Holy craziness - it's been a busy month! I just got back from another whirlwind trip involving some other Operation 30 items. This time the theme was music, and I got to experience a lot of it...
#10. See Dispatch in concert - check!
Anyone heard of Dispatch? Or some of their good songs...The General? Outloud? Elias? Passerby? Well, if you haven't, you should look them up. I didn't start listening to them until after they had broken up in 2002, but once I did they quickly become one of my music staples. Therefore, when I heard there was a reunion tour for Dispatch this year, I jumped right on the pre-sale bandwagon.
Luckily my brother, Alex, shares my interest in Dispatch and was easily convinced to be my partner in crime for their Chicago concert. So we took Megabus from St. Louis to Chicago last week and made it happen. It was his first time to Chicago so we took a quick walk on The Magnificent Mile and ate dinner at Harry Caray's on Navy Pier before heading to the concert at Millennium Park. Although the view from the lawn was somewhat lacking (and there were no screens to compensate), it was a pretty cool venue! No complaints at all on the set list either. I heard every song I was hoping to sing along to. I wish I had more time to see them again on their tour, but I'm hopeful their reunion tours will continue and I'll have other opportunities in the future.
Alex and me at the concert
Sweet panoramic view from our spot on the lawn
After Dispatch in Chicago, it was immediately off to my next adventure. My brother and I parted ways as he headed back to St. Louis and I headed to Nashville, Tennessee. Why, do you ask? To BONNAROO, of course!
#9. Rock out at a music festival - check!
This one has been a long time coming. I've wanted to go to Bonnaroo for quite some time now and have some friends who have gone regularly. So when I added #9 to my list, I was 90% positive it would be Bonnaroo. Plus, it was the 10th annual. How could I miss it?
So after a somewhat rag tag ride from the Nashville airport to Manchester, Tennessee, I met up with my friends who had driven there early that morning in our rented RV, "The Chateau". It wasn't really until the next morning that I got to fully explore the extreme set-up that is Bonnaroo....700 acres of multi-stage musical fun with 80,000 people for four days. Awesome, right?? RIGHT!
Arch at the main entrance and the flair at the What Stage (not to be confused with Which Stage, This Tent, That Tent, or The Other Tent)
I learned (thanks to Wikipedia) that Bonnaroo officially means "a really good time". And that it was, for sure. I could go into detail on the specifics, but instead I'll post my top ten 2011 Bonnaroo highlights below. Note, I'm specifically leaving out the $7 showers and hour-plus of wait-time for those of us that are more concerned about hygiene. :-)
10) Hardee's grub and AB brews...the Chateau was hooked up!
9) Glow Sticks and Girl Talk...No better way to spend 2:30am-4:00am on a Saturday
8) Paint Cans at The Chateau...great conversation starters for unsuspecting passersby the RV
7) People watching...nuff said
6) The 40ft high "Big Ass Water Slide"...a good way to cool off in Centeroo
5) Frank, our RV rat mascot
4) What Stage...where My Morning Jacket, Arcade Fire, and The Black Keys played
3) Eminem...someone I probably would never see in concert otherwise, but what a show!
2) Which Stage...where Ray Lamontagne, Mumford & Sons, G. Love & Special Sauce, and Amos Lee played
1) My awesome friends who made the entire experience a ton of fun
Some hightlights: Ray Lamontagne, Mumford & Sons, and Eminem
The Roo Crew: Diane, Lugge, me, Ortbals, Amy, Jackman, Lindsey, and Shelley
Two great experiences on the Operation 30 list complete. Good stuff!
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