Wakey! Wakey!

So if you're perpetually 15 like me and still watch One Tree Hill though seven seasons in and the writing nor acting have gotten any better you may have come to know a character named Grubbs this season. Grubbs starts out as a mind-reading bartender (I know I KNOW the writing is BRILL) who is discovered to be hiding his inner singer songwriter from all his friends. Despite the writing or genius character development Grubbs can sing. After just a few clicks through the interwebs I find out Grubbs is actually the lead singer of New York based band Wakey! Wakey! (possibly the best band name in history) who just happens to be passing through my town. I immediately text my BFF and fellow OTH watcher Vee and alert her, she needs no convincing she's in!

Fresh off my Bonnaroo/Tennessee/New Tattoo high I head to Pontiac, MI where the venue Clutch Cargo's is located. I've been to this venue once before on a night where it was just a club but tonight there is a lounge area then a dance floor then the stage. Along the walls there booths and a few tables. The place wasn't at all packed mostly just the lounge area and table were occupied and the floor left empty. Two of the booths have been taken over by merch vendors more on that later. So me and Vee hit the ladies room which was interesting and entertaining in of itself. In the ladies room there is a bathroom attendant with the normal stuff gum, perfume, lotion standard stuff. On the way into the stall I notice one of her bottles of perfume is my ALL TIME favorite that is NO longer in production! It's Escada's Rockin' Rio and if you're familiar Escada has a long line of one season fragrances. Rocking Rio was introduced in 2004 someone gave me an Escada sampler and by the time I had used the tiny sample bottle and went to buy the real thing it was no longer being sold and they had moved to another fragrance. I look for this perfume EVERYwhere I go with no luck! So upon exiting the stall I ask to buy the entire bottle from the charming attendant who is sitting on a stool penning out loud a letter to her locked up love Lavell (I shit you not). After being declined and following up with $10 bid she accepts SCORE! My night is already a success.

Back to the msuic there are two opening acts before Wakey!Wakey! the first is a singer songwriter named Susan Calloway. Susan is from the metro area and quite good with a very nice voice and even did an impressive cover of the Beyonce (or BC Jean song depending how you see it) hit "If I were a Boy". She was very engaging we had a whole dialogue about facebook she seemed new to it. Vee was thoroughly impressed and even bought one of her CD's.



Next up was a very different style act called Haper Blynn according to their myspace they are Rock / Melodramatic Popular Song who also hail from New York. They were really fun and funny reprimanding the crowd for not getting of their asses to fill the void between the stage and the lounge area. Vee and myself were at least out of our seats and dancing but didn't venture to the empty dance floor what can I say group mentality is hard to overcome. I really enjoyed these boys and they did an awesome cover of another Beyonce hit Halo (which I had been thinking after the previous cover would have been a good choice).





After a quick reset Wakey!Wakey! took the stage for an eager crowd. The common thread throughout a lot of W!W! material is love lost and heart break this coming from a very tall bearded man makes it all that much more appealing I think. The songs are very bare your soul, lay everything on the line put it out there which probably explains the crowd being 90% female. And speaking of female empowerment I think there was a preshow meeting about covers for the night because during Grubbs solo set he covered Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". I really enjoyed the show Grubbs was charming and funny. I loved that he was out numbered by girls in his band 2:3 with a girl on lead guitar, keyboard/bass and another on violin. He ended his set with the songs that could be heard on OTH and then encouraged everyone to come say hi at the merch booth.

Once they were leaving stage I kept inching closer to the stage along with another girl. We both knew what time it was although no one picked up set list to hand them to us we both just hopped up there and grabbed them! Vee not used to this activity was a bit startled and as I was explaining the procedure Grubbs walked out from backstage and we quickly accosted him for pictures he said something to Vee but took the picture anyway. As he walked away I realized he was telling her their was a line of people waiting I didn't realize that while I was stealing the setlist almost everyone in the venue had lined up and we had just jumped the line by getting him coming out of the door. WHOOPS! But I wanted my setlist signed and to buy stuff so we waited in line as the very last people until two other girls got behind us. We got to the front and took pictures




and I bought a Wakey!Wakey! Tshirt and some how I wound up telling them about the apostrophe fiasco with my middle name and laughing over that.

