BONNAROO BECOMES TOP GROSSING FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD AND ITS EASY TO SEE WHY

(VIDEO) In just it’s fifth year of existence, Bonnaroo has grown from a grass roots jam band festival into the top grossing festival in the world, find out why right here.

In just it’s fifth year of existence, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has grown from a grass roots jam band festival into most successful and top grossing festival in the world featuring acts from a diverse range of rock and roll, hip hop, dance and electronic, jazz, bluegrass, blues, reagge and everything in between. With such mainstream acts like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with surprise guest appearance from the legendary Stevie Nicks, Bonnie Raitt, Radiohead, Elvis Costello and Beck, this will undoubtedly be remembered as the year Bonnaroo really matured becoming the most successful festival in the world. As reported to Billboard, Bonnaroo took in just over $15 million becoming the top grossing festival and it no longer is the word of mouth festival of years past. With a lowered capacity to improve the fan experience, this year sold out 80,000 ticketes once again demonstrating producers Superfly Productions and A.C. Entertainment are at the top of the game in an ever growing world of festivals around the globe.

We caught up with Mike Gordon, former Phish bassist who has performed at Bonnaroo many times in the past and this year with his band ramble dove and at a memorable Superjam with Trey Anastasio and the Benevento Russo Duo, to ask him since how much he’s seen the festival grow into the Summer event of the year.

“It’s pretty amazing because at first it was a jam band festival. Is it still? There’s a lot of jamming but there’s also a lot of different kinds of music so that part has grown. I think it’s grown in respect, it’s not considered just a little niche thing, it’s considered probably the best festival going. I remember when I was first asked I was sort of scratching my head, now it’s just a sort of a given. Cool I love Bonnaroo, I’ll come and play.”

One of the few artitsts to perform at Bonnaroo each year has been pedal steel aficiando, Robert Randolph who is currently on tour with the Black Crowes, but flew the band in from California just for one day because he wasn’t missing Bonnaroo for anything.

“So we’re on a tour with The Black Crowes and we played in LA and we were looking at the routing of the tour and they were like “Well I guess you guys are going to have to miss Bonnaroo.” and I said “Man, Hell no we ain’t missing Bonnaroo. We are going to California and come here and then go back!” You know what I’m saying? They got to find somebody else that day. I just don’t want to miss this, you think you’re going to miss something. There’s just something here. This is like my church now, you know what I’m saying.”

Rounding out the amazing diverse lineup was Damian Marley, The Magic Numbers, Oysterhead, Death Cab for Cutie, Bright Eyes, Blackalicious, Cypress Hill, Ricky Skaggs, My Morning Jacket, Sasha, Matisyahu, Sonic Youth, G Love and Special Sauce, Phil Lesh and Friends and more than a hundred other bands sharing nine stages with music held over 16 hours per day. With all these amazing sets, what really seemed to capture everyones hearts was Bonnaroo’s tribute to the America’s Legendary New Orleans Jazz Music. With Katrina still in our minds it was great to have living legends Dr John, The Neville Brothers, Rebirth Brass Band, Ivan Nevilles Dumpstafunk, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and an outstanding and memorable pairing of Elvis Costello and Allen Touissant who shared the mainstage.

With another amazingly succesful year in the books, it’s no wonder and very easy to see why Bonnaroo has grown from a word of mouth grass roots festival into the worlds music successful and top grossing festival in just a few short years.  With a unbelievably diverse musical lineup, a cinema tent, a comedy tent, music 16 hours per day and intense late night jamming all on a secluded 700 acre farm in Manchester Tennessee, it’s doubtful this festival will be duplicated. What could Superfly Productions and AC Entertainment have instore for next year? Well, fans will only have to wait for Vegoose in Octorber in Las Vegas for a sneak peak.