Alright y'all, it's Wednesday. Everyone else has posted their beautiful photos and they've told you who performed their favorite acts of ACL Fest 2013. I've been working and watching TV. So, let's break it down. This was the first year that ACL was two weekends and the first year that there were no single-day tickets. It was also the first year the festival turned into coitus interruptus transforming downtown into its own rogue off-shoot festival. It was actually pretty great now that I think about.
Kendrick Lamar - Poetic Justice (Explicit) ft. Drake video via YouTube
I posted a Kendrick Lamar video above the break because I feel like for the purposes of a music festival setting he gave the most satisfying performance. Lamar performed with a full band and he was the only person on stage with a microphone. He controlled the massive audience who sang along, participated in call and response and cheered at all the perfect moments and he did all of this with hardly any verbal directives. Kendrick Lamar gave a performance worthy of a headlining spot at any festival. Of course we may have to wait for him to get another album or two under his belt before that happens but his energy, his presence and his overall performance really impressed me.
I think both Depeche Mode and The Cure had great headlining sets. I think The Cure designed a smarter setlist than Depeche Mode but both acts gave spot-on performances. Whenever you see legacy artists there is always the fear that they will be past their prime but that was certainly not the case with either of these bands. When a band plays a festival they have a certain obligation to play their most satisfying songs. In other words, give the people the hits, give them all the hits, give them hit after hit after hit, then play that early song or B-Side that the superfans will orgasm for. Then play the hit that EVERYONE knows the words to. This is the responsibility of the headliner of any music festival. It's a tough gig and not every band can pull it off. First of all, you have to have a lot of hits then you have to be willing to play said hits, even if you are personally sick of them. Depeche Mode's set was largely hits but they mixed in a few ballad-y numbers and/or brand-new stuff that lost the crowd in places. I know it's unfair of me to expect a band to not play new songs but I feel like that's what the club show is for. I know, I know, Depeche Mode are too big for a club show but there is a HUGE band equivalent to the club show, which is the small arena tour. When people are paying specifically to see you at a small arena, play whatever the hell you want but for the festival setting, don't make a setlist just put your greatest hits by your feet and play it from start to finish.
So, can we talk about Sunday now? I went out Saturday night to see Braids at the Mohawk. I had changed and showered and all of that and I got in my car to head downtown. It was already raining pretty hard and as I snaked through downtown all the people I passed looked like deer in a grocery store. Just looking like they didn't know how they got there or where they were going but they knew they wanted to get the fuck outta there. Everyone was hopelessly trying to flag down cabs that were already full of people because they don't know how to fucking tell when a cab is for hire. IT'S NOT HARD TO TELL Y'ALL! So anyway, I found a parking spot a block from the Mohawk, got inside the venue, got my Kindle app open and read on my phone while Braids set-up. At this point, I am pretty much exhausted but when they started (1am) I was re-awoken and SO happy that I decided to see them perform.
On the walk back to my car, I noticed some people taking a photo from the overpass that looks down onto Waller Creek. So, I stopped to check it out and the water was higher than I'd ever seen it. I didn't get home until shortly after 2am and when I fell asleep the plan was to get to the festival as soon as I woke up. Mr. S. woke up before me the next day and started seeing photos of the park on his phone. He showed me the photos as we both contemplated skipping the final day, then we got the notice that the festival had been cancelled. Mr. S. rushed out the kitchen and grabbed a pair of scissors and cut my wristband off before I even got out of bed.
Not gonna lie, after seeing those photos of the park I was psyched they cancelled the last day of the festival. I was tired from the Braids show, I was slightly sunburnt and generally hungover on life. I am "bummed" that I "missed" some of the bands I was hoping to see but since I'm a spoiled twat I've already seen most of the bands I was looking forward to anyway. As a huge Radiohead fan I was looking forward to seeing Atoms for Peace but as a huge Red Hot Chili Peppers hater, I wasn't really interested in seeing Atoms for Peace. As a human being, who lives on Earth, I was looking forward to seeing Lionel Richie but as a person who has lived 31 years without seeing Lionel Richie, I'm ok with it.
Mr. S. was pretty elated that I wasn't dragging him to face the hoarding masses and his first thought was, "Now we can go see PEEPING TOM at the Marchesa!" So, of course we went to a see a British film from 1960 that inspired Psycho. While we were off getting culture in a dark room the hive mind of the city conspired to create a SXSW-esque rogue off-shoot of ACL Fest. It was very exciting and I feel like I took part even though I didn't actually go to any of the shows. We stopped in to shop at End of an Ear and I talked with Dan about all of the pop-up shows I had heard about. Another shopper heard what I was saying and asked for more info, it was weird tweeting to someone's face but it was also really fun. Dan said the store was Record Store Day busy. The restaurant where I work posted some of the highest single shift sales in the company's history. In other words area businesses were flooded with would-be festival goers. Unfortunately, the food vendors who already prepped enough product to feed the festival itself were left holding their proverbial dicks on Sunday.
The biggest pop-up show of the night was Atoms for Peace at ACL-Live, which was streamed live on the ACL Fest YouTube page. People lined-up outside the venue for hours in the hopes of receiving a wristband, which secured entry to the venue. The Mowglis played an acoustic set for fans in the parking lot across the street from the ARCH and encouraged fans to bring donations to the show.
What happened Sunday was a distillation of everything I love about this city. I saw a rare 35MM print of a film, a pop-up music festival happened, loads of people shopped at local businesses, Lionel Richie sang in some rich cunt's living room, someone said "Kale is so over" while shopping at the flagship Whole Foods. This city was everything at once and you still shouldn't move here, unless I can rent out your condo/townhome/duplex in the '04 cheaply. If that's the case, we should talk. Or if you're a celebrity who wants to be my friend. You can move here too, looking at you Elijah Wood.
You can already buy tickets for next year's ACL Festival, which promises to be two weekends again. The real buzz about tickets for next year is the re-availability of single-day passes. Do you think the "Best of the 80's" trend will continue next year? Are their any contemporary acts with enough hits to headline next year? Has anyone really read this far into this post? I'm going to say, yes, no, no and Wilson Phillips.
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Showing posts with label ACL 2013. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ACL 2013. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Sunday, October 13, 2013
ACL 2013: Buckshot Sunday Night
By now you're already aware that ACL Fest has disintegrated into a series of pop-up shows happening throughout the downtown area. Here's a quick rundown to help you keep things sorted out.
Atoms for Peace - Ingenue video via YouTube
The biggest show of the night (so far) is Atoms for Peace at ACL-Live. It only costs $10 to get in but you can't get in. Basically, I went to a movie that started at 2:00pm without any knowledge of any pop-up shows. When I got out 1000 people were already lined-up for several blocks snaking around the W Hotel building. As I write this wristbands have been strapped to wrists, those people can "come back" at 8pm with a $10 bill and they'll get in the show. It's like that now.
HOWEVER, there is a positive upshot to Atoms for Peace doing their show in the same venue that ACL TV tapings happen because as it turns out, they are streaming tonight's set live! Keep an eye on the ACL Festival YouTube page.
Franz Ferdinand have a similar $10 ticket situation in a club whose name I hate so much I'm just going to call it, the space Antone's occupied most recently before their move to E. Riverside. If you're not reading this from a line with a wristband, you're already not getting in. It is all-ages though, which is worth noting I guess?