Once we got the goods from Wakey! we moved over to Haper Blynn where I bought a CD continued the apostrophe tales and had an interesting conversation about the bands chosen album art.


Everyone was really nice and engaging and we had as much fun talking to them all afterward as we did listening it was a great night!

If you want to check out any of the bands and I think you should you can find them at

Susan Calloway's Myspace, Facebook and Twitter

Harper Blynn's Myspace, Facebook and Twitter

Wakey! Wakey! on Myspace, Facebook and Twitter

Bonna-WHO? BONNAROOOOOO!

Finally getting my life back in pre-Bonnaroo condition. So Bonnaroo, my first time, 'Roo virgin! I decided this was my year to 'Roo no matter what! I was still determined to go even after none of my friends we're going to be able to make the trip with me. So the adventure started Tuesday June, 8th I woke up and headed out only after getting my tire pressure checked and finding out one of my tires was in horrible condition so $137.00 and one new tire later I was on the road. The drive was easy breezy! 575 miles from Detroit to Murfreesboro spent listening to Bonnaroo artists. I spent Tuesday and Wednesday sightseeing, getting my last minute things together and seeing old friends.

Thursday I was ready to head to the farm. Since I knew Feli, Stacy, Liz and Nan were going I had the bright idea of meeting up with them on the way there so at least I would have some familiar faces as neighbors. Meeting up didn't quite work out the way I had hoped. Most of I-24 was clear until about exit 110 then it was bumper to bumper and people were just inching along down I-24E until exit 127 where most people were directed to get back on I-24 and head WESTbound back down to exit 112! I didn't actually do this because I was trying to catch the girls in the other car I had been 2-3 miles behind them and unable to catch up in traffic. So I was speeding down the highway because they were nearing the exit. I was talking to Feli on the phone trying to catch up and I sped right past them on the exit ramp of 127 I could hear everyone in the car let out simultaneous groans and wails of frustration. So I keep going down 24E looking for an exit but of course there wasn't one. Finally I saw the turnaround in the median for emergency vehicles and a pulled an (illegal) u-turn I speed to exit 127 on the westbound side only to be waved on by an officer blocking the exit. I called Feli to find out they they had been redirected back to 24 going west. I catch up to the ladies only for us to sit on the other side 24 for another three hours. We waited and waited then after inching along, bathroom breaks in highway brush and some aggressive and evasive maneuvers we get to the front of the line and get to the entrance.

We show our tickets get our wristbands watch kids get busted for pot wait a little longer only then do I realize Stephanie was in the car with them apparently she was tucked away in the back. We all stretch our legs and finally get directed to our camp site. I had asked my sister to look up sunset time for Manchester while we were nearing the entrance and she told me we only had an hour and a half of daylight left so upon arriving at our camp site everybody was hustling to get their tents up. I had done a run through at home so I was pretty good working by myself and got my tent up fairly quickly. I did not have as easy a time with my mosquito tent and even after I got help, called my brother in law back home (which was the last time I had cell signal) and ripped a hole in the mesh netting I still only managed to get it half way together.

In terms of shows the rest of the time went like this-


THURSDAY
Temper Trap
The XX
Wale

FRIDAY
Jessie Baylin
Gas Light Anthem
Kings of Leon
The Black Keys


SATURDAY
Johnathan Tyler and the Northern Lights
Brandi Carlile
Dan Rawlings Experience
Mumford & Sons
Dead Weather
Stevie Wonder
Jay-Z

SUNDAY
Ingrid Michealson
Regina Spektor
Kris Kristofferson
They Might be Giants
Phoenix
Mike Posner

Thursday
After getting the campsite pretty much together Feli, Stephanie and myself went to check out Temper Trap. I wasn't familiar with Temper Tramp and can't say I'm a fan even still but I was already feeling the festival-ness of it all come over me. We stayed at the same stage for The XX so we had a pretty good view. I really wasn't familiar with The XX either other than their AT&T commercial during the Olympics (and no Apollo did not make an appearance) but their buzz was big so I was excited to check them out. What I heard I liked but I decided to leave The XX early to see Wale. The first 30 minutes of Wale's set could be describe as WTF as in WHERE the fuck is Wale? Not on stage that's where! I was pretty annoyed by that and when he did come out I felt he did a bit too much talking. Because I left Feli and Stephanie at the XX I had to find my way back to camp solo BIG MISTAKE. I didn't know what pod we were in or what intersection and I walked for TWO HOURS trying to find it before asking several cab drivers that were of no help then FINALLY finding one that could help me get back to my camp.







