Bonnaroo Band of the Day: Main Stage Roundup, Part 1

Just like last year and the year before, we’re making it our mission to help you get acquainted with every single band on Bonnaroo‘s impressive 2014 lineup. We started from the bottom and have been working our way up, paying special attention to the smaller and lesser known acts on this year’s bill with daily, dedicated Bonnaroo Band of the Day and Bonnaroo Club Stage Band of the Day posts. Now that ‘Roo is fast approaching, and we’ve made our way through the fest’s entire undercard, we’ll be spending our last couple of weeks making sure you’re up to date on the festival’s headliners, this time in the form of group posts. Keep reading for your Bonnaroo Band of the Day: Main Stage Roundup…

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS

Saturday | This Tent | 4:45pm

Formed in Athens, GA in 1996 by old friends Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley, the Drive-By Truckers’ Southern rock and alt country sounds remind us of a new age Allman Brothers Band. With an extensive catalog of 10 LPs and 3 live albums (including the collectors’ wet dream: a Third Man Records limited edition live recording), the band have built a southern fan base that nearly reaches cult status. All through Georgia and Alabama, Hood and Cooley’s birthplace, their legend has grown and, now, they attract a national audience, but they hope to bring their brand of often politically charged honky tonk rock to new fans on the farm. Their latest, English Oceans, debuted at number 16 on the Billboard charts in March, and you can find some of it below. Fellow Alabamian, and big fan of all things Nashville, Jason Isbell is just one notable former member who could possibly make a cameo, so don’t miss a second! [JR]

LISTEN | “Pauline Hawkins”

WATCH | “Shit Shots Count” (Live On Conan)

CONNECT | Site | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify

DIE ANTWOORD

Friday| The Other Tent | 1:45am

Die Antwoord (pronounced “Dee Ahnt-Voord,” if you’re curious) are, by all measures, one of the most unique artists on an already incredibly diverse Bonnaroo bill, and are sure to deliver one of the single weirdest, most intense, and most memorable sets this summer on the farm; that is, if you can stay up late enough to catch their Friday night set. Based in Cape Town, South Africa, the group draw their intense, exaggerated, and often shocking image from the regional “zef” counter-culture, which, essentially is the “anti-posh,” a “poor but still fancy” attitude. Channeling elements of hip hop, alternative rap, and electronic music, the group consists of two MCs and a DJ, rap in multiple languages, and deliver socially-charged, shocking, and intensely fun cuts on their two (soon to be three) full-length releases. [PO]

LISTEN | “Cookie Thumper”

WATCH | “I Fink U Freeky” (Official Music Video)

CONNECT | Site | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify

CAGE THE ELEPHANT

Saturday | Which Stage | 5:45pm

When Cage The Elephant released their self-titled debut album in 2008, we hinted rock stardom in the future of the Bowling Green, KY natives. With insanely catchy singles like “Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked” becoming engrained in our noggin, it was clear that this regional band was about to become international sensations. Now, a mere 6 years and two albums later, Cage have shared the stage with the likes of The Foo Fighters, Muse, and Manchester Orchestra, and were just announced as support for the world-wide Black Keys Turn Blue tour. Cage have already blown us away from their live rehearsal at SoundCheck Nashville, to their Muse date in Nashville, to their Shakey Knees performance just last month; and it is clear that the undeniable success of their 2013 release Melophobia is continuing to solidify Cage The Elephant’s claim on the alt rock title! [MH]

LISTEN | “Come A Little Closer”

WATCH | “Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked” (Official Music Video)

CONNECT | Site | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify

CHVRCHES

Friday | The Other Tent | 7:30pm

Hailing from Glasgow, Scotland, synthpop trio CHVRCHES have been on an incredible journey since their 2011 formation. Fiercely self-sufficient from the start, the group, who came together by accident while collaborating on demos, produced and self-released a handful of tracks which garnered internet buzz throughout 2012, leading to their debut EP, Recover, and debut LP, The Bones of What You Believe, in the spring and summer of 2013, respectively. Countless tours, chart certifications, television appearances, and festival stops later, and the band are a certifiable phenomenon, sporting a unique, eclectic blend of electronic rock, indie, new wave, and pop influences. CHVRCHES are easily one of the buzziest rising stars on this year’s Bonnaroo bill, and an act you truly don’t want to miss! [PO]

LISTEN | “Recover”

WATCH | “The Mother We Share” (Official Music Video)

CONNECT | Site | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify

AMOS LEE

Sunday | This Tent | 8pm

If there was ever an “average Joe makin’ it big” story at Bonnaroo, Amos Lee would be it. Originally from Philly, Lee went to school at the University of South Carolina to study English and education. He played in a band there but decided to move back home, where he taught second grade and moonlighted as a bartender for local concert venues. He’d play an open mic here and there, and opened for a few bigger names who rolled through town on occasion, but anyone who saw him perform knew he was destined for more. His manager sent a four track demo to Blue Note Records, where it immediately caught the attention of the right people, including Nora Jones, who asked him open for her during her 2004 tour. The rest is history. Since then, he has been the opener for a who’s who list of famous acts including (but not limited to) Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Merle Haggard, Van Morrison, John Prine, Dave Mathews Band, and The Avett Brothers. In 2011, Lee took his folksy blues and beautifully soulful voice to new heights with a record, Mission Bell, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. His followup, Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song (2013) is further proof that Lee is just getting revved up on his way to superstardom. See for yourself what your favorite headlining artists already know, Amos Lee is something special. [JR]

LISTEN | “Windows Are Rolled Down”