Paper Diamond

Bonnaroo Classes: ‘02-‘05

When Alex Botwin, the electronic artist and producer better known as Paper Diamond, attended the first Bonnaroo as a fan, he thought to himself, “Someday I’ll play this festival.” Eleven years later, he’ll finally achieve that goal. Enrolling in college a mere 20 minutes from Manchester, TN, Botwin camped out at Bonnaroo its first four years and took in the true festival experience – from parking in the mud to wandering through rows of vendors to checking out the weekend’s kaleidoscope of musical offerings. One chance encounter offstage even helped to jumpstart his career. After noticing the promoters of New York’s Camp Bisco festival handing out flyers, Botwin bolted across a field to introduce himself. They ended up booking his livetronica group, Pnuma Trio, at Camp Bisco, which helped put the aspiring bassist on the national radar. He relocated to Boulder, CO a few years later and started recording a range of electronic sounds on his own as Paper Diamond. Pretty Lights Music released Paper Diamond’s full-length debut Levitate in 2011. In order to harness the energy of the jambands he grew up seeing, Botwin performs with a fully loaded iPad, allowing him to move around the stage and access his range of beats and recordings. He also now runs his own label and design firm, Elm & Oak, and has helped mentor a new generation of electronic-influenced musicians interested in creating a festival-worthy live show. Bringing things full circle, Botwin released “XIX,” the first single off his new EP Paragon, on Bonnaroo’s website in March. Paper Diamond will perform in The Other Tent at 10:45pm this evening.

What were your expectations of Bonnaroo before your first trip to the festival?

I went to college at MTSU, which is about 20 minutes away from Bonnaroo. I think it was the same as every other college student at that time: pure excitement. Music has been such a major part of my entire life and getting to leave my house and be at something as crazy as Bonnaroo was a huge deal. It really inspired me to continue on the path of music. I went to the first four years of Bonnaroo as a fan.

What do you remember most about your own experience as a fan?

I just remember being blown away by all the different kinds of music and how huge the festival was. It was the first time I had been to a festival of this magnitude, and I loved how easy it was to experience new things and meet new people. Plus being able to stay up all night and see music until the sun came up was welcomed. I remember leaving the first Bonnaroo and saying to myself, “Someday I will play at this festival.”

Describe your craziest Bonnaroo experience.

Aside from three days of sunshine, music and staying up all night long, there are a couple of things that really stand out to me when I think back on my experience at Bonnaroo. The second year, I was there with a girlfriend of mine and I rolled up in my Jeep and set up our tent as planned. The first night it rained so hard and we had forgotten to put the rain fly on the tent. Needless to say, everything we brought was completely soaked. We ended up sleeping in the Jeep for the whole weekend. Other than that, I vividly remember seeing the guys from Camp Bisco festival handing out flyers for their event at the gates. I ran all the way across the festival grounds to get a press kit for my current band [Pnuma Trio]. This ended up leading us to play Camp Bisco.

How does Bonnaroo compare to other festivals you have played?

Bonnaroo is a one-of-a-kind place. I seriously cannot wait to play on Thursday.

What was your quintessential Bonnaroo moment from years past?

People yelling, “One for three, two for five” on every row of vendors.

What band would you most like to collaborate with at Bonnaroo this year?

There are far too many to name but I guess some of the tops would be: David Byrne, Wu-Tang, The xx, Lettuce, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, Earl Sweatshirt, A$AP Rocky, Action Bronson and Bjork.

Houndmouth

Bonnaroo Classes: ‘07, ‘09

Houndmouth will make their Bonnaroo debut this afternoon, but at least one member of the New Albany, IN group already has a long, involved history with the festival. Keyboardist Katie Toupin attended Bonnaroo twice as a fan, making her first pilgrimage to the festival at the tender age of 17. She had such a blast that she revisited the “alternative universe,” as she describes it, only two years later. Soon after, she hooked up with future Houndmouth bandmates Matt Myers, Zak Appleby and Shane Cody and was on her way back to Bonnaroo as a performer. Houndmouth played their first gig in late 2011 and, despite their limited time together, stole several showcases at the annual SXSW music conference just a few months later. Their organic mix of folk, garage rock and subliminal Band-style swagger caught the ear of Rough Trade’s Geoff Travis, who released their full-length debut From the Hills Below the City. Though they’ve only been a live band for a few years, Houndmouth have already grown into road warriors – thanks in part to dates with Bonnaroo favorites like Drive-By Truckers, The Lumineers, Alabama Shakes and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. They also share a bit of the traditional but open-minded spirit of their neighboring group – and unofficial Bonnaroo house band – My Morning Jacket. “There is a familiar element about My Morning Jacket that I can’t really pinpoint,” Toupin once said. “It’s kinda like what I can’t pinpoint about what Houndmouth is that we all sort of get. It just makes us feel at home.”

Houndmouth will make their Bonnaroo debut in the New Music On Tap Lounge at 5:30pm today.

What were your expectations of Bonnaroo before your first trip to the festival?

I had been warned that it was intense, but it was my first music festival. My brother convinced me to go, as things like that may have been outside of my comfort zone when I was 17. I felt like being dropped into an alternative universe where everyone is free of obligations and there are 10,000 parties going on at the same time with some of the best bands in the world to entertain you.

Describe your craziest Bonnaroo experience.

Bonnaroo as a whole is a crazy experience. There’s going to be a certain memory of getting really messed up. There’s going to be the memory of seeing someone else that is really messed up. Living conditions are subpar if you aren’t in a camper, so brushing your teeth or using the bathroom in itself is a memory. The weather is a memory. In 2007, it was so hot and dry we all were blowing the dust out of our noses. We coughed up dust for a week. Everything is a crazy memory at Bonnaroo. And that doesn’t even touch on the memories of the shows. The best shows I’ve ever been to were at Bonnaroo.

How does Bonnaroo compare to other festivals you have played?

We haven’t played many festivals. This will be our first year touring during festival season. We played Forecastle last year. It’s a great festival but they are very different. Bonnaroo is like being stranded on a desert island in the best possible way. You are there for the long haul. Really like being submerged in a different world. Forecastle, there is entertainment and then everyone goes home or to their hotel room. There’s a culture at Forecastle, but you can escape it.

What was your quintessential Bonnaroo moment from years past?

The Police, The Flaming Lips, Wilco, Gillian Welch, Paolo Nutini, Ben Sollee, Jenny Lewis and Elvis Costello, Ziggy Marley, and for me the best was seeing The White Stripes.