Noah Kahan, Kesha, Clipse and More Send Off Bonnaroo

The final day of this year’s Bonnaroo started and ended strong, but fans, bands and crew had to fight through a significant rain delay in the middle.

Kentucky-born sister rock duo Girl Tones took over That Tent at 1:30 p.m. for their second appearance at Bonnaroo. The riot-grrrl-esque pair dressed in brightly colored tights and Doc Martens for their electrifying performance. The crowd clapped along as lead vocalist Kenzie Crowe shredded on her bright blue electric guitar, and at one point let out a scream of rage. Meanwhile, Laila Crowe tore it up on drums. They performed their song “Blame,” which they dedicated to all the siblings in the crowd: “If you’re an older sibling, you know what I’m talking about, right?” said Kenzie, the elder sister, as the crowd erupted in cheers. “And if you’re a younger sibling, I promise it’s not about you.” 

A few songs later, the set was cut off early due to a downpour that didn’t let up. Centeroo was evacuated, and flooded in some parts to the point that pumps had to be hauled in to clear standing water. The length of the storm coupled with the effort to make the grounds safe to navigate pushed back several sets and forced others to be canceled. (Sorry, Blondshell.)

However, the gates were back open shortly after 5 p.m. and Japanese Breakfast was among the first performers to take the stage on the adjusted schedule. The project’s central figure Michelle Zauner was effervescent at Which Stage. In addition to selections from last year’s For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women), she led the band through deep cuts and fan favorites from Soft Sounds From Another Planet and Jubilee.

Zauner recently shared the news that she and her husband and bandmate Peter Bradley are expecting a child, and as the group played the Soft Sounds song “The Body Is a Blade,” photos of an infant Zauner with her late mother filled the screen behind them. Meanwhile, when the driving beat for “Slide Tackle” began, she called out: “Bonnaroo, are you still up for dancing?” Survey said: yes.

Around the same time, Audrey Hobert took the That Tent — forgive the pun — by storm. Devoted fans scream-sang along to tunes from the multifaceted entertainer’s 2025 debut Who’s the Clown? Hobert opened her set on stilts and playing banjo, sporting a long trench coat and a set of Groucho Marx “beagle puss” disguise glasses as she played “I Like to Touch People.”

As she ran through jams like “Thirst Trap” and “Silver Jubilee,” Hobert kept the fans absorbed with hair flipping, shoulder shimmying and struts across the stage, all while dragging her mic stand. “Let’s keep going, I’m not going to waste your fucking time, I swear,” Hobert said before playing her second single, “Bowling Alley.” She wrapped with her viral song “Sue Me,” during which — in keeping with her penchant for off-the-cuff antics — she jumped on a small trampoline in the middle of the stage.

Renowned rap duo Clipse brought Virginia Beach to Which Stage later that evening, flanking the stage with a massive anchor and cross — symbols echoed in the pendants that brothers Pusha T and Malice wore as they took to the stage with “Chains and Whips” from their 2025 reunion album Let God Sort ’Em Out. Selections from that record, which they dubbed “still the album of the year,” were paired with classics from the duo’s decades-spanning career like the now-two-decades-old “Momma I’m So Sorry.” Later in the set, the video footage flashing behind them gave way to a montage of memories, including one photo with a young Pharrell Williams. In a tearjerker moment during the outro of “Birds Don’t Sing,” a giant picture of the pair’s mother appeared onscreen. As a recording of Stevie Wonder reminded the audience to “remember those who lost their mothers and fathers,” Malice looked up at her image with tears in his eyes.

A bit later, strobe lights flashed across the packed field in front of Which Stage, and one thing was certain: Kesha’s back, and better than ever. The pop sensation and Nashville native followed up her Saturday night Superjam with her first solo artist performance at Bonnaroo, starting strong with her 2009 breakthrough single “Tik Tok” as she strutted the stage in feathery angel wings. 

Liberation was the theme of the evening, as she announced that she’s created all-new production for her back catalog following the relaunch of her career as an indie artist with her own label and the end of the contract that bound her to producer Dr. Luke despite years of alleged abuse. “Many of these next songs, I have not [sung] them in 13 years,” Kesha told the audience. 

