The eighth edition of the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has now officially come and gone, leaving behind memories for the ages, and yet another vivid example of the brilliant scene that occurs when 85,000 musicians and fans come together in one location for a weekend of sounds, styles, and sleep, or lack there of.
What did we learn from Bonnaroo 2008? Well, perhaps the best answer can only come from a personal level, but I sure learned quite a bit from the music side of things....
Lez Zeppelin are not Led Zeppelin: Sure, Lez Zeppelin share a similar name and style to the music legends they so brilliantly cover each and every performance, but when all said and done, it was the four ladies from New York and not the four gentlemen from England, who thrilled Bonnarooers with renditions of Dazed and Confused and The Ocean. And even while we were all still hoping for that special Robert Plant guest appearance or Led Zeppelin superjam, Lez Zeppelin sure as hell provided us with the next best thing.
Pearl Jam still know how to rock: At 10:15 p.m. on Saturday night, the first chords of Hard To Imagine came ringing from Eddie Vedder and company's respective instruments. Some three hours and 26 songs later, Pearl Jam wrapped up what best could be described as a headlining performance for the ages. Included in the historic set was the band's first performance of WMA in nearly 17 years and covers of Bob Dylan's All Along the Watchtower and the Who's Love Reign O’er Me, providing a brilliant example by night's end, that Pearl Jam can still indeed bring it. Thankfully, we'll all be able to relive the performance again soon.
Metallica isn't that bad: One of the biggest complaints going into Bonnaroo was the presence of Metallica on the lineup. While certainly a huge name, many felt that neither their sound, nor their fan base fit the 'roo style. Yet "the baddest band in the world" did prove entertaining, offering fans a collection of familiar tracks that left even the most novice Metallica listener nodding their head along to the fury of produced electricity. Perhaps the most disappointing part of of their set was what it lacked, as the metal rockers failed to debut any new material off their upcoming record.
Kanye doesn't like Bonnaroo, Bonnaroo doesn't like Kanye: After what can best be described as what appears to be another case of Kanye West's ego getting the best of him (see: MTV Europe Music Awards), the high-profile MC left many Bonnarooers visibly and vocally upset about his 4:27 a.m. performance. I think it's safe to say that Mr. West won't be appearing in Manchester, Tennessee anytime in the near future.
Superjams aren't always super: When it comes to rumors, sometimes they cause more trouble than good. After all, entering the weekend, everyone from Led Zeppelin to Tom Waits had been speculated as possibly being part of Bonnaroo's annual surprise superjam. But when the surprise was finally unveiled, and members from Gogol Bordello and Les Claypool stepped onto the stage for what turned out to be a Waits tribute, it left many thinking - "What could have been?"
My Morning Jacket may be the best live band alive: Maybe the thing learned by most Bonnarooers this year is the fact that My Morning Jacket are good live - damn good. In a set considered by many as one of the greatest ever seen at any edition of the festival, My Morning Jacket delivered a three-plus hour performance, composed of two full sets, unique covers, and guest appearances from Metallica's Kirk Hammett and comedian Zach Galifianakis. The drenched crowd couldn't have asked for more - probably because there was nothing more that hadn't been played.
Bonnaroo is still the most unique music experience around: From the camping and unpredictable weather to the 4 a.m. late night sets and surprise guest appearances, Bonnaroo truly offers the most unique and memorable festival experience around. Where else can you be greeted by new sounds from Vampire Weekend on the same night the Felice Brothers quench your thirst for folk? Where other festival provides the opportunity for Tiësto and Tegan & Sara to collaborate on the same stage? What other place can you watch the punk insanity of Gogol Bordello and then walk over for the blues purity of B.B. King? Bonnaroo is more than a festival, it's an experience.
The Bonnaroo festival, already a vast and unruly expanse of musical spectacle, was made more expansive this year by the addition of 
Anything less than a face-melting, ear-splitting thunderstorm of a show from the Racontuers at Bonnaroo would have been a disappointment. Their current tour began nearby at the Cannery Ballroom in Nashville, and really started to pick up steam during their vicious April run from Vancouver down the west coast to San Francisco. Reviews of each night carried the same message: THIS IS REAL ROCK N ROLL! By the time I heard the audio from their set at Coachella it was clear Jack White and his band were out to conquer the world this summer.
Incredible musical performances and odd festival 'happenings' are the hallmarks of the 
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