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The What Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Barry Courter and Bryan Stone
Bonnaroo is more than just a festival, and The What Podcast is your backstage pass to the stories, secrets, and the magic that makes it so legendary. Hosted by two entertainment industry veterans, each week Barry and Bryan will take you deep into festival culture, live music, and behind-the-scenes stories. Since 2018, we've connected with passionate music fans worldwide, sharing personal experiences, expert insights, and exclusive interviews with the musicians and industry insiders who make festivals happen. Whether you're a Bonnaroo veteran or a first-timer, subscribe now to stay in the loop on everything that makes music festivals unforgettable.
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- 5 days ago48 min
Inside Bumbershoot: Where Music Meets DIY Art (and Wrestling)
Our bicoastal correspondent Elizabeth Thorpe is back, and this time she's breaking down Bumbershoot, the Seattle festival where music meets DIY art, animation, a fashion district, roller derby, and yes, actual wrestling.Beth walks us through all of Bumbershoot: the lineup (Death Cab for Cutie, Turnstile, De La Soul, Bikini Kill, Orville Peck), what makes a city festival different from a camping one, and the outsider-arts culture that Bumbershoot still preserves, the same DIY spirit that gave rise to grunge. Plus, a look ahead to CaveFest (camping tips and what's new), a Shaky Knees preview, Hulaween, and some Chattanooga artists who just landed an NPR Tiny Desk concert.We're giving away two tickets to CaveFest at The Caverns (October 10–11, camping included)! Details: https://thewhat.co/giveawayIf you don't win, get tickets to CaveFest here!Headed to Hulaween? Use code THEWHATPODCAST for $20 off a four-day pass. https://thewhat.co/hulaweenListen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!______ Beth's Back Win 2 Tickets to CaveFest Inside Bumbershoot: Seattle's Music & Arts Festival Shaky Knees Preview CaveFest: Camping, Cold Weather & What's New Save $20 on Hulaween Tickets Chattanooga Artists on NPR's Tiny Desk Wrap-UpLINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODETwo Festivals We're Hitting This Fall: Shaky Knees & CaveFestCaveFest 2026 Ticket Giveaway: How to Enter@ethorpephoto on InstagramBonnaroo's Cancellation: A City Official on the Long-Term Vision for The FarmHow Has Bonnaroo Changed? A Festival Photographer's ViewAfter Bonnaroo: How to Choose Your Next FestivalGet $20 off Hulaween tickets with code THEWHATPODCASTMon Rovîa: Tiny Desk ConcertIsaiah Rashad: Tiny Desk Concert______ CaveFest at The Caverns, Oct 10-11, 2026 | Get Tickets Here! $20 off Hulaween 2026 GA 4-day passes with code THEWHATPODCAST 🎧 LISTEN LINKS Website: https://thewhatpodcast.com Spotify: https://thewhat.co/spotify Apple Podcasts: https://thewhat.co/applepodcasts YouTube Music: https://thewhat.co/youtubemusic Amazon Music: https://thewhat.co/amazonmusic 📱 SOCIAL LINKS Discord: https://discord.gg/zShHTeCYGn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewhatpodcast X: https://x.com/thewhat_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhatpodcast/ Facebook: <a href="h
- 1 weeks ago34 min
Two Festivals We're Hitting This Fall: Shaky Knees & CaveFest
Bonnaroo may be taking 2027 off, but festival season isn't over. This week Barry and Russ break down the two festivals they're hitting this fall, Shaky Knees in Atlanta and CaveFest at The Caverns, and share their tips for doing each one right.One's a city festival, one's a camping festival, and they're very different experiences. We get into the Shaky Knees lineup (The Strokes, Turnstile, Fontaines D.C., Twenty One Pilots and more), how to handle a city fest (hotels, getting around, the stages), and what makes CaveFest special — the cave stage, the amphitheater, camping in October, and the lineup up at Pelham. Plus festival news, the Good Friends Music Festival in Manchester, and how we're all still keeping Manchester in our plans.We're also giving away two tickets to CaveFest at The Caverns (October 10-11, camping included). Details in the episode and at thewhat.co/giveaway.If you don't win, get tickets to CaveFest here! Oct 10-11, 2026 at The CavernsListen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!______ Catching Up + Festival News Good Friends Fest & Manchester CaveFest Ticket Giveaway: How to Win Shaky Knees: The City Festival Guide CaveFest: The Camping Festival Guide What's Coming UpLINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEBonnaroo's Cancellation: A City Official on the Long-Term Vision for The FarmGood Friends Music FestCaveFest 2026 Ticket Giveaway: How to EnterHow The Caverns Became Tennessee's Premier Music DestinationGet CaveFest Tickets Here______ CaveFest at The Caverns, Oct 10-11, 2026 | Get Tickets Here! 🎧 LISTEN LINKS Website: https://thewhatpodcast.com Spotify: https://thewhat.co/spotify Apple Podcasts: https://thewhat.co/applepodcasts YouTube Music: https://thewhat.co/youtubemusic Amazon Music: https://thewhat.co/amazonmusic 📱 SOCIAL LINKS Discord: https://discord.gg/zShHTeCYGn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewhatpodcast X: https://x.com/thewhat_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhatpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewhatpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewhatpodcast The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat, used with permission. Other music provided by Midist and used with permission. We love to hear from you! Send us an email at comments@thewhatpodcast.com or call (423) 667-7877 and leave us a voicemail. We might just feature it on the show.
