I'll tell this story later

The bourbon that Drew Holcomb and the Moon River people had curated

especially for Moon River

I didn't know it until after I had about three shots

that it had like 118 groups or something

Oh nice, good for you

I had a really good time

Yeah so we have Jeff Cuellar on today from AC Entertainment

and we go through a couple of things

First we talk about Moon River which is the boutique festival

we sort of talked about last season

that's here in Chattanooga

It happens right there on the river front

and it is diametrically opposed to the other music festival we have in this town

which is total garbage

It's exactly the worst music festival in the country

versus damn near one of the best music festivals in the country

and I really do

If you get a chance, if you live close enough to Chattanooga

check out Moon River if you're into this type of Americana sort of music

It is so well done

So we talk a little bit of Moon River

We talk a little bit about Exit 111 Fest

which is coming up if you're listening to this

pretty close to the first of October

It's happening next weekend at the Farm in Manchester

and then we get into a little bit of Bonnaroo 2020 talk

Before we get into that though, I want to sort of

The whole point of this was

I made a list of artists that I truly thought were going to be at Bonnaroo next year

and you probably are doing the same thing right now at home

It's not necessarily a wish list

So don't really give us a wish list

Give us an idea of bands that you think are actually going to be there

I've got my list and I made this the first of July

I've even got it numbered

and since then, two of my bands that I absolutely were convinced were going to be there

have already said no

and that's the little piece of news that I wanted to share with you

I didn't know that this was all

Actually I don't

I don't know if it's already officially out there

I don't know if somebody's actually said this

but I got an absolute confirmation

that two artists specifically will not be at Bonnaroo

Yeah, and one of them you were all in on, right?

All in

I mean, betting the house type of thing

I was right there with you

It was my big bet

Not only was I with you on it

but I thought one of the key people in the group might be very much involved in the

Super Jam

Yeah?

After we talked about that

Yeah, I could see that happening

So I'll just go ahead and give you what I know

and I can, first off

I know 50-50 for the Black Keys

It's 50-50 on the Black Keys

They don't have a confirmation yes

and they don't have an absolute no

It's a lean no currently

but I'm giving that a 50-50

because you just don't know when push comes to shove

the money gets handed to you

if you're a yes or no

I was convinced they were going to be there

but I've actually heard some things

in fact I can't say this

but I'm going to write it down to Barry

so that he knows that my sources are good

Uh-huh, uh-huh

Okay, so this is what's actually going to happen

and that happens next year

and I don't know how that really works

I don't know how that's going to work with the Black Keys

I'll just put it that way

So it could happen

It could very well happen

Alright, secondly

this is absolutely for sure

Billie Eilish is out

Absolutely out

Breaks my heart

Yeah, and so I know she's got some tour dates in and around

like June in Europe

so you could probably have already done the guesswork on this

but I got the official out from somebody I know

She, I just love her

She's one that I would add on my list

that I would actually travel to go see

Well, here's the thing

which is a short list for me

I've seen the show a few times

The first one I saw in La La Plou is that it was very strange

I was like, wow, this girl has got it, right?

She's absolutely

She pulls you in in a way that like

I don't remember, you know, a 17-year-old ever doing that before

Right

And then she has this amazing arena tour that people go crazy about

Then I said, then the Music Midtown thing happened

And I don't know what the difference from, you know, a year and a half ago to this year

but boy, the crowd that was there at least

and maybe it's a Music Midtown problem, which by the way, I think is a terrible festival

I think just it's ran awfully, awfully

Is that a word?

Awfully

Okay, hey, you're the writer, you tell me

You're the smart one in the group

It's terrible

Yeah, it's really bad

So, I don't, the crowd was horrible

It was horrible for that Billie Eilish show

So I didn't even stay, I didn't even watch it

Yeah, well, that happens

I just think she's, I think she's great

Everything she does from the Hot Ones episode that I've seen to just the way she treats her fans

So that's a shame

Look, I do

I really was hoping to see her

I do Top 40 radio

I don't think that there has been a more challenging and a better song in maybe the Top 40 format than Bad Guy

The fact that that was so difficult for radio to wrap their head around and find a place for

On top of that, the lyrical content with it, the way it was produced

It's totally different than anything in Top 40 has damn near ever heard

I mean, I equate it to maybe Smells Like Teen Spirit breaking through to Top 40 radio

That's as impactful as I think Bad Guy was for this format

So that's the one that I absolutely know is out

And as far as an actual show, Chance the Rapper is out

Now, these were two names that I had in my Top 4

And that really, really, that really screws up my list

Well, I mean, I don't really do the prediction lists

I just don't spend as much time on it as you do and some other people

But I think there were several people on your list that I would agree with

I don't have your list

Okay, I'll go through it

I'll go through it

Top two names, Black Keys, Chance the Rapper

Whoopsies

Scratch, scratch

Then my third one was Zedd

I'm just putting his name there because it's got to have some sort of EDM at the top

And look, I'm not going to lie to you

I don't know much about EDM, so I just put Zedd there

That's my EDM slot

And then I think one that we all agree on is going to be there in a major way

And that's Tame Impala

It makes too much sense to come back, put them on the what stage, make it a late night show

Or a 9 o'clock, 10 o'clock show with that light show for, you know, let them do their two hour jam set

Which, you know, they sit on that line of being acceptable to the jam community

Whatever

You know, they had too much success with the jam world last year to not do it again this year

Yeah, no, they're going to do it

Now let me ask you this

My next one on the list is My Morning Jacket

Now, I don't have a natural jam spot, right?

I don't have a widespread panic like a lot of people are guessing

Or a string cheese incident, which I don't think can hold the what

Damn near maybe not even the witch

But I do think a combination of My Morning Jacket and Tame Impala

Do you think that makes the the fish crowd happy?

Do you think it brings those fish people back like they did last year?

I was thinking Warren Haynes in some capacity as well

Which, I mean, it could be it could be widespread and Warren or, you know, Warren used to be the

He was the Chance the Rapper of Bonnaroo for many, many years

And I don't remember the last time he was there

So he would be on my list

I got you

And I don't know what configuration My Morning Jacket

You know, I'm a huge fan, but I don't like read up every day

We had Jim James there last year

So they come back with the full band

Maybe that could make some sense

And it's been a while since they've been there

My next name is Billie Eilish

That's absolutely out

And then I've got Britney Howard way up there

Now, I went through a whole other list of bands that just make sense

Like, you know, 1975 Bass Nectar, Janelle Monae, even Kelsey Ballerini

If they want to keep coming back to this young country dynamic

But then way, way, way down my list

And maybe 15 down is Lizzo

Now, what's happened with Lizzo since we talked to you last is unlike anything that I've seen

She has become the biggest artist on the planet

And she is shooting up festival lineups

The fact that she's on the ACL lineup as low as she is is stunning at this point

But come next year, Banu, if she's doing the festival circuit

You can better believe she's going to be in the top three lines

Yep, she's on mine

She would be definitely a prediction for me

And then much shorter list

But I'm going to predict because of the huge success of country music

The Ken Burns documentary that we're going to see something

A Chris Christopherson, a Marty Stewart

Okay, one step better, which was on my list

I didn't mention him

I've got him number six, Zac Brown

Yeah, could be

He's been kind of quiet lately

He has been very quiet and Zac Brown does arenas

And he does big, big setups like this

So he would have, and by the way, has all the friends in the world in Nashville

To make some sort of like Zac Brown country super jam happen

Yeah, I just think they have to capitalize on that

I mean that documentary, we talked about it every single day at work

You know, we don't talk about anything every single day at the paper

But that people kept huddling, you know, I mean it was a complete water cooler thing

I see your point, I think you're off just a touch

I think that the country lane is definitely something

But it's a younger, more traditional country

Not an older traditional country

Hey Bonnaroo?