Let's talk about some shows I wish were going on. How about White Denim with Tame Impala at Emo's or MS MR at Antone's again? Is it weird that they're not using those spaces to anyone else? How about Neko Case at the Broken Spoke? Shuggie Otis in the Elephant Room? I know beggars can't be choosers but so far none of these pop-up shows have inspired me to do anything other than laundry, Homeland and Ben & Jerry's.
If we're being honest, I wish this scattershot demon child of ACL Fest is how the festival actually was. A ridiculous scavenger hunt where the prize is a special, intimate music moment in a club with a band. Oh, wait, we already have a festival like that...
Read more!
Atoms for Peace - Ingenue video via YouTube
- Atoms For Peace | ACL Live
- Franz Ferdinand | Infest
- Divine Fits | Parish
- Noah and the Whale | Empire Auto
- The Lone Bellow w/Red Baraat | Belmont
- The Mowglis with Smallpools | Lambert's
- Lance Herbstrong | Amplified Austin
The biggest show of the night (so far) is Atoms for Peace at ACL-Live. It only costs $10 to get in but you can't get in. Basically, I went to a movie that started at 2:00pm without any knowledge of any pop-up shows. When I got out 1000 people were already lined-up for several blocks snaking around the W Hotel building. As I write this wristbands have been strapped to wrists, those people can "come back" at 8pm with a $10 bill and they'll get in the show. It's like that now.
HOWEVER, there is a positive upshot to Atoms for Peace doing their show in the same venue that ACL TV tapings happen because as it turns out, they are streaming tonight's set live! Keep an eye on the ACL Festival YouTube page.
Franz Ferdinand have a similar $10 ticket situation in a club whose name I hate so much I'm just going to call it, the space Antone's occupied most recently before their move to E. Riverside. If you're not reading this from a line with a wristband, you're already not getting in. It is all-ages though, which is worth noting I guess?
Let's talk about some shows I wish were going on. How about White Denim with Tame Impala at Emo's or MS MR at Antone's again? Is it weird that they're not using those spaces to anyone else? How about Neko Case at the Broken Spoke? Shuggie Otis in the Elephant Room? I know beggars can't be choosers but so far none of these pop-up shows have inspired me to do anything other than laundry, Homeland and Ben & Jerry's.
If we're being honest, I wish this scattershot demon child of ACL Fest is how the festival actually was. A ridiculous scavenger hunt where the prize is a special, intimate music moment in a club with a band. Oh, wait, we already have a festival like that...
Read more!
Thursday, October 10, 2013
ACL Fest 2013 Preview: The Rest
Alright y'all so here's the deal, I didn't go to ACL Fest last weekend but I am going this weekend. It's going to be a hectic few days for me but let me lay it down for you real quick-like here at the top. If I were a bad-ass, I would be at Zilker Park at 11:30am tomorrow in time to catch Wild Nothing on the Samsung stage. I would jump from stage to stage seeing at least one band per hour until the final note from Depeche Mode finished resonating then I would head downtown to see Savages at the Parish. If you're up for that, that's what you should do because that would be fucking baller.
Smallpools - Dreaming video via YouTube
Here's how I expect things are actually going to go. Tonight, catch Local Natives' set for ACL TV at the Moody Theater. Tomorrow, wake up at 5am to be ready for work at 6am. Wait tables from 6am until 2pm or 3pm-ish, change shoes, stash my apron, grab my festival bag and catch the next available bus. By about 4pm, I hope to be in, or at least very near, the festival itself. That means I MIGHT be able to catch the last song from Smith Westerns but I'll actually head toward the Bud Light stage because I'm drawn to shitty domestic light beers. Also, Pinback's set is scheduled to happen from 3:30-4:30 so, hopefully I can catch that window and Pinback will be my first official festival set.
Bands I'm bummed about missing because I will still be serving pancakes and coffee Friday afternoon:
Noon - 12:45 FIDLAR | Bud Light
12:45 - 1:30 Widowspeak | Samsung
1:00 - 2:00 Savages | Honda
1:30 - 2:30 Thao & the Get Down Stay Down | Bud Light
2:00 - 3:00 Court Yard Hounds | Lady Bird
2:30 - 3:15 Shovels & Rope | Austin Ventures
3:00 - 4:00 Smith Westerns | Honda
3:30 - 4:30 Pinback | Bud Light
4:30 - 5:30 Local Natives | Samsung
5:00 - 6:00 Okkervil River | Honda
5:30 - 6:30 The Black Angels | Bud Light
6:00 - 7:00 Vampire Weekend | Lady Bird
6:15 - 7:15 Wild Belle | Austin Ventures
6:30 - 7:30 Arctic Monkeys | Samsung
7:30 - 8:30 Queens of the Stone Age | Bud Light
7:45 - 8:30 Purity Ring | Austin Ventures
8:00 - 9:30 Depeche Mode | Lady Bird
For you total bad-asses, after you're done listening to The Cure Saturday night you need to get directly to the Mohawk to catch Braids on the inside stage. I REALLY want to see Braids Saturday night but I have a feeling I'm going to be too worn out.
Last week, I had a conundrum, trying to choose between Shuggie Otis and Atoms for Peace. Lots of people who saw Shuggie last week said he was disappointing but I also read some feedback that said his set got progressively better. So...I still don't really know which way I'm leaning. While we're thinking about Sunday, let's not miss White Denim ok? I know that since they're from here we tend to take them for granted but we shouldn't because they are REALLY fucking good. Not only that, their newest record might be their best LP yet and their last two were pretty hard to top.
White Denim - Pretty Green video via YouTube
And with that, I probably won't be back at these keys until after the festival. You can follow me on Twitter if you want me to flood your feed with my rude comments about people and things that I have different feelings of hate for.
Read more!
Smallpools - Dreaming video via YouTube
Here's how I expect things are actually going to go. Tonight, catch Local Natives' set for ACL TV at the Moody Theater. Tomorrow, wake up at 5am to be ready for work at 6am. Wait tables from 6am until 2pm or 3pm-ish, change shoes, stash my apron, grab my festival bag and catch the next available bus. By about 4pm, I hope to be in, or at least very near, the festival itself. That means I MIGHT be able to catch the last song from Smith Westerns but I'll actually head toward the Bud Light stage because I'm drawn to shitty domestic light beers. Also, Pinback's set is scheduled to happen from 3:30-4:30 so, hopefully I can catch that window and Pinback will be my first official festival set.
Bands I'm bummed about missing because I will still be serving pancakes and coffee Friday afternoon:
- Wild Nothing
- FIDLAR
- Widowspeak
- Savages
- Thao & the Get Down Stay Down
- Court Yard Hounds
- Jimmy Eat World
Friday, 11 October 2013
- 11:15 - Noon Wild Nothing | Samsung
Saturday 12 October 2013
- 11:30 - 12:15 Parquet Courts Bud Light
- 12:00 - 12:40 My Jerusalem Austin Ventures
- 12:15 - 1:00 Dan Croll Lady Bird
- 1:00 - 2:00 Autre Ne Veut Honda
- 1:00 - 2:00 Deap Vally Bud Light
- 2:00 - 3:00 HAIM Lady Bird
- 3:00 - 4:00 Junip Honda
- 4:00 - 5:00 Silversun Pickups Samsung
- 5:00 - 6:00 Grimes Honda
- 5:00 - 6:00 The Joy Formidable Bud Light
- 6:00 - 7:00 Wilco Samsung
- 7:00 - 8:00 Kendrick Lamar Honda
For you total bad-asses, after you're done listening to The Cure Saturday night you need to get directly to the Mohawk to catch Braids on the inside stage. I REALLY want to see Braids Saturday night but I have a feeling I'm going to be too worn out.
