Bonnaroo 2010 - open letter to the band

BP22866BP22866 Posts: 2
edited April 2010 in The Porch
Dear Pearl Jam,

In 2008, you amazed me, several of my friends, and oh about 75,000 more people with your Bonnaroo performance. While I have seen you many times, including several times since that Bonnaroo, there was something about that show that stood out more to me. Maybe it was the incredible setlist, the tight performance, or maybe it was the thought that it was probably most of the audiences first time to hear you live!?!? We were exposing younger people to something we (many of us) have been enjoying for the last 18 years or so. Thats pretty special in my opinion. And, oh yeah, you guys totally rocked it!!!

I flash forward to the present. In looking at the 2010 Bonnaroo artist lineup, I notice something glaring, there is a headliner missing. You have DMB, your friends KOL, then who? Stevie Wonder, Jay z, Weezer? I dont think so. Not traditional Bonnaroo headliners to say the least.

As you know its not unprecedented to add a headlining band late in the season. Widespread was added to 2008 after non headliner Allman Bros. dropped out. Until now my hope, my wish, has just been to friends and people i know going to Bonnaroo. I think this is pretty obvious, but........

PLEASE come to Bonnaroo!!!!!!!

We need you this year. 5 out of the 8 people going with me have never seen you live, but love your music (thanks to my constant influence on them, haha.) The Backspacer album and tour is incredible! You guys seem so energized and on top of your game. After SNL performance my wife said "wow, that was awesome, I wish there was some way they could make it to Bonnaroo." Your fans and Bonnaroo fans would love to have you there.

I would love to raise and donate my own money to the charity of your choices. Just say the word. Yes i guess im trying to bribe you. I'm sure the Kings would let you hang with them prior to or after event at their home. So what do you say?

Sincerely,
Blake
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • drew0drew0 Posts: 943
    How is Stevie not a legitimate headliner? I've wanted him there for years and the only thing making me go this year. Jay-Z is a headliner at Coachella and recently headlined All Points West & Glastonbury. He's also a late-night ala Kanye, so not a headliner. Kings of Leon are the only one of the 3 headliners (KoL, Stevie, DMB) that I don't think should be a headliner at Bonnaroo.

    Where is my Neil Young/Furthur/Rage/Waters!!!!!

    That being said, I would LOVE to see Pearl Jam added as a headliner at Bonnaroo...probably unlikely though. I just want to see Uncle Neil added...
    Pittsburgh 6/23/06
    Madison Square Garden 6/25/08
  • Last time I checked, Dave Matthews Band was considered a headlining act.
    All we know is there is a letter, a porch, people who don't wave, and something about a box or a bag.
  • Grandmas JamGrandmas Jam Posts: 1,860
    drew0 wrote:
    How is Stevie not a legitimate headliner? I've wanted him there for years and the only thing making me go this year. Jay-Z is a headliner at Coachella and recently headlined All Points West & Glastonbury. He's also a late-night ala Kanye, so not a headliner. Kings of Leon are the only one of the 3 headliners (KoL, Stevie, DMB) that I don't think should be a headliner at Bonnaroo.

    Where is my Neil Young/Furthur/Rage/Waters!!!!!

    That being said, I would LOVE to see Pearl Jam added as a headliner at Bonnaroo...probably unlikely though. I just want to see Uncle Neil added...
    Neil headlined in 2003 and PJ in 2008. Bonnaroo does not usually carry over headliners....unless you go by the band name Widespread Panic. Anyways. Both artists already did this festival, and I'm pretty sure they are not the type of bands/people to take a shit in the same place twice (if you get what I mean). And yes I know they tour in the same places over and over again. I just dont think they frequent the same festival more than once

    Rage also hasnt played a show in years and roger waters in not a headliner caliber at Bonnaroo. They are too ecleptic and mainstream to have Roger Waters play
    Ryan Crooks insists upon himself
  • shepshep Posts: 5,765
    In all seriousness, it's way to o late to talk about addig a big name headliner like pearl jam to the bonnaroo lineup.

    The huge festivals negotiate fees and secure entertainers very far in advance, as they have massive quantities of tickets to sell. Adding a name like pearl jam to your line up, at this point, when the vast majority of passes are sold out (I'm guessing at this since I haven't looked at any info on this years festival since I saw the lineup), would just cut directly into your profit margin... Heavily. The only way the festival would consider a move like that is if a major amount of tickets are still available.

    Sorry to rain on your parade, but there isn't a snowballs chance in hell you'll see another major act added to your bill a little more than 2 months in advance.
    Houston, Texas... Believe it or not, there are 7 million people here... must be a couple of fans who'd love to see you play.
  • AndySlashAndySlash Posts: 3,236
    roger waters in not a headliner caliber at Bonnaroo. They are too ecleptic and mainstream to have Roger Waters play

    man, how wrong are you? so very wrong. wrong wrong wrong. superfly/ac would shit their pants having someone like him there.

    i would not be surprised to see roger do 'the wall' at bonnaroo in the next two years.
  • Grandmas JamGrandmas Jam Posts: 1,860
    AndySlash wrote:
    roger waters in not a headliner caliber at Bonnaroo. They are too ecleptic and mainstream to have Roger Waters play

    man, how wrong are you? so very wrong. wrong wrong wrong. superfly/ac would shit their pants having someone like him there.

    i would not be surprised to see roger do 'the wall' at bonnaroo in the next two years.
    have you been to bonnaroo? have you checked out the headliners from the last three years? he might play bonnaroo, but i doubt they would make him a headliner
    Ryan Crooks insists upon himself
  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,425
    Waters is 100% headliner material, probably 200% since he's playing The Wall. He's probably as big a draw PJ, DMB, Widespread, Phish, KoL, etcetcetc.
  • 4Powers204Powers20 Posts: 1,224
    have you been to bonnaroo? have you checked out the headliners from the last three years? he might play bonnaroo, but i doubt they would make him a headliner

    if Roger Waters played Bonnaroo, he would ABSOLUTELY be a headliner. There is NO doubt about it.


