by EJ Young

Created on: April 12, 2010

Comparing Bonnaroo to Coachella is a little like comparing Credence Clearwater Revival to The Killers. They might both be at the top of the game. They just happen to play different games.

*Similarities between Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival include:

Both events go beyond music into the realm of the arts

Both festivals offer modern amenities for non-camping types

Both are popular with their respective fan bases rating in the top ten festivals in U.S.

Both started close to the same time with Bonnaroo kicking off in 2002 and Coachella in 1999

BONNAROO MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

Set in the scenic hills of Southern Tennessee near Manchester, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival takes place in the middle of June. Attending this huge venue with continuous music and about 150 acts, might cause flashbacks of Woodstock. The hippie-esque feel might be due to the 700 acre farm and the tie dyed shirts. Diehard fans can have fun in the mud if it rains or duck inside the 24 hour cinema. A large comedy tent is another feature at this southern festival.

Bonnaroo claims headliner acts like Metallica and diversity of genres including indie rock and hip-hop. Organizers seem to have something for all fans of the arts at this summer fest. With an appropriate location just 65 miles from the musical city of Nashville a daily shuttle takes fans back and forth. The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival grows in popularity and gets bigger each year.

COACHELLA VALLEY MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival happens on the other side of the country south of Los Angeles with LAX airport about 150 miles north of the grounds. Launching in mid April Coachella officially kicks off the summer festivals with over 100,000 indie music fans attending. 

Touches of the California lifestyle spill over into some of the festival’s amenities with a $10 bottomless water bottle. Fans quench their thirst and still stay green in the arid strip where temperature get hot and feel even hotter due to the huge crowds. For those less than rugged individuals who chose not to endure the elements, on-site luxury safari themed tents rent for $5000 per person. Cheaper tents with an 8 foot square size minus the extras can be rented at $55 per person.  

Coachella purists think of the festival as indie-only.  Known for one of the largest venues in the country to host cutting edge indie artists, the likes of pop star Paul McCartney played Coachella in 2009.  Indie mainstreamers like M.I.A. to the edgy TV on the Radio should please a diverse collection of indie fans.

Bonnaroo and Coachella are both top ten hot spots for musical festivals. On opposite sides of the country, the clientele is opposite in nature as well. Any and all kinds of music happens at Bonnaroo while Coachella features indie artists. Both cave in to modern conveniences unlike the true origin of music festivals when no one seemed to care about sweat and body odor or other personal hygiene matters. Both Bonnaroo and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festivals celebrate more than music. Both recognize the value of the arts in other forms as well. 

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