Bonnaroo '09 Breakouts: Four Bands to Watch

Before you hit the campgrounds in Manchester, Tennessee, check out a list of the four bands RS recommends adding to your already-packed schedule.

Chairlift
You know this Brooklyn trio for that too-cute song "Bruises," which was featured on an iPod commercial. But they're far darker than that tune suggests: Chairlift craft surreal electro-pop that serve as a base for singer Caroline Polachek's gorgeous, opera-trained voice. Bonus: they do a killer cover of Snoop Dogg's "Sensual Seduction."

Passion Pit
The must-see catch on Day One: this Boston crew deliver blippy, beat-savvy dance tunes anchored by vintage analog-synths and singer Michael Angelakos' wild, maniacal shrieking. Expect it to be a raging dance party and much of the crowd singing along to every word.

Dirty Projectors
Dirty Projectors are the weirdest and craziest band you will see at Bonnaroo — period. The Brooklyn crew craft brainy, shape-shifting art-rock that flirts with everything from carefully constructed classical music and knotted prog-rock to classic-rock guitar riffs and sultry R&B vocal melodies. It's no wonder, then, that David Byrne picked Dirty Projectors to play on his artist-curated stage, which also features St. Vincent and Santigold. Dirty Projectors' music doesn?t always work live — just try getting your groove on to all those tempo changes in "Stillness is the Move" — but they'll pull out a couple of cool musical tricks you won't expect.

Tobacco
Tom "Tobacco" Fec normally fronts the electronic psych-rock crew Black Moth Super Rainbow. But he's doing a couple rare sets (including a late-night one on Thursday) with his solo act — and if his recent solo album Fucked Up Friends is any indication, this will be one of the sleeper sets of the fest. Fec's tunes are woozy, day-glo monsters powered by junk-shop synthesizers, hip-hop beats and Fec's heavily-vocodorized vocals. Dude's something of a shy performer: he insists on wearing masks and performing on the ground, surrounded by his synths. But he totally deserves to have a packed crowd. Do yourself a favor and shout for "Hawker Boat," one of his best tracks.