Top Ten Bonnaroo 2012 Highlights:

All music festivals challenge you to the impossible task of catching all of your favorite performers despite time constraints, but with its consistently abundant lineup, Bonnaroo has even more of an adult’s-Super-Toy-Run feel than most others. Though it’s tempting to cut the guy-wires and wing it at an affair like Bonnaroo, planning is key. After having pored over the schedule ourselves, here are ten highlights from Relix’s four days at the farm in Manchester, TN.Alabama Shakes – “Be Mine”

The Alabama Shakes have enjoyed a banner year by anyone’s standards: after surfacing on the Aquarium Drunkard music blog last July, they brought their southern rock-a-bluesy act to a sizable crowd at Bonnaroo’s This Tent on Thursday night. Despite their quick ascendence from the bars and clubs they were playing just months ago, there wasn’t any indication that the Shakes were anywhere but where they should be during their primetime performance at the festival on Thursday night.
Umphrey’s McGee – “Bulls on Parade” (Rage Against the Machine cover)

Genre-defying jamband Umphree’s McGee delighted their sleepless fans by shouldering past their scheduled quitting time of 4 a.m. clear through 6 a.m. Around the halfway point, electro-jam duo Big Gigantic eased into a full switch to give the band a twenty minute respite before taking the stage once more till daybreak.
*Phish – “Possum/Wilson/Tweezer” *

After three days of great music, this year’s Bonnaroo culminated in a sprawling four-hour Sunday night Phish set. The band weaved their own classics as well as some covers together and jumped into improvisational jams throughout the night. With a slew of fireworks closing their show, this was a fittingly explosive finale to the festival.

*White Denim – “I’d Have It Just The Way We Were” *

We covered White Denim in our festival guide and they did us proud with their energetic Bonnaroo debut. Those not familiar with White Denim’s brand of psych/prog-rock were treated to a diverse set and an excellent showcase of the band’s guitar chops.

Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires – “Heartaches and Pain”

Charles Bradley is nothing if not a showman. Bradley took the stage about ten minutes into the show decked out white and gold, arms outstretched like the “flaming eagle of soul” one of his Extraordinaires introduced him as. Despite the high-noon showtime, Bradley’s powerful howl was chilling enough to will the moon into mind.

The Avett Brothers – “Will You Return?”

High-tempo folk rock group the Avett Brothers played a set of fan favorites at the What Stage on Friday afternoon with an energy and sincerity that has become nearly synonymous with their name. Audience tip: Keep your eye on Joe Kwon. It’s rare to see a cellist rock as hard as he does, and when he really starts to tear into it, it’s downright infectious.

*Dawes – “When My Time Comes” *

For a band that’s generally on the mellow end of the spectrum, Dawes did impressively well in keeping energy levels high during their set. The band members were clearly enjoying themselves onstage and the audience happily followed suit.

*The Beach Boys – “Good Vibrations” *

If The Beach Boys’ ages showed at all during their show, audience members didn’t notice. The crowd enjoyed every minute of the reunited band’s set, which incorporated what seemed like every crowd favorite in their catalog, including an impressive rendition of “Good Vibrations.”

*Red Hot Chili Peppers – “By The Way” *

For the Peppers’ headlining set on Saturday night, the band pulled out many of their most recognized singles from all phases of their long career and mixed them with lesser known numbers and virtuosic jams. The show was truly a rock ‘n roll affair that had everyone in the immense crowd air-guitaring along.

R. Kelly’s Trapped in the Closet Sing-Along!

Scheduled in the Cinema Tent at 2:15 a.m. on Friday morning, this was always going to be a spectacle. The film was into a sort of modern day Rocky Horror Picture Show, with staff encouraging aisle boogie downs and handing out props like spatulas, condoms and water guns to be brandished at specific times throughout the film’s promiscuous and thoroughly convoluted storyline. The MC sprinkled the viewing with R. Kelly anecdotes and music videos and did his admirable best to make good on what he called his thesis for the night: to prove that R. Kelly is the greatest artist of our generation. It was probably delirium, but after twelve or so chapters, I almost believed him for a few shining moments.