Story Time at the Roo Bus
Story Time at the Roo Bus Podcast: Behind the Scenes of Music Festivals | Supporting the TOTEM Foundation
Welcome to Story Time at the Roo Bus, a weekly podcast dedicated to the vibrant music festival community. Join us as we dive deep into everything from Bonnaroo to other iconic music festivals, featuring exclusive interviews and in-depth conversations with the people who bring Earth's greatest parties to life. We share inspiring festival stories, behind-the-scenes insights, and the latest music festival news that has us buzzing.
Our podcast proudly supports the TOTEM Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to helping underserved individuals find career and community opportunities within the music festival industry. Tune in every week for engaging stories, insider access, and a closer look at the world of music festivals!
Episodes
284 episodes
256 - The Future of Bonnaroo: What Worked and What Didn't in 2026
It's been nearly two months since Bonnaroo 2026, making this the perfect time to look back at what worked, what didn't, and what the festival could improve for next year.This week, we have a panel of passionate Bonnaroo fans on to...
255 - Burning Man and Bonnaroo: What's Similar and What's WAY Different
Sharla and Daniel are back this week as they continue preparing for their third trip to Burning Man. In this episode, they compare Burning Man and Bonnaroo, exploring what the two have in common and the major differences that set each experienc...
254 - Bonnaroo Sports with J-Bone and Paw Paw
Daniel and Sharla are away this week after taking Lacey to STS-9, so we've got something special for Bonnaroo fans!This episode hands Roo Bus microphone over to JB and Josh for the pilot episode of an all-new Bonnaroo sports podcast. Fr...
253 - Prepping for Burning Man 2026
Burning Man is only two months away, and Daniel and Sharla are getting ready to head back to Black Rock City! We've been hearing from a lot of Bonnaroovians who are curious about making the trip, so we're kicking off a series of ep...
252 - Our Bonnaroo 2026 Recap Part 2: Justin's Adventures + The Confession Box
In Part 2 of the Roo Bus Bonnaroo recap, Sharla and Daniel return a few weeks after the festival to reflect on their 2026 Bonnaroo experience and how their perspectives have changed since returning home. The episode also features a...
251 - Our Bonnaroo 2026 Recap
It might not have been the Bonnaroo we wanted, but 2026 gave us the Bonnaroo we needed. Both the backstage crew and the community came together to defeat the "final boss" of the rain, mud, and even power outages, and it became one of the ...
250 - Live from the How Stage at Bonnaroo
We're live from Centeroo for this episode! Thanks to the Bonnaroo Works Fund and Planet Roo for hosting us on stage on the Friday of Bonnaroo to talk all things TOTEM and the next generation of Roo. We're joined by our buddy Drew Mo...
249 - Bonnaroo 2026 Final Guide: Weather, Camping Tips & Last-Minute Updates
It's finally here! If you're listening to this, you're probably already on your way to Bonnaroo 2026 and The Farm.This is our final podcast before the festival, and we're covering everything you need to know before you arrive. Brooklin ...
248 - Common John's Roo Beer and Roo Weather with Brooklin and Emily
We've got two awesome guests on this week! Brooklin was up in Manchester this last weekend to visit Common John and get us a sneak peak of this year's Reddaroo beer collab, and we have TV meteorologist and Loophole to Reality camper Emily...
247 - Drew Morgan's Wook Court at Bonnaroo Plus Snake & Jakes in New Orleans
We're down in NOLA this week for our 20th anniversary! But while we were there, we had to stop by the legendary Snake & Jake’s Christmas Club Lounge, an iconic Bonnaroo location that longtime Roo vets will definitely recognize. 👀Als...
246 - Outeroo Has Puppet Strippers
This week, Sharla and Daniel are back inside the Roo Bus for a packed Bonnaroo 2026 weekend episode covering the latest festival news, Outeroo discoveries, and all the random chaos that makes the farm feel like home. We talk about the Bonnaroo ...
245 - Pride Party with House of Yes and our TOTEM Class of 2026
It's a doubleheader on the Roo Bus this week as we get ready for Bonnaroo 2026!First, Jax and Skyler sit down with Adam Dishian from House of Yes to get an inside look at everything House of Yes has planned for Bonnaroo 2026. From inter...
244 - Roo Event Announcements & Guess Who with Justin
It's a big episode this week! The weather is great and the bus is just about ready, so Sharla and Daniel are outside on the hood to talk about a bunch of big announcements. We'll talk about the Group Plaza Party, Centeroo programmin...
243 - 50 Days to Bonnaroo with Giggles the Clown
On this episode of Story Time at the Roo Bus, we celebrate what truly makes Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival special: the people, creativity, and community that bring The Farm to life! Roo is more than a company or trademark. It’s the fans and ...
242 - Building a Van for Bonnaroo, Festivals and National Parks with Chris & Chey
Less than two months until Bonnaroo! In this episode, Sharla sits down with Chris and Chey to talk about their Ford Transit van conversion and how they’re building it for Bonnaroo, music festivals, and cross-country travel to national parks.
241 - Big Announcements, Who Stage Updates & Bonnaroo Schedule Reaction
Roo Season is officially here, and we're back recording inside the Roo Bus! Sharla and Daniel return with some big announcements as Bonnaroo gets closer. We're talking major updates on the Who Stage, plus a last-minute bonus segment afte...
240 - Getting the Roo Bus Ready for Bonnaroo + Festival Camping Plans
Bonnaroo is getting closer, which means it's time to get the Roo Bus ready for another trip to the Farm! This week, Daniel checks in from the road while Sharla holds things down at home as they dive into skoolie life! We're talking...
239 - Bonnaroo: A Loophole to Reality with Shaina
Bonnaroo is almost here! This week, Daniel is joined by special guest Shaina, leader of the Loophole to Reality Bonnaroo Groop Camp and one of the admins behind the popular Bonnaroo: A Loophole to Reality Facebook community. ...
238 - Live From Bangkok, Thailand
Thailand is a really special place to us. Sharla's family lived there, we've been many times, and we really feel like it shares so much in common with Bonnaroo. It's our top recommendation if you want to travel, and we're here from ...
237 - Making Campsite Magic Happen with Matty, Myk and LSDaniel
Sharla and Daniel are still in Asia this week, so guest host Matty is stepping in to talk with LSDaniel and Myk! The three of them go over what it takes to make both renegade and official events happen in the campgrounds and much more.&nb...
236 - TOTEM Scholar Takeover with Austin, Anthony and Emilio
Sharla and Daniel are out of town in Thailand, so some of our former TOTEM scholars are taking over the podcast this week! Hang out with Austin, Anthony and Emilio as they go through anything and everything they'd like and take a look for...
235 - EDM Additions and NYC Adventures
It's a remote episode this week, Sharla is back home in Huntsville while Daniel is up with the NYC / New Jersey crew. We talk about some of the updated EDM additions slipped by the Festive Owl, have a fun walk and talk in the East Village...
234 - The Where Stage EDM Lineup with Imani
Bonnaroo's Where Stage lineup dropped this last week, and we brought in an expert to walk us through who will be playing the UFO Stage! TOTEM Scholar Alumni Imani drops in to give us the info on each artist that will be playing that stage...