Bonnaroo: 9 must-see performances at the 2013 music mega-festival (updated)

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Paul McCartney performs during his "Up And Coming Tour" at the Morumbi stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

MANCHESTER, Tennessee -- Prepare to hear a crowd nearing the size of Cozumel, Mexico's population sing, "Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, Hey Jude," in unison.

Paul McCartney's set is, of course, the must-see performance of Bonnaroo 2013. It doesn't matter if you're a jaded hipster, tie-dyed burnout, "still cool" dad or electronic dance music groover. If you're going to Bonnaroo and don't plan on catching "the cute Beatle" in concert, it will be the biggest regret of your life since that tragic haircut you got in seventh-grade.

McCartney's recent set-lists have struck a perfect balance between Beatles cornerstones he has to play ("I Saw Her Standing There," "The Long and Winding Road") the cream of his Wings years ("Let Me Roll It," "Live and Let Die"), Beatle-ologist deep cuts ("Lovely Rita") and a molten triple-segue from "Abbey Road." At age 70, Macca can still bring it, and his longtime touring band stays true to the classic arrangements while putting some in-the-now heat on them.

Sir Paul performs 9 – 11:30 p.m. June 14 on Bonnaroo's What Stage. Here are eight other essential sets at the festival, held June 13-16 at Great Stage Park in Manchester, Tenn.:

Tame Impala
The Other Tent 6 – 7:15 p.m. June 16

Certain bands have an oceanic quality to their sound that's made for mega-festivals like Bonnaroo, and Tame Impala is one of them. This young Australian quintet, led by elfin-voiced Kevin Parker, knows how to summon psychedelia, but they also know melody and song craft, as evident on their strong, analog-synth-laden 2012 LP "Lonerism."

Wu-Tang Clan
Which Stage 7:30 – 9 p.m. June 14

Old Dirty Bastard died in 2004. The rest of Wu-Tang Clan did not. RZA, Method Man, Ghostface Killah and the rest of this much-admired hip-hop collective specialize in pavement-hard party music, such as on their 1993 masterwork  "Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)."

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers perform on the Hangout Stage during the Hangout Music Fest on Saturday night, May 18, 2013, in Gulf Shores, Ala. (Mike Kittrell/mkittrell@al.com)

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
What Stage 9 – 11 p.m. June 16

Tom Petty & The Heartbreaker guitarist Mike Campbell recently told Rolling Stone magazine, "We're free from 'Free Fallin'." Campbell was speaking of the jangly rock group's current tour of intimate rooms, such as New York's Beacon Theatre, which have focused on obscure tunes ("Love Is a Long Road," "Rebels") and covers (The Byrds, Muddy Waters, Grateful Dead). But don't be surprised if Petty and company dig into more of their mile-deep supply of hits in front of the massive crowd they'll play to in Manchester. Their Bonnaroo contract may even include a must-play-"Free Fallin'' clause.

Deap Vally
What Stage 8:30 – 9:30 p.m. June 13

The raw-fuzz riffs and garage-blues beats on Deap Vally's scorching single "Gonna Make My Own Money" recalls early Black Keys and White Stripes. However, hot-witch vocals allow this talented Los Angeles female duo to claim their own slice of this zip code.

Jim James
This Tent 7-8:30 p.m. June 14

Erstwhile My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James's resonant 2012 debut solo outing "Regions of Light and Sound of God" managed to be both spacey and organic. James ethereal vocals float in the center. It will be cool to see him manifest these songs in a live context, and just how far this noted improv-enthusiast will stretch them out.

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Which Stage 1:45 – 2:45 p.m. June 14

With an accessible and fine new album ("Southeastern"), continued sobriety and some of the most-prominent press of his career, Jason Isbell seems poised to ascend in prominence. Hopefully, the North Alabama native and Nashville singer/songwriter with break out his fantastic Stones-like rocker "Super 8" during his Bonnaroo set, as well as bittersweet acoustic tunes like "Songs That She Sang in The Shower."

Kendrick Lamar 
What Stage 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. June 16

The term "Dr. Dre protégé" carries a lot of expectations and weight for a young rapper. Kendrick Lamar delivered on that promise with his artful 2012 major label studio bow "good kid, m.A.A.d city." Lamar's laidback flow and his tracks' sunny-staccato guitar, 808 beats and soul-music bass lines, as on the single "B----, Don't Kill My Vibe," were made for a late afternoon Bonnaroo performance.

Bjork performs during a concert at the National Museum in Lima, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Bjork 
What Stage 7-8:30 p.m. June 15

Want spectacle? Orchestral avante-pop? Atmosphere-piercing vocals? A huge, orange wig? Then dial in Bjork's Bonnaroo set. If there's ever been an Icelandic singer whose music could fill a Tennessee field, it's her.

A four-day general admission ticket and camping pass for one car is $269.50. More info at bonnaroo.com.

(Story has been updated to reflect Bonnaroo's rescheduling of Wu-Tang Clan's set.)

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