The What Podcast - Bonnaroo, Festival News, and More

Latest Episode

Essential Vinyl Picks, Bonnaroo News, and Holiday Celebrations

Season 7, Episode 44 December 11, 2024 1h 8m

Christmas is just around the corner, and The What Podcast is wrapping up the year with a fun and festive episode before taking a holiday break. Barry, Russ, and Bryan kick things off by recapping MAINx24, Chattanooga's 24-hour block party. From the parade in the bus to chili competitions and Jell-O shots, it's the ultimate community celebration.

Next, the guys dive into the latest Bonnaroo buzz, including Roo Clues, lineup leaks, and what's shaping up to be an exciting 2025. Plus, they celebrate a fantastic Spotify Wrapped this year and take a moment to thank YOU, the listeners and viewers, for an incredible year of growth.

Finally, Barry poses the ultimate holiday music question: What are your top five records for starting a vinyl collection? The hosts share their lists, highlight essential vinyl for any music lover, and offer some great gift-giving tips for the season. Now it's your turn-share your top 5 vinyl picks in the comments. See you in the new year!

Are you Ready to ROO? The What Podcast wants to send you to the Farm to experience a magical weekend of music, fun, and friendship at Bonnaroo! You'll witness round-the-clock entertainment from over 100 artists! We've got 4-day tickets and a camping pass for you and a guest. Visit thewhat.co/win for details.

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Previous Episodes

Van Life, EDM Culture, and Bonnaroo 2025

S07E43 Dec 4, 2024 1h 12m

Would you live in a van and travel the country going to festivals? While it sounds like a dream lifestyle to most of us, our guests this week, Lauren and David, are living it. They started Soundchecks to Stagedives in 2021 and have spent the last two years on the road full-time, covering music festivals and shows. Read More

Bonnaroo 2025 Hype: Tipper Confirmed + Nashville Meetup!

S07E42 Nov 27, 2024 1h 4m

It's time to get hyped for Bonnaroo 2025! In this episode, we break down major updates, including the confirmation of Tipper on the lineup. Tipper's inclusion is creating buzz, and we speculate on his placement in the schedule. We also discuss what this means for Bonnaroo's evolving lineup strategy and its ability to bring legacy acts into the spotlight. Read More

How The Caverns Became Tennessee's Premier Music Destination

S07E41 Nov 20, 2024 1h 39m

This week on The What Podcast, we take a field trip to The Caverns in Pelham, TN - a music venue like no other. Located just 20 minutes from Bonnaroo's Farm, The Caverns offers an extraordinary experience, hosting shows underground in a breathtaking cave and on a sprawling outdoor amphitheater. We sit down with Todd Mayo, the visionary behind The Caverns, to uncover its remarkable story. Read More

Who's Headlining Bonnaroo 2025? We Make Our Guesses

S07E40 Nov 13, 2024 57m

We are still unpacking last week's conversation with Brad and Cory from C3 about what to expect for Bonnaroo 2025. Lots of new information on changes and improvements for next year, and of course we've got to take a guess at who they are hinting at for headliners. In addition to all the Bonnaroo info, we take a look at some of the recent news about When We Were Young Festival, and Chappell Roan's SNL performance. Read More

What's Next for Bonnaroo in 2025?

S07E39 Nov 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. Read More

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

Reviews for The What Podcast

Rate and Review on Apple Podcasts

"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!"

Cassiosassio

"Great content to keep me amped for upcoming Bonnaroo! Love that the topics have evolved to discuss more than Roo."

marianoballon

"11 year Bonnaroovian here and man this Podcast is great! I have never listened to a Podcast before and wanted The What to be the first! I love everything about this festival and what it stands for and I enjoy coming back to the farm yearly."

April L B

"Love some good #farmtalk to get me excited for Bonnaroo! Brandon"

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