode

What's Next for Bonnaroo in 2025?

Season 7, Episode 39 November 4, 2024 1h 45m

Could comedy make a comeback at Bonnaroo in 2025? Expanded camping options, or even a two-weekend event? This week on The What Podcast, we dive deep with Bonnaroo insiders Festival Director Brad Parker and Marketing Manager Cory Smith from C3 Presents. They share exclusive insights into what worked in 2024, what fans loved, and the exciting changes planned for 2025. If you're a Bonnaroovian, you won't want to miss this one!

And, of course, it wouldn't be Bonnaroo without a diverse lineup. Brad and Cory hint at what fans can expect - from EDM headliners to legacy acts - and talk about the balancing act of booking artists that honor Bonnaroo's roots while offering the "best in the streets" to appeal to any fan, regardless of genre.

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Previous Episodes

Exit 111 Five Years Later, Hangout Fest, and Hulaween

S07E38 Oct 23, 2024 45m

It's been five years since Exit 111 took place on our beloved Farm in Manchester, featuring heavy-hitting acts like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Def Leppard, and Guns N' Roses. Bryan Stone attended with Taco, while Barry made a visit to check it out. The hosts reflect on the festival's surprising gun policy and discuss how things have changed since then. Read More

Beyond South Star: Huntsville's Unique Vision for Cultivating a Music Scene

S07E37 Oct 16, 2024 1h 13m

We conclude our coverage of South Star 2024 this week with an exclusive peek behind the curtain into how the festival came together in such a short period of time, and the long-term vision the city has for it. Despite the hurricane weather and Sunday's cancellation, the event was a huge success for the city. Read More

Music and Mud: Tom Morello's Epic South Star Performance with Jim Striker

S07E36 Oct 9, 2024 1h 8m

We continue the South Star Festival conversation this week with Jim Striker, who ran bars and clubs in Chattanooga for over 20 years before getting into music promotion. Jim was there with his wife on Saturday for South Star, and shares his experience rocking out to Tom Morello despite the muddy and rainy weather. Read More

South Star to Couch Star - Hurricane Helene Brings Us Together for a Bonnaroo Reunion

S07E35 Oct 2, 2024 52m

Hurricane Helene has made a big impact on the Southeast, and while we're all grateful to be safe, our weekend took an unexpected turn. The inaugural South Star Festival in Huntsville, AL came and went, but it was shorter and muddier than we had planned. Despite the setbacks, was it worth the trip? After Sunday's cancellation, we sat down with Daniel and Sharla, Evan Bonnaroo, Chloe, and Shaina to chat about 'Couch Star,' and reflect on how we felt lucky to have even one day of the festival-and even luckier to experience a mid-year Bonnaroo reunion. Read More

Algorithms Are Hurting Music Festivals

S07E34 Sep 25, 2024 52m

It's the week of South Star Music Festival, and Barry and Bryan are gearing up to head to Huntsville, while Russ, unfortunately, has to miss out due to a wedding. To make matters worse, the news that Tom Morello is replacing Jane's Addiction only deepens his FOMO. Thanks to The What Podcast's roving correspondent Trevin, the trio also gets some insight into the Bourbon and Beyond festival, which took place this past weekend in Louisville, KY. Read More

South Star Picks, Pearl Jam in NYC, and Barry's New Look

S07E33 Sep 18, 2024 43m

The What Podcast is back after taking a couple of weeks off! What have we been up to? Find out how Bryan's trip to NYC to see Pearl Jam went, and why Barry is wearing those ridiculous sunglasses. We also take the time to make our picks for South Star Festival, coming up soon in Huntsville, AL. Note that we recorded this before the news broke that Jane's Addiction was cancelling the rest of their tour. Read More

Bonnaroo 2025 News and Speculation

S07E32 Aug 28, 2024 45m

It's "last call" before The What Podcast takes a short break, so the crew gathers to tie up a few loose ends. No special guests, no topics, just Bryan, Barry, and Russ. But first, Barry has a little news to break about the first confirmed booking for Bonnaroo 2025. It's still too early for rumors and speculation, but Childish Gambino is making the rounds as a potential headliner. Read More

Behind the Scenes of South Star Festival with Cory Smith of C3 Presents

S07E31 Aug 21, 2024 47m

We take a short break from Bonnaroo this week and finally dive into the upcoming South Star Festival in Huntsville, featuring an exclusive interview with Cory Smith, the marketing manager at C3 Presents. Cory, who has experience working on major festivals like Bonnaroo and Railbird, shares his insights on the challenges and excitement of organizing a new festival. Read More

Bonnaroo First-Timers: Abbey's Tips for an Unforgettable Experience

S07E30 Aug 14, 2024 1h 7m

Imagine preparing for your first trip to Bonnaroo, only to have your wristband stolen before it arrives. That's exactly what happened to our guest this week, Abbey Sugrue. Rather than letting this setback ruin her festival experience, Abbey turned to the Reddit community for help and reached out to The What Podcast for additional advice and we awarded her a package of Bonnaroo memorabilia from Barry's basement. Read More

Chappell Roan at Lollapalooza and Major Festival Updates

S07E29 Aug 7, 2024 53m

While Bonnaroo news is light this week, the festival scene up north is buzzing. Lollapalooza lit up Chicago, and Montreal's Osheaga was equally vibrant. The crew is amazed by Chappell Roan's skyrocketing success in the pop world, as she wowed crowds at both festivals alongside artists like Noah Kahan, Green Day, and Reneé Rapp. Read More

GWAR Invades Bonnaroo 2024 and We Remember Woodstock '99

S07E28 Jul 31, 2024 1h 24m

There's no band like GWAR and they did Bonnaroo right. From crew sacrifices to tea parties, these intergalactic warriors partied hard and put on an amazing late-night show, complete with their trademark blood. In this episode we debut our interview with their new guitarist Grodius Maximus. Also joining us is our campmate Elizabeth Thorpe, a photographer who got to shoot some amazing sets at Bonnaroo 2024, including GWAR while wearing our Never Not Great t-shirt! Later in the episode, Beth and Bryan reminisce about Woodstock '99 since they both attended 25 years ago. Read More

Bonnaroo 2024 Roundup with Roo Bus and Friends

S07E27 Jul 24, 2024 55m

The Camp Reddaroo Beer Exchange was one of our most anticipated events for Bonnaroo 2024, and this week we are featuring a conversation we had on the Roo Bus about it featuring some guests you are probably familiar with. Daniel, Evan Bonnaroo, Mitchell, Kevin, and EDM Kyle. Also joining us was Romy Bayhack, who works for the festival. Read More

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"This podcast truly gets me pumped for Roo. I learn new artists, there's great banter, and I feel like they're all my friends!"

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