Perhaps, but I mean they've done the legacy acts before

I know, but give me the last one they did

Wanda Jackson

Wanda Jackson was a long time ago, Kenny Rogers was a couple years ago

I don't know

We kind of thought Lionel was going to be in that lane

Because he had just done the country album

But he came and did his wedding singer stuff

I mean unless you're giving me Dolly, which we talk about that with Cuellar a little bit

Unless you're giving me Dolly, I don't think older country is where they're going

Perhaps not, I'm just thinking of the songwriter aspect of it that was highlighted so much

I think people were fascinated by the Christofferson

And you know Marty Stewart was such a key element to that documentary

That's why I'm thinking of him

I don't know that I have a specific name

Oh I do, now that I think about it

I have a feeling they're going to get

What about Robert Earl?

Robert Earl

Now you could give me, I think they could go into a lane of renegade country

Like outlaw country stuff

Steve Earl

Steve Earl is what I mean, not Robert Earl

Robert Earl, Robert R. Keene

I was thinking Robert R. Keene

Steve Earl is exactly what I was thinking

I think they definitely could

Now here's a conspiracy theory

You put Steve Earl on a line up

And you put the Foo Fighters on a line up

I just talked to a couple of guys

A band called the White Animals were here in town this week

And a couple of them, we had lunch

And they had just seen the Foo Fighters at Pilgrimage

And it was terrific as you can imagine

So yeah that's a good one

That's one that hadn't been there in a long time

Long time, long time

Yeah that's a good one

So I do understand where you're going

So you got the country lane that they're absolutely going to

I think have to satisfy because it just makes too much sense

Especially after all of the infrastructure they've built for Nashville

Right? Yes, that's exactly

Then secondly, I think that they are absolutely going to come back to this jam crowd

They saw too much success with Fish

They saw too much of their people back

And they see, if I'm guessing, if I'm them

I see the hole in the market

Just as a dollar and cents

These are the people that we have to super serve

How do we do it?

Now here's a conversation I had the other day

I don't know

That music base has not grown

It's the same names

Every year

There's not a new jam band that's come onto the scene

That everybody's like, this is the next step

That's why I sort of ask

Does Tame Impala, My Morning Jacket, sort of make those, that world happy?

No, that's a great point

You know, it's Umphrey's, Strong, Widespread, Fish

Where's the new one?

And Who?

Exactly

That's a great point

So yeah, and they're going to get beat up

If they put Widespread Panic number three or four

They're going to get beat up about doing the same old thing over again

So it's a damned if you do, damned if you don't

As a business decision

That's how I'm going to think

Like a Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks band

But Warren, my gosh, he plays with everybody

He could put together a super group of, name it

Yeah, and by the way, if you put Warren Haynes

It's not for me, so I'm not going to judge it

But if you give that crowd a Sunday night Warren Haynes

The possibilities of who shows up, it's endless

Exactly

I mean, didn't we hear reports that Springsteen was on the farm last year?

I don't remember

Yeah, so if he just happens to be on the farm again

That would make total sense

Stuff like that, the possibilities of that being a stop for all my friends and family

Becomes real real, real real

I could see that

I don't know how rumors are that Ashley Caps is retiring, is done

I wonder, do they go, is that a goodbye Ashley kind of year?

Now wait a second, are you saying this as news?

As a reporter, as reporter from the Times, New Press?

Well, that's why I'm wondering how, I don't know

I don't know if that's true

I don't know if that's true

Is this a rumor that you've heard?

Well no, he was making those noises when they sold to Live Nation

That it was sort of the beginning

That he was nearing the end of his career

He's of a certain age, he's done this for a long long time

No, I do not have this news from him or anyone specifically

It's just a rumor that I keep hearing

Here's the crazy thing, if you

It's not a rumor, it's a rumor

It's not a rumor

It's not a rumor

It's not a rumor

It's not a rumor

Here's the crazy thing, it's almost like Tom Brady

If things are so easy for you

It's not like you're getting tackled every play

You can work the system a little bit

I don't know why you would ever retire

You get to do this on

Sort of make your own schedule

Make your own life out of this, make your own world

Why not stay there forever?

You say that, I'm sure there's a lot more involved

In the day to day stuff

That he's done and wants to

You and I

When you and I talk to him, he loves

The, I don't know

Oddball or the

Non-traditional shows

He loves to go

Big Ears is his

His festival

He has his own

Things that he likes to do

And his wife

I think they like to travel

I don't know

I'm just curious, just throwing that out there

That's

That is going to send

People's heads

Rolling, thinking about the possibilities

And where this goes, because the second that you say

Ashley

Has retired and is not necessarily part of

The day to day, you start asking

How much is that going to involve Live Nation

Taking over more of the

Festival, and that

Scares people to death

Yeah, yeah, well, change does, number one

But they are the 800 pound gorilla

I understand that

That scares everyone, but the only

Difference is here we have a

We have the proof of what happens

When they do take over

We've been through this and it wasn't

Necessarily everybody's favorite

It had its bumps

It had its challenges

And again, but what we've always tried to say

Over and over and over is that it doesn't

Really matter, we hope to God

It doesn't matter the top, because

We're not there for, we're not necessarily there

For lineups, yeah, yeah

Just, you know, don't mess up a

Good thing, yeah, and I do

I do want you to hopefully

Take from this, we're not, we're not line up

Driven people, the line up's

Just fun to talk about in the down time, right

And I want to throw this

In and it's local, but

I'm hoping

That it works out, I would love to see

Strung Like a Horse, which is a great

Local band that is recording an album

Our friend Nick Lutzgo

Has also got a new album

Coming out, and you and I

Have both been pushing to see him play there

I would love that, those are

Two good local bands

You really want to hurt his band, don't you

Nick? Yes. Why's that?

Because they're in giant

Cartoon heads

I know, but they are so much fun

They wear these ridiculous outfits, right

And they're all dressed as monsters

And so the band is called The Gimmicks

And so they all have a gimmick, and in the

See Heat in the middle of Bonnaroo, you want

Them to wear that outfit? Yes

Okay

Yes, they deserve it

I hope they get the chance. I hope they do too

Because Nick Lutzgo is an amazing songwriter

He deserves to have a spot

And a shot in front of

An audience that's not just Chattanooga

So let's bring in Jeff Cuellar and talk

All things AC Entertainment

Whether it's Moon River, Exit 111

Fest that's coming up next weekend

Or even Bonnaroo 2020

They are on the What Podcast

With Brad Steiner and Barry Court

Hey Barry, what's going on? How are you doing? Do you make it home

Safely and all? I made it home

I'm here. Are you still in the banana suit

Jeff? Are you still wearing a banana suit?

