My love for Bonnaroo has radiated positivity in so many ways

Full transparency: I love Bonnaroo.

In fact, I consider my first visit to The Farm in 2011 to be among the top moments that singlehandedly changed my life.

I know that’s high praise for something that might be low on some people’s bucket lists – if camping in the blistering Manchester, Tennessee, heat for four days makes your list at all.

Despite this Bonnaroo passion I’ve embraced since age 16, I struggled when writing my story on the festival’s history whether to include my own personal accounts. But then something hit me – something founder Ashley Capps I know agrees with: The festival is nothing without its fans.

They’re the ones, after all, who spread the word in 2002 that led to 60,000 tickets being sold without a penny spent on true advertising for the inaugural fest. They’re the ones who create traditions, from craft beer exchanges to massive “Just A Friend” singalongs, that make the festival feel like community year after year.

I thought it was vital to talk to Capps, the man himself, to get his take on what makes Bonnaroo special. As refreshing as a mist tent on the festival's final day, his perspective was not far off from how fans without backstage passes and premium perks view the much-anticipated June weekend.

What makes it special, he said, is that it’s not a paint-by-numbers music festival. It’s a whimsical reunion of Picasso proportions that has a real sense of place, despite what the backdrop of an open field might suggest.

It’s a rare communal experience in a divisive world, where melodies and high fives on Friday connect sundry souls with diverse and sometimes spiritual experiences.

Of course, the music plays a role. When you ask my biggest regrets in life, all I have to do is look at the back of a Bonnaroo T-shirt to wonder what in the world I was thinking missing out on (insert artist here). I guess I'm doing OK.

I’ve grown up with Bonnaroo, and the artists have, too. In a year’s time, rising stars who grace the “Who” stage might never be unknown again. It’s one of the reasons I tell people: Just go for it. The lineup at a place like Bonnaroo should be the least of your worries.

Because it’s not so much the “who” but the “how” – how people connect over the music that bounces through the dusty air. United voices, somehow in tune despite dust and other substances they might have inhaled, brought me to tears my first full day at Bonnaroo when Arcade Fire’s “Wake Up” became an epic performance piece by the tens of thousands in attendance.

In that moment, I was hooked.

Bonnaroo changed America: How Knoxville's Ashley Capps says it came together

What I would have done to be there for a Dr. John Superjam, Chris Rock opening for Metallica, the Beastie Boys’ final set – even the impromptu performance of “She Bangs” by William Hung as he marched through the main festival grounds known as Centeroo.

For that, I envy you Ashley. But what I envy even more is your innate ability to “stay true Roo,” as the Bonnaroovian code says.

Capps is not involved in Bonnaroo anymore, and that’s OK. He has laid the foundation for what the festival can become and what others strive to be.

Throughout my interview with Capps, it was apparent what made him successful: not any big-name headliner or corporate sponsor but, rather, the collective experience of different styles, perspectives and opportunities that make the golden rule of the Code easy to follow: Radiate Positivity.

Big Ears Festival in downtown Knoxville is a testament that Capps’ approach was no publicity stunt. What he’s doing today across lavish downtown theaters is the same thing Bonnaroo attempted and accomplished. That’s to be different.

In all my years at all my Roos, I’ve spotted Capps numerous times standing side stage absorbing the rhythms and beats as a fan. He’s recognizable enough that shouts of “Papa Bonnaroo” are sometimes thrown his way.

Music is how Capps has made his living, so you could say it’s his life. He’s done it not with an instrument in hand, but by creating moments he would enjoy so that we can enjoy them, too.

Fans see it. Artists see it. When asked to speak at a welcoming ceremony for Big Ears 2024, musician Joe Henry noted the Knoxville festival is one of the few where a majority of artists receive a direct invite from the founder.

And in his remarks, Henry said something I believe applies to Bonnaroo too: “It’s a remarkable thing for any artist to be so welcomed and to have their work celebrated. It’s another thing altogether to have unknown work supported, not only by Ashley but by all of you who come and bring your attention.”

I’ll be celebrating my 10th Bonnaroo next week. And perhaps, the unknown origins of the festival will be appreciated by you who read my story on its history. Because for any music fan, the festival and its founder are worth celebrating, too. Creating Bonnaroo was an art in itself.

Ryan Wilusz is a downtown growth and development reporter. Phone 865-317-5138. Email [email protected]. Instagram @knoxscruff.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee continues to 'radiate positivity'