Sunday 13 October 2013
- 12:00-12:45 Smallpools | Lady Bird
- 12:45-1:30 Typhoon | Honda
- 1:30-2:30 MS MR | Lady Bird
- 2:30-3:30 Noah and the Whale | Honda
- 3:30-4:30 Grouplove | Lady Bird
- 4:00-5:00 Franz Ferdinand | Samsung
- 4:30-5:30 Divine Fits | Honda
- 5:00-6:00 Toro y Moi | Bud Light
- 5:00-5:45 White Denim | Austin Ventures
- 5:30-6:30 The National | AMD
- 6:30-7:30 Tame Impala | Honda
- 7:00-8:30 Phoenix | Bud Light
- 7:30-8:30 Neko Case | Austin Ventures
- 7:30-8:30 Shuggie Otis | Zilker Tent
- 7:40-9:40 Atoms for Peace | Lady Bird
- 8:30-10:00 Lionel Richie | Samsung
Last week, I had a conundrum, trying to choose between Shuggie Otis and Atoms for Peace. Lots of people who saw Shuggie last week said he was disappointing but I also read some feedback that said his set got progressively better. So...I still don't really know which way I'm leaning. While we're thinking about Sunday, let's not miss White Denim ok? I know that since they're from here we tend to take them for granted but we shouldn't because they are REALLY fucking good. Not only that, their newest record might be their best LP yet and their last two were pretty hard to top.
White Denim - Pretty Green video via YouTube
And with that, I probably won't be back at these keys until after the festival. You can follow me on Twitter if you want me to flood your feed with my rude comments about people and things that I have different feelings of hate for.
Read more!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Interview: FIDLAR
I sat down with FIDLAR last Friday night at Side Bar. They were here in Austin to perform at ACL Festival, which they'll do again this weekend. If you want to catch them at the festival this weekend there are still tickets available.
FIDLAR - Cocaine video via YouTube
My name is Zak, I'm representing AustinBloggyLimits, would you please name yourselves and tell who you are?
Zac, Elvis, Brandon and Max, together we form the mega-robot that is FIDLAR
So I assumed the name was an acronym, I found it out, "fuck it dog, life's a risk", was that the name straight off? did you have any other name?
B: We we're actually called fuck the clock, that was just a name when we started recording in studios, we didn't actually have a name until we played our first show, and then we said, fuck the clock or FIDLAR, and FIDLAR just sounded better.
So you guys are blowing up right now, you've been critically lauded for your debut L.P., how does that feel?
M: It's great. We work really hard, so it's great to see a payoff. We've been touring pretty much this whole year, so, it's good to see it grow. B: It's nice to have that positive response. We worked really hard on a record and now we play shows and that's all we do. It's nice to have that reinforcement. If it wasn't there, we wouldn't really care,but it's nice to have that there. M: It's a benefit.
What's the best way for fans to support bands that are just getting their names out there?
M: Come to the shows and buy merch. You can give yourself a tattoo, I'm not doing it. Yea, that's the best way to directly support us, or any band.
Ok, so now, moving along, Mexican or Thai? Food/men/women, whatever your preference... GO!
All: Mexican food. M: And then Thai lady boys
Best or worst show experience?
B: Probably the worst set we ever played was this place on the sunset strip, that any band that knows L.A. knows you don't play, it was called The Cat Club that bands just get suckered into playing, and there was no one there besides our three friends... M: And my parents. B: And a lady in a wheelchair. And during our set she just rolled out. M: She just rolled out the door. It was very soul crushing.
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Monday, October 7, 2013
ACL Festival 2013 Preview: More Late Night Shows
For many of you, your ACL Festival is over for 2013. You laughed, you cried, you drank domestic beer, you ate food on a stick and then you resumed your normal 9-5 existence this morning. Tra la la la la la. Well, many of the bands who played in Zilker Park this weekend past, are already on to other cities. Many of the bands are playing a festival in Mexico on Wednesday. Yeah. Wednesday. However, many of these artists are around and you can still catch them at shows outside of the festival.
You can also catch the entire ACL Festival 2013 line-up again this coming weekend. For the first time ever, we are doing a round 2 of ACL Fest and round 2 hasn't sold-out yet. Buy passes for this weekend. You could be watching Wild Nothing at 11:30 in the morning this coming Friday. Think about it and get back to me, you don't have to make any decisions just yet.
The Growlers - video via YouTube
If you'd like to see some of the bands but you don't want to do the whole festival thing, I've highlighted some kick-ass Late Night Shows, for which tickets are still available.
If you are reading this from another major city in Texas, there may be official Late Night Shows in your city too but that's your city's business. I'm highlighting events that I would want to attend, for a full listing click the word tickets up there.
I can tell you that there are also two Austin City Limits Television tapings this week. One of them is tomorrow, it will feature Neko Case and the contest for tickets has closed. The other is happening on Thursday and I've listed it above because the ticket giveaway is still open until 9am Tuesday. Tickets for ACL TV are not purchasable, nor are they transferrable. If you're truly desperate to see a taping and you don't win tickets head down to ACL Live around 5pm. Stand near the Willie Nelson statue and tell a volunteer that you didn't win tickets but you want to stand in a space available line. You may not get into the taping this way but who knows? Maybe you will? For the record the space available method is not officially sanctioned and for some artists you may just get turned away. It's a roll of the dice.
Particular highlights from the shows listed above for which you can actually purchase tickets, Savages at the Parish could change your life. Also, I think the Franz Ferdinand show at Emo's is a good purchase because you also get Smith Westerns and Frankie Rose on the bill. Just a side-bar, I'm really in love with the new Frankie Rose record, Herein Wild and if you buy the vinyl at the show it's a limited edition splatter-colored disc.
Honestly, I have no idea what the BURGERAMA CARAVAN OF STARS TOUR 2013 has to do with ACL Fest but for some reason it's listed as an official Late Night Show and I think it's highly worthwhile so here I am mentioning it. I posted a video from The Growlers above the break, they're headlining this Saturday night show at the Parish. I know that at some point along the way, Foxygen were listed as part of this event but they seem to be conspicuously missing from the line-up but they weren't the highlight in this line-up to begin with. So, whether they appear or not this ticket is worth the dough.
Read more!
You can also catch the entire ACL Festival 2013 line-up again this coming weekend. For the first time ever, we are doing a round 2 of ACL Fest and round 2 hasn't sold-out yet. Buy passes for this weekend. You could be watching Wild Nothing at 11:30 in the morning this coming Friday. Think about it and get back to me, you don't have to make any decisions just yet.
The Growlers - video via YouTube
If you'd like to see some of the bands but you don't want to do the whole festival thing, I've highlighted some kick-ass Late Night Shows, for which tickets are still available.
