So the roadmap says to reinstall current version (4.4.5) to my new server, first, then import, then upgrade.
The new server has jdk1.8, but apparently 4.4.5 is not compatible with that (see log snippet below).
guessing I will need java8 when I upgrade to current bamboo version. Not sure how to proceed here.
...
This is really a pain man. backup existing bamboo, install old version,get the damn driver for mysql, setup mysql database via sql commands, import old data, then upgrade (sure I am missing steps).... 
2016-04-05 16:45:51,548 ERROR [qtp2117255219-16] [runtime] Expression webResourceManager is undefined on line 22, column 11 in fragments/decorator/decorators.ftl.
Expression webResourceManager is undefined on line 22, column 11 in fragments/decorator/decorators.ftl.
The problematic instruction:
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==> ${webResourceManager.requireResourcesForContext(resourceContext)} [on line 22, column 9 in fragments/decorator/decorators.ftl]
in user-directive decorators.displayHtmlHeader [on line 3, column 1 in fragments/decorator/htmlHeader.ftl]
in include "/fragments/decorator/htmlHeader.ftl" [on line 1, column 1 in decorators/main.ftl]
----------
Java backtrace for programmers:
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freemarker.core.InvalidReferenceException: Expression webResourceManager is undefined on line 22, column 11 in fragments/decorator/decorators.ftl.
at freemarker.core.TemplateObject.assertNonNull(TemplateObject.java:124)
at freemarker.core.TemplateObject.invalidTypeException(TemplateObject.java:134)
at freemarker.core.Dot._getAsTemplateModel(Dot.java:78)