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The Police and All-Star Collaborations Highlight Bonnaroo

The Police lived up to the reunion hype at Bonnaroo last weekend, playing an 18-song set that was one of just many highlights for the 80,000 fans who attended the three-day music festival in Manchester, Tennessee. The reunited trio of Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland dispelled any rumors that their act had gotten rusty, tearing through reworked versions of fan favorites like "Roxanne" and "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic."

The festival's other most-discussed event was a surprise jam session on Friday night featuring singer-guitarist Ben Harper, drummer ?uestlove of The Roots, and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. The trio dazzled an overflow crowd at one of Bonnaroo's smaller, tented stages with extended versions of Zeppelin classics, including a 25-minute version of "Dazed and Confused."

Surprise collaborations were the order of the day at this year's Bonnaroo. Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello joined Tool during their headlining set; Ziggy Marley sat in for Ben Harper's set; and John Paul Jones made another unannounced appearance with all-female bluegrass group Uncle Earl.

Fans of jazz sax virtuoso Ornette Coleman got a scare when the 77-year-old free jazz pioneer collapsed from heat stroke during his Sunday afternoon set. Coleman was rushed a local hospital and given fluids, and is reported to be in good condition.

—The ARTISTdirect Staff
06.18.07