If you are reading this from another major city in Texas, there may be official Late Night Shows in your city too but that's your city's business. I'm highlighting events that I would want to attend, for a full listing click the word tickets up there.
- Tuesday | Reignwolf | Continental Club
- Wednesday | Toro y Moi / Clasixxx | Emo's
- Thursday | Wavves / King Tuff / Jacuzzi Boys | Antone's
- Thursday | Phosphorescent / JD McPherson / Shakey Graves | Emo's
- Thursday | Local Natives | ACL TV Taping
- Friday | Junip / Valerie June | Antone's
- Friday | Savages | Parish
- Saturday | Noah and the Whale | Brazos Hall
- Saturday | Franz Ferdinand / Smith Westerns / Frankie Rose | Emo's
- Saturday The Growlers / Cosmonauts / Gap Dream / Together Pangea | Parish
I can tell you that there are also two Austin City Limits Television tapings this week. One of them is tomorrow, it will feature Neko Case and the contest for tickets has closed. The other is happening on Thursday and I've listed it above because the ticket giveaway is still open until 9am Tuesday. Tickets for ACL TV are not purchasable, nor are they transferrable. If you're truly desperate to see a taping and you don't win tickets head down to ACL Live around 5pm. Stand near the Willie Nelson statue and tell a volunteer that you didn't win tickets but you want to stand in a space available line. You may not get into the taping this way but who knows? Maybe you will? For the record the space available method is not officially sanctioned and for some artists you may just get turned away. It's a roll of the dice.
Particular highlights from the shows listed above for which you can actually purchase tickets, Savages at the Parish could change your life. Also, I think the Franz Ferdinand show at Emo's is a good purchase because you also get Smith Westerns and Frankie Rose on the bill. Just a side-bar, I'm really in love with the new Frankie Rose record, Herein Wild and if you buy the vinyl at the show it's a limited edition splatter-colored disc.
Honestly, I have no idea what the BURGERAMA CARAVAN OF STARS TOUR 2013 has to do with ACL Fest but for some reason it's listed as an official Late Night Show and I think it's highly worthwhile so here I am mentioning it. I posted a video from The Growlers above the break, they're headlining this Saturday night show at the Parish. I know that at some point along the way, Foxygen were listed as part of this event but they seem to be conspicuously missing from the line-up but they weren't the highlight in this line-up to begin with. So, whether they appear or not this ticket is worth the dough.
Read more!
Sunday, October 6, 2013
ACL Festival 2013 Preview: Day 3, Weekend 1
You guys, I almost forgot to write you a guide for the final day of the first weekend of Austin City Limits Festival. I went and saw The National with Thao & the Get Down Stay Down last night and I wasn't focused on helping those of you out who are attending the festival this weekend. So, let's get down to business shall we? After the break I've listed the highlight artists for Sunday of ACL Fest.
Shuggie Otis - Inspiration Information video via YouTube
Sunday is going to be a tough day for me. I'm not planning to attend the festival until next weekend but the fact that Neko Case, Shuggie Otis and Atoms for Peace all overlap is pretty brutal. Luckily, Neko is taping a set for ACL TV this week that I will be lucky enough to attend so, I'll just have to choose between Shuggie Otis and Atoms for Peace. Radiohead is my favorite band, so I'm inclined to see Atoms for Peace. However, seeing Shuggie Otis is an extremely rare opportunity. He is an R&B legend and I highly doubt he will perform in Austin again any time soon. Sadly, the same case could be made for Atoms for Peace. As a band, they rarely perform live ever, let alone perform live in Austin. The only true saving grace for me, is the knowledge that Atoms For Peace is playing a much longer set than Shuggie so hopefully I can catch some of each.
I will say, I'm intrigued that Atoms For Peace has a 2 hour set considering they only really have one record. Although, the bad was originally formed to play Thom Yorke's The Eraser LP live, so I guess in actuality they have 2 LPs worth of material but still, can that last two full hours?
I'm also a bit conflicted about the overlap of Phoenix and Tame Impala. They are both phenomenal live performers and you could actually catch bits of both artist's sets but I plan to choose Tame Impala. I love Phoenix but I've been lucky enough to see them about half a dozen times already including their performance for ACL TV. Tame Impala I've only seen once but they were so incredibly good that I need to see them again.
My top 3 picks for your Sunday are:
Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards video via YouTube
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Shuggie Otis - Inspiration Information video via YouTube
- 12:00-1:00 Foxygen | Samsung
- 12:00-12:45 Kodaline | AMD
- 12:45-1:30 Typhoon | Honda
- 1:30-2:30 MS MR | AMD
- 2:30-3:30 Noah and the Whale | Honda
- 3:30-4:30 Grouplove | AMD
- 4:00-5:00 Franz Ferdinand | Samsung
- 4:30-5:30 Divine Fits | Honda
- 5:00-6:00 Toro y Moi | Bud Light
- 5:00-5:45 White Denim | Austin Ventures
- 5:30-6:30 The National | AMD
- 6:30-7:30 Tame Impala | Honda
- 7:00-8:30 Phoenix | Bud Light
- 7:30-8:30 Neko Case | Austin Ventures
- 7:30-8:30 Shuggie Otis | Zilker Tent
- 7:40-9:40 Atoms for Peace | AMD
- 8:30-10:00 Lionel Richie | Samsung
Sunday is going to be a tough day for me. I'm not planning to attend the festival until next weekend but the fact that Neko Case, Shuggie Otis and Atoms for Peace all overlap is pretty brutal. Luckily, Neko is taping a set for ACL TV this week that I will be lucky enough to attend so, I'll just have to choose between Shuggie Otis and Atoms for Peace. Radiohead is my favorite band, so I'm inclined to see Atoms for Peace. However, seeing Shuggie Otis is an extremely rare opportunity. He is an R&B legend and I highly doubt he will perform in Austin again any time soon. Sadly, the same case could be made for Atoms for Peace. As a band, they rarely perform live ever, let alone perform live in Austin. The only true saving grace for me, is the knowledge that Atoms For Peace is playing a much longer set than Shuggie so hopefully I can catch some of each.
I will say, I'm intrigued that Atoms For Peace has a 2 hour set considering they only really have one record. Although, the bad was originally formed to play Thom Yorke's The Eraser LP live, so I guess in actuality they have 2 LPs worth of material but still, can that last two full hours?
I'm also a bit conflicted about the overlap of Phoenix and Tame Impala. They are both phenomenal live performers and you could actually catch bits of both artist's sets but I plan to choose Tame Impala. I love Phoenix but I've been lucky enough to see them about half a dozen times already including their performance for ACL TV. Tame Impala I've only seen once but they were so incredibly good that I need to see them again.
My top 3 picks for your Sunday are:
- MS MR
- Tame Impala
- Shuggie Otis
Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards video via YouTube
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Saturday, October 5, 2013
Review: HAIM and MS MR
Last night MS MR and HAIM played a sold-out club show in anticipation of their appearances at Austin City Limits Festival. It was my first visit to the newest version of Antone's and I have to say, fuck the haters. The space that is now labeled Antone's over on East Riverside is a great room. It's an intimate venue with great sight-lines. The sound is fantastic, access to the bar is easy, access to the bathrooms is handy. Did you notice that bathroom was plural? That's right, there are TWO! The parking lot was full by the time we arrived but we managed to find street parking across the way near Buzzmill.