I actually just pulled my banana suit

Out of my bag if I've tried to unpack

It. You know, I don't know

I'm banana suit free at the moment

I don't know who at AC Entertainment drew

I don't know what you guys did to

Make some people mad

How you three got chosen as

Banana suit people

You must have done something really really bad man

I wish I could say it was punishment

But it was actually my idea

Where

I have to take

Ownership, this is my bad

That this is happening

Last year during the site build

Drew wore a

Banana suit and did

Some funny internet videos

And I jokingly said to

Paul and Samantha Steele who were part of

His management company

And this was like the Saturday festival

I was like, if I get banana suits

I'm getting you guys

In banana suits

And I pinned them

Against each other and I said

Paul, if I can get Sam in a suit, you're in a suit

And he's like, of course

She's not going to do it. I'm like, Sam, Paul's already said he's going to be in a suit

If you're going to be in a suit

And she's like, well if you've got Paul in a suit, then I'll do it

And then next thing you know

I went and had a runner go get

Three banana suits

And all three of us did it. We tried to get Drew in the

Banana suit because I got to leave and

Go have a kid. I'm like, really?

That's the excuse?

Kind of a lame one

With Paul and Sam out having their kids

Then Drew stepped in

And jumped in the banana suit too

So we had what, Brad and Rachel

And our team in there and then

Drew came in at the last minute

And jumped in the suit as well. We almost had

Ellie in there too, but they had

Some kid stuff they had to figure out

Chattanooga, just imagine the talent

You could have had if they wasted

All of their budget on banana suits

Everybody gets a banana suit

Everybody gets a banana suit

Sure. So we should probably

Explain to anybody that was at Moon River

September 7th

And 8th, 8th and 9th, the Sunday

As everyone is leaving

We're getting high fives from people

In banana suits. Yeah, it's great

Turns out Jeff Cuellar

Drew Hulcombe I guess is one of

I mean I took, I did the high five

I did the high five and I heard the voice

And I was like, wait a second

Was that Cuellar back there?

And I had to like, I feel like I had to put my

Face in that banana suit hole

Just to see if it was you

I had to rethink

I found out, Jeff, I saw

You

On Sunday, Saturday

Barry had a little

More fun than he anticipated

Oh, is that right?

And I now know why

Drew got with the old

Dominic guys, the bourbon

Old Dominic, yeah

Old Dominic, I bought a couple on Saturday

And before I knew it was

Speaking in tongues

And then bought one on Sunday

And the guy next to me at the bar

Said, what's the alcohol content in these things?

They said about 118%

Oh, that's all, okay

Good, just like the temperature

It was just a little bit in there

So you saw me

And I was not right

Yeah, it was tough, the next morning I talked to Barry

And Barry said, did I have a good time?

Did I say anything I shouldn't have?

Yeah, it was a great time

By the way, when you look back on a festival like Moon River

You guys' second year

Involved in it, what do you take away from it?

It truly is

It's one of those events that is

Inspiring on so many levels

And it

Starts from, really I'd say the top

Down, and to have partners

Like Drew, Ellie

The whole

Triple 8 management team

How invested they are in the invent

And I would say

For us, it's inspirational

For our team, and only gets us

More jazzed even more

That we have got our artist partners

That feel like

We need to deliver here too

Having even the first year

Drew jumped around in a banana suit

Pre-fest, and trying to have

Those conversations with fans

I mean, Ellie, what? She was on stage Saturday night

And then Monday she's having a baby

Last year, and then come into

This year, and just

That spirit and that energy

And I think Brandy Carlisle kind of said it best

On stage, she's like, this is a hell of a festival

And it really is inspirational

From that standpoint

That when all of those pieces come together

From the artist

To the city, and the location

The fans

The producers behind the scenes

That electric mix

That kind of happened

Where it's more than just a music

Festival, and I think

Everyone felt it from top to bottom

And you're right about that Brandy Carlisle line

And she kept coming back to the same thing

Over and over and over, saying

How great of an experience this was for her

I mean, it's nice for you to get

Some play on stage from an artist

But to keep coming back to it

Over and over and over, she genuinely felt

It seemed as though

That she loved this thing

I can say, because the person who was

Responsible for sort of driving them

I guess golf carts, whatever

They drove to town in their bus

And didn't get off

And they had no idea what this festival was

Until they walked out on stage

So I think that reaction was genuine

She was like, holy crap

What is this? This is awesome

Her social media post this morning

Was like, Hey Moon River, can we be best friends?

Wow, nice

I mean, that alone, I agree

I think she had a hell of an experience

And I think you saw

Every artist that played the event

Was like, wow, there is

It's like they weren't playing a stage

It's like they were hanging out with their best friends in the backyard

That's right

I will say that I saw more

Artists hanging out at the festival

Walking around the grounds than I did in the

Artist area

Honestly, it was mostly Barry in the artist area

And

I couldn't walk out of there

No, but it really is a testament to what you guys

Have curated here in Chattanooga

And the thing that I love so much is

This is my first year, I didn't get a chance to see it last year

But, man, it's amazing

To have a place that you

Travel so often

And you spend so much time in

Get completely transformed

And turned into something completely

Different

And not just different, but done so well

And executed so well

This is my backyard, I literally live up the hill from this

And it's happening

Within a hundred yards of my house

And not to mention, I don't feel

As though I saw many

People that I knew

The other crazy thing, I thought I would see so many

People that I see on a daily

Basis, but there were so many

Unfamiliar faces, there were so many people

From out of town

I just couldn't have been more impressed with the execution

Of that thing

We appreciate it, it's definitely a labor of love

For this one, for us

It was truly a special experience

And it's one that I know the whole team

Now going into year two

That we're all looking forward to

So you did such a great job

A year ago, or whenever it was

I mean, Brad and I have talked about it

On this podcast so many times

That that conversation with you

Really was sort of game changing

For us, because it was inside

Baseball, I know

I know, you don't get compliments to your face

A lot, I know

No, but it was so insightful

Just on how to build something

Like this, we based our conversation

With Drew Holcomb months later

You know, about, we talked to him

About how do you start up a festival

And so to be able to talk

About, you know

How do you move one

You know, with you

And we can go back to Bonnaroo

If you don't mind, I want to bring it back

Because we haven't really talked since

One of the things that you pointed out

To Brad and I a year ago that really resonated

Was the whole

Creating and curating

An experience for the fans

And when we talked, we were sort of

Coming off of

The GA

Tents

Were kind of new

And so now we've got what, year two

Maybe year three of them

And we saw the numbers go up

Talk about how

Important that has been

For Bonnaroo since 2002

To be able to make

Those kinds of changes and then see

Them work

It's fantastic

One of those things that's like

I think we know the ingredients that are

Necessary for

You know, kind of building

This dinner of Bonnaroo

And watching

The landscape change as it is

You know, I don't want to say it was rinse and repeat

At any point in time

But I do think that there was

An element of that

And we

Had to take a serious look in the mirror

And say, what are we trying to be

Where do we want this thing to go

And what is

The differentiator

Why is Bonnaroo Specialized

Of radiating positivity and bringing all these

Amazing people, artists and things together

And what can we do on the farm

That really no one else can do

And no one else has the opportunity to put together

Along with a fan base that is willing

To try

And experiment with certain

Things, I mean, you know, granted over the years

We've definitely taken some swings and

Not, you know, not connected

But for

To see the stuff like with the plazas

And really take off

I think we all knew they could be

Successful

It's just a matter of kind of willing to take that risk

And allowing to nurture it

To make it to where it's now

You know, a feature of

Folk with a site

Let me add to that because

Back to Moon River real quick for people who

Who weren't there

This is the second year in Chattanooga

And in talking with Drew

Beforehand for the story that I wrote

For the paper, the changes that they made

Were

I would venture to say were not

On anybody's radar until

They started listening and getting the feedback

For example, one of the

Big changes was increasing

The kids area, you know, I don't

Know that's something

That's probably on a lot of festivals radar

But they added changing

Stations and put a stage up

So that Ellie who has a kids book

And a kids record out could actually

Perform

Moved it over safer

Over into an area that was kind of

In between where the kids could play

Near the fountain so I mean all of that

Just came from feedback, right?

