Bonnaroo, for me, has always been a gamble—a flip of the coin between magic and misfortune. In my four years attending, two festivals were abruptly canceled due to weather (2021, 2025). Yet, my first uncancelled Bonnaroo in 2022 was the greatest festival experience of my life. It shaped my music taste and my closest friendships, creating the soundtrack and cast of my life.

When it goes well, there truly is nothing like it. I’ve been to festivals around the globe, and none have compared to that first outstanding Bonnaroo. That’s why I flew back to the U.S. from abroad to get a taste of that once-a-year magic, and to see my favorite band, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, stage the first-ever Roo Residency with three nightly sets. Waiting for that magic and being left hanging by another weather-forced cancellation this year feels a little bit like waking up from a dream right before the best part.

Thursday: The Roo We All Came For

Thursday was the kind of day you spend all year looking forward to. Blue skies, electric anticipation, and a lineup that did not disappoint.

Sofia Isella’s set hit like a lightning strike. Her music was dark and mysterious, laced with gothic overtones and alternative edge. With powerful lyrics and pulsing beats, she writhed across the stage with mud smeared over her face and body like she was conjuring something from another realm. Watching her was like floating down a fog-covered river where you can’t quite see what’s next—disorienting in the best possible way. It was strange, sexy, and undeniably spellbinding.

In the sweltering mid-afternoon sun, the Lemon Twigs saved us with a lush, harmony-heavy set that felt like a cool breeze from the past. Their touching tribute to The Beach Boys’ late Brian Wilson sent us spiraling into a vintage daydream, lying on the ground with the green grass tangled between our toes while waves of gentle harmonies washed over us—the perfect soundtrack for letting all modern stress dissolve.

On the main stage, Marcus King Band gave what might have been this year’s most powerful performance (though that label comes with a significant asterisk). He delivered a heart-wrenching “Goodbye Carolina”, joined by his wife Briley King, that had the crowd swaying and clutching their chests, and closed with a ripping cover of the Allman Brothers Band‘s “Ramblin’ Man”. His guitar work was unreal—liquid fire pouring out of every solo, psychedelic Southern rock at its finest. As bubbles floated over the crowd and dusk set in, people danced their hearts out or lay back in awe, soaking in the soul-touching, down-home Southern sound. It felt like the kind of set that defines Bonnaroo—a communal musical baptism.

Marcus King Band — Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival — Manchester, TN — 6/12/25 — Full Set

[Video: DjJazzydavid]

Bonnarroo first-timers Dogs In A Pile didn’t hold back. Their multifaceted jam-rock journey blended in surprising electronic textures and plenty of groove. Their fans—lovingly called “the Dog Pound”—were out in full force, cheering every twist and turn of the set. There was a clear sense of pride and joy watching the band rise to the moment and own the stage.

Dogs In A Pile — Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival — Manchester, TN — 6/12/25 — Full Set

Later that night, country took center stage for the first time in Roo history as Luke Combs made his debut as Roo’s first country headliner. His set was full of heart, and when Miranda Lambert stepped out for a surprise appearance, the crowd erupted. For many, it was a milestone: a sign that Roo was holding space for every kind of fan.

Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert — “Outrunnin’ Your Memory” — 6/12/25

[Video: Adam x]

Insane Clown Posse was the rowdiest, raunchiest live set of the festival. The crowd of scantily clad, Faygo-soaked clowns jumped, moshed, and danced like the world was ending to beats that were as dirty and hard as the lyrics were gruesome. People rode on each other’s shoulders, twerked, and screamed as the cult-loved (and widely despised) rap group sprayed soda across the pit like a sticky rainstorm. Clown makeup dripped down laughing faces, turning everyone into a distorted, creepy, beautiful mess.

Insane Clown Posse — Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival — Manchester, TN — 6/12/25 — Full Set

[Video: F-8 Floyd]

Late into the night, the horror vibes continued at the Haunted House of Yes. Inside, the energy was immersive and theatrical—part rave, part fever nightmare. Dancers in pig masks, fangs, and other creepy costumes took the stage, moving to eerie house remixes of spooky songs with hypnotic precision. In the center of it all was an elevated platform where festivalgoers and professional dancers blurred the line between performer and participant. It was collaborative, erotic, and entirely unfiltered. The boundary between audience and art dissolved, and for a moment, everyone was part of the show.

