Starting to get excited about the 2008 Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL – September 26-28) which actually begins for me the Saturday before when I get the collapsible chairs out of the garage and make them ready for the three days of fun. I will also begin gathering the contents for my backpack, which makes the three days even more enjoyable (more about the contents of the backpack in future posts). I will take off from work beginning Wednesday, September 24, to run last minute errands.
On Thursday, the fun really begins. I pack the car with three chairs and a cooler full of cold beer (for the hotel room) and head to the airport to pick-up friends from the DC/Virginia area. This will be the seventh ACL for two of the three friends – yes, they have attended all the ACLs from the beginning – pretty cool. Once everyone is in the car we’re off to lunch, a great afternoon, and maybe some live music. We lunch somewhere different every year so they get the full Austin experience. In years past we have gone to Hut’s, Texicalli Grille (RIP Danny Roy Young, you were a great man and made a big difference), and Hoover’s just to name a few.
After lunch, we would normally head to Cheapo Discs and/or Waterloo Records, but this year before we go to one or both of those cool music stores, we will go to Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop (think Lance Armstrong). All three friends are biking freaks and think Lance is too cool for words. Last year one of the guys stood next to the 7 time winner of the Tour de France at the urinal at Guero’s. So it only seems right that we go to Lance’s own bike shop. As I said we will go to Cheapo and/or Waterloo, but if this is your first ACL, please know that Waterloo will have a tent at the Festival so you can buy the CDs of the artists playing at the Festival, and maybe even get an autograph or two, so if you end up going to Cheapo or Waterloo don’t go crazy. Although, it is very hard not to go crazy at Cheapo’s because of their huge selection/price of used CDs, and Waterloo is the holy grail of independent music stores.
After bike and CD shopping, on to the Cedar Door for delicious/dangerous MMs. After a couple of adult beverages we are off to the Austin Motel so the boys can check-in. They love staying at this place, and the location is perfect. After they get settled, we head to the Continental Club for happy hour beverages and music. After the Continental Club we head to Guero’s for tacos al pastor, queso, and dinner. If everyone is still standing after Guero’s, then it is time to think about some live music to bring Thursday to a great end. Now where should we go… thinking… thinking… still thinking…
Stay tuned for additional posts about the 2008 ACL Music Festival… As always, comments are welcome…
