The What Podcast

Barry Courter and Bryan Stone
The What Podcast

The What Podcast is a weekly show by two veterans of the entertainment media universe with a passion for live music and music festivals. They came together over a love of Bonnaroo and found out pretty quickly that they are not alone. In fact, since launching in 2018, they found kindred spirits all over the world who also love the vibe found only at music festivals. Each week they share their own stories and opinions, but they also dig deeper and talk to the musicians and industry insiders who make the magic happen.

  1. Bonnaroo 2025 Hype: Tipper Confirmed + Nashville Meetup!

    5 DAYS AGO

    Bonnaroo 2025 Hype: Tipper Confirmed + Nashville Meetup!

    It's time to get hyped for Bonnaroo 2025! In this episode, we break down major updates, including the confirmation of Tipper on the lineup. Tipper’s inclusion is creating buzz, and we speculate on his placement in the schedule. We also discuss what this means for Bonnaroo’s evolving lineup strategy and its ability to bring legacy acts into the spotlight. We also need to talk about some of the recent policy changes, such as the new re-entry fee if you leave the farm, and new ticket options. Beyond the festival news, Russ talks about the Bonnaroo Takeover, a last-minute meetup in East Nashville hosted by marketing director Cory Smith and the Bonnaroo team. Featuring free Spicy Pie, a DJ set by Sparkle City Disco, and the "Letters to Roo" mailbox project, this event highlights the festival's commitment to the community. Could future Bonnaroo meetups be planned? Finally, we dive into the broader festival scene, from Shaky Knees' move to Piedmont Park and date change to Coachella's 2025 lineup featuring Kraftwerk and Misfits. Are you Ready to ROO? The What Podcast wants to send you to the Farm to experience a magical weekend of music, fun, and friendship at Bonnaroo! You'll witness round-the-clock entertainment from over 100 artists! We've got 4-day tickets and a camping pass for you and a guest. Visit thewhat.co/win for details. ______ CHAPTERS (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:39) Last Week at The Caverns (00:04:58) Bonnaroo's Nashville takeover (00:24:27) Re-entry fee (00:33:19) GA+ and Insider (00:37:27) Tipper confirmed (00:42:46) Other festival news (00:53:09) Country music at Bonnaroo (01:03:57) Outro

    1h 5m
  2. What’s Next for Bonnaroo in 2025?

    NOV 4

    What’s Next for Bonnaroo in 2025?

    Could comedy make a comeback at Bonnaroo in 2025? Expanded camping options, or even a two-weekend event? This week on The What Podcast, we dive deep with Bonnaroo insiders Festival Director Brad Parker and Marketing Manager Cory Smith from C3 Presents. They share exclusive insights into what worked in 2024, what fans loved, and the exciting changes planned for 2025. If you're a Bonnaroovian, you won’t want to miss this one! And, of course, it wouldn't be Bonnaroo without a diverse lineup. Brad and Cory hint at what fans can expect — from EDM headliners to legacy acts — and talk about the balancing act of booking artists that honor Bonnaroo's roots while offering the "best in the streets" to appeal to any fan, regardless of genre. Join the Discord for early access to episodes! Photo By: Evan Brown Are you Ready to ROO? The What Podcast wants to send you to the Farm to experience a magical weekend of music, fun, and friendship at Bonnaroo! You'll witness round-the-clock entertainment from over 100 artists! We've got 4-day tickets and a camping pass for you and a guest. Visit thewhat.co/win for details. ______ CHAPTERS (00:00:00) Intro (00:02:29) Beat in Nashville (00:07:08) This week's guests (00:15:19) Russ in a music video (00:16:37) Interview with Brad and Cory (00:18:14) Bonnaroo 2024 feedback (00:31:15) Grading last year's festival (00:35:12) Focusing on community (00:37:42) C3 revolutionized the industry (00:42:45) Lessons learned (00:25:53) Tuesday entry (00:53:09) Lineup talk (01:08:58) Bonnaroo census (01:14:47) Teasing things for Bonnaroo 2025 (01:18:39) Chappell Roan (01:25:51) GWAR (01:28:14) Brad's tweet (01:29:35) Changes for Bonnaroo 2025 (01:37:20) Who stage (01:38:02) Final thoughts (01:39:37) Outro

    1h 46m
  3. Beyond South Star: Huntsville's Unique Vision for Cultivating a Music Scene

    OCT 16

    Beyond South Star: Huntsville's Unique Vision for Cultivating a Music Scene

    We conclude our coverage of South Star 2024 this week with an exclusive peek behind the curtain into how the festival came together in such a short period of time, and the long-term vision the city has for it. Despite the hurricane weather and Sunday's cancellation, the event was a huge success for the city. Matt Mandrella is Huntsville's Music Officer, quite possibly the first person in the country to hold a municipal position dedicated to developing and improving the musical culture for a city. "Huntsville is working to develop its music infrastructure, including attracting industry professionals and improving music education in schools," Matt tells us. Matt also explains the reasons why Huntsville wanted to host a regional music festival, what commitments the city made when working with C3 Presents to bring the event to life, and the shockingly short timeline they had to complete it when the decision was made to move it up a year from 2025 to 2024. Beyond South Star though, Huntsville believes that music is a critical component to the city's growth and quality of life. Matt takes us on a deeper dive into the plans Huntsville has to bring in more artistic talent, including grants and incentives bands can receive for touring and creating music. It's a fascinating conversation behind the scenes you won't want to miss! Donate to Hurricane Helene relief efforts here Photo by: Evan Brown Are you Ready to ROO? The What Podcast wants to send you to the Farm to experience a magical weekend of music, fun, and friendship at Bonnaroo! You'll witness round-the-clock entertainment from over 100 artists! We've got 4-day tickets and a camping pass for you and a guest. Visit thewhat.co/win for details. ______ CHAPTERS (00:00:00) Intro (00:11:54) Interview with Matt Mandrella (01:09:26) Outro

    1h 13m
4.9
out of 5
148 Ratings

About

The What Podcast is a weekly show by two veterans of the entertainment media universe with a passion for live music and music festivals. They came together over a love of Bonnaroo and found out pretty quickly that they are not alone. In fact, since launching in 2018, they found kindred spirits all over the world who also love the vibe found only at music festivals. Each week they share their own stories and opinions, but they also dig deeper and talk to the musicians and industry insiders who make the magic happen.

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