    "We're running out of beer, too?" EV 6/19/08

  • AndySlashAndySlash Posts: 3,236
    AndySlash wrote:
    roger waters in not a headliner caliber at Bonnaroo. They are too ecleptic and mainstream to have Roger Waters play

    man, how wrong are you? so very wrong. wrong wrong wrong. superfly/ac would shit their pants having someone like him there.

    i would not be surprised to see roger do 'the wall' at bonnaroo in the next two years.
    have you been to bonnaroo? have you checked out the headliners from the last three years? he might play bonnaroo, but i doubt they would make him a headliner

    I've been to Bonnaroo every year since 2004, except 2006 (which it still pisses me off that I had to miss it).

    So are you really trying to say Roger Waters isn't even in the same league as Widespread Panic, Jack Johnson, Tool, The Police, Dave Matthews, Pearl Jam, Kanye West, Phish, KOL, etc.- all of whom were designated as "headliners" in the last few years? Really? The only headliner of the last several years that *I* would consider bigger than Roger Waters was Bruce Springsteen last year.
  • Grandmas JamGrandmas Jam Posts: 1,860
    Ive been there a couple of times. I just dont see Roger Waters fitting into what MTV is trying to do with this festival. Music there keeps getting more and more diverse. And I agree Roger Waters is huge and famous and everything. But so was Kanye West at the time of the 08 festival. And he was not a headliner. I believe he would be more like Robert Plant, BB King...people like that, A big name that gets a big billing but not someone who headlines. I just dont think that Roger Waters is a headliner because I don't feel people would drive from CT (where I'm from) all the way down to Manchester TN just for Roger Waters. I think they would have a stronger (more popular right now [he has done tours recently]) headliner. This is all my opinion. Im not trying to say that I'm definately right. But I atleast can back up my arguement. And regaurdless he isn't gonna headline this year (which is when his tour is), so there is really no need for the arguement cause well probably never know whos gonna be right in the end
    Ryan Crooks insists upon himself
  • AndySlashAndySlash Posts: 3,236
    First off, MTV has nothing to do with Bonnaroo. That's a rumor that has refused to die the painful death it should die. Superfly/AC run the show. And that's it.

    Secondly, Kanye WAS a headliner. He may not have played a typical headline slot, but he was definitely a headliner. Look at any news clipping from the time the announcement came out and you will invariably see "Pearl Jam, Metallica, Kanye West to headline Bonnaroo". And Superfly/AC promoted him as a headliner. That's a fact. He'll probably never headline again, though! :lol:

    IF Roger Waters played, he WOULD be a headliner. He is too big a name to not be, especially if he did a Wall or Dark Side show. You're backing your argument up with "I feel" statements- which hardly back anything up. I'll back up my argument with "Roger Waters headlined Coachella in 2008", so I have no reason to think he wouldn't headline a Bonnaroo if he played it, just like other Coachella headliners like McCartney and Prince would if they played. I'm pretty confident this would be the case, too. You mention Roger would fit in with BB King, Plant/Krauss and "people like that"... I'm sorry, but you are fooling yourself if you think Roger Waters isn't a bigger draw than those names. He might not draw you down there, but he would definitely draw plenty more than BB King or Plant/Krauss would.
  • Kanye wanted to play a late night show because of his glow in the dark stuff. he was a headliner.

    Waters definitely would be. He would fit the SUnday slot perfectly for that fest. the hippies would go nuts over it.
  • shepshep Posts: 5,765
    If you think Roger Waters isn't a draw, you are mad.

    I flew to London to see him retire darkside of the moon in 2008, and it was awesome.

    I took one look at this years Bonaroo line-up and said this isn't the year (I told myself I was going to do it atleast once - I've already done ACL and Coachella and really want to do Bonaroo and Lolla), and decided it wasn't strong enough to go (I've seen most all of the bands on there several times before).

    If Roger Waters was on that bill touring with The Wall, I would have been there in a heartbeat.

    However, Waters will be in my neck of the woods with The Wall tour, in 7 months time, and I'm already excited (and for the record I am 25, not 55).
    Houston, Texas... Believe it or not, there are 7 million people here... must be a couple of fans who'd love to see you play.
  • OGT92OGT92 Posts: 1,588
    I saw Roger Waters a couple years ago in CT. It seemed to be a pretty lengthy show. Would he really do a festival with a show like Dark Side or The Wall? Maybe Dark Side because it's a shorter album, but I don't know if HE would agree to do a festival.
    "I read about the evils of drinking, so I gave up reading." - Henry Youngman
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