Not even really feedback to be honest

I mean it was, it's one of those things

And you kind of credit to maybe some of our staff

You know myself, I've got two kids but

Really kind of watching year one

And seeing

The kids that were there

I mean it was a very family friendly

Affair and I think it was one of those

Like why are we doing this? And then noticing

That we did, we kind of had an area that was

A little bit of a dead area and

It's next to the carousel, you know

Right next to the fountain as well

Or the splash pad

And so how can we take this and make

A zone out of it? I mean the same thing

Can be said for like lookout watch, like we

Tried it last year

And that thing got

So hot, it was so full on capacity

Like well how can we make this experience

Better? Okay let's pull down the

Door so that air conditioning stays inside

And add a bigger screen outside so the big

Games everyone can watch and those

People that care about some of the smaller games

They can go inside, cool off and

See some sports there

But those types of things I don't think anyone was

Necessarily asking for

We just saw those as opportunities

To elevate the fan experience

Based on what we saw from the

Previous year's festival. Boy I'm sure I'm glad that Barry

Brought that because it

Just now hit me

I have never seen that many kids

At a music festival

Oh my god, there were so many

Kids there, now that I think about it

They were everywhere

And never once was I

Upset that there was a kid around

You know normally

I don't and normally

I would be like why is somebody bringing

A kid to a music festival

But now that I think about it

It makes total sense and here's the other thing too

That is fascinating about

The Moon River experience

How clean it was

And nobody was smoking

I know that's crazy

But there is, we have a

Going joke at

Camp at Bonnaroo that

You can't go an hour without

Cigarettes and farts and

You can't, that is going

To be something that just

Envelopes you

Let's just go ahead and put it out there, Brad does not

Smoke

So

So it's just, it's

Very debilitating to me when I'm just

Covered in cigarette smoke around

Around certain things

But I was walking through the

Festival like that night, Sunday night

There wasn't a piece of trash

On the ground, wow everybody

I saw one person

In the entire festival smoking

That is unbelievable, so kids

No smoking and it's clean

Boy you've got something pretty special

If you can maintain those three things

I gotta give a shout out to Chetnik Public Works

Their ability not only to keep the

Grounds clean but the attitude they have while

Doing it is, it's refreshing

I mean those guys take pride in their

Work and I mean simply

Just like emptying trash cans with a smile

On your face, it's one of those things that

It's not the greatest thing and who wants to empty

Trash, I mean probably most of us in our own home

Probably you know delay emptying trash

Just because it's not fun

But the whole team

From Chetnik

Public Works like their just attitude

And how they attacked it, smile on their face

You know just please thank you

To fans and the fans just being respectful

And grateful for the job

That they're doing

Phenomenal team, absolutely phenomenal team

And back to Bonnaroo for a second

So I know we're bouncing around

The entire way here

Going back and forth through so much of this

There's a few threads that tie all this together

Where are you guys on the Bonnaroo

Process? When you're in the middle

Of fall, September or so

Where are you right about now?

I mean you're booking, the festival is being booked of course

And then we are

I'd say coming to the end

Of our evaluation of

Programs and how

Certain things went

And I think coming into

2020

There's a lot of stuff

Even more self reflection

Of what is working and what is not

And how to

We're a full profit company

I won't lie in every event that we're doing

We are looking to make a profit

So it's how, where can we

Enhance the experience

And perhaps allow for

Us to

Without

Having too much expense

Well hang on a second, before you go

Before you go any further

What constitutes in your mind or AC

Or the festival's mind as working?

A lot of it you could say is ancillary programs

But then it does go down to other

Pieces like entry

So how fast we're able to get people

On the ground, let's say that is a big one

This year that going into 2020

Is addressing

We don't feel like, we feel like we can do better

So how do we

Do better? And how do we make

It happen? Because we're limited

With land, we're limited

With entrances coming off

Of the interstate, we're limited in

Certain areas so it's

What's causing the problem

And how can we make it more efficient

And safer? See that's fascinating

That what I would say is not

Working, I mean it's working

But it's not working in our opinion

At the highest level

And that is one of those things

I would say how can we make it better?

Along those lines and not to put words into your mouth

But you talked to me anyway

On site this last time

One of the programs you got read of

That was working

By some definitions

Was the role like a rock star

It was making money but you didn't

Think it fit the mission if I remember

Correctly and you replaced it with

The

What did you call it? The wild in the woods?

