The What Podcast - Bonnaroo, Festival Culture & Live Music

Latest Episode

Bonnaroo's Lineup Secrets, From a Booking Agent Named Keith Richards

Season 9, Episode 29 July 22, 2026 52m Video

We had the chance to sit down with Keith Richards this week. Not that Keith Richards - let's get that out of the way early. Our actual guest is the newly-named Head of Festivals at Ground Control Touring, an independent booking agency representing artists from Waxahatchee to Japanese Breakfast to Manchester Orchestra. He was named to the role this past January, Ground Control's first-ever Head of Festivals, and he joined us to pull back the curtain on how a festival lineup actually comes together.

We get into the questions we've always wanted answered: do artists really make more money at festivals versus arena tours? Is there a "cookie-cutter lineup" problem, or is that a myth? Why is developing a true headliner one of the hardest jobs in the industry right now? Keith also walks us through what it was like being on-site at Bonnaroo 2026 during the storm evacuation, riding it out alongside Bonnaroo's own team, and drops a list of up-and-coming artists he thinks are worth watching heading into next year.

Listen to this week's episode with Keith Richards 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

We Filled Out Bonnaroo's 2027 Music Census

S09E28 Jul 15, 2026 1h 10m Video

Bonnaroo puts out an official music census every year asking fans what they want to see next - so this year, we sat down together to answer every single question. We walk through it all: genres, headliners, comedy acts, late-night programming, the future of That Tent's new location, Bonnaroo Radio, and more. Read More

The Bonnaroo Yearbook Guy Is Now Bonnaroo Famous

S09E27 Jul 8, 2026 56m Video

Meet the man who's become a Bonnaroo legend, one signature at a time. Caleb Arias, creator of the Bonnaroo Yearbook, joins us for the third time to break down how his passion project exploded this year. What started as pitching strangers to sign a notebook is now three-hour lines, sold-out printed editions, and fans hand-crafting custom trinkets just for him. Read More

How Bonnaroo 2026 Survived the Storm (And Became Unforgettable)

S09E26 Jul 1, 2026 1h 30m Video

Bonnaroo 2026 might have been the best one yet, and we are here to break down the entire weekend for you! We recap a festival full of serendipity: a surprise wedding in The Grove, an unforgettable run-in with singer-songwriter Jesse Welles on Shakedown Street, Bryan's first-ever Roo Run, and the Noah Kahan set and fireworks that closed it all out. Read More

How Bonnaroo Gives Back: Live from Planet Roo 2026

S09E25 Jun 24, 2026 1h 8m Video

We're back from The Farm! First, Barry and Russ give a quick recap of an unforgettable Bonnaroo 2026 (our full deep-dive recap is coming soon!). Then we bring you our live panel from the Planet Roo stage, where we sat down with the nonprofits behind Bonnaroo's charitable mission: Kelsey Dewald (Planet Roo / Bonnaroo Works Fund), David Conover (Grundy County Food Bank), Emily Torgrimson (Eat for Equity), Anna Sampson (We Are Neutral), and Nancy Tarr & Deborah Dunn (Well Dunn Foundation). Read More

It's Bonnaroo Week! Hype, Stories & Last-Minute Tips

S09E24 Jun 8, 2026 50m Video

It's Bonnaroo Week! We all got together at Lo Main in Chattanooga to get hyped, swap stories, and run through our last-minute tips before we all head to the farm. Joining us: Austin (aka Squeegee Guy), Tara, and Cassie. We get into going VIP, counting up our Bonnaroos (the math is harder than you'd think), taking family to the farm, staying safe out there, the shows we can't wait to see, and our final tips before we leave. Read More

What Everyone Forgets to Pack at Bonnaroo - and Where to Get It

S09E23 Jun 3, 2026 47m Video

You packed for weeks. You made a list. And you're still going to forget something - everyone does. This week we sat down with Brendan from Mr. B's Festival Needs General Store, who's spent nearly 20 years watching festival-goers realize they left the most important thing at home. Toothbrush, pillow, tent poles, stakes, a power bank - Brendan's seen it all, and he tells us what people forget the most and how to make sure a missing item doesn't wreck your weekend. Read More