As I mentioned the show was sold-out, and both HAIM and MS MR are pretty buzzy right now so I anticipated a crowd full of scenesters who were more interested in saying they were at the show than actually watching the show. This was not the case at all. As we walked toward the venue I heard the man in front of us hurrying his girlfriend because he was concerned he might miss the opening moments of MS MR's set. That bit of eavesdropping truly set the tone for the night.
HAIM - Don't Save Me video via YouTube
Mer, Mr. S. and I walked into Antone's found a good place to stand and about the same moment that MS MR took the stage. We were watching from the balcony so we could see the crowd just as easily as we could see the band. It took a song or two for the crowd to really get into it but by the third song MS MR has the crowd eating out of the palms of their hands. There was dancing, singing, and an overall feeling of exhuberance that flowed back and forth between the crowd and the performers. You could see it on the band's faces as the set progressed, they were feeling the intense love from the crowd and they reflected it right back.
There are bands that create songs in a vacuum and then when they perform them they do so timidly. MS MR is not one of those bands. They perform like a band who has been on their grind playing half-empty clubs for year. They don't just stand on stage and run through their songs. They live every word and feel every break. It was plainly evident that they were having a lot of fun on stage and they were psyched to be sharing the bill with HAIM.
HAIM is one of the buzziest bands in the indie-verse today. Last night's show was their first U.S. performance since the release of their album on Tuesday. Their set began roughly 12 hours after the band's feet touched American soul and it was followed by a DJ gig. Most people under these circumstances would be zombies but the ladies of HAIM are pros. They have been trying to achieve their music dreams as a band since 2008 and now that they are on the cusp of their dreams becoming a reality they are elated.
I knew that HAIM wrote great songs and that their record is brilliant and I had read all of the buzz about them. Hell, I even featured them as a band to catch at SXSW this year but until I was in the same room with them I felt like the whole thing could be an elaborate marketing campaign. Turns out, I was wrong. Or maybe I was right but they are still incredibly fucking good. I walked out of Antone's after seeing HAIM last night convinced of this band's superstardom. I guarantee the band's next non-festival, Austin appearance will be a sold-out show at Stubb's.
Not only is the songwriting on point, the musicianship was also on point, the banter was on point, and the stage presence was also on point. The sisters of HAIM have that 'it' factor that compels an audience to watch them. I was incredibly impressed with their crowd control skills. They know just when to yell, "C'mon!" and get the crowd to roar, they know just when to flirt with the crowd and when to shred and unleash a psychedelic freak-out. When we all sang along to, "Say you will, say you will save me." We all meant it and it felt like they could.
I won't be attending ACL Festival until next weekend and I'm already counting down the hours until I get to see HAIM perform again. Don't let your pre-conceived notions of this band prevent you from seeing them if you get the chance. Those of us who were at Antone's last night have seen the future and the future is 3 sisters from L.A..
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Friday, October 4, 2013
ACL Festival 2013 Preview: Day 2, Weekend 1
It's Friday night. How many bands are "killin' it" right now? SPOILER ALERT: A lot. Hopefully you found my tips for your first day of the festival helpful. By now, you've already become familiar with the layout of the park. You've seen some great bands, you've had some domestic beer, your feet probably hurt and your bed is calling you but guess what sucka? You've got two more days to go and that's only if you're only going the first weekend. So take some Vitamin C, drink some more water, eat some greasy food and get as much sleep as you can muster because you're going to want to be down at the park early again tomorrow. Once again, I'll post the highlight artists below the break. I'm not going to break it down for you as far as which stages are where, you're on your own in that regard this time. Also, there's bound to be some overlap when you want to watch more than one act at a time. I can give you advice as far as whom I would see but there are so many factors to consider that I would advise you to follow your heart.
HAIM - The Wire video via YouTube
When I look at the list above, I see a diverse group of talented artists. I almost included Passion Pit in this list because they are also playing Saturday at 7:00pm but you'll notice that is when Wilco is scheduled to play. I enjoy both Wilco and Passion Pit but I've also seen both artists perform in the past and I can assure you that there is no contest for your attention in this time slot. However, as I said I recognize there are many factors involved in who you choose to see at ACL Festival so, if Passion Pit sings your heart-song how can I fault you for that?
If you only listen to my opinion about one artist, please see Autre Ne Veut. If I can bend your ear further you should also see HAIM. If you're letting me advise you on my top 3 Saturday artists then you need to see Wilco as well.
You may have noticed I didn't mention The Cure. That wasn't an accident.
Autre Ne Veut - Ego Free Sex Free video via YouTube
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HAIM - The Wire video via YouTube
- 11:30 - 12:15 Parquet Courts Bud Light
- 12:00 - 12:40 Max Frost Austin Ventures
- 12:15 - 1:00 Dan Croll AMD
- 1:00 - 2:00 Autre Ne Veut Honda
- 1:00 - 2:00 Deap Vally Bud Light
- 2:00 - 3:00 HAIM AMD
- 3:00 - 4:00 Junip Honda
- 4:00 - 5:00 Silversun Pickups Samsung
- 5:00 - 6:00 Grimes Honda
- 5:00 - 6:00 The Joy Formidable Bud Light
- 6:00 - 7:00 Wilco Samsung
- 7:00 - 8:00 Kendrick Lamar Honda
When I look at the list above, I see a diverse group of talented artists. I almost included Passion Pit in this list because they are also playing Saturday at 7:00pm but you'll notice that is when Wilco is scheduled to play. I enjoy both Wilco and Passion Pit but I've also seen both artists perform in the past and I can assure you that there is no contest for your attention in this time slot. However, as I said I recognize there are many factors involved in who you choose to see at ACL Festival so, if Passion Pit sings your heart-song how can I fault you for that?
If you only listen to my opinion about one artist, please see Autre Ne Veut. If I can bend your ear further you should also see HAIM. If you're letting me advise you on my top 3 Saturday artists then you need to see Wilco as well.
You may have noticed I didn't mention The Cure. That wasn't an accident.
Autre Ne Veut - Ego Free Sex Free video via YouTube
Read more!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
ACL Festival 2013 Preview: Day 1, Weekend 1
So, here we are Thursday. It's the unofficial launch of ACL Festival Part 1 of 2. The first Official Late Night Shows kick-off this evening and tomorrow we start the big show. Hopefully you've been listening to this Spotify Playlist I made for you, featuring 50 of my favorite artists playing this year's festival. Well, it's go time kids. Let's get right down to it. Below the break, I've planned Friday for you. Then I've rambled on about things. Enjoy.