The Friday Night That Could’ve Been

And then came Friday, a day with a lineup stacked with King Gizzard, Goose, Tyler, the Creator, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Foster the People, John Summit, Tipper, and Megadeth.

The rain began around 1 p.m., and attendees were told to evacuate the main venue area known as Centeroo, stay away from all structures, and return to their camps. The forecast predicted an afternoon of rain and intermittent storms that would dissipate in the evening, and attendees waited in anxious anticipation for the clouds to roll away and the music to start.

After six hours of waiting, at around 7 p.m., the gut-wrenching message arrived that the remainder of the festival was canceled. Moments after the bad news dropped, a long-awaited friend arrived—the sun. The sky remained clear for the rest of the evening.

Later that night, a muddy Centeroo was reopened so that people could buy food and drinks from vendors and use the restrooms. People rushed in wearing their wildest outfits and blasting music from speakers. One group ran excitedly across the field yelling, “We’re gonna get on the rail! We’re finally gonna get center rail! Whooo hoo!”—but the stages remained silent.

The fields were alive with lights and costumes, the air buzzing with energy. But the stages were desolate ghost towns, giving the night an eerie, hollow feeling—like Bonnaroo without its heartbeat. It was a night full of people, sound, and color, but missing the one thing we all came for: the artists.

People tried to keep spirits high—some launched renegade performances in the campgrounds, some slip-n-slided, some wrestled in the mud, others wept in despair. The atmosphere was surreal—festive on the surface, but aching with what could have been.

Thoughts From An Artist & Longtime Roo Attendee

While there’s no doubt the cancellation was painful for the fans, the artists and their crews also felt the sting. Some artists, such as Tyler, the Creator and Vampire Weekend, have now experienced two Roo cancellations. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard traveled to Bonnaroo from their European tour and prepared three sets (five hours) worth of material.

Playing Bonnaroo is the performance of a lifetime, so fans can only imagine the countless hours of hard work, planning, and anticipation that go into it.

Knoxville-based band Crumbsnatchers’ frontman Guetts Guetterman has been going to Bonnaroo for over a decade, and this year, he finally got to experience it from the stage as one of the few artists lucky enough to perform.

“On top of it being a huge accomplishment, it means so much to us because we’ve all attended so many times, and it’s in some ways shaped the way we thought about performing,” Guetterman told Live For Live Music via email. “You know, we’ve seen a lot of legendary performances at Bonnaroo, so it’s kind of set a bar in some ways for us as a band. Performing really was a dream come true.”

Like many who attended this year’s Roo, Guetterman felt the same crushing blow of the cancellation, shortly followed by skepticism about whether the fleeting storms warranted scrapping the rest of the festival.

“For me, this weather seemed nothing compared to what I’ve seen before in my 13 years attending. I feel like ten years ago or so I saw more intense thunderstorms,” he said. “I didn’t see that much flooding from where I was camped by the Who Stage, but I did see pictures later and videos of some areas that were really underwater. In the moment, it just seemed like they were really quick to cancel the whole thing.”

But just like tens of thousands of others, Guetterman hung around and tried to make the best of a bad situation with one last night on The Farm.

“Ultimately though, the party in the campground Friday night was so much fun,” he concluded. “It was incredible to see everyone instantly come together knowing it was our last night to party.”

Through the Storm: Honoring The Spirit Of Roo

While Friday’s sudden cancellation was met with heartbreak and confusion, the rain didn’t stop there. Storms continued through Saturday and Sunday, and the grounds grew increasingly waterlogged and unstable. As the weekend wore on, many attendees came to believe that Bonnaroo made the right call, even if it was a painful one.

This year also carried a deeper sense of loss with the passing of Bonnaroo co-founder Jonathan Mayers just days before the festival began. His vision helped transform a simple patch of Tennessee farmland into one of the most iconic and beloved music festivals in the world. The community he helped build is one rooted in joy, discovery, and connection.

Though 2025 was a tough year for Bonnaroo, it reminded us just how much this festival means to so many. We are grateful to Jonathan for dreaming it into existence—and to the Bonnaroo family, who show up year after year to keep that dream alive. The music may have been cut short, but the spirit hasn’t gone anywhere.

Below, check out a gallery of images from what little time we had at Bonnaroo 2025 courtesy of photographer Josh Darr.