The Bonnaroo Squeegee Guy Has a Story You Haven't Heard

S09E22 May 27, 2026 49m Video

The Bonnaroo Squeegee Guy is one of the biggest viral moments to come out of Bonnaroo 2025's cancellation and letdown, and this week we finally got the full story. Austin, the man behind the pool noodle who went viral squeegeeing mud during the Bonnaroo 2025 cancellation, joins The What Podcast to tell us how the video blew up across TikTok, and the unexpected twists that came from it - including how it's sending his mom and aunt to their first-ever Bonnaroo. Read More

Bonnaroo's New Festival Director Told Us What's Really Changing in 2026

S09E21 May 20, 2026 1h 5m Video

Less than three weeks to Bonnaroo 2026 and we got an exclusive interview with Bonnaroo's new Festival Director Shelby Goodsell and Marketing Manager Cory Smith to give us the most comprehensive inside look at what's changing, what's new, and what to expect on The Farm this year. We cover the Where Stage move, the campsite changes, the new Bonnie Roo's Sports Bar, Thursday's unprecedented all-in-one programming, the Grateful Dead tribute set, bandanas at the toll booths, and much more. Read More

Noah Kahan Told Us This Before He Was A Bonnaroo Headliner

S09E20 May 13, 2026 47m Video

We're back with a jam-packed episode as Bonnaroo 2026 gets closer by the day. We are now less than 30 days away! First up, The What Podcast will be LIVE Bonnaroo this year! We'll be on the How Stage inside Planet Roo on Thursday at 4PM, and we want to see you there. Then we break down the newly announced Bonnaroo SuperJam lineup headlined by Kesha, and react to Noah Kahan's SNL performance. Read More

Don't Go to Bonnaroo Without These Tips

S09E19 Apr 29, 2026 1h Video

We asked the Bonnaroo community to send us their best advice for surviving and thriving at Roo, and you delivered! Today we're going through your top tips, plus sharing a few of our own. We also highlight some of the community events announced recently! This episode will help get you prepped for The Farm and help you make the most out of your festival experience. Read More

Bonnaroo Cuts, Changes, and What's Returning (JamTrak, App, Who Stage, Radio Bonnaroo)

S09E18 Apr 22, 2026 56m Video

Bonnaroo just made several big changes: some cuts, some returns, and some updates that will affect everyone going in 2026. In this episode, we break down everything we know so far: JamTrak disappearing, the app shifting to Festiverse, questions around the Who Stage, Bonnaroo Radio returning, wristband warnings, ticket updates, and more. Read More

2026 Bonnaroo Schedule Deep Dive with John (EDM, Conflicts, Must-Sees)

S09E17 Apr 15, 2026 1h 10m Video

The 2026 Bonnaroo schedule is finally here, and we're breaking it all down. Russ is off this week, so John joins Barry and Bryan for a full day-by-day walkthrough of the biggest conflicts, the must-see sets, and the real-world strategies that will shape your weekend on the Farm. From EDM to jam to indie to late-night chaos, this episode gives you the context and advice you need to build your perfect Bonnaroo plan. Read More

Reviews for The What Podcast

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"Love listening to insights from these guys and get to feel less crazy for thinking about Bonnaroo as often as I do ? lots of fun stories, camping tips, recommendations & conversations with other folks in the Roo scene. They even get some behind the scenes info from festival organizers which is always a cool perspective to hear from."

Beccuuh_

"The only Bonnaroo podcast you need! These guys are the experts. I went to Roo for the first time last year and I was over prepared thanks to these guys and their years of experience. Frozen water bottles is the #1 festival hack!"

TheNiconicOne

"Best festival podcast I've listened too. Professional with varied takes."

Parker

"It’s nice to hear some roo vets discuss their opinions/knowledge of the festival"

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