American Songwriter at Bonnaroo: Saturday

So MMJ kept us up into the morning. It took us a while to get back down to Manchester on Saturday.So MMJ kept us up into the morning. It took us a while to get back down to Manchester on Saturday.

We were able to catch some of The Avett Brothers’ set at the Other Tent. They teased the crowd with some new songs while keeping everyone enthused with some “classics.”

Cat Power poured her all out on the stage over at This Tent, where rain from the previous night had helped to churn up some nice mud. The gunk didn’t dissuade the crowd from packing in for Ms. Marshall, who showed her appreciation by showering her fans with flowers at set’s end.

Iron and Wine was up next. Sam Beam and company played a tight set of mellow, African-inspired, soft-pop tunes. But Levon Helm and the Ramble on the Road pulled us away to soak in some timeless blues-rock. Whether it was a song from their recent past or a gem like “The Weight” the crowd couldn’t get enough. After battling throat cancer, recovering and recording Dirt Farmer, there’s no doubt Levon Helm still has grit and guts in his vocals.

Pearl Jam deftly executed the part of the headlining band. Like Metallica the night before, they pleased the masses with some of their best cuts from the ‘90s while encouraging folks to vote. It was incredible…

The AS team stuck around for as long as we could, but after the rain the previous night, and the work that lies ahead, we had to say farewell to Bonnaroo toward the end of Pearl Jam’s set. Until next year!