- 2 weeks ago47 min
After Bonnaroo: How to Choose Your Next Festival
No Bonnaroo in 2027? Here's how to figure out where to go instead. With Bonnaroo taking a fallow year, a lot of us are asking the same question: what festival do we go to now? So we brought in long-time friend of the show Liesl (@rockstarsweat), a festival superfan who's been to Bonnaroo, Pickathon, Glastonbury, Solid Sound and just about everywhere in between, to talk through how she actually chooses which festivals to attend.Barry, Russ, and Liesl get into the real decision-making: lineup vs. community vs. cost, how the Glastonbury ticket lottery actually works, the difference between city and camping festivals, and why the fallow year might just open a door to something new. Plus, we open the show remembering Dolly Parton, and why she belonged at Bonnaroo.We're also giving away two tickets to CaveFest at The Caverns (October 10–11, camping included). Details in the episode and at thewhat.co/giveaway.If you don't win, get tickets to CaveFest here! Oct 10-11, 2026 at The CavernsListen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!______ Giveaway: Win Tickets to CaveFest Welcome Back, Liesl Remembering Dolly Parton Bonnaroo's Fallow Year Beyond Bonnaroo: Pickathon, Glastonbury & More How Do You Choose a Festival? How Glastonbury Tickets Actually Work What Bonnaroo's Year Off Means for Fans City Festivals vs. Camping Festivals Festival Bucket Lists CaveFest & Our Ticket Giveaway Festivals We're Hitting Next Going to Festivals Solo Wrap-UpLINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODECaveFest 2026 Ticket Giveaway: How to Enter@rockstarsweat on InstagramBonnaroo's Cancellation: A City Official on the Long-Term Vision for The Farm______ CaveFest at The Caverns, Oct 10-11, 2026 | Get Tickets Here! 🎧 LISTEN LINKS Website: https://thewhatpodcast.com Spotify: https://thewhat.co/spotify Apple Podcasts: https://thewhat.co/applepodcasts YouTube Music: https://thewhat.co/youtubemusic Amazon Music: https://thewhat.co/amazonmusic 📱 SOCIAL LINKS Discord: https://discord.gg/zShHTeCYGn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewhatpodcast X: https://x.com/thewhat_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhatpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewhatpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewhatpodcast The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat, used with permission. Other music provided by Midist and used with permission. We love to hear from you! Send us an email at comments@thewhatpodcast.com or call (423) 667-7877 and leave us a voicemail. We might just feature it on the show.
- 3 weeks ago1h 15m
Bonnaroo's Cancellation: A City Official on the Long-Term Vision for The Farm
Bonnaroo is taking 2027 off, and we wanted to dig into what's next. This week we're joined by David Bruce (I Am Bonnaroo) and Ryan French, a Manchester city councilman and tourism official with a front-row seat to what a fallow year actually means for the town Bonnaroo calls home. We get into the economic ripple through Manchester, why Bonnaroo is the "bell cow" for festivals far beyond itself, what a year off does to the local businesses and community that depend on it, and why our guests are hopeful about 2028 and beyond.Plus, Barry reflects on a full-circle moment: covering Bonnaroo in 2002 as a skeptical newspaper reporter, and getting quoted in Rolling Stone about its future 24 years later.Get tickets to CaveFest here! Oct 10-11, 2026 at The CavernsListen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!______ The News, One Week Later and a Rolling Stone Shoutout How We Got Here: From a 2002 "Hippie Fest" to Rolling Stone David Bruce & Ryan French Join Bonnaroo the "Bell Cow" and What It Means for Other Festivals What a Year Off Costs Manchester The Community Response and Keeping Bonnaroo Alive Looking Forward and Moving Ahead Reflecting on Past Cancellations Mini-Roos and 2027 EventsLINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODERolling Stone: Bonnaroo Taking ‘Much-Needed Year Off’ in 2027Ashley CappsForce Majeure with Jeff BeckerWhat Bonnaroo Fans Actually Want From a PodcastBonnaroo Cancels 2027: Our Live ReactionCatching Up with I am Bonnaroo Creator David BruceInstagram: @iambonnarooHow Bonnaroo Changed Manchester Forever: Live from Planet Roototemfnd.orgBonnaroo's Infamous "Squarch": The Full Story with Tim "Tuba" Smith______ CaveFest at The Caverns, Oct 10-11, 2026 | Get Tickets Here! 🎧 LISTEN LINKS Website: https://thewhatpodcast.com Spotify: https://thewhat.co/spotify Apple Podcasts: https://thewhat.co/applepodcasts YouTube Music: https://thewhat.co/youtubemusic Amazon Music: https://thewhat.co/amazonmusic 📱 SOCIAL LINKS Discord: https://discord.gg/zShHTeCYGn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewhatpodcast X: https://x.com/thewhat_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhatpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewhatpodcast/ TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thewhatpodcast" rel="nofoll
