Pictured above: Holly Humberstone
After last year’s festival ended in disappointment and flooded campsites, dedicated Bonnaroovians were eager to return to “The Farm” for Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in 2026. Headlined by acts like Skrillex, The Strokes, Rüfüs Du Sol, and Noah Kahan, the comeback was bigger than ever.
Thursday featured a new, shorter lineup, but was no less impressive in stature. Spiritual Cramp, Vince Staples, and Four Tet got the party rolling before a brief partial power outage on-site created some concern. Luckily, it was quickly resolved to the relief of all and Skrillex kicked off the first headlining night.
Fuller crowds began to arrive on Friday for the first full-day lineup. Amble brought their Irish charm to the Bonnaroo stage before joining Ed Sheeran on a stadium tour the following day. Goldie Boutilier won over This Tent with her drama-alt-pop, and Wet Leg drew hoards to Which Stage performing hits like “Mangetout”. Yungblud’s spot on the lineup was a huge win for the rock-inclined Bonnaroovians. His set featured ample pyrotechnics, bringing up the heat on an already-sweltering afternoon, and his rebellious spirit led him all the way to the crowd, where he climbed on a human pedestal to serenade the Farm. A friend to the late Ozzy Osborne, Yungblud performed a cover of “Changes” amidst fan-favorites like “fleabag” and “Zombie.” One of the first major conflicts came with the overlapping of sets by Geese and Jessie Murph - two wildly different, but equally incredible, acts. Geese fans partied in mud up to their knees at That Tent while Jessie Murph fans enjoyed her ethereal set over at Which Stage. Griz set himself apart by playing the saxophone live during his DJ set and had one of the most high-energy productions of the day, while over at Mt. Joy’s set, the chill crowd enjoyed an indie rock evening. Saturday found its climax with a set by legacy act The Strokes, who are set to release their seventh album, Reality Awaits, in July.
Arcy Drive made an impression at the What Stage on Saturday as their lead singer hopped from speaker to speaker while covered in paint while hyping the early-afternoon crowd. Their sound is, perhaps, best described by what was painted on his chest: cheap folk punk. Holly Humberstone had her own legion of superfans clinging to the barricade to hear tracks from her latest album, and Tash Sultana drew fans from as far as Hawaii for a mind-blowing set. Rainbow Kitten Surprise made their highly anticipated return to the stage as lead singer Ela Mello flaunted a brand new engagement ring. Another absolute crime of a conflict was that of The Neighbourhood and Kesha’s Superjam Esoterica: The Alchemy of Pop. Both were slated for an 8:45pm start, and I certainly wasn’t the only one sprinting between sets in an effort to enjoy both. However, as an unashamed lover of pop, I found that This Tent was the place to be on Saturday night.
The annual “superjam” is traditionally hosted by one artist who brings together other creators from various genres for a collaborative evening of curated fun. Kesha had a stacked lineup including Mountain Grass Unit, who kicked off the appearances, adding a bluegrass twist to pop classics. Margo Price jumped in on the drums for “Seven Nation Army” and Wyatt Flores took on one of Kesha’s biggest hits, “Die Young.” Flipturn roused the tent with their antics to the tune of “Crazy,” and Ela Mello of Rainbow Kitten Surprise covered “Mr. Brightside.” Del Water Gap had the crowd yearning with “Iris,” and Blondshell had everyone in the palm of her hand during “Maps.” The internet’s favorite boyband, Boy Throb, even made a surprise appearance for “I Will Always Love You,” and Weird Al Yankovic surprised fans for “Chandelier.” Outside of the utopic superjam bubble, Teddy Swims was having his own staggering set and Rüfüs Du Sol closed out the night over at the What Stage.
The weather report on Sunday had some fearful and experiencing a bit of déjà vu as evacuations and downpours put a stop on the festivities in the early afternoon. However, operations took matters into their own hands. Donning galoshes and armed with water vacuums, they miraculously dried up a good portion of the Farm in time for evening sets to begin. Centeroo was back in business! Unfortunately, it meant the cancellation of highly anticipated sets from Aly & AJ and Blondshell.
Japanese Breakfast played to swaths of incoming fans as they raced from the entrance gates to the stage, wanting to squeeze as much out of the limited day as possible. While the ground may have been a mess, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Del Water Gap enjoyed a gorgeous sunset during their performances. Perhaps one of the more exciting back-to-back sets at one stage was Role Model and Noah Kahan. Role Model dubbed Sunday the “Battle of New England”. (The artist, known personally as Tucker Harrington Pillsbury, hails from Maine, while, famously, Noah Kahan comes from Vermont.) And a battle it was! These two sets saw some of the most eager fans vying for the best spots at the barricade with Bonnaroo staff having to maintain competitive lines.
Role Model’s lighthearted show had folks dancing and twirling to hits from Kansas Anymore. Noah, on the other hand, dealt more of a sentimental blow. His humor, however, kept the evening as joyful as ever. He ever-so-naturally transitioned from commenting on the putrid smell of the mud-pit where his satellite sage was placed, to performing two of his most heart-wrenching songs: “View Between Villages” and “Orbiter.” Kahan explained that he’s attended Bonnaroo many times as a fan and reiterated what an honor it was to be the 2026 headliner. It’s no wonder he was bestowed the honor, as The Great Divide, which was released in April, has already surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify. Embarking on a stadium tour around the US this summer, Kahan is winning over crowds with his self-deprecating humor and his vulnerable lyrics.
As tens of thousands of souls basked in the glow of Noah Kahan’s glorious fireworks above The Farm, one message was clear: Bonnaroo is SO back.
