One of the world’s most eclectic and notable festivals has announced it’s lineup. Elton John, Jack White, Vampire Weekend, The Avett Brothers, Phoenix, Arctic Monkeys, and The Flaming Lips are set to headline Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival alongside Kanye West, Lionel Richie, Skrillex, and Frank Ocean. The festival is set to take place in Manchester, TN from June 12-15. Other rock artists on the bill include Mastodon, Cage The Elephant, Fitz & The Tantrums, John Butler Trio, Neutral Milk Hotel, Cake, Slightly Stoopid, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Meshuggah, The Naked and Famous, Capital Cities, Warpaint, Blackberry Smoke, Vintage Trouble, Deafheaven, The Wild Feathers, The Bouncing Souls, Drive-By Truckers, City and Colour, Amos Lee, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The Glitch Mob, and more. Tickets for the festival go on-sale Saturday, February 22 at 12:00pm EST via Bonnaroo.com.
Arctic Monkeys debuted in 2006 with their first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. The disc quickly shot to #1 on the UK Albums Chart and became the fastest-selling debut album in British music history. The follow-up, 2007′s Favourite Worst Nightmare, also hit #1 and won Best British Album at the 2008 BRIT Awards. It debuted at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 in the U.S. That same year, the band played the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, TX. The year 2009 saw the band release their third LP, Humbug. Produced by Josh Homme of Queens of The Stone Age, it debuted at #1 in the UK and #15 in the U.S. A week after the album’s release, the band headlined the Reading and Leeds Festival. The band’s fourth album, 2011′s Suck It and See, gave the band their fourth consecutive #1 hit on the UK Albums Chart. In support of the album, the band embarked on a massive arena tour with The Black Keys. Arctic Monkeys recently released their fifth studio effort, AM. The album once again came out of the gate at #1 on the UK Albums Chart, and #6 on the Billboard Top 200.
The Avett Brothers signed with Rick Rubin’s label, American Recordings, in 2008 and
Rubin signed on to produce the band’s next album. In 2009, Rolling Stone named The Avett Brothers their “#1 Artist to Watch of 2009″. They released their sixth album, I and Love and You, in September. The disc debuted at #16 on the Billboard Top 200, #7 on Billboard Rock Albums, and #1 on Billboard Folk Albums charts. At the 53rd Grammy Awards in 2011, The Avett Brothers joined Mumford and Sons and Bob Dylan for a joint performance of Dylan’s classic, “Maggie’s Farm”. That same year, the band returned to the studio with producer Rick Rubin to record their next album, The Carpenter, which was released in September 2012. The album debuted at #4 on the Billboard Top 200, earning the band their highest-charting album ever. The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Americana Album. The band recently released their latest effort, Magpie and The Dandelion, back in October. The disc debuted at #5 on the Billboard Top 200, right in the middle of the band’s U.S. tour.
Mastodon have announced a spring headlining tour of the U.S. After being a featured act on this past summers Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, and then touring Europe sparingly, the new tour begins on April 29 at the Roseland Theater in Portland, OR. The tour ends on May 17 at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia, PA just one day before the band’s performance atRock On The Range 2014 in Columbus, OH on May 18. Support for the tour will be provided by Gojira and Kvelertak. Mastodon have been keeping busy in the studio, and are putting the finishing touches on their new studio album with Grammy Award-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz (Deftones, Foo Fighters, Rush, Velvet Revolver). The band’s last effort, 2011′s The Hunter, debuted at #10 on the Billboard Top 200.
In 2009, Los Angeles funk-rockers Fitz and The Tantrums released their debut 
EP, Songs For a Breakup, Vol. 1. That same year, the band tour with Flogging Molly, and played a handful of shows with Maroon 5 on their Back to School Tour. In May 2010, the band was invited to play SXSW and in August, the band released their debut album, Pickin’ Up The Pieces in August 2010 to much acclaim. The record debuted at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. In early 2013, the band signed with Elektra Records and released their sophomore effort and major label debut, More Than Just A Dream, back in May. The record hit #26 on the Billboard Top 200. The album produced two hit songs for the band – “MoneyGrabber” and “Out of My League”.
Capital Cities got their start in 2009 in Los Angeles, CA. The band founded their own record label, Lazy Hooks Records, and released their self-titled EP in 2011. In 2012, the band inked a deal with Capitol Records. In conjunction with Lazy Hook, they released their major label debut LP, In a Tidal Wave of Mystery, in June 2013. The album hit #66 on the Billboard Top 200, and so far has spawned two hit singles – “Safe and Sound” and “Kangaroo Court”. – by Matt Bishop
