First, the weather was great, and we didn’t think the dust was all that bad. Both have been much worse in the past. Please know that the weather in Austin the last two weeks has been outstanding, and since next year’s ACL Music Festival will be one week later (October 2-4, 2009), fingers crossed, the weather should be prefect for the festival (God, I hope I haven’t cursed it for next year).
Second, I want to thank the person/committee for making the decision to serve 24 ounce beers. I also want to thank the person/committee for the continuation of the wonderful festival food/beverages. Once again, Boomerang’s Pies, Vespaio Ristorante/Enoteca Vespaio, Wahoo’s Fish Taco, and Sweet Leaf Tea provided the tasty energy needed to enjoy the festival. The quality of the food is unbelievable.
Third, I don’t want to talk about the port a potties, except to say thanks to those who smoked weed in all the port a potties I used because it masked smell and I never needed to use my gag reflex training. However, I have been thinking I need some way to shield my eyes when I first enter a port a potty (thankfully, the night terrors have finally stopped). It is beyond disturbing how quickly they can become disgusting, and how unfair it is for female attendees. We don’t live like this at home (or maybe some do) so why is it okay at the festival.
Fourth, my backpack system and its contents (see earlier post) worked very well. We had everything we needed for the three days of the festival. The only downer occurred on Sunday morning when security took my spray sun tan lotion. It was on the list of prohibited items (no Metal aerosol containers, including sunscreen), I should have known better. Lastly, our special festival chair/canopy system worked flawlessly. A ton of people came up to ask where we got the chairs and canopy. Because the chair/canopy has proven so effective in providing shade/reducing the temperature, and is of such interest to so many festival attendees, I plan to post a short/simple video or two in the near future to show how to create the chair.
Fifth, the music was great, we just didn’t like having to choose between two, sometimes three great bands. We hate splitting sets, so selecting a band came down to which artist comes to Austin the least, and that is the one to go see/hear. For example, we went to Eli “Paperboy” Reed instead of Sharon Jones. I wanted to hear both, but we will wait to see Sharon Jones when she and the band returns to Austin in the future. I heard her set at the festival was great. I just wish bands of a similar genre of music would not be scheduled opposite each other. Lastly, enough with inviting British soul/R&B divas who don’t show-up. Joss Stone is the only one to deliver the goods (I love her for showing-up).
Here is a list of the bands we heard:
Friday – Dan Dyer, Asleep at the Wheel, What Made Milwaukee Famous, Vampire Weekend (along with 80% of festival attendees – man that was a crowded stage), Jamie Lidell, Patty Griffin (only parts) Hot Chips, N.E.R.D (only parts), Swell Season, and Donavan Frankenreiter (only parts).
Saturday – Langhorn Slim, The Fratellis, Band of Heathens, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, Les Freres Guisse, Robert Earl Keen (only part), MGMT, John Fogerty, and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss.
Sunday – Belleville Outfit, Octopus Project (only part), Mike Farris, Joe Bonamassa, Heartless Bastards, Gnarls Barkley (only part), and Band of Horses.
Favs – Jamie Lidell, Hot Chips, Langhorn Slim, The Fratellis, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, John Fogerty, Belleville Outfit, Mike Farris, and Joe Bonamassa.
We would have liked to have heard – Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (opposite Eli “Paperboy” Reed) and Galactic (20 minutes late starting the set).
We heard M Ward had a great set.
Sunday after show (not ACL related) – The Gourds at Threadgill’s World Headquarters – This was a great show, and a wonderful way to end the weekend.
Final Words – Fun was had by all and we are looking forward to next year’s 2009 ACL Music Festival… did I mention that we have already bought tickets…
If you attended the festival, I hope your experience was as good as ours, and if you didn’t attend, think about 2009, you’ll have a great time.
As always, comments are welcome…
planetaustintx 