Dana Falconberry - NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert video via YouTube
Noon - 12:45 FIDLAR | Bud Light
12:20 - 1:00 Dana Falconberry | Austin Ventures
12:45 - 1:30 Widowspeak | Samsung
1:00 - 2:00 Savages | Honda
1:30 - 2:30 Thao & the Get Down Stay Down | Bud Light
2:00 - 3:00 Court Yard Hounds | AMD
2:30 - 3:15 Shovels & Rope | Austin Ventures
3:00 - 4:00 Smith Westerns | Honda
3:30 - 4:30 Pinback | Bud Light
4:30 - 5:30 Local Natives | Samsung
5:00 - 6:00 Okkervil River | Honda
5:30 - 6:30 The Black Angels | Bud Light
6:00 - 7:00 Vampire Weekend | AMD
6:15 - 7:15 Wild Belle | Austin Ventures
6:30 - 7:30 Arctic Monkeys | Samsung
7:30 - 8:30 Queens of the Stone Age | Bud Light
7:45 - 8:30 Purity Ring | Austin Ventures
8:00 - 9:30 Depeche Mode | AMD
Ok, so here's the deal. If you look above you'll notice a lot of overlap. There are several strategies here. Read the crowd, if it feel like you can easily traverse the park and see several bands within an hour or two hour block. Go for it. On Friday, this is especially easy before 4pm. The other strategy, which is what I recommend, is you choose a side of the park and sort of pick a spot in the field that's somewhat between the two largest stages. If you look closely to the schedule of artists above, the stages in bold are are on the West side. That's toward the left after you walk through the gates. The stages listed in italics are on the East side of the park, which is toward the right. The stage that is underlined, is closer to the west stages but it's closest to the food. So, it might be a good idea to plan your eating in a way that allows you to hear some of the sets from the Austin Ventures stage.
Not taking into account the artists performing on the stages themselves, the West side stages are definitely more advantageous. The west stages are closer to the gates, the main stages themselves are closer to each other and are placed in a way that is more parallel than the major stages on the east side. I also think it's easier to get to the water refill station on the west side of the park and the access to porta-potties is handier. Also, let's get real, the headliner on the East stage is always harder to hear than the headliner on the West stage. The big stage on the East side is on a lower plane than the big stage on the West side so, the sound naturally drifts from the west toward the east. If you're planning to bring a folding chair, it's easy to find a spot that is situated between the two West side stages, you'll be able to see and hear both stages with little to no shifting of your chair. That is not the case on the east side. With that all being said, there are obviously some great artists playing on both sides of the park.
Regardless of which side you choose, or whether you decide to move throughout the park without a real plan, make sure the first place you walk once you get through the gates is the water station. There are stations to the right or the left but the closest one once you walk through the gate is sort of straight and to the left. Grab a paper festival guide from a volunteer, there will be a map there. If you have a child with you, make sure to get them geo-tagged or whatever they do. You'll see that on the map as well.
Oh, and one last thing. Be prepared to have giant, ridiculous "flags" obstructing your view of the stage. It's annoying but if we prepare ourselves maybe it will be a bit more tolerable. Happy Festing!
Read more!
Dana Falconberry - NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert video via YouTube
Friday, 4 October 2013
- 11:15 - Noon Wild Nothing | Samsung
Ok, so here's the deal. If you look above you'll notice a lot of overlap. There are several strategies here. Read the crowd, if it feel like you can easily traverse the park and see several bands within an hour or two hour block. Go for it. On Friday, this is especially easy before 4pm. The other strategy, which is what I recommend, is you choose a side of the park and sort of pick a spot in the field that's somewhat between the two largest stages. If you look closely to the schedule of artists above, the stages in bold are are on the West side. That's toward the left after you walk through the gates. The stages listed in italics are on the East side of the park, which is toward the right. The stage that is underlined, is closer to the west stages but it's closest to the food. So, it might be a good idea to plan your eating in a way that allows you to hear some of the sets from the Austin Ventures stage.
Not taking into account the artists performing on the stages themselves, the West side stages are definitely more advantageous. The west stages are closer to the gates, the main stages themselves are closer to each other and are placed in a way that is more parallel than the major stages on the east side. I also think it's easier to get to the water refill station on the west side of the park and the access to porta-potties is handier. Also, let's get real, the headliner on the East stage is always harder to hear than the headliner on the West stage. The big stage on the East side is on a lower plane than the big stage on the West side so, the sound naturally drifts from the west toward the east. If you're planning to bring a folding chair, it's easy to find a spot that is situated between the two West side stages, you'll be able to see and hear both stages with little to no shifting of your chair. That is not the case on the east side. With that all being said, there are obviously some great artists playing on both sides of the park.
Regardless of which side you choose, or whether you decide to move throughout the park without a real plan, make sure the first place you walk once you get through the gates is the water station. There are stations to the right or the left but the closest one once you walk through the gate is sort of straight and to the left. Grab a paper festival guide from a volunteer, there will be a map there. If you have a child with you, make sure to get them geo-tagged or whatever they do. You'll see that on the map as well.
Oh, and one last thing. Be prepared to have giant, ridiculous "flags" obstructing your view of the stage. It's annoying but if we prepare ourselves maybe it will be a bit more tolerable. Happy Festing!
Read more!
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
The Best Before Four: ACL Festival 2013 Preview
If you're going to spend the money to get a ticket to Austin City Limits Music Festival you should get your money's worth. Today, I've written a guide to highlight some of the artists who will be playing the festival before 4pm. Chances are you're already pretty familiar with the artists performing later in the day but there is a grip of talent hitting Zilker's stages between 11:15am and 4:00pm each day of the fest.
Let's start at the beginning shall we? The fact that Wild Nothing is scheduled to hit the stage at 11:15am on Friday is a crime against humanity. I know that SOMEONE has to be the first band but I really feel like it would have been wiser to flip Friday's schedule and Sunday's schedule for all bands playing before 4pm. Like many a festival attendee, I have to work my day-job on Friday. My job is cool so I only have to work a half-day but I still won't be at the park before noon on Friday. I know that there are many people who have similar situations.
Wild Nothing - Paradise video via YouTube
That being said, Wild Nothing is playing an Official ACL Late Night Show at the Parish this Friday evening, October 4th.Tickets to see Wild Nothing at the Parish this Friday night are no longer available. However, the bill also features Autre Ne Veut, whom I also adore immensely and their set is also early. So, props for giving these great early artists more chances to reach an audience and vice-versa.
Several of the artists featured in this post are playing bonus Late Night Shows. Check out this post for more details.
Of all of the artist featured in this before 4pm, Haim is the one with the most buzz coming into ACL Festival. The world has fallen in love with these sisters. This tour cycle will certainly be the last time Haim sets foot on a festival stage this early in the day. My personal highlight from this Saturday grouping is Autre Ne Veut but if you're more of a rock fan you might prefer to watch Deap Vally in the 1:00pm time slot.
Autre Ne Veut - Play by Play video via YouTube
This is what I'm saying about mixing up Friday's early line-up with Sunday's early line-up. I know I'm biased because I'm shaping this for my tastes BUT with this Sunday grouping, I would have Foxygen and MS MR play the 3:30 sets no matter what day you have them perform. Both of those artists are playing Late Night Shows though so there will be three chances to see them perform in Austin over the next couple of weeks.
MS MR - Think of You video via YouTube
You may have noticed that several of the artists I've featured in the post are playing at the same time. Usually at this time of day it's a bit easier to move from stage to stage. It also just come down to personal taste. For me, I'd rather listen to Grouplove than The Lone Bellow but if you're a singer-songwriter fan and/or not into synth-pop you'd be better off with the latter.
Listen to this Spotify Playlist of Austin City Limits 2013 Artists.
Read more!