Friday's sun came too early and now I see what Jessie Baylin meant about it being too hot to sleep late in the tents. I never slept past 7am because it was just too hot but hot or not we were all excited today was our big day Jessie Baylin and Kings of Leon! We showed up to Jessie's stage with more than an hour to spare. Upon arrival we were told we couldn't go to the barrier until an hour before. We were just hanging out when Carrie spotted me. I went over to grab some shade with her and meet some of the other girls. As it got closer to an hour before showtime there were quite a few people waiting around more than I had expected then I realized that it was because this "lounge" had not only tables and chairs but also electricity charging station for laptops taking this into account I realized we wouldn't have to fight the entire crowd for the barrier. When the lounge opened we quickly took our places with eagerness and speed that gave her drummer a good laugh. Not long after being at the barrier we spotted Courtney Jaye and then Jessie. Upon Jessie spotting Liz she came over to talk with her which turned her into a rockstar by association! Jessie took several pictures and was as sweet as always. Courtney Jaye even gave out a couple of her own CD's. There was murmurings of whether there would be a Nate sighting and sure enough he showed up. He stayed off to the right side hiding mostly out of sight but not well enough because he was soon spotted and while most of the crowd tried to play cool a few people went over to try to take pictures. Jessie's set started and she rocked it! She sang all new material besides "Leave Your Mark". Her hair was in big curls she wore and cool gray shirt, jean shorts, an Imogene + Willie necklace with a pair of very Jessie-esque boots. Her set was great I enjoyed the new material even more than I thought I would and Yuma was awesome! I think her album is even more anticipated than before if that's possible. For the last few songs of her set I broke out my hot pink sign that read "Jessie B. sign my sign for my next tattoo" (I forgot to take a picture of it). When the set was over I went around back for her to sign it and she was super sweet to me she recognized me for twitter (I was elated and embarrassed). I told her just how awesome I thought "Yuma" was and she seemed very appreciative. Just a few yards away Nate was acquiring quite a crowd and for some reason I decided to restrain myself and not to go over. Just before Jessie was whisked away on her golf cart Nate came over and congratulated her (I assume) and gave her a kiss it was cute beyond words. So when my Jessie Baylin experience was over the sun and heat was relentless so I decided to go check out Conan O'Brien in the air conditioned comedy tent. As I approached the tent a staff worker was circling the area in a cart telling people you had to have a ticket already to see Conan which I new nothing about so that plan ended there. Just then a girl asked me about just having been at Jessie Baylin I struck up a conversation and decided to go check out Gas Light Anthem with her and her friend. I didn't really know much about GSA but I had seen the lead singer in an interview and he seemed super cool so I wanted to see them. I really enjoyed their set and they definitely gained at lest one new fan. After GSA I was feeling a bit depleted so I decided to head back to the tent for some food and rest and sun relief. I thought it was gonna be a quick break and then I was gonna head back out for Damian Marley and Nas then She & Him but that never happened! I wound up eating then taking a nap in my car (with the air on of course). I didn't head back out until it was time for Kings by then the sun was going down as we set out for the main stage. I decided I wasn't going for the barrier earlier but Feli and Liz did so we got to the stage and found them in line with a ton of other people. As it got darker the line for the pit area got crazier, people gathered along the side of the barrier looking ready to jump the barrier to cut the line and that's just what happened. Chaos broke out people were pushing and shoving, people were getting squished and I think a few people actually fell down. It was horribly unorganized and I really feared for the safety of those involved. After a more people than I thought could even fit in the pit area got in then the craziness settled down.
After more waiting the show finally stared with pyro and smoke! They came out and got right into it with

* Crawl
* Taper Jean Girl
* My Party
* Be Somebody
* Immortals
* Molly’s Chambers
* Fans
* Milk
* Closer
* Mary
* Wasted Time
* Four Kicks
* The Bucket
* Radioactive
* Charmer
* Sex on Fire
* Where is My Mind (Pixies cover)
* Notion
* On Call
* Southbound
* Trani

< Encore >

* Knocked Up
* Manhattan
* Use Somebody

I relished every second of those new songs. I was all to pleased with Milk, Wasted Time and Trani and positively stunned with the cover a COVER a FREAKIN' COVER! I didn't take many pictures because I wasn't very close and I wanted to be sure I had battery for video. I had am amazing time watching with Stephanie, Nan and Stacy. I'm sure people around us thought we were freaks for singing along to Mary.



