(Editor's note: This the last of a three-part series on the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.)
After all of these great performances, there were bound to be missteps along the way. Unfortunately for the throngs of people that reached the main stage at the ungodly hour of 2:45 a.m. central time. On Saturday, it came in the form of Kanye West.
By 3:30 a.m., the rap star had yet to make his onstage appearance, which had not even been set up, as a number of workers busily put together a massive spaceship. By 4:00, still no West had arrived, prompting a number of obscene chants to be shouted by the crowd, many of whom were half asleep on the ground.
Finally, at around 4:30, West arrived, launching headfirst into his set without a word to the crowd. He cut off songs midway and drew the ire of many fans who had been eagerly awaiting his set.
This debacle would spark a he said/she said feud between the rapper and Bonnaroo officials who alleged that Kanye simply refused to play. Talking to one stage manager who would only allow himself to be indentified as Paul, he claimed that he "had been [setting up stages] for over 21 years" and didn't buy West's excuses.
He offered insights such as how each event is "planned out ahead of time, often six months in advance, with everything from the number of hotel rooms to the number of microphones" already in place. But he mostly echoed the festival's claims that West was backstage and ready, despite obvious set problems.
Still, fan reaction was overwhelmingly negative as no sooner did morning come when some angry fans could be seen sporting homemade t-shirts deriding the star.
Rock's elder statesmen at the event seemed less concerned about the pressure, something that was visible in their laid back sets. B.B. King successfully turned the main stage into a back porch jam session, complete with his meandering stories and humorous anecdotes. King charmed the younger crowd as some showed their affection, aludding to comments of how they wished he could be their grandfather.
Robert Plant was also there with his new muse Allison Krauss, where they played fresh material, much of which failed to ignite the crowd in true Zeppelin fashion, even with a few of his classic band's covers thrown in.
Songstress Aimee Mann carried the relaxed view of the festival experience, saying that she does not over-think the festival, choosing instead to "just play [her] show."
"You connect with the people you connect with, doing whatever they do. And even if you're just pleasant background music, that's fine too. You just have to enjoy yourself like everyone else," she said.
The many question marks that dogged this year's festival and its diverse lineup were dispelled and the event proved to be a success, offering fans many once-in-a-lifetime moments that went off, for the most part, without a hitch.
For the first time in years, Bonnaroo failed to sell out to full capacity. This loss can no doubt be accredited to rising gas prices and the wide variety of festivals that have sprung up this year in virtually every major state.
With fiercer competition, only time will tell if Bonnaroo will continue to be "America's Best Festival," as it was so labeled by "Rolling Stone" this July. But given the fact that the festival highlight artists discovered ahead of the curve, coupled with its seasoned devotees, Bonnaroo's place as America's premiere festival is sure to ride the live music circuit for years to come.
For more information on the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival go to the Collegian Arts Blog at www.dailycollegian.com.
Peter Rizzo can be reached at prizzo@student.umass.edu.
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