- Aug 21, 202622 min
Bonnaroo 2027 Cancelled: A Fallow Year — What It Means
We officially have confirmation on Bonnaroo's 2027 cancellation. We got together to share our initial reaction, and Barry literally pulled over on the side of the road to record this. As far as The What Podcast goes, we're still here every week and we'll have a deeper dive into this news next week.Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!______ 🎧 LISTEN LINKS Website: https://thewhatpodcast.com Spotify: https://thewhat.co/spotify Apple Podcasts: https://thewhat.co/applepodcasts YouTube Music: https://thewhat.co/youtubemusic Amazon Music: https://thewhat.co/amazonmusic 📱 SOCIAL LINKS Discord: https://discord.gg/zShHTeCYGn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewhatpodcast X: https://x.com/thewhat_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhatpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewhatpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewhatpodcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thewhat.co Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thewhatpodcast The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat, used with permission. Other music provided by Midist and used with permission. We love to hear from you! Send us an email at comments@thewhatpodcast.com or call (423) 667-7877 and leave us a voicemail. We might just feature it on the show.
- Aug 19, 20261h 9m
Is Hulaween Everything Bonnaroo Used to Be?
Is Hulaween everything Bonnaroo used to be? We put the question to John, our EDM and jam-scene correspondent, and his answer says a lot about how both festivals have changed.John makes the case for Hulaween, String Cheese Incident's own festival at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, where the daily lineups just dropped. We get into what makes it different from Bonnaroo: the jam-forward lineup with an electronic edge, the six-hour String Cheese / My Morning Jacket / STS9 runs, and the secret sets where anyone might sit in: Goose turning up to play with Cheese, that kind of unplanned magic. It leads to a real conversation about whether Bonnaroo's special moments have started to feel scheduled instead of spontaneous, and John doesn't hold back, including some honest thoughts on this year's very EDM-heavy Thursday.Plus: John recaps his own Bonnaroo 2026 (great, but different, and quieter than years past), we looks ahead to ShoalsFest October 3-4 in Alabama, CaveFest at The Caverns October 10–11, and take a look at the surprisingly free EDM lineup at our own River Games in Chattanooga.Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!______00:00:00) Intro Festival updates: CaveFest, 420 Fest, ShoalsFest, River Games EDM Correspondent John Joins the Show Hulaween Drops its Daily Linueps Comparing Hulaween to Bonnaroo John's Bonnaroo 2026: Great, But Different What's Next for The What Podcast OutroLINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEHow Has Bonnaroo Changed? A Festival Photographer's ViewKyle Hollingsworth Interview: String Cheese Incident, New Music & Craft BeerOkay...We Were Wrong About Geese______ 🎧 LISTEN LINKS Website: https://thewhatpodcast.com Spotify: https://thewhat.co/spotify Apple Podcasts: https://thewhat.co/applepodcasts YouTube Music: https://thewhat.co/youtubemusic Amazon Music: https://thewhat.co/amazonmusic 📱 SOCIAL LINKS Discord: https://discord.gg/zShHTeCYGn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewhatpodcast X: https://x.com/thewhat_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhatpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewhatpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewhatpodcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thewhat.co Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thewhatpodcast The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat, used with permission. Other music provided by Midist and used with permission. We love to hear from you! Send us an email at comments@thewhatpodcast.com or call (423) 667-7877 and leave us a voicemail. We might just feature it on the show.
