PEARL JAM, METALLICA, ROBERT PLANT, PHIL LESH SET FOR 2008 BONNAROO

Bonnaroo once again brings a diverse lineup which includes Pearl Jam, Robert Plant, Jack Johnson and Metallica’s first U.S. show in 3 years.

The largest and most successful Music Festival America has to offer, Bonnaroo, has officially announced its 7th Annual lineup and 2008 promises to be one of the best yet. With Pearl Jam, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Phil Lesh and Friends followed by Metallica’s only confirmed show in the U.S. this year, 2008’s version of Roo brings perhaps the most diverse festival of the year. Bonnaroo will once again bring over 100 bands and 20 comedians performing on 13 stages over four days beginning June 12th on the same beautiful 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee which is just outside Nashville. Just a few of the acts rounding out the 2008 bill include Jack Johnson, The Raconteurs, Kanye West, Chris Rock, My Morning Jacket, The Allman Brothers Band, Willie Nelson, Death Cab for Cutie and B.B. King.

Phil Lesh, former bassist for The Grateful Dead, who performed at the very first Bonnaroo and the very first Woodstock, talked about Bonnaroo being an ideal place to discover a wide variety of new music.

“This situation here, the Bonnaroo Festival is such an ideal place to do that because not only can you have this tremendous diversity but you can have cross fertilization. Which happens all the time, I hope.”

We also caught up Jake Cinninger, lead guitarist of Umphrey’s McGee, to get his thoughts on Bonnaroo being a festival geared toward the collaborative spirit.

“It’s just a real healthy atmosphere when you’re at this festival. Sort of thing and everyone’s on the same page and it’s not like baseball teams. It’s not about competition, it’s about group expression. So, it was really cool to get that collaborative feeling going. Especially with all the stink with fanbases. Like, oh these fans hate these fans and this and that you know that sort of natural thing that occurs but it’s nice to prove everything wrong and go ‘Hey, it’s all really about the music.’ And therefore it is.”

Being the only round-the-clock major U.S. music festival, Bonnaroo packs an unprecedented amount of entertainment options into its four days. The event offers attendees the amenities and community spirit of a small city, with 24 hours of activities including a comedy club, cinema, silent disco, arcade, Internet cafés, restaurants, yoga classes and hundreds of high quality craft vendors. Comedy is a hit among Bonnaroo fans, who pack in to see sets at Yet Another (Comedy) Tent, the festival’s on-site comedy club. The 2008 festival offers possibly the best crop of comedians yet. With Chris Rock recently added to the list that already includes David Cross and Janeane Garofalo, Bonnaroo once again brings a wealth of entertainment options.

Ben Folds, O.A.R., M.I.A., Umphrey’s McGee, Iron & Wine, Talib Kweli, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival, Levon Helm and the Ramble on the Road, Gogol Bordello, Robert Randolph, Ghostland Observatory, Battles and Solomon Burke are just a few of the bands slated to perform as well. Tickets for the event are already on sale at www.bonnaroo.com