Fruit Bats, a rock band that got their start in 1997 Chicago, helped kick off the folk-rock craze that took off in the early 2000s. The group has changed a lot since it got its start, but singer/songwriter Eric Johnson has always been at the band’s core.
In addition to his work with Fruit Bats, in 2000 Johnson was an instructor at the Old Town School of Folk Music, led his own space-rock band called I Rowboat and was a guitarist in various groups — including Califone and The Shins. The Shins will also be appearing at Bonnaroo this year, so maybe the groups will team up for a song or two.
I like Fruit Bats because they have a mellow, hard-rock sound — reminiscent of Pink Floyd meets Neil Young. They might not have gotten their start until 1997, but their music is from the ’70s. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at the video below. I’m sure it will change your mind.
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Fruit Bats is playing at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, so I’m sure Addam and I will make it to their show. They conflict briefly with Sarah Jarosz, but their tents are close, so we should be able to make part of both sets. Either way, it’s bound to be a great start to our last day at Bonnaroo.
Discography:
- Echolocation (2001)
- Mouthfuls (2003)
- Spelled in Bones (2005)
- The Ruminant Band (2009)
- Tripper (2011)
Sounds Like:
Songs to Listen For:
Times at Roo: 0
Times I’ve Seen Them: 0
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“Baby remember on the bus and my hand was on your knee/When you love somebody, it’s hard to think about anything but to breathe .” — Fruit Bats, When You Love Somebody, Mouthfuls (2003).
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