- Aug 12, 20261h 9m
How Has Bonnaroo Changed? A Festival Photographer's View
How has Bonnaroo changed over the years? We asked someone with a rare vantage point — Elizabeth Thorpe, festival photographer and our West Coast correspondent, who's been going to Bonnaroo since 2004 and now shoots it from inside the photo pit.Beth walks us through what the festival experience is really like from behind the lens: the "first three songs only" rule, why the pit is her happy place, and how Bonnaroo has evolved from a freewheeling field party into something bigger, busier, and more produced.We also get into her recent run of festivals beyond Bonnaroo: Wilco's Solid Sound in Massachusetts (with a Mermaid Avenue set featuring Billy Bragg and a surprise Natalie Merchant appearance) and Pickathon out in the Oregon woods. Beth covered both for The What Podcast, and shares her photography throughout.Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!______ Intro 20 Years at Bonnaroo, From Superfan to the Photo Pit Solid Sound: Wilco's Own Festival in Massachusetts Pickathon: Eight Stages in the Oregon Woods Still No Dates for Bonnaroo 2027? OutroLINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEWhat Bonnaroo Fans Actually Want From a PodcastFlying to Bonnaroo: What You Actually Need to BringBonnaroo 2026: Thursday Headliner Confirmed + Our Corona Capital 2025 BreakdownInstagram: @ethorpephotoInstagram: @circles_of_sound______ 🎧 LISTEN LINKS Website: https://thewhatpodcast.com Spotify: https://thewhat.co/spotify Apple Podcasts: https://thewhat.co/applepodcasts YouTube Music: https://thewhat.co/youtubemusic Amazon Music: https://thewhat.co/amazonmusic 📱 SOCIAL LINKS Discord: https://discord.gg/zShHTeCYGn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewhatpodcast X: https://x.com/thewhat_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhatpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewhatpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewhatpodcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thewhat.co Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thewhatpodcast The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat, used with permission. Other music provided by Midist and used with permission. We love to hear from you! Send us an email at comments@thewhatpodcast.com or call (423) 667-7877 and leave us a voicemail. We might just feature it on the show.
- Aug 5, 202656 min
What Bonnaroo Fans Actually Want From a Podcast
What do Bonnaroo fans actually want from a podcast? We surveyed our listeners — and 89% agreed on the answer. In this episode of The What Podcast, Barry, Bryan, and Russ break down the results of our listener survey: where you're really listening (YouTube is running away with it), how you found the show, and what content you want more of.We also catch up on a busy stretch of festival season: the rain that hammered Lollapalooza and Hinterland, the pull of Pickathon out in Oregon, and a remembrance of Glen Hansard. Plus: which festivals YOU want us to cover next (Shaky Knees, Bourbon & Beyond, and a few surprises made the list), and a look at the flood of vintage Bonnaroo photo galleries taking over Reddit.Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!______ Intro Keith Richards & Our Bonnaroo Radio Takeover Jesse Welles in Asheville Lollapalooza, Hinterland, and Pickathon Remembering Glen Hansard The Survey: We Asked Why You Listen Where Do Bonnaroo Fans Actually Listen? 89% of Our Listeners Want This How You Actually Found Us Which Festivals Should We Cover Next? Your Comments The Bonnaroo Photos Reddit Loves Wrap-Up & Camp Nutbutter MemoriesLINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEBonnaroo's Lineup Secrets, From a Booking Agent Named Keith RichardsBonnaroo Radio Takeover ft. Noah Kahan, String Cheese Incident & MoreTraveling to Bonnaroo: A Patreon ChatIt's Bonnaroo Week! Hype, Stories & Last-Minute TipsSt. Paul and The Broken Bones' Paul Janeway Got Peed on at BonnarooInstagram: @ethorpephotoInstagram: @rockstarsweat______ 🎧 LISTEN LINKS Website: https://thewhatpodcast.com Spotify: https://thewhat.co/spotify Apple Podcasts: https://thewhat.co/applepodcasts YouTube Music: https://thewhat.co/youtubemusic Amazon Music: https://thewhat.co/amazonmusic 📱 SOCIAL LINKS Discord: https://discord.gg/zShHTeCYGn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewhatpodcast X: https://x.com/thewhat_podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhatpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewhatpodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thewhatpodcast Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thewhat.co Threads: https://www.threads.net/@thewhatpodcast The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat, used with permission. Other music prov
About The What Podcast
Bonnaroo is more than just a festival, and The What Podcast is your backstage pass to the stories, secrets, and the magic that makes it so legendary. Hosted by two entertainment industry veterans, each week Barry and Bryan will take you deep into festival culture, live music, and behind-the-scenes stories. Since 2018, we've connected with passionate music fans worldwide, sharing personal experiences, expert insights, and exclusive interviews with the musicians and industry insiders who make festivals happen. Whether you're a Bonnaroo veteran or a first-timer, subscribe now to stay in the loop on everything that makes music festivals unforgettable.
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It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of The What Podcast as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
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