Wild in the woods right

Yeah, we're in the woods

Yep

That's a good example

It's a prime example

Look at what one program is servicing

And then what a shift could do

For everybody else

And nothing to knock the people who can

Afford an experience like we're like rock star

But we felt we could deliver

Something on a platinum scale and allow us

To open more up to our

For general fans

And really everybody

Has access to where in the woods

And knowing that that is one of the

Things that we know you talk about

Trying to improve is shade

And places to cool off

We've been planting trees every

Year since

The beginning but as we all know trees

Take a lot of time to grow

But that's one of the areas that we had on site

Is shaded so how can we

Create experience that more people can enjoy

Over there

It's fascinating here you describe in your terms

How you guys come to the conclusion

Of what's working or not

Because

What constitutes working

For maybe the general public

May not be working for you guys

And it's refreshing to hear

That it's not just monetary based

That I'm sure there are

Plenty of things that are not working as a partnership

When it comes to how you make money

And how you continue to move the festival

Forward

But when you guys go to

Look at all the problems

And you rank them from top to bottom

When you find the top problem

Is it really a problem

Or is it something that you guys

This could just be better

Is anything really a problem problem

That you guys are dealing with

At this point in time probably not

We're definitely

Rolling into year 19

I would say nothing

At this point in time is a significant

Problem if it's not addressed

It will be negative ramifications

So yeah it's probably

More on us but

Again case change

People change the environment changes

So

What may have been cool

10 years ago

Is not cool anymore

And so you could say that

Is a problem

Or a challenge I guess another way to look at it

Who would have anticipated EDM

10 years ago

Going at it like you did

And I imagine at some point that may alter

And something else

Replaces it or you know

When you okay so how about

This when you are when you're addressing

All these things you get you're at the end of the

Evaluation process and you're building

A lineup and you're building

The roster and you're coming up with

Your partners your

Your basically the

Funding the operation

And you also have a brand new

Festival that you

Have to put on here in about

How many days and weeks

How do all these things how do all

How do all these conversations happen at once

I think we look at it like

You look at each festival

As its own festival

We recognize that you know we create the competition

For ourselves in a lot of places

But you know each

One is evaluated differently and then

After we feel like we're putting the

Best possible product out

There we start

To compare it against

Some of the other experiences things that we're doing

But each piece is different I mean

I look at every one of our festivals

And where some may be somewhat similar

When it comes to a lineup or

You know we may take

Excuse me

A piece that we're doing over here

And then how do you apply it over here

So I mean a good example of that

Is even the kids section

So we did Phillies and Colts

At Railburg

Which was really the first time we attempted

To do kind of a kids section

And that

Is different than the kids section

We did at Moon River with the tree house

And a lot of our inspiration came from

You know I'm not hesitant to say this

Kidapalooza, Lollapalooza

I think they do a phenomenal job

At engaging you know

Those young fans

And the support that people have

Or the support internally we have

In terms of cultivating those fans

And those families

Because as a family if you can bring a kid

Ten and under to your festival

I mean parents are more engaged

They want to be out there

I have two kids

And if you're telling me I can get my kids in for free

Then more than likely you're going to get me and my wife down there

Because we want to

Continue to have those types of

Festival experiences

Share them with our children

So hopefully they're growing up to be

Festival attendees

And want that type of experience

So I mean kind of circling back to that

Original question

Is yeah there's that

Evaluation period and there's a focus

And the timelines that we put

Together and then

We do take that step back and hit

The 30,000 foot view and say

How does this fall in to

Everything else that we're doing

And making sure that we can continue to deliver

And hopefully over deliver on

That specific festival

As well as every festival experience

That we're putting out there

How involved are you personally

And AC in general

In Exit 111?

We are partnering with C3 on that event

So we definitely have a

Role in there and

Trying to make sure we've definitely got

More knowledge on the property than our partners do

But this is one that we're

Teaming up and we're trying to produce

A new event. I think what excites me

The most about that event is

For 18 years now

It's Bonnaroo

I mean that great stage park has been a home of Bonnaroo

We've done some smaller things

Like fun runs with Red Frog events

You know the adventure

5Ks and some other smaller

Things out there but we've never done another music

Festival

And the idea of putting on

This rock fest

In Manchester, Tennessee

Is exciting

I think there are a lot of people

Wondering how is it going to compare

To Bonnaroo. We don't want to compare to Bonnaroo

Because this is a completely different

Experience than Bonnaroo is

But it's finally our opportunity

To do some things

That maybe you can't do at Bonnaroo

You can't do at other events

But with this property

We can

I think to the

Play person though, it seems as though

It's like watching a friend of yours

Who has dated the same type

Of woman for so long

And then out of nowhere his next girlfriend

Looks totally different than the last one

And you're like, he's got

Interesting tastes

It's going to be

Definitely a unique analogy except

In this case, it's okay for us

To carry more than one girlfriend

My dude

For those of us that have been there

Because a lot of people, especially around here

Because it's again, it's 60 miles from here

How is it

How is the space going to be used differently

It's going to be much smaller, right

And not as much camping

And what else

So whereas

Bonnaroo is primarily a camping

Festival, I mean really it's what

Like less than 10% don't

Camp and they're maybe in a

Hotel or they're driving

In each day or they happen to be local or something

Along those lines

I think the majority of people who are coming to Exit 111

They're not camping

There are day tickets

Available for the event so right there there's a massive

Difference and probably

The biggest difference is it gets

Shut down every night so

Bonnaroo or what we've always referred to as

Bonnaroo which I believe is called the venue for

Exit 111

Is that it has a closing time

And so it

Will shut down like a traditional city

Festival and so if you're not

Camping then you're going back

And you're able to you know sleep in your

Own bed or sleep in a

Bed and have that

Different kind of experience there

So I mean that right there is probably

The biggest

Difference and

Then I think programming

You know the stuff with a

Paranormal circus

Some of the Red Bull action stuff you know

Because you're in the height of what football

Season both college and NFL

And heck for that matter baseball

Getting into that time frame

Having the mega sports bar

And some of those other things that are

Relevant to

One that audience but also the experience

You're trying to create it's going

To be different it's going to be very different

I think it's going to be an older crowd

I mean you have Guns N Roses

Blair and those guys so I mean

Off the bat you're going to have an older crowd

Versus those you know looking

To see Childish Gambino

And others. Did you say that

Let me go back for a second maybe I missed something

Did you say there's not camping at exit 111?

No there is

Camping. Okay. It is not

But Centauru will close. It's not

Hodes or whatever. Hodes or Barru where

Everyone's camping. Okay the reason I ask

Is because and forgive me for sounding

Like a total total idiot on

This one but I have to I have to

You know punt on some of the stuff that I just

Don't know anything about. I just found

Out and this is after 38

Years of life that people camp

At NASCAR races. Now I didn't

Know this because crazy

Enough I'm not a NASCAR fan and even

Growing up in Richmond Virginia even though we had the

Richmond Motor Speedway there I didn't know that people

Showed up and camped so I

Got to imagine there will be plenty

Of people camping at this thing with their

RVs

Are the camps being set up

The same way as Bonaru's camps

Are set up in and around the pods

That were previously built the showers

Are going to be working the bathrooms are going to be working like

That?

It will be different but

Yes. I mean essentially

You know we're trying to look to set up

I'm not going to call it like a KOA style experience

But we are evaluating it

In a different way to

Where if you're camping you're coming

And here's your campsite or at least the

Area that you're going to be in and then

Be able to shuffle through so it's

One of those things that I think presents the

Fun challenge is

Knowing that there's going to be a good

Number of people who are going to come in each day and leave

Each night and then there's also going to be a

Good number of people that are

Staying and continuing

Their experience in the campground

Where are you seeing as far as where

Tickets are coming from is it mostly

A Nashville ticket region

Or is it Tennessee

How far is the reach going so far?

I would say your strongest pole is going to be within

Two hours of the site so you draw a circle

Of two hours in every direction

And that is really

I'd say the sweet spot

Everything from Atlanta

To even Charlotte

Nashville of course

Birmingham, Chattanooga

Memphis, Knoxville that kind of

Range is really

We knew that going into it that was going to be the

Biggest pull from where it's at

I think that's part of the reason why I think what makes that

Space so attractive is that

Within two hours

You're hitting several major markets

Tying all this together what we talked about today

And what we talked about last time you were with us

This festival is a good example

I think of putting everything together

Right because you have Bonnaroo

You have a site, you have Moon River

You have Asheville

Others that you've done so

Maybe go over some of the

Things that

Because I know you've been talking about

Using Great Stages for several

Years now for other events

What was it about

This event that you think makes

It work and what were sort of those

You know boxes that had to be

Ticked?

Is it 111? 111 yeah

What was it what makes this different

Than the other events that makes you guys

Think I mean was it it needed to be

Fall it needed to be an older audience

It needed to be regional versus

National I mean

Again I'm not trying to put words in you

Just based on the conversations that we've had

I'm just trying to you know what was

It the items

We feel like there's an opportunity there

You know there are

Others producing events you know like

This the opportunity that we have

With Great Stage Park we thought there's

Something special here and if we put it together

We feel like the audience is going to come

And you know being able

To serve to serve that audience

That rock audience is you

Know that they're you know a lot of them are very

Loyal

Attendees to go into

A lot of these bands and being able to put

These together in a different way I just think

We just thought there was an opportunity and you know

The fall in Tennessee is

Gorgeous so the ability

To kind of camp during that time frame

Is an opportunity

Kind of like the age demographic

That would be coming to it too you know I think

They're probably less apt to camp

In June in Tennessee versus

In October

And then the opportunity you know on the sports

Side and some of the other

Pieces are kind of falling into place here

It for us I think it was

Just a chance to do something

Different. Yeah well see that's I think

That's the elephant in the room

It's so different it does

Lend itself to ask are

You scared?

