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Bonnaroo Post-Mortem: Protesting Air Conditioning

This past weekend brought Bonnaroo to a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, and along with it sold-out shows (to the tune of about 80,000 tickets at $200 each) by The Flaming Lips, The Police, Damien Rice, Tool and tons of other music masters.

We hear the heat was blistering (95+ on Saturday), but the sets were awesome and after listening to tipsters (those helpful hippies!) and surfing the message boards here are our quick and dirty post-Bonnaroo tips so you'll be in top shape for next year:

If you're looking for a jazz break, head to the only tent with waitress service, Somethin' Else, full of tables and cool drinks. Although don't expect to hear the actual music - apparently the ventilation fans overpower the tunes.

For all Bonnaroo tries to do for the environment (a solar-powered stage, copious recycling bins, biodiesel generators for power), the crowds work directly against it. Don't sit in your SUV running the air conditioner rampant all day and expect the hippies to love you.

Buy tickets to The Police and go to the show in your hometown next time they're on tour. Apparently they played the same set at Bonnaroo as they've been playing on tour, 50 mins shorter than what was promised to fans!

Sign up for the Bonnaroo mailing list - you can get tickets to the festival for $150 before Christmas (offered to list members) and save yourself $50.

If you're camping in the car lot for the show, remember that if you bring a tent next year, you might just be 30 minutes closer to "Centeroo". Tents get priority distance-wise.

All in all, we hear the festival was fun, less muddy than recent years, and the music excellent.

Related Stories:
· Bonnaroo Travel Coverage [Jaunted]
· A Travelpod for Bonnaroo [HotelChatter]
· The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival [Official Site]

[Photo: CoreyPud]