Word is that Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore — even an Olsen twin or two — could be found traipsing through the Bonnaroo mud in middle-of-nowhere Manchester, Tenn. this past weekend. But we like to think that the Gibson guitars were the real surprise stars of the most anticipated American festival of the summer. Transformed by spastic stage lights and gleaming under the beating sun, Gibsons were at home both in the hands of hair-tossing rocker Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria and whiskey-sweet folky Tift Merritt. Check out our look at Gibson’s most glorious Bonnaroo ’09 moments.
Guitarist Aaron Pfenning (pictured here with a Les Paul Custom) and his band Chairlift hit paydirt after their song “Bruises” landed in an iPod nano commercial last year. Despite the onslaught of rain Thursday night, the reaction to the Chairlift show proved they’ve pushed beyond the first blush of Apple-endorsed success.
The White Rabbits’ Alexander Even recently effused that his vintage Epiphone Casino, shown here on Thursday, is “like the kind Lennon played on ‘The White Album.’”
Lucinda Williams used her J-45, Gibson’s top-selling acoustic guitar, and a pair of cowboy boots to swagger through a terrific set of new and old favorites (“Drunken Angel,” “Little Rock Star,” etc.) on Friday afternoon.
TV On The Radio’s Kyp Malone produced not only the Gibson USA Ebony SG Standard pictured here on-stage during his band’s set on Friday, but he also worked out a three-pickup White SG Special.
At this point, Grace Potter (here on Saturday with her band The Nocturnals) is as famous for wielding a Gibson Flying V as she is for her gorgeously husky voice. She even sells a Flying V tee-shirt in her online gift shop!
Tift Merritt with her road-worn Gibson Acoustic. Check out this photo gallery of Tift with her Gibson over the years.
Behind all that hair is Claudio Sanchez of Coheed & Cambria playing his Gibson Explorer. Last year Explorer loyalist Sanchez told Gibson: “I have a few Explorers that I use as my primary live guitars. One guitar that I’m very fond of is my 1980 E2 Explorer and I also have a few ’76 Reissues ― a red one and a black one that I usually go to most often.”
Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers can’t make up his mind whether he wants to be playing a Les Paul or an SG, but he really doesn’t have to. During his alt-country band’s performance with Booker T on Saturday, the guitarist opted for both — showing off his chops on an SG Special and a glorious Les Paul Goldtop.
Speaking of Les Paul Goldtops, this year’s indie obsession Bon Iver toted his on-stage Saturday to romance the massive crowd that had gathered to hear his magical songs.
Elvis Costello, who released his own signature Gibson Acoustic last year, helped Jenny Lewis polish off her set with a surprise rendition of “Carpetbaggers.”
On the main stage Saturday evening, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy made his band’s new self-titled album sing with his beloved SG.
Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor, wielding an Ebony Les Paul, announced that the band’s Bonnaroo explosive performance would be their last American show.
On Sunday, Andrew Bird could be found cradling his vintage ES-125. The multi-instrumentalist, who also plays violin, mandolin and glockenspiel, has spoken of his increasing reliance on a Gibson guitar during live shows and recording.