How do you play a mushroom? This week we're joined by Tarun Nayar of Modern Biology, a Vancouver-based musician who uses bioelectric signals from mushrooms, plants, and other living organisms to create music. Using custom-built devices and synthesizers, Tarun translates biological activity into musical information, creating performances that blend science, technology, improvisation, and art.

We talk about how he discovered plant and mushroom sonification during the pandemic, the history of bioelectric music, Brian Eno and Robert Fripp's influence on generative music, and what we can expect when he performs in a cave at CaveFest next month. (get tickets here!)

Plus we catch up with Abby, the winner of our CaveFest ticket giveaway: a recent festival-goer who has several Bonnaroos and Shaky Knees under her belt, and will now be a first-time CaveFest camper! Abby shares her festival journey and why she's excited for her next adventure at The Caverns.

Finally, we preview some upcoming festival coverage in the coming weeks, and try to get to the bottom of why so many festivals this year are getting cancelled or disrupted because of weather.

Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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(00:00) Music made from mushrooms?

(04:08) Modern Biology's Tarun Nayar

(24:22) Abby's Bonnaroo, Shaky Knees & CaveFest journey

(36:50) Bourbon & Beyond and CaveFest preview

(38:15) Why festivals keep getting cancelled

(40:04) Outro

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Modern Biology LIVE @ Indian Summer Festival

@modernbiology101 on Instagram

Get Tickets to CaveFest Here

Fripp & Eno - A Radical Representative Of Pinsnip - Paris (1975)

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The rain and heat at Shaky Knees 2026 did not stop Russ from having a good time in Atlanta! We catch up live from the hotel on Saturday morning and then the full recap in this episode: the heat, the lineup, and the Saturday storm and evacuation.

Hear about notable performances from Turnstile, Fontaines D.C., Geese, LCD Soundsystem, and Gorillaz who closed the fest out Sunday night, plus what it was like riding out the evacuation in downtown Atlanta.

Then we're joined by Scott Miller, one of the artists performing next month in October (get tickets here!) for a great conversation about songwriting, his history with The Caverns, and cows.

Headed to Hulaween? Use code THEWHATPODCAST for $20 off a four-day pass. https://thewhat.co/hulaween

Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

Thumbnail photo: Charles Reagan for Shaky Knees 2026

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(00:00) Intro

(10:19) Shaky Knees Day 1: Checking In From Atlanta

(22:36) Full Shaky Knees 2026 Recap: Heat, Rain & the Lineup

(26:33) Scott Miller Talks Songwriting and Cows

(43:37) Outro

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The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat, used with permission.
Other music provided by Midist and used with permission.

We love to hear from you! Send us an email at comments@thewhatpodcast.com or call (423) 667-7877 and leave us a voicemail. We might just feature it on the show.

Bonnaroo may be taking 2027 off, but festival season isn't over. This week Barry and Russ break down the two festivals they're hitting this fall, Shaky Knees in Atlanta and CaveFest at The Caverns, and share their tips for doing each one right.

One's a city festival, one's a camping festival, and they're very different experiences. We get into the Shaky Knees lineup (The Strokes, Turnstile, Fontaines D.C., Twenty One Pilots and more), how to handle a city fest (hotels, getting around, the stages), and what makes CaveFest special — the cave stage, the amphitheater, camping in October, and the lineup up at Pelham. Plus festival news, the Good Friends Music Festival in Manchester, and how we're all still keeping Manchester in our plans.

We're also giving away two tickets to CaveFest at The Caverns (October 10-11, camping included). Details in the episode and at thewhat.co/giveaway.

If you don't win, get tickets to CaveFest here! Oct 10-11, 2026 at The Caverns

Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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(00:00) Catching Up + Festival News

(04:04) Good Friends Fest & Manchester

(07:21) CaveFest Ticket Giveaway: How to Win

(09:00) Shaky Knees: The City Festival Guide

(16:43) CaveFest: The Camping Festival Guide

(33:00) What's Coming Up

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Bonnaroo's Cancellation: A City Official on the Long-Term Vision for The Farm

Good Friends Music Fest

CaveFest 2026 Ticket Giveaway: How to Enter

How The Caverns Became Tennessee's Premier Music Destination

Get CaveFest Tickets Here

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We officially have confirmation on Bonnaroo's 2027 cancellation. We got together to share our initial reaction, and Barry literally pulled over on the side of the road to record this. As far as The What Podcast goes, we're still here every week and we'll have a deeper dive into this news next week.

Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!

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The What Podcast theme: "Aquarius" by *repeat repeat, used with permission.
Other music provided by Midist and used with permission.

We love to hear from you! Send us an email at comments@thewhatpodcast.com or call (423) 667-7877 and leave us a voicemail. We might just feature it on the show.