The Black Keys' "Supersized, Stunning" Bonnaroo Set (Rolling Stone) Among Festival's Memorable Sets from Nonesuch Artists

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Among the more memorable moments of this weekend's Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival were sets from The Black Keys, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Wanda Jackson, and The Low Anthem. Whether performing on the festival’s largest What Stage, or in one of three intimate festival tents, Nonesuch artists conquered the infamous Bonnaroo dust and heat to deliver noteworthy performances. Among the highlights was what Rolling Stone called a "supersized and stunning" main-stage debut from The Black Keys, "the perfect soundtrack as the sun was setting.”

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As noted last week in the Nonesuch Journal, several Nonesuch artists traveled to Manchester, Tennessee, to perform at the 10th annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival this past weekend, including The Black Keys, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Wanda Jackson, and The Low Anthem. Whether performing on the festival’s largest What Stage, or in one of three intimate festival tents, Nonesuch artists conquered the infamous Bonnaroo dust and heat to deliver noteworthy performances.

A particular highlight for many festival attendees was The Black Keys’ Saturday night show on What Stage. Tens of thousands of fans showed up to see the band’s main-stage debut, pictured at left, a significant venue shift from their 2010 tent show.

Rolling Stone magazine's Josh Eells calls the Keys’ set “supersized and stunning,” with his colleague at Rolling Stone Patrick Doyle agreeing, “It was the perfect soundtrack as the sun was setting.”

The Black Keys' set was lauded for its retro atmosphere, as Daniel Kolitz of Prefix magazine notes: “For the entirety of their lean, Brothers-heavy set, Bonnaroo could have easily been 1968: their proudly analog jams make almost no concessions to the last thirty years of music.”

The night before their Bonnaroo success, The Black Keys hit the stage at The Lawn at White River State Park in Indianapolis for a sold-out performance that proved just as praiseworthy. David Lindquist of the Indianapolis Star writes that “the duo effectively radiates an old-school, made-in-America swagger” with a show that “traced their evolution from scorched-earth bluesmen to celebrated indie rockers.”

On Sunday, The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach joined the legendary Dr. John, whose 1974 album Destively Bonnaroo lent the festival its name, for a Superjam with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, My Morning Jacket drummer Patrick Hallahan, and drummer Max Weissenfeld in That Tent. SPIN included it among that day's 5 Best Sets, with writer Charles Aaron explaining: "It was just the sort of moment of wonderfully groggy transcendence that Bonnaroo exists to conjure." The New York Times's Ben Ratfliff, who hopes "they pile into a studio tomorrow and record it," sums up the Superjam succinctly: "Oh, it was good."

---

Jessica Lea Mayfield, whose Nonesuch debut album, Tell Me, was produced by Auerbach, had kicked off the Nonesuch events at Bonnaroo on Friday afternoon. Creative Loafing's Jeff Hahne says "Her voice sounded as strong as ever and the new songs blended well with the old."

---

Rockabilly legend Wanda Jackson gave another noteworthy Bonnaroo performance Friday night, which covered music from throughout her vast career, taking “the crowd on a rock ‘n’ roll history tour,” according to Rolling Stone’s Patrick Doyle.

Josh Baron of JamBands writes: “Whether it was her 1956 debut song ‘Gotta Know’ or a newer tune such as ‘Shakin’ All Over,’" which opens her Jack White-produced Third Man/Nonesuch debut album, The Party Ain't Over, "Jackson remained ever the small stature firecracker.” Also speaking of her powerful performance, Jim Ridley of the Nashville Scene writes: “Despite the heat and dust she lacked neither fire nor energy.”

---

The Low Anthem, according to Chris Martins of SPIN magazine, performed one of the 5 Best Sets of Bonnaroo 2011's Day 3. Of their diverse set, he says that “their own music ran the gamut from gospel stompers to careening calliope to ambient meditations, but every last bit was soulful and bewitching.” For Martins, the band’s best moment came during their performance of "Home I’ll Never Be," off their Nonesuch debut album, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, at which point “there were glassy eyes all around, and about a half-dozen tales of old spirits by old souls left to go.”

