Meditations on Bonnaroo

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By Steve Moore

Story Published: Jun 16, 2011 at 8:57 AM CDT

Story Updated: Jun 16, 2011 at 8:57 AM CDT

Another June is upon Middle Tennessee.  That means another Bonnaroo Music Festival (or whatever it's called) has come and gone--the tenth one, no less.  According to the people who ought to know these things, it will pump about $24M into the Coffee County economy.  But at what cost to the County?  There has been at least one death at Bonnaroo for the past several years.  There have been at least two this year.  How much does it cost for police security?  What about Emergency Medical Services coverage?  All 80K tickets were sold this year.  So that meant it was a sell-out.  During the event, with 80K people packed in a 500-acre field, Manchester has become Tennessee's 7th largest city.  That takes a lot of security and a constant EMS presence.

There's a total of 175 performers doing their thing on 12 stages. It's an around-the-clock bash for three days.  80K sweating bodies crammed into a farm field listening to music that goes on non-stop.  What a logistical nightmare for those who are entrusted with public safety.  More than 1500 were treated this year for heat conditions and overdoses.  The problem lies with people who just don't exercise common sense.  The human body wasn't meant to be subjected to high temps and high humidity (heat index) when full of alcoholic beverages and drugs.  A lack of water will lead to dehydration in short order.  This is a condition that will only escalate.  Soon a trip to the hospital will be in order.  For some, death may occur.  Just about every death at Bonnaroo since 2001 has been drug related.  Seems like they are meeting expectations.  Every year for the past several years, at least two persons have died during this mecca for druggies.  Even up here in Putnam County arrests for drug possession and paraphernalia possession have spiked along I-40 and 111.  Both are major routes to Coffee County.  What can be expected from a drugged out crazed throng when exposed too high heat?  These people get high and dehydrated all at the same time.  Then that condition is extended over a lengthy period of time.

This event has been held every year since since 2001.  Will it continue?  Sure.  Follow the money trail.  There will be more deaths--bet on it.  And, Putnam County willl get some revenue from the transiting druggies.

Proof-positive that Bonnaroo is a druggie haven is  reflected by the number of drug dealers arrested in Putnam County alone who were enroute to Bonnaroo.  That's enough for me!

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Dani said on Monday, Jun 20 at 2:55 PM

It's been an unfortunat­ely fatal season for music festivals this year, but these tragic incidents are nothing new. Check out this Riverfront Times article on the some of the deadliest music festivals to-date. Here's the link below: http://blo­gs.riverfr­onttimes.c­om/atoz/20­11/06/seve­n_deadlies­t_music_fe­stivals_de­ath_bonnar­ro_electri­c_daisy.ph­p#Comments

Sam said on Friday, Jun 17 at 3:36 PM

Read any of this guys article. He's a total loon.

Andrew said on Thursday, Jun 16 at 5:48 PM

Well said Sam.

Jeff said on Thursday, Jun 16 at 3:26 PM

One of the deaths this year was from heat, not drugs. Take the average town of 80,000 people and how often does a person die there? One death out of 80,000 people isn't a stretch anywhere in America on a give four-day period.

Dehydration said on Thursday, Jun 16 at 1:36 PM

Dehydration is a big concern, but the festival did a great job as usual promoting its freely available water and responsible behavior while surviving the heat and humidity of June in Tennessee. It must also be put into perspective that in a town of 80,000 people for four (not three) days, there are reasonable odds that a death may occur. There is the additional factor that some drug use may exacerbate these risks, but this is a risk that each person takes upon themselves. And "transiting druggies" seems unduly harsh to folks that for the most part are having some beers and *gasp* smoking some pot. Summer festivals will always be marked by the accompanying heat indexes, but that does not mean they will go away or should be outlawed. And while your thesis is correct, though buried in your opinion, people either have common sense or they don't. If that was a criminal offense, our jails would be 1,000x more overcrowded than they currently are.

Agree with Sam said on Thursday, Jun 16 at 1:04 PM

Not sure I could put it any better than Sam did. Moore's "truthiness" about the facts discredits his argument, which is not surprising. Looking at his photo immediately invokes emotions of watching a Fox News telecast. Perhaps Mr. Moore is just sad that Glenn Beck left the network and is taking it out on people who do not affect him. The Coffee County residents could not be any nicer to their weekend guests in Manchester. Each year they are incredibly friendly and appreciative of the 80K town and its respectful residents that spring up in their midst for one weekend each year. The police and EMS teams are even tolerant and often offer a smile to passing motorists moving at 5 mph toward the Bonnaroo exits. It seems to me that it is the outlying counties that have a problem with this annual pilgrimage. Perhaps jealousy of the money combined with the inconvenience of highway traffic? The festival organizers do a great job with security and EMS. Allow them to police themselves, please.

Sam said on Thursday, Jun 16 at 10:33 AM

A few edits you should add: 1. The festival covers 700 acres, not 500. 2."Every year for the past several years, at least two persons have died during this mecca for druggies." Incorrect. In 2010 only 1 person died and no one died in 2009. Only 10 patrons have died since 2001 (10 years 10 deaths). 3. So what if people bring drugs into the festival? They certainly don't bring them out. Does it truly do a disservice to your county for people to be driving through it with drugs? I drove through Putnam County on the edge of my seat...and there were no illicit substances in my car. I was afraid that if I drove even the speed limit on 111 I would be pulled over by an over-zealous deputy. Why must your county instill fear in people who want nothing more than to come down and listen to some music? All we are doing is punping money into the local economies and using next to zero resources that draw out of your taxes. Stop being xenophobes looking a gift horse in the mouth.

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