Music Times' writer and Bonnaroo extraordinaire is on the ground for this year's festival. Check out her daily reports from Manchester, TN.
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival 2014: Day 2
10:00 a.m. -- Wake up.
2:15 p.m. --Sam Smith played his first American festival at Bonnaroo, debuting two songs off his upcoming record In The Lonley Hour and playing favorites such as "Money On My Mind," a slow acoustic version of "Latch," a cover of Arctic Monkeys' "Crawlin' Back to You" (check this... not sure if that's the exact name), and his sing-a-long "La La La" (check this as well). I have never seen so many tearing up at a concert. The weather was overcast with a brisk breeze and gentle rain. Truely no better way to start Day 2.
3:30 p.m. --Umphrey's McGee
Your typical metal-leaning jam set. It was our first show at The What Stage, and these Chicago-based brought a decent-sized crowd.
5:30 p.m. --Janelle Monae
This was the most energetic set of the weekend. Monae channelled a young Michael Jackson and jumped around the stage, adding theatrical elements such as a rolling on stage in a straight jacket, having her crew resussitate her, riding "horseback" through the crowd. She played her hits "Electric Lady," "Primetime," and more.
7:30 p.m. -- Vampire Weekend
I had not planned on seeing Vampire Weekend, but we wanted to get close for Kanye. They played hits including "Oxford Comma," "Holiday," "Cousins," "Horchata," and ended with "Cape Cod." Then there was an hour wait to see Yeezus.
10:00 p.m. Kanye West
Where to begin. I guess at the beginning. 'Ye started off the set with "Black Skinhead," and followed up with tracks such has "Clique," "Don't Like," "Say You Will," "All of the Lights," "Run This Town," "Bound 2," "Testify," "New Slaves," "When It Falls Down," "Jesus Walks."
I left feeling like I understood West a little more, but I certainly felt awkward when he kept screaming "F*ck the press" and talking about how everyone makes him out to be crazy. He also commented on his infamous 2008 show.
He ran through his such as "Stronger," "Power," "Runaway," "See You In My Nightmares" "Good Morning," "and ended with "Blood on the Leaves."
12:00 a.m. -- Disclosure
The rising UK stars got the crowd hyped, playing funky house music. The rumors of Sam Smith appear for "Latch" ended up being true. Everyone sang along, powering through the night.
12:20m -- SuperJam with Derek Trucks
The set started out a little slow but picked up once Chaka Khan came out and covered Led Zeppelin's "What Is And What Should Never Be" and Stevie Wonder's "Sign Sealed Deliver," the group ended with Sly And The Family Stones' "Higher." The audience was an older crowd who were out late to see veteran musicans such as Taj Mahal, David Hidalgo, Willie Weeks, Eric Krasno and many others.
1:30 a.m. Skrillex -- Skrillex brought an intense dance party into the early hours of the morning. He was catering mostly to '90s kids with references to Nickelodeon shows and Razor phones. The setlist included his Damian Marley collaboration and a cover of Disclosure's "Latch" and leaned more on house tracks that his typical dubstep. His stage was space themed, so people in the crowd were freaking out over my astronaut costume.
2:30 a.m. Chance the Rapper -- I was not at this show, but I heard he played a cover of the Arthur theme song. No sighting of his roomie James Blake.
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