A world away and many decibels later

"It's like a third world country out there in general camping." A quote from my client at SoBe and so true. I have just returned from Bonnaroo. We were there representing SoBe and handing out more samples than we could physically pour. I have never been to Bonnaroo and it was an experience to say the least. We stayed in a rather small RV for a week and came to find out the first day that the generator we had sent to power the AC wasn't strong enough for just that so we survived on small fans. Thank goodness it cooled down at night considering during the day it capped out at 90+ degrees of pure cloudless heat. The RV housed 4 of us, 5 on a few nights that a friend crashed on the top bunk. We somehow got placed at the wrong campground and were a good 10-15 minute walk to our booth. 10-15 minute walk isn't so bad you would think...but when it's a virtual dust bowl and 90 degrees by 9am with the sun beating down on your like a massive bonfire, and the work day has yet to begin, it's a different story.

Some highlights:
- Silent Disco. Greatest thing ever. Picture a tent full of people dancing, but not music is playing..or at least none you can hear. Then you step in, done a pair of sound cancelling headphones, the DJ sounds come piping in and suddenly your head is bobbing in tune with everyone else's. Then the best part - removing your headphones to hear only feet shuffling against the damp grass and the occasional shout along with the song. Brilliance.
- Icy cold or scolding hot showers
- Front and center Metallica
- Jack Johnson followed by free beers followed by Pearl Jam
- Late night Tiesto and dancing in the rain
- Funnel cake
- Campground cruising (this is where the 3rd world country comment comes from...while we were driving a golf cart around general camping to hand out samples, it became apparent that we were in a whole new world at Bonnaroo...tents packed so tight you could barely walk between. People just rolling in from last nights shows. A massive fury of people running towards anything free. People begging for rides to at least get a little closer to the festival village)
- Familiar faces in an unfamiliar crowd

It was a wild time. It brought back many flashes of my childhood and our camping trips. Sitting outside of the camper, warmed by the glow of the flower shaped lights. The familiar smell of campers (is that a standard issue car freshener or what?). The awesome power of baby wipes when the shower was simply too hot or cold to bear. Enjoying the lack of frills and the lack of ability or desire to dress up, do your hair nicely and put on cute shoes.

Not to mention the music. I am not a concert goer. I rarely pay to watch people play live. I don't know, it's just not my thing. But here, in an environment where that's what everyone was there for, and which I didn't have to pay the hefty $300 entrance fee for, it was incredible. The tingles that crawled up my dewy skin as Jack Johnson played a flawless ballad...indescribable. The piercing sound of electric guitars as you watch the artists fingers move faster than a 400HP sportscar. The reverberating earth beneath your feet as Tiesto pumps tunes so heavily laden with bass you can feel them in your soul. It was an experience. One I'd like to have again only without the 12 hour workdays included. Photos coming soon.