By Saturday I was in a comfortable rhythm. Wake up, walk to port-a-potty in hello kitty pajamas, eat a hot dog or hamburger for breakfast go sweat it out all day in the sun.
Up first Johnathan Tyler and the Northern Lights playing at the same small stage Jessie Baylin had played the day before. I was very excited to see JT and NL because I had been introduced to them by friends when I was living in LA and having seem them live once already I knew this would be a good set. They got off to a late (compared to Jessie the day before) and rough start, Nick the bassist was having audio issues through the first few songs. You could see some definite frustration but the band carried on. Jonathan came out of his shirt fairly quickly to the delight of many ladies. If you haven't heard JTNL they are southern rockers putting their own Texas twang on everything they touch. The four guys Jonathan, Jordan Nick and Kansas bring southern old school rock and Emotion Brown on tambourine and BGV's brings the old school soul and funk. Emotion actually took center stage during this gig and providing the lead vocal that included a rap which was pretty bad ass. The crowd seemed eager to hear more from her but that was all we got for this set. The band finished strong for the sizable crowd they had gathered wished us all well and dispersed from the stage.

Carrie had joined me in the crowd just as the set was beginning and we were festival buddies for the rest of the day. We left that stage to go to a tent where the next few sets we wanted to see would be. Brandi Carlisle, Dan Rawlings Experience and Mumford and Sons. I really only knew Brandi Carlisle's one big single so I felt a bit like an SOF fan when everyone around me was singing like every song. She had a good set and I realized just how powerful her voice is. I don't quite remember but we must have left to get water because our spots weren't nearly as close for Dan Rawlings Experience, we hung in the back sitting down in the sand. I think I must have been in an out of consciousness because I don't remember a lot about that set. I do remember Mumford & Sons and the large crowd that gathered for them. I especially remember the girls that had made shirts saying things to the effect of they wanted to give Mumford & Sons sons! We didn't stay long for M&S because we wanted to get over to the Dead Weather.

We trekked over to the big stage where we would be for the remainder of the evening to see Dead Weather, Stevie Wonder and Jay-Z. I think I was most excited for Dead Weather just because I really wasn't a fan yet. I had heard a few songs but Jack White had never really done it for me (blasphemy I know!). Just before their show time a light sprinkle came over the area it didn't last long but did give a reprieve from the sun. Jack White noted this when he took the stage, after being introduced by Conan O'Brien telling us to remember who brought the rain! A few songs in I started feeling exhausted so I spent most of their time lying down on my poncho in and out of consciousness but I do believe they made a believer out of me especially towards the end.




There was downtime before Conan came back out to introduce Stevie Wonder who had a great performance. I was very impressed by how entertaining he was, not sure why because he's been doing it since he was a kid so it shouldn't be at all surprising that he's so good at it. His set list was just hit after hit and he played all my favorites including Uptight (everything's alright). Jay-Z came to the stage (Conan didn't stick around for his introduction) in quite a good mood seeming happy and to be there. He ran through new songs and old jams that brought back memories from high school and college. Something I was surprised by was his production value and his set design it was very well done. He gave a shout out to Jack white but there was no duet and to the disappointment of some, no surprise appearance by Beyonce. The only there people on stage besides his band were Memphis Bleek serving as hype man and Bridget Kelly who sings Alicia Key's part in Empire State of Mind when Ms. Key's is unavailable the rest was all Jay. He was Jay-Z as you expect him and didn't disappoint even down to singles people out in the crowd as he has become known for doing which ed to a girl getting a special birthday moment when he brought her on stage and had the crowd sing happy birthday but not before a little language barrier between his NY accent and her (I assume) southern pronunciation of Maggie. I thought it was the perfect end to Saturday night.