I don't

I don't scare is not the right word I mean I think

With any first year event

There's always some trepidation like

Are people in the same page with us?

You know do they

Do our fans agree that you know this was a good idea

Are they gonna buy tickets?

And then the reality for

Any first year event

You know I think like something like Moon River we were very

Fortunate to sell out in what eight hours

The first year in like six hours this year something

Like that you know that

Is that doesn't happen that's not

Reality for the majority of music festivals

Out there and

You know you have to build it

And I think there is because

This is something so different the opportunity is there is

I think people who are coming this year

Are gonna be blown away and

There is that other list. It's just

So different and it's like it

Doesn't like I guess it's because

I guess it's because we know you guys I

Guess on a personal level but

But more so I can see the brands

That you guys have built and this is

So completely out

Of your lane and

It's both it's inspiring

For one it's

And but damn near it's

It's dangerous too because

You're doing something that's completely new and

I guess the thing that's so interesting

Is you had a very specific

Model when you went

For an inspirational guide for Bonnarooy

You had a very north star right a very clear

North star and we've heard how it's

Manifested from year to year

The north star for Moon River

Is pretty easy to find

What was the inspiration

Behind 111 where did it

Come from how did it become

Was there something that

You patterned it after or

Is it just because you have a space

It works no there

Definitely the

One of the main people behind it Tim Sweetwood

On the C3 team you know this definitely

Is kind of his baby

In a sense so a lot

I'm sorry what was his name I didn't hear what you said

What was his name Tim Sweetwood

Okay okay yeah so you know a lot of

This has come you know a lot of this vision

For this event how it's going to come together

You know it's not like we just slapped it together

In a matter of weeks it's been

The conversation been going on for a couple of years

And trying to find the right time

And the right axe to

Launch it and I think once you know

We knew we had Guns N' Roses

In the mix it was like

Okay this is something we can definitely

Start to build around and we knew we had other players

Kind of lined up and

You know again we still talk about Bonnaroo in terms

Of how you create those lanes so if you're a

Leonard Skinner fan but for some reason you're not

A Guns N' Roses fan there's still something

For you in all three days if you're a Death Leopard

Fan and not a Guns N' Roses or a Skinner fan

There's still something for you

On all those three days so

That approach stays consistent

But a lot of this definitely

Came and pulled out of the mind

Of Tim

In terms of where he kind of wanted to go with it

And his fandom

Of the rock scene

And then you know

The beautiful thing about both of our

Organizations is

We're all music fans

And we all want to see

Different types of experiences and where we know

Hey we've always wanted to do this

But I can't do that at Bonnaroo

Like it doesn't fit

I'd love to do this at

Forecastle and it's not going to work

At Forecastle but I sure as hell can do it

At Exit 111 like that's one

Of those that's like

Something that crowd is going to really get

Like the Paranormal Circuit

To make this

Work as well as it does

Do you have to sort of turn

Over the room a little bit?

For instance you've got a certain group

Of people in the conversation

That know

What the Bonnaroo audience is going to like

I'm guessing those

Same people who are booking the artists

For Bonnaroo not necessarily

The ones you go to

Book the bands for

Exit 111 or are they the same

People? Yes and no

I think you're bringing in probably

More opinions and you know the people that

Kind of

Have certain opinions

We've talked before about

I'm definitely a hip hop head

I don't book bands but when

Some of those acts are being

Considered

I get to have that conversation

What do you think? Do you think there's a draw here? Do you think it fits?

And so you know our

Booking agents know who the targets are and what they're

Going after and when they need

To have some of those more specific conversations

Like how does this fall into the mix?

What do we think here?

If we go here what else

Do we need to compliment that?

