How to Do the 'Roo: Building the Perfect Bonnaroo Schedule

Let's concede this right out of the gate: there is no one perfect Bonnaroo schedule. Given the wealth of talent on display and the impossible way they're stacked up against one another, it's almost a guarantee that you will, at some point, miss something amazing. But that doesn't mean that you can't minimize your risk. We've put together a list of Bonnaroo sure-things, hour-by-hour, to ensure that you make the most of your weekend in the sun.

Thursday

5:45-6:45 p.m. - Janelle Monae
Trust us: this is exactly how you want to start your festival. Monae's wound-up Grace-Jones-in-Fast-Forward stage show is breathtaking, a mind-blowing collision of throwback R&B and glitchy new wave. Monae is a wonder: decked out in a starched white shirt and balancing a mohawk shock of black hair, she is constantly in motion, making her adrenalized songs seem that much more manic and alive.

6:45-7:45 p.m. - White Rabbits
The perfect follow-up to Monae, Brooklyn's White Rabbits deliver ramshackle indie rock built from spindly guitars and banging barroom piano. Their music is relentlessly percussive, big beats bolstering wonderfully wobbly vocals. When all those elements are combined, it sounds like the apocalypse hitting a concert hall.

10:15-11:15 p.m. - People Under the Stairs
Ten years into their lifespan and PUTS remain as energetic and vital as ever. They defy anyone who claims live hip-hop doesn't work: their firebrand performances are the stuff of legend, demanding full-on audience attention and participation.

11:15 p.m.-12:15 a.m.- Passion Pit
There's a reason you've been hearing so much about Passion Pit these days. The latest to tinker with the "Dance + Rock" equation, Passion Pit have figured out a way to meld the grandiosity of Arcade Fire with the squiggle and thump of Pet Shop Boys. Their live shows are convulsive and energizing, the perfect late night dance party to wind down Day One.