Last day! Though I was sad it was going to be all over I was so excited by the thought of showering, real beds and toilets! However there was once concern...we were blocked in because there were people parked behind my tent which was behind my car which was behind Stacy's van. After I got up I started organizing things repacking, throwing away trash, disassembling and then I notice the people behind me were packing up so I casually asked them when they'd be leaving and they said soon in the next couple of hours (woot woot I was scared they were Dave Matthews Band fans and I'd be stuck till tomorrow), rejoice! Knowing I'd soon be free I packed up all my things so that after I saw my last show I could just hop in my car and drive away. After getting all of that together I set out to see and hear the last of Bonnaroo.

I had long been wanting to see Ingrid Michaelson live so I along with Feli and Stephanie headed out early to get a spot. Ingrid was hilariously entertaining! She had such funny commentary throughout her set I was actually quite surprised. She required a lot of crowd participation which include making hearts, "breaking that motherfucker" and jazz hands'ing it out. She was so funny and good I didn't hold it against her. The one not so good spot was her arrangement to her breakout hit "The way I am" tired of performing the same song she decided to change the arrangement (which is not uncommon the Yeah Yeah Yeah's did this with their big hit Map's). She took the midtempo song to a punk rock arrangement and it just didn't fly. But she did redeem herself with a cover of as she described an up and coming singer songwriter named... Britney Spears



which was followed by some AMAZING dance moves by her and her band skip to the 2:45 mark.

From there we went on to see Regina Spektor which was only ruined by it being a thousand degrees out with no shade in sight. Feli retreated quickly for shade me a Steph tried to tough it out but didn't make it though her whole performance. What I saw and heard reminded me of why I was supposed to go by her albums I had forgotten how much I liked her. When Steph and I left Regina's stage we went looking for Feli but instead found some band playing the ford fiesta garage with a lead singer/ Jesus impersonator as well as an clinically depressed angel playing violin

although they were riveting I left Stephanie to try to join Feli at Kris Kristofferson.


I wanted to check him out because Jessie Baylin is always professing sincere love for him and because he just an overall badass. I did a couple laps through the crowd but couldn't find Feli. I got a pretty good spot close to the stage. Kris was very old school country but as I was watching fatigue began to set in so I went and sat at a picnic table nearby but then proceeded to fall asleep so after dozing for a while I decided to get up and see if I could find Stephanie at They may be Giants stage. I didn't find Steph either but I did learn that TMBG was a comedy band which I had no clue of. After that was over I went to our meeting spot to meet up with the other girls before we were going to head to our last show together Phoenix!

While waiting at another table I was approached by a young man who after finding I didn't work at the festival proceeded to crush up a pill, snort it and continue on his way. Moments later I met up with Feli and then Steph we took one last trip to my car for them to grab some things and then we headed back to see phoenix. The area around Phoenix's stage was pretty densely populated so we hung way back. Stacy, Nan and Liz met up with us there, where we took one final group picture and I said goodbye to the gals.





I was on my own so I headed over to see Mike Posner to close out my Bonnaroo experience. His was in a tiny tent that seemed 15 degrees hotter than it was outside. The crowd was all super young kids that made me feel ancient, I think by the end of his set I had become a closet Mike Posner fan. But Mike put on a good show as he always does! Everyone knew all the lyrics to his songs he had the crowd rocking harder than everyone else I had seen all weekend and it was the perfect ending to my first 'Roo!

I trudged past all the DMB fans to make it back to my car. There weren't many cars on the roads so I was hoping I wouldn't be in line forever to get out but of course as I hit my street I see a long line of cars. I get to my car and get in line and it only takes me TEN minutes to hit I-24! I hit gas and wait for my cell reception to come back on the way to Murfreesboro.




THE END

P.S.
On Monday before I left Tennessee for Michigan I got my Jessie Baylin signature turned into a tattoo. It commemorates my first Bonnaroo and my time spent in Tennessee. In case you're unfamiliar the lyric comes from Jessie Baylin's song "See How I Run" and the context is "...You step left right you can't get confused..." and I adopted it as a mantra of mine a while back and it seemed all to fitting for me at this point in my life.