I just left the first press conference of Bonnaroo where hiphop-funk-reggae guru Michael Franti of Spearhead set the stage by explaining his routine when coming to Bonnaroo: "The first thing I always do is go over to the port-a-potty, because you can tell what stage the festival is in …" The man speaks the truth.
Asked about using the stage as a soapbox, Franti went on to speak about the community at Bonnaroo: "When you come to a festival, you’re not going to change somebody’s political party or the way they vote tomorrow, but one thing that’s really cool about a festival is that you can’t have one without people working together — and I feel like that’s something that really needs to change in this country." Word.
After the press conference, I got the chance to chat further with Franti (and he even kissed my cheek! swoon!) about his personal commitment to lessen his footprint and whether he thinks the music industry is capable of catalyzing change. More on that later. For now, I’m still recovering from that kiss …
