Later this week upwards of 80,000 music fans will descend upon Manchester, Tennessee to see scores of bands, comedians, DJs and more at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, which this year turns 11. The fest humbly began back in 2002, hosting around 50 mostly jam-oriented bands across four stages. Over the past decade Bonnaroo has grown exponentially and will see nearly as many acts perform on its first day alone this year as at the whole event in 2002. For this year’s fest, the promoters have once again put together a lineup that is stacked from top to bottom with a little bit of something for nearly every type of music lover. As has become the norm around these parts, we will once again be dedicating a number of posts this week to all things ‘Roo.
With each passing year what we’ve come to love about Superfly’s approach to Bonnaroo is their free-wheeling spirit to book just about anyone, from any genre of music, especially when it comes to legacy artists, throwing festgoers a handful of unexpected curve-balls each year. The 2012 edition of Bonnaroo is certainly no different, as you catch country music legend Kenny Rogers, hardcore champions Bad Brains and the kings of surf-pop The Beach Boys. While you certainly can’t go wrong in checking out any of the aforementioned acts, the one that got us talking the most around HT Headquarters was the prospect of seeing the original shock-rocker Alice Cooper.
Before there was KISS or David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust persona or Rob Zombie and The Flaming Lips there was Alice Cooper – whose legendary early 1970’s stage shows featured everything from electric chairs, to guillotines, to fake blood, and huge boa constrictors, all while playing a meaty mix of hard rock. Cooper, who was born Vincent Furnier, was originally signed by Frank Zappa, and in the two year span of 1971-72 had four platinum selling albums, thanks in part to singles like Eighteen and No More Mr. Nice Guy. Check out this live performance of Alice Cooper’s signature song School’s Out…
Alice Cooper will descend on That Tent this Saturday at midnight for a late-night set, that promises to be big on theatrics, which also means he’ll have plenty of time to hold court backstage and impress everyone with his extensive knowledge of Milwaukee. Just watch out for blood if you’re in the first 20 rows.
One Response
I saw him at the local county fair years ago. He puts on a good show is definitely worth checking out!