Let's Plan ACL Fest Day 2

If you only have a 1-day pass for ACL Fest, Saturday is the day to have it. This is the day that has the most acts I enjoy playing at the same time, so I had to make some tough decisions. Let's start at the beginning shall we?

We'll start out our Saturday at the Austin Ventures stage at 11:20a where local outfit, Balmorhea will be starting things off for us.


Balmorhea - Rememberance video via YouTube


After Balmorhea we'll head over to the Budweiser stage for the Very Best who's set begins at 12:30p. It's a very early time slot for them but at least they were booked on the headlining stage.


the Very Best - Julia video via YouTube

By 1:30p we'll want to be over at the Honda stage to catch Mr. Pete Yorn.


Pete Yorn - Last Summer video via YouTube

It's back to the Austin Ventures stage at 2:20p where Two Door Cinema Club will be performing. These guys had the opening slot the last time Phoenix played Stubb's and I suspect they won over lots of local fans at that show.


Two Door Cinema Club - I Can Talk video via YouTube

At 3:30p it's off to the Zync Card stage to catch the Black Lips making out with each other. No seriously, this is what punk is like in Atlanta (not really), they spit in the air and catch it in their mouths and they cartoonishly make-out with one another while playing solos. In otherwords it's not to be missed.


Black Lips - Short Fuse video via YouTube

I really want to see a lot of people at the Austin Ventures stage for Local Natives 4:30p set. However, Silversun Pickups put on such an amazing live show that I'm going to have to officially pick the Budweiser stage for your 4:30p time slot. Pretty much any stage you choose from 4:30-5:30 on Saturday is going to be effing awesome.


Silversun Pickups - The Royal We video via YouTube

Although a lot of people think the XX are boring in a live setting they are still who I'm going to see at 5:30p. They'll be performing on the Zync Card stage, but don't expect them to jump around like performing monkeys. They WILL be static but what would you expect from their minimalist sound?


the XX - Basic Space video via YouTube

The 6:30p time slot pits gypsy-punk against dance-punk and you know this blogger likes to dance. Did you know that? It's true. That's why I'll be over at the Budweiser stage to catch LCD Soundsystem. Talk about a great band for the dusk time-slot. Holla!


LCD Soundsystem - Bye Bye Bayou video via YouTube

At 7:30p it's back to the Honda stage for one of the most fun acts of the entire festival, Brooklyn 2-piece Matt and Kim.


Matt and Kim - Camera video via YouTube

At 8:30p I'll be visiting the AMD stage to see M.I.A.. I'm not going to lie her live performance can be very hit or miss let's hope she's inspired by a semi-headlining slot and she tears it up. We'll let time be the judge of that.


M.I.A. - XXXO video via YouTube

Finally after M.I.A. I'll be catching the end of Muse's set.

So, that's my Saturday at the fest.

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Friendly Fires + the XX = Mohawk Thursday

Hipsters start your fixed-gears, Friendly Fires and the XX hit the Mohawk's outside stage tonight! If you weren't aware of this already then you're probably not going to get a ticket, at least not by the usual means, as the show has been sold-out since Monday. Friendly Fires have always put on a solid-show but the buzz for their latest material being played on the current tour has been loud. Their latest release seems to be a Deluxe re-issue of their Eponymous, debut LP. You can check it out here if you wish.


Friendly Fires - Kiss of Life video via YouTube

I wouldn't say the XX are opening for Friendly Fires I'd say it's a split-headliner. Sure, FF have been around longer but the XX are current UK darlings, or at least they were this summer when their single, Crystalised was pretty much everywhere. I haven't checked but I'm sure there are a billion or so remixes of the song. I have also noticed that the XX have been tagged to remix a lot of other artist's as of late. Personally, I don't try to keep up with what Carles calls the remix-economy. It's pretty much a full-time job these days keeping track of who is remixing whom, when and how to get an ear on the songs once they're supposedly out. But I digress, here's Crystalised in case you somehow escaped it this summer.


the XX - Crystalised video via YouTube

If you're cool and you get there early tonight you can also catch, recent XL Recording signee, Holly Miranda. I'd expect her to start around 9:15, this whole thing has to be done by midnight so we're packing it in early kids. By the way, whether you're cool or not you should probably get to the 'Hawk early unless you want to see the backs of people's heads whilst listening to Friendly Fires.


Holly Miranda - I Go To Sleep + Hymnal video via YouTube

Oh snap! I just checked Holly Miranda's official page and it says canceled for her appearance at the 'Hawk but I'm sure there will be some kick-ass local act instead, which is just fine by me. Or maybe U2 will show up and everyone will be excited at first then they'll get their hipster on and throw their Lone Stars at Bono. Then Bono will turn on the spot and disappear in cloud of shamrocks leaving behind, only, a pair of black wrap-around shades. Whoa!



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