Local Natives

Bonnaroo Class: ‘10

Some artists simply play Bonnaroo, other artists grow with the festival. If Local Natives’ Kelcey Ayer (vocals/keyboards/percussion/guitar) has it his way, his Silver Lake, CA group will grow with Bonnaroo for years to come. Local Natives first played Bonnaroo in 2010 near the end of the support cycle behind their 2009 debut Gorilla Manor. Though Gorilla Manor’s progressive indie sound turned into a blogosphere hit and spawned singles like “Sun Hands” and “Camera Talk,” it was through their festival appearances that Local Natives had a chance to connect with thousands of fans in cities they had never before visited. (Their prime Thursday night set in That Tent drew an estimated 4,000 people.) This year Local Natives return to Bonnaroo with a new studio album, Hummingbird, which has catapulted the LA group to the upper echelons of the indie rock world. Produced by fellow Bonnaroo performer and National guitarist Aaron Dessner, Hummingbird is a shade darker musically than its predecessor yet lyrically more optimistic. However, all of the hallmarks of the band’s breakthrough album – infectious melodies, tight harmonies, manic moments – remain, cementing Local Natives’ place as a true career band. Local Natives will graduate to the massive What Stage with a set at 2:30pm today.

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

We’ve only been to Bonnaroo once when we played there in 2010, and it went really well. So coming back, we definitely have higher expectations than other festivals we’ve played. I just knew it was another epic giant festival. We hadn’t done many at that point, so I think every festival looked huge and exciting. We were just happy to be going there and playing it.

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

I remember it being really hot and humid, and I hate the heat, so I was pretty miserable all day. But once we got on stage, I remember the crowd being so receptive and pumped to be there; it ended up being one of my favorite shows of that summer run of festivals. I think the show ends up benefitting when everyone has to endure something together, like muddy clothes and crazy heat. It definitely brought us together that day.

Describe your craziest Bonnaroo experience.

Playing to 4,000 people in a place we’ve never been before.

How does Bonnaroo compare to other festivals you have played?

I wish I had more time to walk around the festival and really experience it fully. But out of the U.S. ones, it feels the most like a European festival. I think most of the festivals in the U.S. right now are pretty clean and neat, but Bonnaroo was muddy and dirty in a great way. It felt like there was no fucking around; you were there to be at a real festival, not to go glamping.

What was your quintessential Bonnaroo moment from years past?

Ask me again in 20 years. We’ll hopefully have played Bonnaroo at least eight times by then, and I’ll be way more qualified to answer this question.

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

I think Kendrick Lamar is a monster talent and I’d love to collaborate with him one day. His take on gangsta rap is so refreshing, how he exposes the duality of good and evil growing up in LA in a really intelligent way. Plus we’re both from LA, so hopefully that mutual love will get us in the right headspace for some righteous rap-rock.

Passion Pit

Bonnaroo Classes: ‘04, ‘09

Passion Pit’s Ian Hultquist has experienced Bonnaroo on both sides of the rail. In 2004, the future Passion Pit keyboardist/vocalist attended Bonnaroo fresh out of high school after an early Bonnaroo DVD warped his brain at home. Hultquist enrolled at Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music and, through the city’s tight-knit music scene, met Passion Pit frontman Michael Angelakos. At the time, Angelakos was primarily working as a solo artist but Hultquist helped convince him to form a live band around the songs from his love letter-turned EP, Chunk of Change. Their electro-pop sound quickly spread through the interweb and Passion Pit released their full-length debut Manners on Columbia/Frenchkiss in 2009. Tracks like “Sleepyhead,” “The Reeling” and “To Kingdom Come” became viral hits and Passion Pit played to sprawling crowds during Bonnaroo’s Thursday night showcase spot later that year. Passion Pit regrouped in 2012 for their sophomore album Gossamer, a more refined, eloquent and equally danceable sequel to their major label debut. Despite Angelakos’ own uncertainties about fame and success, Gossamer catapulted Passion Pit into an arena act capable of headlining lauded spaces like Madison Square Garden and main stages at festivals across the country. At Bonnaroo, Passion Pit will make their What Stage debut at 4:30pm today. In addition, members of Passion Pit will DJ in Bonnaroo’s trademark Silent Disco at 2:30pm (and if any members of Wilco are reading this, Hultquist is vying for a third appearance).

What years did you attend Bonnaroo as a fan or performer?

I first attended Bonnaroo as a fan in 2004, right after graduating from high school. I then got to go back to Bonnaroo as a performer with Passion Pit in 2009!

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

I had watched the DVD that Bonnaroo had put out surrounding its first year over and over with my friends, so I felt like I had some idea of what to expect. Although, I don’t think I was prepared for the sheer size of it. I remember spending a couple nights walking around the entire thing for hours, it just never ends.

What do you remember most about your own performance?

I remember the amount of people there caught us by complete surprise. We were playing a fairly large tent for where we were at as a band, and it was overflowing with fans. It was definitely one of the more memorable festival performances we’ve had.

Describe your craziest Bonnaroo experience.

I actually went on my own in 2004, which is seriously out of character for me. I was supposed to fly out with one or two friends, but their plans fell through. I remember getting off the bus and walking down this long strip of vendors selling all kinds of unmentionables. It was quite the rush.

How does Bonnaroo compare to other festivals you have played?

I think there is something special about the fact that it is so secluded from everything else. I absolutely love Coachella or Lollapalooza, but they are almost like different animals because you can look out and see the Chicago skyline, or Indio suburbs. At Bonnaroo there is nothing but cows and sky. I feel like fans are more devoted to enjoying the full festival experience there, because it actually takes some effort to get to.

What was your quintessential Bonnaroo moment from years past?

I still think that my first time attending the festival in 2004 will stand the test of time as a once in a lifetime experience. It was quite an adventure for me at the time.

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

I, personally, am always up to play with anyone, but if Wilco asked us to come on stage, I would probably die.