MANCHESTER — Bonnaroo built its base by focusing on jam bands like Phish and Widespread Panic. It’s groovy on the farm and that soundtrack’s been a constant since the early days. This year they’ll add another to that list when Oysterhead takes the stage on Saturday, June 13.

Oysterhead exists as unique take on the jam band concept. It features Primus’s Les Claypool on bass, Phish’s Trey Anastasio on guitar, and The Police’s Stewart Copeland on drums. Their diverse sounds blend into a sorta of eclectic alt-funk gumbo that’s hard not to sway to.

The band formed with the intention of playing a single show at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans back in 2000. The concept blew up and beyond what they intended. Scalpers were demanding and getting over $2000 a ticket and famous folks like Francis Ford Coppola and Simpson’s creator Matt Groening were rumored to have been in the crowd.

The 2020 performance will mark their return to the Bonnaroo stage, having played a two-hour set back in 2006. The Manchester performance will be the last of less than a dozen shows from their brief 2019-20 reformation tour. When we say this could be a once-in-a-lifetime, Bucket List show, we aren’t exaggerating. To check out their 2006 Bonnaroo performance, click here. •

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