Bonnaroo Band of the Day: Benjamin Booker

Bonnaroo Artist | Benjamin Booker
Bonnaroo History | Newbie
Stage & Time | TBA

As we’ve been doing for the past several years now, we’re making it our mission to help you get acquainted with as many bands as we can from Bonnaroo‘s impressive 2015 lineup. We’ll start from the bottom and work our way up, paying special attention to the smaller and lesser known acts on this year’s bill. Keep reading for your Bonnaroo Band of the Day…

LEARN

Benjamin Booker is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist based in New Orleans.  He was born in Virginia Beach, VA, but his family relocated to Tampa.  He attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, studying journalism with intentions of going into music journalism, but, after college, moved to New Orleans to work for a non-profit organization and began playing shows.  He self-released the four-track EP, Waiting Ones, in 2012, a collection of “lo-fi blues-influenced folk-punk recordings and handclap percussion” which were recorded in his parents’ bathroom but gained the attention of music blog Aquarium Drunkard. The track “Have You Seen My Son” eventually landed on Sirius XM satellite radio. In 2013, he began touring as an electric duo, and recorded his self-titled debut album in December at The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, which was released in August 2014. The first single, “Violent Shiver,” was released in April 2014. The album received early praise, debuting in the Top 10 of Billboard ’​s Alternative Albums and Independent Albums charts and leading to Benjamin Booker being named an “artist you need to know” by Rolling Stone, “the best of what’s next” by Paste Magazine, and a “contender for rock record of the year” by SPIN.

Accompanied by drummer Max Norton and bassist Alex Spoto, Booker has headlined international tours and performed at a number of festivals including the Newport Folk Festival, the Austin City Limits Music Festival, Voodoo Experience, Coachella, and Lollapalooza, where Rolling Stone named his performance the festival’s “best rock star moment… best experienced live and turned up to 11”. Booker has opened for Jack White and recently released a 10 track Live at Third Man Records LP exclusively on vinyl.  He has also performed on several late night television programs including Conan, Late Night with David Letterman, and Later With Jools Holland. Booker’s rise has been rapid and well deserved.  We are counting days until we get to see him at the ‘Roo.

LISTEN | “Violent Shiver”

WATCH | “Wicked Waters” (Official Music Video)

CONNECT

More from Benjamin Booker | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify
More from Bonnaroo | Tickets | Lineup | Site | Facebook | Twitter