The Patchouli Stays in the Picture

photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

Saturday

12:30 p.m.

While the Neville Brothers bring their sweet New Orleans soul to the What Stage, U.K. rockers the Magic Numbers played their first gig in a while at the Which Stage. The band debuted some songs from their forthcoming follow-up to their self-titled 2005 disc. Backstage, singer Angela Gannon tells us the band is happy to be on the road again, trying out new songs and looking forward to a late-summer string of shows with the Flaming Lips and Sonic Youth.

2:30 p.m.

Buddy Guy and his Damn Right Blues Band give a shout-out to the late Ray Charles before launching into "What'd I Say." Meanwhile, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are giving the tightest set of their lives in That Tent and indie-rock outfit Steel Train, back for a second year at Bonnaroo, are rocking This Tent. Frontman Jack Antonoff agrees with the current consensus. "It seems like, compared to last year, it's a totally different group of people here for the shows," he tells us. "A lot more indie kids."

3:30 p.m.

Elvis Costello and the Imposters draw hordes to the What Stage for a rousing retrospective set, including "Watching the Detectives," "Pump It Up" and "Allison." Legendary New Orleans pianist-songwriter Allen Toussaint joins Costello onstage to play cuts for the duo recent collaboration, The River in Reverse.

After the set, Toussaint reflects on the increased attention given to Toussaint and New Orleans in recent days. "Katrina has been quite a booking agent," he tells us, and it's true: the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the Neville Brothers, Dr. John and the Rebirth Brass Band are all here and it's unlikely they all would have otherwise, were it not for the collective good will afforded the city in recent months. "Everywhere the New Orleans musicians have been sent, they've been wonderful for us. I must say, out of the balancing act between good and evil out of Katrina, good is winning."

In the other tent, world-music fans flock to see Amadou and Mariam. Bonnaroo marked the second U.S. festival for the married Malian couple, who initially found recognition on the European circuit. Both are blind and met as children at a school for the handicapped. Combining African tropical music with the Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd guitarist Amadou grew up listening to, the two won over a crowd with their re-invented and electrifying Malian folk songs. The two performed arm in arm wearing matching silver-rimmed shades. The group's djembe player beat the drum so fast his hands were invisible. "I love you," Miriam announced to the audience before leaving.

4 p.m.

Bob Marley probably appeared on more T-shirts at Bonnaroo than any other artist. His music could be heard drifting from tents throughout the campground. It's no surprise devotees flocked to a set from his son, Damian Marley. The crowd was enthusiastic, but seemed a little flummoxed when Damian covered some of his father's songs that weren't on the mega-selling hits CD Legend, like "Zimbabwe" and "Bad Card." But Marley didn't mind. "A lot of people here were not familiar with the music but I won them over and they really, really got involved with the concert," he told us afterwards.

Thom Yorke certainly got involved. The Radiohead frontman, who had just arrived on site for the night's forthcoming headlining spot, was backstage, singing along to the lyrics and jumping with the crowd. Marley was happy to hear about a new fan but was largely unmoved by Yorke's presence. "I cannot lie," he said. "I'm not too familiar with his music."