I Wanna Rock

Let’s face it: our country is at war with itself. Red against blue. Liberal against conservative. Rich against poor. Cat against dog. We need something that can pull us together, something we can all rally around. We need… the power of music.

*Ahem.* I said, “We need the power of music.”

(I swear, there’s never an inspirational John Williams score around when you need one. Okay, we’re doing this the hard way.)

Almost a decade ago, I was tired of listening to the same old music, so I decided to ask my friends for suggestions. Of course I couldn’t be so pedestrian as to just say “what do you recommend?” I had to have some fun with it. Instead I asked, “If there was a music festival coming to town, and you found out a specific act was there, what one act would make you buy a ticket no matter what?” I promised I would listen to any suggestion, and the fifteen best would be in my fantasy music festival.

Well of course I started getting suggestions like The Beatles and Pink Floyd among some more modest, less famous acts. That didn’t seem entirely fair to me, because OF COURSE you’re gonna have The Beatles at your music festival, right? So I decided to create the Stage of Legends, five acts so amazing they transcended the form and deserved to be, well, Legends. And thus was born Bobapalooza, The Greatest Show That Never Was, with five acts on the Stage of Legends and 15 Main Stage bands.

It was so popular (and honestly so much fun) that by popular demand I brought it back several times. But like all good things, it had its season, and I’ve only even attempted to do a Bobapalooza once in over a decade.

I think it’s time to change that.

BOBAPALOOZA 2025: ONE NATION UNDER BOB
Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Now it’s time to do your part and contribute.

Here’s the rules:

MAIN STAGE

1. You have to pick a band you would sit through the entire set. Not “I love this song!” I want “I love this band!”
2. Yes, you can post as many as you like, but really, how many bands are THAT good?
3. If you intend to post more than one, please don’t spam the feed (more than 10 bands a day from one person is a bit much. I do have a life. And see 1 & 2.)
4. If you post it I will listen to it, so please, be gentle.
5. Please note that this is a Main Stage entry.
6. Any band that made it to the show in a previous year (main stage or Stage of Legends) will not be considered for the main stage this year. See the lists below.

STAGE OF LEGENDS

1. All of the rules for Main Stage apply, only even more. I mean, think about 1 & 2 especially. These guys are supposed to be LEGENDS.
2. Testify! Tell me (and the world!) why you think this band deserves to be named a Legend. For an idea of the sort of thing I have in mind look at the write up from Bobapalooza 2011 or Bobapalooza 2012.
3. Any band that made it to the Stage of Legends in a previous year will not be considered this year, however, Main Stage acts may still be nominated.

And remember, just as Master Yoda told us, “Do, or do not; there is no try.” Once a band has been nominated for the Stage of Legends, they are no longer in the running for the main stage. The whole point of the Stage of Legends is to give a fair shot to lesser known bands. If you think your favorite band has what it takes to compete with the big boys, put ‘em in, but don’t hedge your bets. Go big or stay home.

To answer a question I get all the time, YES, you can nominate a Main Stage alum for the Stage of Legends. They just can’t come back to the Main Stage.

Submissions can be made via comment or DM at @bobbonsall.bsky.social. Send me a link to your favorite song by the band you want to nominate as well as letting me know if this is a Main Stage or Stage of Legends submission. If you don’t say I will assume Main Stage to give them the best chance, unless they are not eligible for the Main Stage. (If they aren’t eligible for Bobapalooza at all, I will taunt you a second time.)

Starting July 1 I will decide who the winners are, and I will post my fifteen favorite bands for the main stage and the five act Stage of Legends. I will also give credit to the first person who suggested them, so get in early for your shot at fame!

If you still have questions, please feel free to comment on this blog post or DM me at @bobbonsall.bsky.social. Insightful questions will receive careful, well-thought-out answers. Off-hand questions will get off-hand answers. Questions that prove you didn’t bother to read everything I already wrote will be met with shame and ridicule, not necessarily in that order.

Stage of Legends Alumni:
The Beatles
Rush
Led Zepplin
Iron Maiden
Pink Floyd
Bob Marley
David Bowie
Michael Jackson
The Cure
N.W.A.
Nirvana
The Doors
Sting
Nine Inch Nails
Johnny Cash
Jefferson Airplane
AC/DC
Weezer
Black Sabbath
Simon & Garfunkel
Depeche Mode
Alice in Chains
Madonna
The Grateful Dead
Tori Amos

Main Stage Alumni:
Flogging Molly
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The Decemberists
Mumford and Sons
Owen Pallett
Regina Spektor
Moyseis Marques
R.E.M.
Grinderman
Foo Fighters
Mika
Our Lady Peace
Jessie J
A Sunny Day in Glasgow
The Beastie Boys
Gorillaz
Silversun Pickups
Amadou and Mariam
Rancid
Lindsey Sterling
The Band Perry
The Airborne Toxic Event
Manchester Orchestra
Grimes
Deadmau5
Fun
Glen Hansard
Muse
Foxy Shazam
Adele
Matsiyahu
Awol Nation
Volbeat
Divine Fits
Axis of Awesome
Garbage
KMFDM
The Heavy
Aesop Rock
Animal Collective
Preston Reed
Dream Theater
Death
K’Naan
The Thermals
Boney M
The Cult
George Thorogood
Kae Sun
Metric
Disturbed
Al Green
Sitali
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
The Black Keys
Soundgarden
Petite Noir
James
DJ Kool
Dominique Pruitt
Artic Monkeys
Billy Talent
The Explorers Club
Pop Evil
Orville Peck
Rhianna
Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties
MGMT
Rival Suns
Public Enemy
Moby Grape
P!nk
Eminem
Portugal. The Man