Brett BermanTuesday. 1AM– I get a free ticket to Bonnaroo.
Tuesday. Noon– I pack a bag, get in the car with Damian, head to Jersey to pick up our camping gear sponsored by
all-star intern Adam.
Wednesday. 11 AM– Road Trip 14 hours to Tennessee.
Thursday. 10AM– Arrive at Bonnaroo, and set up our campsite.
Needless to say, the days leading up to the festival were a whirlwind of chaotic excitement and anticipation. In an attempt to ditch all things digital for the weekend, I decided to shoot the whole festival on my 65′ Polaroid Land Camera. So I stocked up on film, grabbed a couple extra batteries, embraced the light leaks, snapped, shook, repeated. Results below.
Additionally, when you’re amongst upwards of 100,000 people, most of whom have not been sober since their arrival, eavesdropping inevitably becomes a fun little game to play. So we started keeping a record of the ones that made us laugh. They are entirely out of context, and don’t correspond to the photos, yet the imagery is wonderfully vivid.
“It’s 90 degrees and I have goosebumps.” (The Districts)
“I don’t know what the fuck this is… but I’m gonna dance
to it!” (Temples)“I’m going to see the whole god damn set. EVEN IF I DIE in the process.” (Mac Demarco)
“I heard Little Lion Man while I was taking a piss… It was alright.” (Mumford and Sons)
“I’m only going cause I hear she takes her top off.”
(Tove Lo)“Dude, fuck the water, let’s just go to the show,” he said in the 90 degree Tennessee sun.
“I can’t hear shit.” (Superjam)
“I only took one. I don’t wanna be too gone.”
(Kendrick Lamar)“Stop it with your chicken shit!” he said to the
chicken vendor.
To summarize Bonnaroo in a single statement is difficult. This was my best attempt: