by Taylor McKnight | Apr 9, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, COVID-19, News Slider
COVID-19 has pretty much eliminated the month of June for music festival goers in Middle Tennessee and around the country. And the rest of the summer is in question as well. Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, the massive four-day celebration of all forms of music and entertainment had been scheduled to take place June 11-14 down at The Farm in Manchester. But this year, because of the pandemic, the festival was moved to September 24-27, in hopes the virus will have run its course by then. Tickets for the festival, which generally reaches near-sellout (80,000 or so proportions), will be honored for September’s new date. “Please continue to radiate positivity through this uncharted time in our world. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you on The Farm (the pastureland where the annual festivities are held) this fall,” reads a message posted on the festival’s web site. Even more disastrous to Nashville economy and for fans of country music is the news that the annual CMA Fest was canceled completely for this summer, ending a 48-year run. “As the world is still greatly affected by the spread of COVID-19, we cannot in good conscience risk the health and well-being of our fans, artists, staff and country music community,” is the statement from the Country Music Association. More than 40,000 fans annually attend each of the four nights’ “big concerts” in Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. But there are many other fans who come to the city and fill up hotel rooms and honky-tonks for affiliated activities —...
by Maria Morales | Jan 15, 2019 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Summer can’t come quickly enough for Lipscomb students. Besides the better weather, summer offers endless activities for people who love the outdoors. One of Tennessee’s most anticipated summer events is Bonnaroo. The high-profile music festival is known for bringing thousands of people from all backgrounds together to camp and enjoy music for a weekend. “My favorite thing about ‘Roo is how happy everyone is and anyone can be whoever they want and everyone is accepted,” said strategic communications student Allie Coffey, who has attended Bonnaroo three times. “My favorite person to see is Post Malone – this will be my 3rd time seeing him.” The year’s lineup includes well-known artists like Cardi B, Childish Gambino, Post Malone, The Lumineers, Walk the Moon and Hozier, among others. Some students said they believe this year’s festival could be the best yet, and they couldn’t hide their excitement when asked about the lineup. “[I’m] most excited for Post Malone because he’s really great live,” said student Bailey Query. “Walk the Moon is so fun in concert, too.” While most students are excited to see their favorite performers, others attend because of the atmosphere Bonnaroo offers. “I don’t know what artists are gonna be there, but I love music and EDM, and I also like big crowds and big events,” said student Genessa Alejandre. While the cost of Bonnaroo might be considered a bit expensive, the performances of four days and the experience along with friends make it all worth it, according to the attendees. “Last year I did the one day pass and it was still an amazing experience, but I think the...
by Emily Snell | Dec 10, 2012 | Uncategorized
Uncommon is the norm for Terry Briley. For example, it’s uncommon to find a Bible scholar who regularly attends one of the nation’s largest outdoor music festivals. It’s also uncommon to find a male faculty sponsor for a women’s social club. But Briley, professor of Biblical Studies and former dean of the College of Bible and Ministry, regularly attends the four-day Bonnaroo music and arts festival down in Manchester, Tenn. Briley, dean for 10 years until this fall, also is faculty sponsor for Kappa Chi. The former is because of his love for music, which is also why he’s a ticket holder for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. In fact, he’s even taking violin lessons. The latter, well, it sort of began out of necessity. “When I first started here, we didn’t have as many female faculty members, so social clubs always struggled finding sponsors,” Briley said. During his first semester as a Lipscomb adjunct, he said a student asked him to sponsor the women’s club. “I’m pretty sure it was a notion of ‘Here’s the new guy; he doesn’t know anything.’” Of course, he did it, and “over time, it sort of stuck.” Briley, a professor at Lipscomb since 1986, said building relationships is one of the best things about his job. “To me, the relational side of it is as important, as rewarding, if not more so, than the academic side,” he said. “One of the things I really like about it is not just the relational side while students are here, but the fact that you’re able to stay connected after they’re gone. I know students and...
by Sarah McGee | Jun 16, 2012 | Uncategorized
This time last week, I was sitting in the sweltering heat of Bonnaroo. At first, I wasn’t too sure how the whole weekend was going to go. I’m a little bit of a diva, so the idea of roughing it was not too appealing to me. I am incredibly glad to say that it ended up being one of the coolest weekends of my life! The music was spectacular. My favorite bands that played were definitely a tie between Young The Giant and Red Hot Chili Peppers. They put on such great shows. Along with the music though, there were definitely some fashion stand-outs the whole time I was there. Some outfits were very cute. I loved all of the cute dresses that I saw people wearing! I also really liked how there were so many accessories that were used to glam up an outfit. For example, in one of the pictures above, the heart sunglasses are nice. I thought that bandanas were a really fun touch too, and many people added them to their outfits. Boots were another thing that I frequently saw people wearing throughout the Centeroo. Bonnaroo is a great example of how you can look stylish without needing to create an elaborate outfit. In addition to the cute outfits, there were some absolutely outrageous ones! I also tried to look nice every day that I was there, but under the circumstances of having limited showers and being...
by Terry Briley | Jun 1, 2012 | Opinion
My first exposure to Bonnaroo didn’t exactly draw me to the event. The organizers in the early years were still trying to get their act together, and it was a major ordeal just getting to the property. My older son attended a couple of times in the early years. The fact that he came back grungy and smelly and sunburned didn’t help. The music, on the other hand, carried a strong appeal. I attended my share of concerts “back in the day.” Three of the more memorable ones to me were The Rolling Stones and Alice Cooper (twice!). A ZZ Top concert also stands out because one of the lead acts that night was a promising new band with the odd name Lynyrd Skynyrd. I decided to attend Bonnaroo the first time in 2004 when my younger son, then 17, wanted to go. He actually consented to go with me, perhaps because it was the only way he was going to get there at that age. As we stocked up on camping gear, our inexperience revealed itself in several ways. For example, we learned that the label “two-person tent” means that two grown people can technically fit into it. Let’s just say the tent provided a cozy bonding experience. In spite of the tight sleeping quarters, we had a great time. I enjoyed the overall experience so much that 2004 began a streak of four straight Bonnaroos for me. I haven’t been able to get back the past few years due to a variety of conflicts. On Bonnaroo weekend this year, for example, I am speaking at a conference,...
