U2 will headline Bonnaroo 2017
NASHVILLE — Rock giants U2 will headline the 2017 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.
The band revealed their 2017 tour plans Monday, which includes a stop at the Manchester, Tenn., music festival, taking place June 8-11. They're celebrating the 30th anniversary of their landmark album, The Joshua Tree, and each show will feature a full performance of the album — including Bonnaroo.
Bono and company last performed in Middle Tennessee in 2011, when their "360" tour made a stop at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville. Bonnaroo will mark the band's first-ever headlining gig at a U.S. festival.
Bonnaroo runs from Thursday-Sunday, with headliners performing nightly, starting Friday. No word yet on which night belongs to U2 — their tour schedule blocks off all four days for Bonnaroo. The festival traditionally reveals its daily schedule in the spring.
This will be the 16th annual Bonnaroo, and perhaps the most crucial year for the festival since its first in 2002. Last year's Bonnaroo was the most poorly attended in the festival's history. Fans and observers pointed to an underwhelming lineup, additional ticket fees and a competitive music festival market as factors.
Ahead of Monday's announcement, rumors swirled for months about U2 and Bonnaroo. Alt-rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers and modern pop star The Weeknd often have been mentioned in the same breath — however the full lineup won't be known until Wednesday.
Bonnaroo is set to reveal the rest of its 2017 lineup Wednesday morning. Tickets also go on sale at that time, starting at $299.50 with fees.
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