Bonnaroo 2024 Artist Spotlight: Jive Talk

Like we’ve been doing for many years now, we’re making it our mission to help you get acquainted with many of our favorite acts from Bonnaroo‘s 2024 lineup. After roaring back to life in 2022, after two years off due to Covid and weather, and feeling fully like its old self again with a great fest last summer, this year marks Bonnaroo’s 21st installment (and 23rd anniversary), boasting not only another great and varied lineup, but also a continuation of some of the big changes and improvements rolled out over the last couple of years, with more flexibility in ticketing and camping, a reimagined “Outeroo” campground area, new activations, and further new ways to Roo. Back once again in its usual June 13-16 timeframe, we’re counting down the days until another great weekend on the farm.

As we dig through the entire schedule, we’ll highlight a spread of performers spanning across genres and stages, big and small, new and old, to bring you some of the most interesting, lesser-known, and most highly-recommended among this year’s crop of artists. And as our time at ‘Roo approaches, we’ll also be bringing you some special features and full list-style daily lineup guides, to help you plan your weekend ahead of the fest. While these previews won’t span every artist, and might omit some more obvious must-see acts, we hope they’ll serve as a way to help you navigate Bonnaroo’s gargantuan lineup, and to make the most of your busy weekend at the fest!

Grab your tickets right here if you haven’t already, and read on for our Bonnaroo Artist Spotlight!

LEARN

Though on-the-rise local indie and synth-rock outfit Jive Talk didn’t technically form in Nashville, Music City is most definitely where they cut their teeth, cemented their lineup and sound, and where they still reside. The group’s origins trace back to college for frontman Oliver Pierce and multi-instrumentalist Isaac Middleton, who met while both musical theater majors and began making bedroom demos for fun, adopting the name Jive Talk as an homage to The Bee Gees’ “Jive Talkin’” (despite bearing no real musical resemblance to the group). After splitting off to pursue acting, the pair later reconvened in Memphis, and recruited Isaac’s childhood friend Ben Dunn as their bassist and producer, opting to relocate to Nashville where Dunn had a home studio, to try to make a more serious go at the band. From there, they spent time in the local indie rock circuit, playing dives and house shows and showcases, releasing some early tracks, weathering both the devastating tornadoes and Covid pandemic of 2020, and rounding out their lineup with drummer Philip Walker and multi-instrumentalist Andres Ahogado. Post-pandemic, the rockers- who cite influences like Talking Heads, Prince, Arcade Fire, and Mistki in their retro, ’80s-inspired indie rock and synth-pop sound- really began to gain traction, touring extensively and supporting artists like The Districts, Stephen Sanchez, and The Brummies, and drawing buzz for a series of EPs- 2021’s high waisted, 2022’s lo rise, and last year’s The Business, their most honed and confident effort to date. More recently, the group inked a deal with Warner Bros Records- a sign of big things to come- and have dropped two fantastic new tracks, “Rat People” and “Sally,” underscoring the layered, nostalgic, propulsive, witty but not too self-serious stye they’ve come to perfect over the years. If you’re dialed in to the local indie scene, we’re probably preaching to the choir, as Jive Talk have become an impressive, breakout, and lauded Nashville fixture over the last few years, but if you haven’t yet jumped on the bandwagon, give their music a spin and make their well-deserved Bonnaroo debut (both a Wednesday plaza set for early attendees, and a prime Who Stage slot on Saturday) a must-see!

WATCH | “Rat People” (Official Video)