Friday at Bonnaroo 2019: Childish Gambino Enraptures and Phish Converts The Newbs

After a chaotic opening Thursday that tested the patience of attendees and staff alike, Bonnaroo 2019 found it’s footing on Friday. Massive headlining sets and rampant diversity defined the day, which unfolded under mild temperatures and clear skies. The stylistic ping pong match intensified in the afternoon, and those willing to quickly traverse the grounds were treated to a carousel of sounds from hip-hop, EDM, rock, and roots acts.

The bass never stopped at the Other Stage, which has become ground zero for bone-shaking beats and gaudy light shows. If it wasn’t obvious from the lineup, it was clear after speaking to a few dozen patrons – EDM was the dominant force this year. But there were still plenty of other forms of music to investigate, especially on Friday.
After a breakneck, dusty tent set from  Parquet Courts, The Avett Brothers brought their instrument-swapping splendor to the main stage. Now seasoned veterans of Bonnaroo’s biggest stage, they easily held the crowd enraptured with elegance and exultation in equal measure. Nuanced tunes like “Vanity” and “Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise” rang beautifully across the wide open space, and stomping numbers such as “Kick Drum Heart” and “Talk On Indolence” was intensified by the reaction and participation of the still-growing crowd.

Spinning the wheel from The Avett’s emotional outpouring, we landed on Courtney Barnett’s conversational slacker rock and immediately chased it with the pummeling, searing metal of Gojira, who masterfully mate growl with grandeur, swapping between cathartic, growling moments and impressive instrumental acrobatics in front of a searing light show. Bodies and hair and inflatables were flying everywhere, particularly during the razor-sharp riffs of “Stranded”.

Suddenly, it was time for the first headliner of the weekend, and Childish Gambino – insert requisite “it’s Donald Glover” earmark here returned to Bonnaroo with an even bigger spectacle this time around. His relentless energy, incredible group of musicians, and spiritual stage presence captivated the largest crowd of the weekend to that point. Of course, “This Is America” brought the entire audience to their feet, and off of them, as nearly everyone in the field bounced with early-weekend energy. The climactic “Redbone” was punctuated with a dazzling fireworks display, and Bonnaroo 2019 officially hit its stride.

Solange Knowles brought an entirely different kind of energy to her 10 PM set on the Which Stage, and her chill, classy style was welcome after the manic intensity of Gambino’s show. But the intensity factor was only waiting to be unleashed again as Phish took the main stage for their “late night” feature set. Based on the lack of Phish-related gear and documented unfamiliarity among attendees (no one we conversed with this day was familiar with Phish, and BroBible even humorously documented the lack of Phish awareness among the crowd), this audience probably contained the most first-timers the band has ever faced. Luckily for everyone in attendance, the band offered a perfect mix of accessible songs for the uninitiated and a few improvisational jaunts of varying intensity for the devoted and proved why they’re one of the most important rock bands in the history of the form.

Opening with a one-two-three punch of “Carini”, “Down With Disease”, and “Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.”, Phish kept things tight and rocking to start. “Disease” meandered briefly, but quickly bled into the jubilant “S.A.N.T.O.S., with its irresistible chorus. After rocking out with those three, they brought some groove and a bit of improv into the fold with “Everything’s Right”, then segued into the more intricate “Mercury”, which threatened to glide into infinity for a moment before guitarist Trey Anastasio tore into the opening lick of “Tweezer”.

They’ve played “Tweezer” every time they’ve played Bonnaroo, so clearly there’s something about the open-ended nature of it that lends itself to the spirit of the festival. This version, however, had some extra sauce on it. The jam grew from the somewhat expected deep, funky space that occurs just after the composed section into a wailing, frenetic monster that threatened to spin out of control. The band hit peak after peak, driven by Jon Fishman’s unflappable drumming and Anastasio’s menacing guitar, before finally settling into a plateau that allowed them to slowly slip into the futuristic dance funk of “2001”. As that song’s triumphant ending played out, things got nasty with “Steam”, which was full of sweaty, slinky rhythms and serpentine keyboard work from Page McConnell.

Up and down they went, mixing the sample-laden three-chord stomp of “Martian Monster” with the reflective dad rock of “More” before offering another signature song, “Harry Hood”, to stretch out the audience’s brain. More and more often, “Hood” deviates completely from its structure in exciting ways, and this edition was a fine example.
Still, they kept it more structured than spacy, lapsing into a solidly constructed jam before returning to another brilliant finish. With the opening lick of “Character Zero” signaling the finale, Phish had constructed a set that almost no one could complain about, regardless of their level of fandom.

A quick by-the-numbers version of “Possum” bled perfectly into “Tweezer Reprise”, and the climactic crashing and white lights caused a maelstrom under the nearly full moon. It was a danceable, loud, aggressive affair that was a perfect intro for newcomers and a unique treat for longtime fans. Along with the Childish Gambino set, it certainly defined one of the loveliest days Bonnaroo has ever seen.

Phish Setlist Bonnaroo 2019, Summer Tour 2019

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