So yeah I think they are

Amazing at what they do because they know what they

Don't know and they're not afraid to go

And ask questions to the people who are

Really digging in deep into some

Of the catalogs and newer stuff

That's kind of coming out there or even older stuff

That's still relevant

I think you guys being a music

Fan thing it's not a

Small it sounds like just something everybody would

Say but it's the kind of thing that shows

I call it the difference

Between walking around

And feeling like the answer is always going to be no

Versus the answer is let's see how

We can make it work you know or

Yes and you know you get

That feeling as a patron

Like you know when you're walking up to a

Gate or something you don't feel like you're

You know they've got the evil eye

On you you feel like hey how can

Come on in have a good time and it makes a huge

Difference you talk about the public works

Guy smiling and getting a

Hi-fi from a guy in a banana

Seems silly and small and that's

What it is and you know in a big picture

But at the end of the day

I walked out with a smile on my face

I think what Barry's saying is he wants

Ashley caps and leather chaps

I think that's where he's going with this

I think

No it's just that kind of

Attitude it's those little things that you walk

Away with that you know you take them

Home and when you add them all up it was a pretty good

Day versus you know

Every turn was something negative

Or so it makes a big

Difference and I won't

Lie that doing

The like the banana suit thing

Is just as much for me

It is for the fan

You can ask like how am I in it

Like the love you get from that

And just the people saying thank you

Like man I want to hug you that was an

Amazing weekend it's like you talk

About some affirmation that it

Really is it totally fills your heart

Up you're like people really did appreciate

What we put together here and

You know I'm sharing my love the fact that

You came out and you're supporting this thing

Which allows me to keep doing what I do for living

But then it's also me

You know being goofing showing my appreciation

And that side and it's

That total give and take and it does it means

A lot well there was a part of me

There was a part of me that was afraid you were about

To give me a free sample of shampoo

It was

What is this guy

About to sell me I don't know what it is

Okay so

I've got some odds and ends that I want to

Go through and I know that

Maybe it's because

We now can call each other friendly

I might be pushing

It a little bit so if I go beyond

My abilities and

Questions that I should or shouldn't be asking

You let me know but I want to try a couple

Of things first off how

In tune to and I don't mean

Surveys I don't mean

Reactions that you get but how in tune

To the things that people are saying

That are real Bonnarooians

Whether it's on InfoRoo

The websites the Twitters

Etc how in tune to what

They're saying are you guys

Do you feel like you got your hand on

The pulse or the finger on the pulse of what they're saying

And what they're thinking I like to think so

What will you think if you think so

What do you think the number one thing they're

Saying that they either want believe

Need feel for Bonnaroo

Would be for next year

No there's no pressure here I don't

Mean to like if you get it wrong you're

Out but I have

A feeling I know what it is but

I want to see what you think it is

I think it really comes down to

The Bonnarooian code and

I think if you remember from our previous conversation

That wasn't our code that was

From the fans and we hear it

Radiate positivity definitely is the one that probably

Carries true and through all throughout

But you know respect the farm

Stay true to Roo play as a team

All of those

All of those kind of

Mantras I think if we stick

To that and our fans are the first

To tell us hey that's not true to

Roo when that happens that's when

We it's almost like we better check ourselves or

Erect ourselves to me that's where

It really goes is staying true to Roo and

Making sure that anytime that we come up

With an idea or attempt to

Change improve whatever we want to

You know whatever word you want to use for it

We run it through that filter are we

Adhering to the Bonnaroo code as long as we

Can adhere to the Bonnarooian code

I think we'll maintain

Success and there are certain

Times where you know we may have to push

The envelope of what that means but I

Think as long as we're not afraid to take that

Chance and then admit

Hey we messed up that didn't work

We're gonna try something you know we're gonna fix that and do

Something different

Then we're always gonna maintain that positive

Relationship with our fans and continue

This festival for the next 20 years

I think life is a world

Built on a credit card that either

Has a lot of credits earned

Vis-a-vis the credits that you've spent

And I think you guys have a massive amount

Of credit on the credit card to

Try things that may or may not work

And you can come back around and be like

That's okay they'll be fine

They've got a north star here

That's gonna be okay

I'll let Barry go Barry what do you think the number one

Thing is that

Maybe the Twitterverse the Infaroos

Want to see about Bonnaroo

Next year or the years in the

When I come up with is a name

Which is Dolly

I actually had that conversation

With Brian

In fact it was kind of funny I think you had just left

Brad but Ted and I

Were talking he said there's the guy go tell him

And you know this was after

My fourth

Over

So you know I had to be a smart aleck about it

But I was like hey have you thought about Dolly

Yeah okay

So I'm just gonna come out and say it because look

Not everybody gets

The AC guys on the phone

Have is anyone

Ever called Dolly and

I'm gonna assume the question is yes or the answer is yes

Every year is the answer I got

Okay and then thusly what is the

Hold up Dolly

Certain things yeah you can't really

Speak to all of it but yes has Dolly

Been approached Barry nailed it

I'd say there is an open invitation

For Dolly to perform Bonnaroo

And I'm not on the booking team so maybe I'm not allowed

To say that but I think

If we could make it happen it's something we want to make happen

But you as you guys probably know

When you're an artist at that level there's a

Variety of things that are kind of standing

I don't want to say standing in the way

But you know that make up

How you make your decision and

You know Dolly is gonna do what Dolly

Wants to do because well she's earned that

Right

She's earned that right

So you know what I'd love

To see that someday as a fan

Yeah I would

I don't think there's many artists I can

Put in that top rung

That haven't played the farm that

I wouldn't you know

Go crazy to be live and she's

Definitely out there

And that's sort of where I'm going is there

If Bonnaroo wants an artist

Is there a price that is

Too much? Oh yeah there's definitely

A price that is too much and we still have to

I mean like I said we are a

For profit company yeah okay

But and I guess part of

That could be you know does the ticket price

Change that year because of it you know that's

That's the part I don't you know I don't think

That a lot of it has to be a lot of evaluation to say

Okay if we're gonna do this then you

Know maybe this is what happens or do we

Look at things in a different way

I mean I think there's you know a lot of other

Ideas you can probably throw out there in terms of

Artists that either you know some of them being

Reunited and things along those lines and

Does that change how we potentially do

Something because it will be that

Major of the get but that then

Goes through what I mentioned earlier of

Going through our Bonnaroo V&K

Does does doing

Something like that that changes

X Y and Z

Does that are we staying true

To Roo or are we taking a

Chance that we don't need to take for

That because you know

As amazing as Dolly would be and this

Is no nocturne as amazing as almost you know

I could think of it probably you know at least 10

15 artists be to play the farm

Does that change the

Fact that it is

Bonnaroo and and and we like to

Think of Bonnaroo being this

Special place and if it becomes all

About this one

Act for this one person

Are we staying true to Roo

And the lanes that you talk about I mean

Yeah do you you know

It just is okay so

Okay how much does

The talent budget fluctuate

From year to year

I think we talk about talent, talent's one of

Those things that is

Is always increasing and it's

From a standpoint of

It's you know that's how artists make money these

Days and we understand and I

Think there there probably is a

Time where

I think probably that this is

You know my my opinion

That it's going to have to

Write itself because you know

We still have to things you have to have portals

You have to have weights management you have to have

All of these things for every

Event you know whether it be

A festival like Bonnaroo or a festival

Like Moon River all of those pieces

That come together and as we all know business

Doesn't doesn't get cheaper

You know there's you know there's the cost

Of business seems to always be increasing

And at what

Point are we going to

Hit a price to

Where you can't have you know

People aren't going to come because they can't afford it

Because they have to raise the ticket price or we

Have to rely upon other revenues

To be able to support it

And not that I don't believe artists

Should should make their fair cut

I think almost

Too much pressure has been put on touring

To where it makes

It a real challenge

To to kind of keep producing

Certain things

Which is you know why we've done some of the smaller

More boutique models is you can control

Talent another another way

And we've also been our own worst enemies

When you're when you're

Booking so many events out there

That can you know that can hurt too

You know if it were used to be

I think was we had less festivals

Out there your opportunity to see

X person was here

Or you know maybe three other

Places throughout the country

And now you've got you know artists know that

That's how they're making money and when they're

What I mean I just heard like Ed Sheeran just finished

Like a two year tour

I mean it's like insane to think about that

That that's what's

Kind of happening right now is that's what artists

Have to to make the money

I want to when they're playing 80 days

In the US I want to put I want to

Put I want to put a question to rest that I've

Never heard the answer to that you can either

Confirm or deny when when

There are from year

To year line to line up has there ever been

A year where there has

Been money saved that has

Been used for the next year

Or in years in the future thinking

