The What Podcast
The What Podcast

The What Podcast

Barry Courter and Bryan Stone

Overview
Episodes

Details

The What Podcast is a weekly show by two veterans of the entertainment media universe with a passion for live music and music festivals. They came together over a love of Bonnaroo and found out pretty quickly that they are not alone. In fact, since launching in 2018, they found kindred spirits all over the world who also love the vibe found only at music festivals. Each week they share their own stories and opinions, but they also dig deeper and talk to the musicians and industry insiders who make the magic happen.

Recent Episodes

Bonnaroo 2025 First Impressions: Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler, The Creator, Hozier, and more!
JAN 8, 2025
Bonnaroo 2025 First Impressions: Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler, The Creator, Hozier, and more!

The Bonnaroo 2025 lineup is finally here! Bryan, Barry, and Lord Taco bring you a special live edition of The What Podcast with our first impressions. Who are we excited to see? Who surprised us the most? Over the coming weeks, we will bring you even more coverage of Bonnaroo 2025 along with some exclusive interviews.

Later in the episode, we bring in our friends Lauren and David from Soundchecks to Stagedives and get their take on the lineup, particularly on the EDM side. Plus, we announce the details of our ticket giveaway! Go to thewhat.co/win for how to enter, and make sure you're subscribed to The What Podcast and listen each week for a new question to answer!

Join our Discord for early access to episodes! https://discord.gg/zShHTeCYGn

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CHAPTERS
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:03:14) ICP leaks the lineup
(00:16:00) Barry joins
(00:25:05) Lineup officially released
(00:35:31) Lauren and David join
(00:48:23) Ticket giveaway
(00:50:36) Final thoughts
(00:58:30) Outro

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61 MIN
Essential Vinyl Picks, Bonnaroo News, and Holiday Celebrations
DEC 11, 2024
Essential Vinyl Picks, Bonnaroo News, and Holiday Celebrations
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68 MIN
Van Life, EDM Culture, and Bonnaroo 2025
DEC 4, 2024
Van Life, EDM Culture, and Bonnaroo 2025

Would you live in a van and travel the country going to festivals? While it sounds like a dream lifestyle to most of us, our guests this week, Lauren and David, are living it. They started Soundchecks to Stagedives in 2021 and have spent the last two years on the road full-time, covering music festivals and shows.

Lauren and David take us inside the EDM community, sharing insights and speculating on who we might see at Bonnaroo 2025. From Tipper’s big plans for next year to the acts they’re most excited about, this episode is a must-listen for festival lovers.

Are you Ready to ROO? The What Podcast wants to send you to the Farm to experience a magical weekend of music, fun, and friendship at Bonnaroo! You'll witness round-the-clock entertainment from over 100 artists! We've got 4-day tickets and a camping pass for you and a guest. Visit thewhat.co/win for details.

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CHAPTERS
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:02:15) Roo clue
(00:03:30) Alice's Restaurant
(00:04:50) Festive Owl
(00:06:14) Ticket giveaway
(00:07:19) Shaky Knees dates
(00:09:34) Interview with Lauren and David
(01:08:40) Outro

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72 MIN
Bonnaroo 2025 Hype: Tipper Confirmed + Nashville Meetup!
NOV 27, 2024
Bonnaroo 2025 Hype: Tipper Confirmed + Nashville Meetup!

It's time to get hyped for Bonnaroo 2025! In this episode, we break down major updates, including the confirmation of Tipper on the lineup. Tipper’s inclusion is creating buzz, and we speculate on his placement in the schedule. We also discuss what this means for Bonnaroo’s evolving lineup strategy and its ability to bring legacy acts into the spotlight. We also need to talk about some of the recent policy changes, such as the new re-entry fee if you leave the farm, and new ticket options.

Beyond the festival news, Russ talks about the Bonnaroo Takeover, a last-minute meetup in East Nashville hosted by marketing director Cory Smith and the Bonnaroo team. Featuring free Spicy Pie, a DJ set by Sparkle City Disco, and the "Letters to Roo" mailbox project, this event highlights the festival's commitment to the community. Could future Bonnaroo meetups be planned?

Finally, we dive into the broader festival scene, from Shaky Knees' move to Piedmont Park and date change to Coachella's 2025 lineup featuring Kraftwerk and Misfits.

Are you Ready to ROO? The What Podcast wants to send you to the Farm to experience a magical weekend of music, fun, and friendship at Bonnaroo! You'll witness round-the-clock entertainment from over 100 artists! We've got 4-day tickets and a camping pass for you and a guest. Visit thewhat.co/win for details.

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CHAPTERS
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:39) Last Week at The Caverns
(00:04:58) Bonnaroo's Nashville takeover
(00:24:27) Re-entry fee
(00:33:19) GA+ and Insider
(00:37:27) Tipper confirmed
(00:42:46) Other festival news
(00:53:09) Country music at Bonnaroo
(01:03:57) Outro

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64 MIN
How The Caverns Became Tennessee’s Premier Music Destination
NOV 20, 2024
How The Caverns Became Tennessee’s Premier Music Destination

This week on The What Podcast, we take a field trip to The Caverns in Pelham, TN — a music venue like no other. Located just 20 minutes from Bonnaroo's Farm, The Caverns offers an extraordinary experience, hosting shows underground in a breathtaking cave and on a sprawling outdoor amphitheater.

We sit down with Todd Mayo, the visionary behind The Caverns, to uncover its remarkable story. From serendipitous beginnings to becoming one of Tennessee’s most captivating entertainment landmarks, Todd shares insights from his journey, including highlights from his new book, Caveman Chronicles. Whether you're a music enthusiast or someone interested in the behind-the-scenes challenges of running an independent venue, don't miss this deep dive episode!

Are you Ready to ROO? The What Podcast wants to send you to the Farm to experience a magical weekend of music, fun, and friendship at Bonnaroo! You'll witness round-the-clock entertainment from over 100 artists! We've got 4-day tickets and a camping pass for you and a guest. Visit thewhat.co/win for details.

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CHAPTERS
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:09:51) Interview with Todd Mayo
(01:33:18) Outro

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99 MIN