Bonnaroo–the Manchester, Tenn.-based music festival where those people who describe their tastes as “indie” and those people who really like jam bands come together in a way that hasn’t been seen since their freshman-year Psych 101 lectures–is announcing its lineup this week, and to get people excited/remind them to keep checking the official site for updates, the organizers have posted eleven “riddles” that are clues as to who’s playing the fest. (A trick sorta ripped off from The Bamboozle, just saying.) I’m an old-school Games Magazine subscriber who loves twisty word games, but these so-called clues proved too much for my Petty-and-chili-addled brain to process. Perhaps you would like to give them a try? They’re after the jump.
1. “There is more than one Manchester”
2. “Memphis isn’t Albany”
3. “Clouds taste this way”
4. “Some Herrings are red, Jimmy”
5. “Hard Substance, Soft Substance”
6. “Janis Joplin’s reserves will be preserved”
7. “Rumors are just rumors, but twist them sideways, grow your humor hair and they become a more yen reality. No, this is not about Fleetwood Mac”
8. “It’s not sour, what is sowed in the earth”
9. “Three certain birds, add one”
10. “Look to the center of Europe to get the sound, but the band comes form all around.”
11. “Here is another clue for you message board people. Open up the church and you will see the steeple. Some of your guesses have been way off but correct for the wrong clues. Now I must cough.”
Oh my God, what music blogger wrote that last one? Anyway, feel free to post your guesses in comments. I’m guessing that No. 1 is a reference to Morrissey and No. 4 means that one day will be punctuated by a live-action revival of Clue: The Movie, but if No. 6 winds up being about Joss Stone I’m going to flip out.
Time to get the Goddamn Batman on the phone.
My sources tell me the official lineup will be released Wednesday at 12 noon.
2. Is definitely Cat Power
11. Agreed it’s R.E.M.
LOUDERSOFT’s guesses seem spot-on, but I think #4 might be Widespread Panic. Either way, I’m excited about the official announcement, especially since Vineland got bumped.
More clues are dropping today
Clue 11 (Feb 4th Monday at 12:20)
“Message board chatter? Yes it does matter. We hear your song requests. So Listen High Listen Low Dont Look Too Hard This Is New Radio Bonnaroo”
Clue 12
Charlie’s imaginary band will not be playing and don’t believe what he wrote on his hand and the last few things he was not saying
1. could be any Manc. band…maybe The Verve doing more than one US festival?
@moomintroll: Manchester Orchestra?
“Clouds Taste This Way.” Flaming Lips.
1. Sham 69
5. Lemon Jelly
8. Sky Saxon and the Seeds
9. Hillman, Crosby, McGuinn, Tracy
Here’s my guess:
1. Manchester 2
2. Yes! It Is
3. Like Clouds
4. Fishboner
5. The Rock Pillows
6. Pearl Jam
7. Fleetwood Mac
8. Hall and Oates
9. Four Certain Birds
10. Falco
11. You People?
1. is Manchester Orchestra, they are from Atlanta and have been touring with Kings of Leon… perfect fit for this crowd, they play “indie” rock, but the lead singer often sports a jam band beard and flip flops.
@Lucas Jensen: that was my guess, too.
@EddieRebel:
12. No DriveShaft? Well, I’m not going.
answer to all: GET OFF THE FUCKING BONG
“Clouds taste this way” +a?
Fuck, if I donate any time thinking about this, that means Bonaroo won, so fuck it.
“Three certain birds, add one” Shitbirds and two more…
Bonnaroo: Too lazy to come up with shitty haiku
@Matos: Too right.
I think everyone heard the rumors wrong. Butthole Surfers will reunite and perform Hairway to Steven. Almost cooler.
Also, here’s the official scorecard as I see it –
1. No Clue
2. M.I.A.
3. Metallica (I hope I’m wrong here)
4. Led Zeppelin
5. Iron & Wine
6. Pearl Jam
7. Dread Zeppelin
8. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
9. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, Andrew Bird, Old Crow Medicine Show, Black Crowes
10. Gogol Bordello
and the one I’m most sure of
11. R.E.M.
As a matter of fact, Christmas has always smelled like oranges to me.