There might be an artist that you really

Want to go for that's going to cost you a lot of

Money has there ever been money that has been saved

From one year and then moved to the next

No okay all right

Yeah interesting yeah no

We we look at each

Each year as an individual and now we'll say that

Potentially are favors that are set up

To where we've done something

One year or let's just say there's a cancellation

And it's like we're going to do a

Make it on a future year of

Some sort okay now that

Can kind of happen but each year

Is budgetarily its own year and you're

Not going to say okay I'm going to save

Five hundred thousand dollars from 2018

And plug it to 2019 no we

Don't do that okay thank you for saying that because

I've always wanted somebody to clarify that

Because it's one of the more

Ridiculous rumors that I've heard

In the past especially in years

That haven't made I don't know insert person

Happy here oh they're saving all the money for you

To next year I've always hated

That so that is not how anybody

Runs a business whatsoever

Okay all right you can't predict the future

You can't do that and this is my final

One is my final little odds and ends that I

Want to throw out there do you have

Your set headliners done

And if not how far away

Are you I would have

To defer to my booking team on that

One I know I can't say

If the ink is dry on some of them but I know there

Are some serious conversations have happened

Or happening

And you know where let me add on

This because let me add on this because

It gets to the lane thing and it's

Especially because of knowing some of the festivals

That around here that

That I've watched and they

All do it they do you guys

Start with the top

And then build the lanes

Or does it all different

Ways to do that yeah I mean

It'd be hard to build the lanes if you don't know

Who the top is yes and no

I think there are

If you look at it even these days

The middle of the not only the middle of the pack

That sounds kind of bad but the middle

Has become almost as

As important if not more

Important than some of the headliners

And the headliners always draw big

Attention but you'll hear it year in

And year out the favorite part of the

Festival was X person

And an X band was

Not in the top four line

They were below that so I you know

There are definitely artists

That we're looking at and have already

Been booked

That are you know they're not headliners

They're in that middle of pack

They have to play the event

We need them here like their act

Is so amazing and you know

Who knows in five years they may be a headliner

But no

I would say

There are certain pieces that we want to put in place

Just because of where they

May be in their cycle

And where their popularity is

Is

Is coming after

In the year we're currently in

Or where we think they're going to be in a year

Here's my

Stab at your

2020 Bonnaroo lineup

You ready? I've put a lot of thought

Into this I want Barry to

Barry can't see my screens

But this was written on July 3rd

July 3rd I wrote this

So good thing

I wrote this down you can see when I wrote it

July 3rd this is my prediction of

What the Bonnaroo lineup will be and we'll get Barry's

Prediction here in a second

Black Keys

I understand you're right

I have

No affirmation

No groans

No giggles

Nothing

Black Keys, Chance the Rapper

Zed, Tame Impala

Zach Brown, My Morning Jacket

Billie Eilish, Spoon

And Britney Howard

That's your top two three lines

I've got a whole list here

There you go that's my guess

Is the best guess scenario

For next year

I don't put that kind of thought into it

I love it no because if

If there's anything that Bonnaroo

The underground Bonnaroo kids love the most

It's right about now

When they start figuring out

What is up anybody's sleeve

We'll start seeing who's touring

It's the best

It's the best and one of those names on that list

I absolutely was told

That they were coming there

Now Jeff doesn't have to say anything

But I know for a fact

One of those names will be on there because

They told me specifically they were coming

So if they blow it I'm going to be really mad about this

There you go

The artist said that?

The absolute artist said it yes

Told me that's all I know

He's a big deal

I will

Once the lineup is announced

I'll show you exactly who it is

And I'll show you my note that I made on July 3rd

Who it is

And then you can argue with their management then

Jeff man you're the best

I love it too

I love the conversation

We could do this all day

You guys are the best

We can't thank you enough for spending so much time with us

Thank you for this support

It's always a fun time

I'll never come back anytime

Welcome to the What Podcast

A podcast for Bonnarooians

Bye Bonnarooians

We didn't do this earlier in the show

That's Barry Courter from the Chattanooga Times-U-Press

I'm Brad from a top 4-year radio station in Chattanooga, Tennessee

But most of all we just love Bonnaroo

And we appreciate Jeff Quay are coming on

And talking a little bit about Bonnaroo

What I loved about the conversation

Not just how it was

But how it was

And how it was

And how it was

And that's what I loved about the conversation

Not just how they've expanded the farm

And the things they're doing on it

With the Exit 111 Fest

We'll see how that goes

But what I loved was his acknowledgement

That everybody in the building sort of already knows

How much we're clamoring for Dolly

Yes

I was going to say

Can you turn that up so they can hear it in Knoxville

They are very aware

As we said earlier

We had a chance to talk to some of those guys

During the Moon River Festival

They offer every single year

And it just has to be the right thing

And it's going to be completely on her

I don't think it's money

I don't think needs the money

And if she

You know

Anyway

You're right, and it is really on her

And I hate putting it on her

Because then we're just all waiting for her

To value us, right

So you almost feel like, am I good enough for you?

Do you love me enough? Well we do

What are we doing wrong?

The point that I think I and others have been trying to make

About this Dolly thing is

Yes, it's selfish

But

She embodies everything

That this festival is

And the reason why we love it so much

And I think that the serendipity

Of it all

I can't imagine

There being a dry eye on the farm

Yeah

I can't even near think that it would be as big of a crowd as McCartney

I agree

She doesn't have to do nights

She doesn't have to do a big overwhelming light show

She doesn't have to do

She doesn't have to bring over a whole bunch of friends

She just needs to stand on that stage

Give us I will always love you

And we will be balling like babies

Just be Dolly

Just be Dolly

No, that's a great point

I would be disappointed if it was a big

Huge stage

And a piano player and a guitar player

So do you remember last year

When Brandi Carlile

Had that entire crowd

Very similar

By a shoestring

I mean she had them dangling

And you could hear pin drops from front to back

Now whether or not you liked the Brandi Carlile show or not

I loved it personally

But that's the kind of thing that Dolly has

She has the power over a crowd

And again I keep coming back to this

Over and over and over

And I love everything that this festival is

And

If there are

White whales out there that they haven't gotten to

I'm sure that

There's somebody that's going to tell you stones

And whoever

But the white whale is Dolly

And nobody else

In the country could say that

Other than Bonnaroo

Coachella's not saying that

You know

Governor's ball sure as hell is not saying that

This is the place

That she would be appreciated more than maybe

Anywhere else, she is Tennessee

She is this philosophy

Everything about it is her

I hope she finds that out

If you've never been

I mean the Tennessee Tourism Board

Comes down there, Nashville people come down

You're exactly right

It's a

As much as it's a national, international

Festival, Tennessee is

Front and center in that

She's, man I can't think of anybody that

Represents that anymore

That and it's interesting

To me, I mean

I know your taste, you know my taste

I can see the fact that we both like her

A lot, but everybody likes her

It doesn't matter the age group

I mean I think even the EDM

Kids would be over there

Singing islands in the stream

To see the legend

It's a phenomenal point, it is amazing

There's not many artists that no matter

What you like

Everybody can sing along to Dolly

And there's not a person that's going to be like

This show stinks

Nobody's going to say that

Or I didn't know she did that

Jolene, that's her

Yeah

I would love to see her

It's such a home run

Alright so here's what I'm hoping that you will do

In the time that we have

Between now and whenever we decide to come back

Give us your line up predictions

I'd love to hear what you think

Will actually happen, not your wish list

Everybody's got a wish list, I don't want a wish list

I want to see what you actually think

The line up will be

So you got

You got a early

You got some early

Footing on us, you got one up on us

A little bit because now you know that Billy

And Chance are completely out

And Black Keys are 50-50 at best

So there you go

Make a line up for us and tell us

What you think is going to happen

Also we should give a shout out

Because they've been good to us, the Roo Bus guys

Yeah go listen to their podcast, is it good?

I haven't heard it yet

Yeah I just listened to the first one and they were working out

Some kinks but they are

Collecting, they're taking

It a different angle, you know you and I

Because of

What we do and just because of the way things

Have worked are more of an insiders

Kind of look at it

Yeah we sort of dork out on the nuances

It's great to have somebody like Jeff Cuellar

Who gives us that inside baseball stuff

But the Roo Bus folks are

Collecting stories so

Call them, they had our friends repeat repeat on

Good, by the way I saw them

Open up for the Black Keys

That show, that show

There are another one I meant to say would probably be on my prediction list

Maybe, you probably know more

Than I do but I could see them being on

But anyway

Go check out the Roo Bus

Podcast, just Google

You'll find it

They're on Twitter

I haven't gotten around to listen to it but they're such good people

And I can't imagine they're doing

Anything less than a seller job

Telling and

I guess personifying

Exactly what this whole thing is

They want to collect all your stories

You're funny, you're meaningful

Whatever, what does Bonnaroo mean to you kind of thing

It's cool, go check it out

Go check it out and until we talk again

Send us those predictions and

We'll hopefully be back soon