Let's start at the beginning shall we? The fact that Wild Nothing is scheduled to hit the stage at 11:15am on Friday is a crime against humanity. I know that SOMEONE has to be the first band but I really feel like it would have been wiser to flip Friday's schedule and Sunday's schedule for all bands playing before 4pm. Like many a festival attendee, I have to work my day-job on Friday. My job is cool so I only have to work a half-day but I still won't be at the park before noon on Friday. I know that there are many people who have similar situations.
Wild Nothing - Paradise video via YouTube
That being said, Wild Nothing is playing an Official ACL Late Night Show at the Parish this Friday evening, October 4th.
Several of the artists featured in this post are playing bonus Late Night Shows. Check out this post for more details.
Friday
- Wild Nothing | 11:15a - 12:00p | Samsung Galaxy Stage
- Fidlar | 12:00 - 12:45 | Bud Light Stage
- Dana Falconberry (WEEKEND ONE ONLY) | 12:20 - 1:00 | Austin Ventures Stage
- Widowspeak ∫ | 12:45 - 1:30 | Samsung Galaxy Stage
- Savages | 1:00 - 2:00 | Honda Stage
- Thao & The Get Down Stay Downs | 1:30 - 2:30 | Bud Light Stage
- Courtyard Hounds | 2:00 - 3:00 | AMD Stage
- Shovels and Rope | 2:30 - 3:00 | Austin Ventures Stage
- Smith Westerns | : - | Stage
- Pinback | 3:30 - 4:30| Bud Light Stage
Saturday
- Parquet Courts | 11:30a - 12:15p | Bud Light Stage
- Max Frost | 12:00 - 12:40 | Austin Ventures Stage
- Dan Croll | 12:15 - 1:00 | AMD Stage
- Autre Ne Veut | 1:00 - 2:00 | Honda Stage
- Deap Vally | 1:00 - 2:00 | Bud Light Stage
- Haim | 2:00 - 3:00| AMD Stage
- Junip | : - | Stage
Of all of the artist featured in this before 4pm, Haim is the one with the most buzz coming into ACL Festival. The world has fallen in love with these sisters. This tour cycle will certainly be the last time Haim sets foot on a festival stage this early in the day. My personal highlight from this Saturday grouping is Autre Ne Veut but if you're more of a rock fan you might prefer to watch Deap Vally in the 1:00pm time slot.
Autre Ne Veut - Play by Play video via YouTube
Sunday
- Kodaline (WEEKEND ONE) | 12:00 - 12:45 | AMD Stage
- Smallpools (WEEKEND TWO) | 12:00 - 12:45 | Lady Bird Stage
- Foxygen | 12:00 - 1:00 | Samsung Galaxy Stage
- MS MR | 1:30 - 2:30 | AMD Stage
- Noah & the Whale | 2:30 - 3:30| Honda Stage
- Grouplove | 3:30 - 4:30 | AMD Stage
- The Lone Bellow | 3:45 - 4:30 | Austin Ventures Stage
This is what I'm saying about mixing up Friday's early line-up with Sunday's early line-up. I know I'm biased because I'm shaping this for my tastes BUT with this Sunday grouping, I would have Foxygen and MS MR play the 3:30 sets no matter what day you have them perform. Both of those artists are playing Late Night Shows though so there will be three chances to see them perform in Austin over the next couple of weeks.
MS MR - Think of You video via YouTube
You may have noticed that several of the artists I've featured in the post are playing at the same time. Usually at this time of day it's a bit easier to move from stage to stage. It also just come down to personal taste. For me, I'd rather listen to Grouplove than The Lone Bellow but if you're a singer-songwriter fan and/or not into synth-pop you'd be better off with the latter.
Listen to this Spotify Playlist of Austin City Limits 2013 Artists.
Read more!
Monday, September 30, 2013
ACL Festival Preview: What to Bring
I, myself, will be attending the second weekend of Austin City Limits Festival this year. I'm pretty excited because it's the first 2nd weekend of the festival ever! That means I've got more time to prepare for the festival than you do but for those of you attending the first weekend, here's some items you may want to have on your personage for the festival weekend. Oh, but before we get too far down that road, I do want to mention that you can still buy tickets to attend the 2nd weekend with me AND/OR there are still tickets to many of the official ACL Late Night Shows.
The first thing you should do is look at the festival's FAQ and see what they won't let you bring inside. Most of them are logical things that you wouldn't bring but there are a couple of tricky ones that a lot of people miss, 'no aerosol sunblock' for instance.
Shuggie Otis - Inspiration Informatin video via YouTube
So, I'd say before you start packing things up you should think about how mobile you plan on being. If you want to jump from stage to stage throughout the day, you're probably going to only want a very small bag with essentials and/or some cargo shorts. Normally, I absolutely REFUSE to wear cargo shorts but for a festival, I'll make an exception. When it comes to festivals, I'm more focused on function than fashion but I'm also 31 so, there's that. So, for you essentials types the list is pretty brief:
All, or most of what I listed could easily be carried in pockets or on your person. I know that many of you are going to try to make the case for sandals. Hold the fucking phone cowboy. I know that comfortable sandals exist but you know what else exists? Thousands of people in a field walking every direction at once all over your, now broken, toes. Those Birkenstocks are much less comfortable when they're filled with pools of your own blood. Also, don't forget that the sunscreen can't be aerosol and don't buy the cheap brands. I bought cheap sunscreen one year and spent most of the day weeping as it poured into my eyes. Not cool y'all!
If, like me, you've realized how futile it is to try to move from stage to stage the first thing you're going to want is a nice foldable chair. The one that I bring is pretty basic but I'm always envious of the people whose chairs have canopies to protect them from the sun and/or rain. I've also seen some next-level shit that involves attachable umbrellas. If you have a group of people, it's a good idea to bring a combination of blankets and chairs. Figure out which end of the park has the most bands you want to see and setup camp near the front of the chair zone. Once you've setup camp, you can pretty much abandon your camp and people won't fuck with your shit. I'm not saying you should leave your iPad sitting on your blanket but usually if you let your neighbors know what's up you can keep an eye out for each other.
If you're staying fairly stationary, you want to bring all of the essentials above but you should also consider:
You might also consider buying yourself some galoshes. They sell them at Academy pretty cheaply but I'm sure you can find them at lots of places. You may find some of the things on this longer list odd but these suggestions come from years of experience at music festivals. You may not know why you're packing an empty Ziploc bag but at the point that you need it, think of me.
For me, it's always difficult to choose the correct bag to bring. I prefer messenger bags because they have a lower-profile so you can navigate a crowd more easily. It's also less of a production to take the bag off and on. Lastly, this is a bit paranoid but I don't like the idea of people getting into my backpack behind me. So, when I'm stationary in the crowd I move the messenger back in front of me or I rest it on my feet.
I'm sure there are some things that I missed, if history is any indicator I'll be revising this post a hundred times before Friday. You should also be taking Vitamin C right now. Build up your immune system, rest and hydrate now because once the fest gets going, you'll be wearing your body down.
Listen to this Spotify Playlist of Austin City Limits 2013 Artists.
Read more!
The first thing you should do is look at the festival's FAQ and see what they won't let you bring inside. Most of them are logical things that you wouldn't bring but there are a couple of tricky ones that a lot of people miss, 'no aerosol sunblock' for instance.