---

For music from all of these artists, head to the Nonesuch Store, where CD and vinyl orders include high-quality, 320 kbps MP3s of the album at checkout. For upcoming live performances, visit nonesuch.com/on-tour.

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The Black Keys: Bonnaroo 2011
  • Monday, June 13, 2011
    The Black Keys' "Supersized, Stunning" Bonnaroo Set (Rolling Stone) Among Festival's Memorable Sets from Nonesuch Artists

    As noted last week in the Nonesuch Journal, several Nonesuch artists traveled to Manchester, Tennessee, to perform at the 10th annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival this past weekend, including The Black Keys, Jessica Lea Mayfield, Wanda Jackson, and The Low Anthem. Whether performing on the festival’s largest What Stage, or in one of three intimate festival tents, Nonesuch artists conquered the infamous Bonnaroo dust and heat to deliver noteworthy performances.

    A particular highlight for many festival attendees was The Black Keys’ Saturday night show on What Stage. Tens of thousands of fans showed up to see the band’s main-stage debut, pictured at left, a significant venue shift from their 2010 tent show.

    Rolling Stone magazine's Josh Eells calls the Keys’ set “supersized and stunning,” with his colleague at Rolling Stone Patrick Doyle agreeing, “It was the perfect soundtrack as the sun was setting.”

    The Black Keys' set was lauded for its retro atmosphere, as Daniel Kolitz of Prefix magazine notes: “For the entirety of their lean, Brothers-heavy set, Bonnaroo could have easily been 1968: their proudly analog jams make almost no concessions to the last thirty years of music.”

    The night before their Bonnaroo success, The Black Keys hit the stage at The Lawn at White River State Park in Indianapolis for a sold-out performance that proved just as praiseworthy. David Lindquist of the Indianapolis Star writes that “the duo effectively radiates an old-school, made-in-America swagger” with a show that “traced their evolution from scorched-earth bluesmen to celebrated indie rockers.”

    On Sunday, The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach joined the legendary Dr. John, whose 1974 album Destively Bonnaroo lent the festival its name, for a Superjam with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, My Morning Jacket drummer Patrick Hallahan, and drummer Max Weissenfeld in That Tent. SPIN included it among that day's 5 Best Sets, with writer Charles Aaron explaining: "It was just the sort of moment of wonderfully groggy transcendence that Bonnaroo exists to conjure." The New York Times's Ben Ratfliff, who hopes "they pile into a studio tomorrow and record it," sums up the Superjam succinctly: "Oh, it was good."

    ---

    Jessica Lea Mayfield, whose Nonesuch debut album, Tell Me, was produced by Auerbach, had kicked off the Nonesuch events at Bonnaroo on Friday afternoon. Creative Loafing's Jeff Hahne says "Her voice sounded as strong as ever and the new songs blended well with the old."

    ---

    Rockabilly legend Wanda Jackson gave another noteworthy Bonnaroo performance Friday night, which covered music from throughout her vast career, taking “the crowd on a rock ‘n’ roll history tour,” according to Rolling Stone’s Patrick Doyle.

    Josh Baron of JamBands writes: “Whether it was her 1956 debut song ‘Gotta Know’ or a newer tune such as ‘Shakin’ All Over,’" which opens her Jack White-produced Third Man/Nonesuch debut album, The Party Ain't Over, "Jackson remained ever the small stature firecracker.” Also speaking of her powerful performance, Jim Ridley of the Nashville Scene writes: “Despite the heat and dust she lacked neither fire nor energy.”

    ---

    The Low Anthem, according to Chris Martins of SPIN magazine, performed one of the 5 Best Sets of Bonnaroo 2011's Day 3. Of their diverse set, he says that “their own music ran the gamut from gospel stompers to careening calliope to ambient meditations, but every last bit was soulful and bewitching.” For Martins, the band’s best moment came during their performance of "Home I’ll Never Be," off their Nonesuch debut album, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, at which point “there were glassy eyes all around, and about a half-dozen tales of old spirits by old souls left to go.”

    ---

    For music from all of these artists, head to the Nonesuch Store, where CD and vinyl orders include high-quality, 320 kbps MP3s of the album at checkout. For upcoming live performances, visit nonesuch.com/on-tour.

    Journal Articles:On TourReviews

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