Bonnaroo Music
Bonnaroo Music

Manchester, Tenn. - The 2012 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival officially kicked off on Thursday night, but it is Friday when the event ratchets it up a major notch.

After allowing people to get acclimated to the Bonnaroo atmosphere, the 11th edition of the festival throws heavyweights such as Radiohead, Foster the People, and The Avett Brothers at concertgoers on Friday.

There are an overwhelming amount of amazing performers in a wide range of genres playing throughout the day. It's unfair to leave anyone out, but with limited time and so much going on, here is what we recommend checking out on Friday.

The Kooks - 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. at Which Stage

What better way to start off your day than with The Kooks, an English indie rock band known for hits such as Naïve. The Kooks are a fun band to see live and give you a good chance to shake off the hangover from the night before and get ready for a long, long day of music.

Aziz Ansari - 4 to 5:15 p.m., 6 to 7:15 p.m. at Comedy Theatre

The Bonnaroo festival is known more for its musical acts, but the festival organizers have made it a major priority to bring big name comedians as well. This year's headliner is Parks and Recreation's Aziz Ansari who will have an hour to make you laugh with his unique comedy. What we also love about seeing Ansari is that the Comedy Theatre is air conditioned and by 4 p.m. - that is something we all can use.

The Avett Brothers, 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at What Stage

Fitz & the Tantrums 5 p.m.to 6:30 p.m. at That Tent

One of the first tough decisions of the day is whether to see The Avett Brothers or Fitz & the Tantrums. Both are incredible performers, but play completely different type of music. The Avett Brothers will bust out some banjos and give you some bluegrass country goodness, while Fitz & the Tantrums hits you with some soul with hits like Moneygrabber.

Ludacris, 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at This Tent

The multi-talented Ludacris is known for putting on a quality show. He's collaborated or worked with so many different artists that he has a massive base of popular songs to tap into. Plus by this point you might need someone to wake you up a bit before the night's big headliners and this rapper/actor will certainly deliver.

Foster the People, 8:45 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Which Stage

Foster the People blew up in 2010 when Pumped Up Kicks became one of the biggest songs of the year, but the band has way more to offer than just one catchy single. The three-man group has a ton of other songs to get you up on your feet and dancing, such as Call It What You Want and Helena Beat. As an added bonus, Mark Foster, the front man of the band, will be performing a DJ set at the Silent Disco on Friday night.

Radiohead, 10 p.m. to midnight at What Stage

Pretty self-explanatory for why you should see one of the biggest musical acts in the world. Even if Thom Yorke and the rest of Radiohead isn't your cup of tea, there is no reason not to at least see a band known for putting on amazing shows.

Umphrey's McGee, 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. at This Tent

By this point in the night you might be a little on the tired side, but if you can stay up you won't be disappointed by Umphrey's McGee. The jam band is known for always mixing up its set in order to give its fans a new experience each time they come out to listen. They are also known for being a festival band which means they'll know exactly how to keep you awake and interested in the early morning hours.