Shuggie Otis - Inspiration Informatin video via YouTube
So, I'd say before you start packing things up you should think about how mobile you plan on being. If you want to jump from stage to stage throughout the day, you're probably going to only want a very small bag with essentials and/or some cargo shorts. Normally, I absolutely REFUSE to wear cargo shorts but for a festival, I'll make an exception. When it comes to festivals, I'm more focused on function than fashion but I'm also 31 so, there's that. So, for you essentials types the list is pretty brief:
- Hand Sanitizer
- Wet Naps
- Sunscreen
- Bandana
- Sunglasses
- Hat
- Good Shoes NO FUCKING SANDALS!!
- Empty Refillable Water Bottle
- $20-$40/day for food
All, or most of what I listed could easily be carried in pockets or on your person. I know that many of you are going to try to make the case for sandals. Hold the fucking phone cowboy. I know that comfortable sandals exist but you know what else exists? Thousands of people in a field walking every direction at once all over your, now broken, toes. Those Birkenstocks are much less comfortable when they're filled with pools of your own blood. Also, don't forget that the sunscreen can't be aerosol and don't buy the cheap brands. I bought cheap sunscreen one year and spent most of the day weeping as it poured into my eyes. Not cool y'all!
If, like me, you've realized how futile it is to try to move from stage to stage the first thing you're going to want is a nice foldable chair. The one that I bring is pretty basic but I'm always envious of the people whose chairs have canopies to protect them from the sun and/or rain. I've also seen some next-level shit that involves attachable umbrellas. If you have a group of people, it's a good idea to bring a combination of blankets and chairs. Figure out which end of the park has the most bands you want to see and setup camp near the front of the chair zone. Once you've setup camp, you can pretty much abandon your camp and people won't fuck with your shit. I'm not saying you should leave your iPad sitting on your blanket but usually if you let your neighbors know what's up you can keep an eye out for each other.
If you're staying fairly stationary, you want to bring all of the essentials above but you should also consider:
- Change of Socks
- Tissues
- Toilet Paper
- Mints/Gum
- Advil/Aspirin etc
- Empty Ziploc Bags
- Empty Trash Bags
- Personal-Size Umbrella
- Emergency Poncho
- Ear-plugs
- Phone Charger
- Phone Charging Case
- Small Flashlight
- Travel First-Aid Kit
- Moisturizing Lotion
You might also consider buying yourself some galoshes. They sell them at Academy pretty cheaply but I'm sure you can find them at lots of places. You may find some of the things on this longer list odd but these suggestions come from years of experience at music festivals. You may not know why you're packing an empty Ziploc bag but at the point that you need it, think of me.
For me, it's always difficult to choose the correct bag to bring. I prefer messenger bags because they have a lower-profile so you can navigate a crowd more easily. It's also less of a production to take the bag off and on. Lastly, this is a bit paranoid but I don't like the idea of people getting into my backpack behind me. So, when I'm stationary in the crowd I move the messenger back in front of me or I rest it on my feet.
I'm sure there are some things that I missed, if history is any indicator I'll be revising this post a hundred times before Friday. You should also be taking Vitamin C right now. Build up your immune system, rest and hydrate now because once the fest gets going, you'll be wearing your body down.
Listen to this Spotify Playlist of Austin City Limits 2013 Artists.
Read more!
Friday, September 27, 2013
Savages: ACL Festival Preview 2013
Savages is not just a clever name. These English ladies are snarling, shoe-gazing rockers whose songs build into guitar orgasms accentuated by banshee wails. If you've heard their name and you checked out the album but decided it wasn't for you, you're not getting the full picture. Until you feel the power of Savages in a live setting, you can't truly judge the songs. I did not worship at the church of Savages until I saw them perform at a SXSW day party. From the moment guitars were strapped on until the moment the house music came back on, I was transfixed. This band has "It". Whatever "It" is, you'll feel it in your bones when you see Savages perform at Austin City Limits Festival.
Savages - Shut Up video via YouTube
If you're attending planning to attend ACL Festival this year you will find Savages on the Honda Stage at 1pm Friday. Since that is such an early set time, I know a lot of people won't have the opportunity to have their lives changed by Savages, which disappoints me. Don't worry my friends, Savages are also playing at the Parish on Friday, October 11th. That's the opening night of the second weekend of ACL Fest. Tickets are still available and believe me when I tell you that it is worth the $16 it costs to get in the door.
Savages - I Am Here (live) video via YouTube
Obviously, if you were already planning to go to ACL Festival then you definitely need to see Savages set on the festival grounds but if we're being honest, the Parish show is going to be a better representation of what I love about this band. The think that is so impactful when you see them live is the band's presence and it's the way the sound overwhelms your senses. It feels like your heart is adjusting to the rhythm of the drums and when things get loud it's almost as if you can feel wind come out of the speakers. It's going to be great to hear theses songs echo across Zilker Park but there is something to be said about the feel of an intimate performance.
Listen to a Spotify Playlist featuring 50 artists to see at ACL Festival 2013.
Read more!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Tame Impala: ACL Festival 2013 Preview
I don't want to freak you out or anything but Austin City Limits Music Festival Round 1, is NEXT WEEKEND. I feel like I don't even know where to begin so I'm just going to focus on Tame Impala. Chances are, if you're hip to Austin Bloggy Limits then you are fully aware of, Australian band, Tame Impala but pretend for a moment that you are the typical festival goer. Uh oh, did he just generalize all festival goers? You're damn straight he did. I feel like the typical person who goes to ACL Festival year after year doesn't really care who is playing. They trust the curation skills of C3 Presents and/or they know they are going to have fun regardless of what's happening on stage.
I guess what I'm saying is your typical, non-music-blog reading, festival goer uses an event like ACL Festival for discovery. Jaded, douche-nozzles like me have seen the majority of these bands already by the time they get to the big stage so we're mostly just hoping the people around us will shut the fuck up long enough for us to hear this guitar solo. SPOILER ALERT: They won't.
Tame Impala - Mind Mischief video via YouTube
So, as a jaded douche-nozzle, one of the things I have grown to look forward to is seeing the crowd's reaction (or lack thereof) to artists whom I am already very excited about. For instance, seeing Cults win over a large group of people who had no idea who they were was pretty great.
This year, I feel like Tame Impala will be the discovery story for many a festival attendee. Stop rolling your eyes and hear me out. Tame Impala has only recently been added to many "alt rock" radio stations, which means your parents are only marginally aware of some of their songs. I saw Tame Impala when they played Stubb's but the really cool kids were at their Emo's Inside show when they toured Austin behind their first record. I really kick myself for skipping that show.
If you are unaware, or only marginally aware of, Tame Impala they need to be at the top of your must-see list. These guys are seriously kick-ass musicians and their sound is going to wash over the crowd like a fog of, 'Holy shit this band is fucking awesome!' That's a fog now.
I guess I kind of fucked up by featuring them first since they don't play until 6:30p on Sunday of ACL Festival but that is how important Tame Impala is to me, you, and the greater Austin metro region. So plan to grab something to eat on your way over to the Honda Stage and get yourself a good spot somewhere between the stage and the soundboard and then shut the fuck up for the duration of the set. It's as easy as that. Oh, and if you want, you can have these Aussies sign your tits (allegedly) at the Waterloo Autograph Tent at 4:30p on Sunday.
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