
The Polyphonic Spree Recreate ‘Rocky Horror’ at the Bonnaroo Cinema
The Rocky Horror Picture Show movie cast once famously sang, "Let's do the Time Warp again," and the Polyphonic Spree apparently took those words literally. When the Dallas psych-pop choir/collective/cult performed Thursday night in the Cinema Tent at Manchester, Tennessee's Bonnaroo Festival, they presented their own warped version of the entire sequential Rocky Horror soundtrack, led by "sweet transvestite" and longtime Spree visionary Tim DeLaughter.
For this special gig, only the band's second Rocky Horror performance in the States, Tim didn't gussy himself up in the full Transylvanian lingerie favored by another Tim (Curry) in the original film. But he did hit the Cinema stage resplendent in blue eyeshadow, a satin Dracula cape, a Polyphonic-uniform robe emblazoned with the Rocky Horror downturned-lips logo, and prosthetically padded fishnet stockings (albeit paired with Converse high-tops).
Tim definitely made a convincing Frank-N-Furter as he sprinted through the audience, encouraging Bonnaroo's creatures of the night to jump to the left, step to the right, put their hands on their hips, bring their knees in tight, and pelvic-thrust along to the 17-member Spree's choral interpretations of the Rocky Horror songbook.
Later, as the Cinema Tent screened the actual Rocky Horror Picture Show after midnight, the Polyphonic Spree changed into colorfully mod-patterned robes for a 2am surprise set of their own warped originals by the Bonnaroo fountain.
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For more Bonnaroo reportage, check out Yahoo! Music's 2013 Summer Music Guide.