The What Podcast - Bonnaroo, Festivals and Music News

Latest Episode

Inside Bonnaroo's Planet Roo: Shower The People's Mission Radiates Positivity

Season 8, Episode 39 October 1, 2025 1h 2m Video

Why does a shower matter? This week on The What Podcast, Meredith MacLeod Jaulin from Shower the People joins us. Learn how a Nashville mobile shower and laundry nonprofit restores dignity, health, and trust - then channels festival energy into year-round impact through Planet Roo partnerships and tie-dye towel activations at Bonnaroo. Meredith shares the org's origin (founded 2017), why low-barrier access matters, and how a converted school bus now delivers showers, laundry, underwear, and essentials across Nashville - while Planet Roo grants, programming, and community touchpoints help amplify the mission.

Also, we look at other festival news too as many events are starting to announce their 2026 lineups, such as Coachella, Big Ears, and Summerfest. What does this mean for Bonnaroo? Bryan Stone also recaps his IBMA experience and how the VIP experience seems to miss the mark.

Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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Previous Episodes

Shaky Knees 2025 vs. IBMA Chattanooga: Live from the Red Carpet + Bilmuri Interview

S08E38 Sep 24, 2025 1h 5m Video

Shaky Knees 2025 and IBMA's World of Bluegrass in Chattanooga couldn't be more different, but this week on The What Podcast we were at both. From Atlanta's Piedmont Park with Devo, Johnny Marr, 4 Non Blondes, Weird Al, and more, to the Red Carpet in Chattanooga with Steve Martin, Alison Brown, and the bluegrass world's biggest stars. Read More

From Bonnaroo to Seattle: A 90s Grunge Pilgrimage

S08E37 Sep 10, 2025 1h Video

A Bonnaroo love story, fresh Farm updates from Manchester, and a Seattle grunge pilgrimage: all this week in The What Podcast! We preview Shaky Knees Festival 2025 in Atlanta and IBMA bluegrass events in Chattanooga, then detour into PBR beer-cheese soup before diving into the 90s revival with Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails and Oasis all doing big tours. Read More

Red Rocks, My Morning Jacket, and Bonnaroo Stories: RooHamm & Roo Bus Catch-Up

S08E36 Sep 3, 2025 1h 7m Video

Parker Reed from the RooHamm Podcast joins us to catch up and explain why there's been a lull since Bonnaroo, and how their group handled the festival's rainout before becoming optimistic about 2026. We also dive into My Morning Jacket's Red Rocks set and what makes the venue so magical, making it a bucket list stop for MMJ and Bonnaroo fans alike. Read More

What's Next After Bonnaroo? Devo at Shaky Knees and More 2025 Festivals

S08E35 Aug 27, 2025 36m Video Chattanooga, TN

Bonnaroo 2025 is behind us, so what's next? On this week's The What Podcast, we do some porch sittin' and look ahead to more festivals still to come in 2025, including Shaky Knees, World of Bluegrass, and CaveFest. We dive deep into the legacy of Devo, one of our most-anticipated acts of Shaky Knees this year, and explore the surprising event that sparked the band's creation. Read More

Bonnaroo Shake-Up: Brad Parker Departs, & Kyle Hollingsworth on New Album, String Cheese, and Beer

S08E34 Aug 15, 2025 1h 18m Video

Bonnaroo is facing a big change: Festival Director Brad Parker is leaving C3 Presents and saying goodbye to the Bonnaroo family. In this episode, we talk about what Brad's departure could mean for the future of The Farm, and look ahead to what's next for Bonnaroo. It's a special "breaking news" edition of The What Podcast. Read More

Why Bonnaroo Feels Like Home: Fans Share Their Stories & Memories

S08E33 Aug 13, 2025 1h 16m Video

Despite Bonnaroo's cancellation this year, fans persevere and call in to share what makes the festival so special: freedom, life-changing connections, and more. But first, The What Podcast crew celebrates a big milestone. Thank you for 2,000 YouTube subscribers! Fresh off last week's in-depth interview with Brad Parker and Cory Smith about Bonnaroo 2026 plans, we dive into the heartfelt listener voicemails, reflect on the 2025 shutdown aftermath, talk transparency, programming changes, and more. Read More

Bonnaroo 2026: Brad & Cory from C3 Answer Your Questions

S08E32 Aug 6, 2025 1h 4m Video

After the unprecedented cancellation of Bonnaroo 2025, fans have had big questions about the future of the festival and in this episode, we get real answers straight from C3 Presents, the team that puts on the festival. Brad Parker, Festival Director and Cory Smith, Marketing Manager join us today for an in-depth look at the changes to Thursday programming, the removal of Tuesday entry, campground changes, stage updates, and more. Read More

Is Rock Dead? The Bonnaroo Music Census and Remembering Ozzy Osbourne

S08E31 Jul 30, 2025 1h 6m Video

Bonnaroo released their annual Music Census last week, and Barry and Bryan dive into it and what it means for the changing festival landscape. Is rock music being pushed to the sidelines, or is it adapting with the times? We look at how fan preferences have changed and continue to shape what Bonnaroo looks and sounds like. Read More

Bonnaroo 2026: The Comeback and the Cutbacks

S08E30 Jul 23, 2025 1h 8m Video

Bonnaroo is officially coming back in 2026, but not without some major changes. From losing Tuesday arrival and Thursday programming to scaled-back campgrounds and the end of "Where in the Woods" as we know it, Barry, Bryan, and Lord Taco break down the official announcement and what it really means. Read More

Back to The Farm: Bonnaroo 2026 Details & Beers at Common John

S08E29 Jul 16, 2025 1h 13m Video

Bonnaroo 2026 is happening and we've got the first real confirmation. In this episode of The What Podcast, Barry, Bryan, and Lord Taco take a look at the (as of now) unofficially official dates (June 11-14), the subtle ways the news dropped, and why this feels like the first truly optimistic Bonnaroo moment since the cancellation in 2025. Read More

How Bonnaroo Changed Manchester Forever: Live from Planet Roo

S08E28 Jul 9, 2025 51m Video Manchester, TN

In this special live episode of The What Podcast from Bonnaroo 2025 at Planet Roo, hosts Barry, Bryan, and Lord Taco moderate an insightful panel celebrating the festival's cultural, civic, and economic impact on Manchester, Tennessee, and the broader region. Guests include Priscilla Norman, Rebecca French ("Miss Bonnaroo"), Festival Director Brad Parker of C3 Presents, and Ryan French from the City of Manchester. Read More

Bonnaroo's Survey Questions and hey, nothing's Big Summer

S08E27 Jul 2, 2025 50m Video

How are we all feeling, 3 weeks removed from Bonnaroo's 2025 cancellation? This episode might just improve your mood a little. With the new survey out, it offers a rare insight into the festival organizers' thoughts about the future of Bonnaroo. We all feel pretty sure it should stay in June on The Farm, however. Read More

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