WNCW Host Renee Denton is representing the station at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival 2017. She will post updates and photos here...so check back for news from Bonnaroo!
Les Paul would've been 102 today! It's sort of a coincidence that we're here at Bonnaroo to celebrate it. Michael Braunstein from the Les Paul Foundation is at Bonnaroo to present the 2nd annual Les Paul Spirit Award for Innovation and Achievements to The Edge of the band U2. The inaugural award was given to Bob Weir, founding member of Grateful Dead.
We had a playful encounter with Angelique Kidjo after the press panel as she was chopping up a daikon radish at an Oxfam table. Oxfam is an international organization leading the fight against poverty, hunger, and injustice worldwide. We'll be seeing Angelique perform her interpretation of the Talking Heads' "Remain in Light" tonight!
We'll write more after we see the highly anticipated performance by this 3 time Grammy winner.
Angelique Kidjo's performance was outstanding. Joined by a full band including a horn section and backup singers, the show was captivating! She spoke to the audience who enthusiastically responded then she hopped off the end of the stage and danced her way around the crowd. In the press panel earlier yesterday she said she seeks to connect to diverse people who all speak the common language of music. She did just that!
Ben Jaffe of Preservation Hall Jazz Band stated simply, "Music is our blood, it's in our hearts, it's part of our DNA, it's the joy and hope of New Orleans." The tuba and bass player later joined the band Friday night for a show that exemplified his statement. The band's rhythms led us through multiple emotions. In grand New Orleans style, the band raised the tempo and made everyone feel joy and maybe hope too.