She seemed to revel in her commanding stage presence, and cycled through costume changes that included a red leather costume with sunglasses and a metallic unitard. “Bonnaroo, will you get sleazy with me?” She didn’t really have to ask: The crowd erupted in enthusiastic cheers.

Her set included dance-pop classics from 2010’s Cannibal, including the titular song and “Blow,” as well as 2009’s “Your Love Is My Drug.” Mixing it up, she moved on to her new single “Origami” and an emotional performance of her 2017 song “Praying.” She closed out the show by wishing everyone a happy Pride as she segued into “We R Who We R” — making sure to ask for a quintessential Kesha salute: “Will you please make some noise for these perfect fucking tits!”

Meanwhile, Modest Mouse fans floated on to This Tent, looking for something perhaps a bit more mellow. After last year’s cancellation washed away their opportunity to play, the long-running six-piece indie band finally played ’Roo for the first time since 2005.

They opened the 14-song set with “Picking Dragons’ Pockets,” released as a single last year and the opener of their brand-new LP An Eraser and a Maze. The set list spanned the breadth of the band’s career, including “Dashboard” from 2007’s We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, as well as “Dramamine” and “Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset” from This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About (which turns 30 this year). 

The crowd roared at the opening notes of “Float On,” swaying and jumping along to the 2004 hit. There was good news for people who hate banter and/or wanted to leave and get a good spot for Noah Kahan: Frontman Isaac Brock didn’t have much of a stage presence Sunday, playing for an hour without really interacting with the crowd and wrapping the set about 15 minutes early.

Also amid this block of final sets before Bonnaroo’s grand finale, Mariah the Scientist took the stage at That Tent. The singer and rapper wasted no time turning the still-muddy grounds into a party. In a bold blue ruffled latex bodysuit and with a feather adorning her red hair, Mariah grabbed the crowd’s attention as soon as she stepped onstage. Two male dancers in soldier-style outfits performed at her side.

She started her set backed by a piano, which was eventually joined by drums and electric guitar. She sang her vulnerable songs in her sultry R&B style. The crowd loved “United Nations + 1000 Ways to Die,” “All For Me” and “Eternal Flame,” each delivered with strong, silky vocals and undeniable chemistry with her dancers. Choreography and crowd interaction were woven throughout, including a shouted warning to those lingering outside the tent: “We are going to have a time over here, so beware.”

As Bonnaroovians trudged through the muck toward What Stage, Vermont-bred folk star Noah Kahan, fresh off the release of The Great Divide: The Last of the Bugs, stepped out under the neon green glow of the Bonnaroo sign for the final headline set of the year. Sporting his signature French-braided hair and a denim vest decorated with little doodles of the sun and the moon, he stared into the sea of cellphone lights as he launched into “American Cars,” a stomp-and-holler song from the new LP.

Kahan is a master of emotional lyricism, a distinctive and profound storyteller. His conversational voice rang with warmth as he began to pour out the words to “Orbiter,” a song that explores the importance and beauty of human connection. “I’m an astronaut, you’re the moon / I stare at you, I sing to you,” he crooned, as members of the audience held onto one another, tears streaking their glittery faces. They say that magic exists on Bonnaroo’s festival grounds, and moments like that make it easy to believe. 

Red-faced and wildly sincere, Kahan performed favorites like upbeat folk anthem “Dial Drunk” and reserved ballad “Northern Attitude.” Bonnaroovians screamed every line, hands raised in the air as they danced to the upbeat twang that disguises his raw, heavy thoughts. 

“I just love seeing you guys dance to music that is just so sad,” Kahan said. 

He closed with the banjo-heavy picking of “Stick Season,” and it felt like all of Bonnaroo joined in unison with him. Bubbles soared over the crowd as, halfway through the song, Kahan went acoustic, singing with only his guitar like this was a huge 50,000-person campfire sing-along. 

A cold front swept in behind the rain, lending a chill to the air as the show came to a close. Kahan and his band walked to center stage for a final bow, looking proud. Amid a glittery shower of fireworks, teary-eyed fans made their way under The Bonnaroo Arch and its enormous disco ball, back to their campsites. They followed tradition by singing Biz Markie’s “Just a Friend” to keep up their spirits, but many were already looking forward to rekindling the sense of togetherness next year.