Am I getting too old for Bonnaroo? As is tradition, I did my walk around at the Manchester-based music festival over the weekend, spending several hours amongst the 80,000 people who were at the four-day event.

This year saw a massive uptick in attendance as they festival sold out for the first time in several years. It had seen its numbers plummet down to around 40,000 before recovering slightly the past couple of years. With tickets nearly $400 for the four-day festival and day parking alone costs nearly $50, it’s not a cheap event. Actually, I’ve always thought Bonnaroo is more for the rich kids given the fact it probably costs well over $1,000 to buy tickets, camp, eat and drink during those four-days. And, most of those going to ‘Roo seem to be from up north so you’ve got transport costs to add in. At the end I think the majority of folks attending the festival are affluent college kids who want to party for four days far away from home.

Myself, I’m a lazy Roo’er. I like blowing in there right around dark, walking around, having something to eat, watching a couple of acts and then going home to sleep in my own bed. If I can get home by the stroke of midnight that’s even better. I know, I’m not your typical Bonnaroo fan even though I’ve probably been to the last eight or nine in a row.

And, this year more than ever, I was lost when it comes to acts. In the past I’ve seen folks like Elton John, Billy Joel, L.L. Cool J, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. This year, I literally did not know one act that was playing at the Farm. Like some out of touch old guy, I had to be educated about the new music as I walked around Friday night. And, might I say that even though I was a fish out of water when it came to hearing music I’m a fan of, it had to be the most comfortable night I’ve ever had at ‘Roo.

I mean, usually it’s raging hot at the festival. I’ve made the mistake of going during the daytime before and have paid for it with nasty sunburns. Not only that but I’ve also been overtaken by something I call “bonna-rash” where I itched for days afterwards. Come to find out it was caused by the type of grass they have on the Farm. With tens of thousands of people walking around, the grass goes from lush green to dead brown in a couple of days. The remnants of the grass then become aerosol and can cause some nasty itching. At least I didn’t get “bonna-flu” from breathing all that floating grass, pollen and dust.

Anyway, there is hope from us 50-somethings who like music festivals but are backward when it comes to modern music knowledge. Coming in October, on the Bonnaroo grounds will be the Exit 111 Festival featuring groups like ZZ Top and Bon Jovi. Now that’s more my speed. Who knows, I may even be a camper for once.