Bonnaroo 2023 Artist Spotlight: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

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 2023 lineup. After roaring back to life last summer, after two years off due to Covid and weather, this year marks Bonnaroo’s 20th installment (and 22nd anniversary), boasting not only another great and varied lineup, but also more changes and improvements then we’ve seen in 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 15-18 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 to millennial emo and indie and alt rock fans of the 2000s, he’ll always be known as the frontman for two iconic bands of that era- Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin- for going on a decade now, Andrew McMahon has been making just as much a name for himself as a solo performer under the moniker Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. After spending his youth moving around with his family, McMahon settled in Southern California as teen, having already taken to music and beginning to play piano at age 9. He was still in high school he began making likeminded friends and playing in bands, forming what would become Something Corporate soon after, and inking a deal with Drive-Thru Records at 18. Promptly moved up to a major label, the group’s 2002 album Leaving Through the Screen Door and the following year’s North proved huge hits, and despite being more piano-driven alt rock, Something Corporate fell into the pop punk and emo scene of the time, performing at Warped Tour and with bands like New Found Glory. And, towards the end of SoCo (they called it quits in 2006, but have reunited intermittently over the years) McMahon formed new group Jack’s Mannequin, which would last for three albums and continued success until retiring the project in 2012 (though the bulk of the band stayed on for Andrew’s solo career, making the change more of a semantic one). Since his eponymous 2014 debut, McMahon has been using the Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness name, which, though a logical evolution of the music he’s been making for more than 20 years, adopts more of a poppy and synthy bent. Three LPs have followed- 2017’s Zombies on Broadway, 2018’s Upside Down Flowers, and recent fourth album Tilt at the Wind No More– and over the last decade McMahon has remained a resilient fixture in the alt pop scene, notching radio hits and performing with everyone from Panic! at the Disco to Billy Joel, while also keeping true to his pop punk roots by occasionally reuniting his former bands, touring with old friends like Dashboard Confessional, and incorporating music from each of his projects into his live shows. It’s a bit surprising that none of McMahon’s groups have ever played Bonnaroo, but he’s sure to be a delight for nostalgic millennials and modern pop fans alike.

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