Tea, Tunes, and Non-stop Sweetness: ACL 2010
By Guest on Oct 15 Filed In ACL, Austin, Texas, Guest Blogger, Live Music, Sweet Consumers 4 Comments
As I sit here, two days after ACL, with my feet covered in blisters and a sunburnt nose, I can only look back on this past weekend and smile. If someone were to ask me a week ago if I were attending the Austin City Limits Music Festival, I would have had to answer reluctantly that I would not be even though my love for music and especially my love for many of the attending artists is immense. But, much to my own very pleasant surprise, last Thursday evening, as I was checking my e-mail inbox after a long day of work, I found out that I had won two 3-day passes to the festival. The wonderful Brand Marketing Manager, Charla Adams, left me a simple yet sweet message that made me jump up and down, squealing, while my dog stared at me as if I were a crazy person. I contacted Charla immediately and soon, ticket pick-up plans were made, work shifts were covered, and before I knew it, I was on my way to the festival!
Attending my very first ACL was truly an experience which I will sweetly keep in my heart for years to come. I know that not everyone was fortunate enough to attend the festival, therefore, if you were not one of the approximate 65,000 individuals daily at ACL, allow me to give you my run down of the three-day musical spectacular that was the Austin City Limits Festival of 2010. To be completely honest, there really wasn’t much about the festival that one could complain about or dislike. With the temperature highs reaching the upper 80s/lower 90s, and the skies reaching the bluest of baby blues with only a few wispy clouds lazily hanging around, the weather could be described as perfect. Zilker Park, in all its natural beauty, was blanketed in a colorful sea of umbrellas and quilts as festival-goers relaxed while listening to a wide selection of musical acts. But the music wasn’t the only thing in abundance at ACL and I was actually quite surprised at the amazing food vendor selections. Being new to Austin, it was nice to be able to try some new restaurants by simply walking from one booth to the next as opposed to driving around town! Another cool feature of the festival was the extensive art section that included some very talented jewelry designers, painters, and other artists displaying their unique items in small, adjoining tents. It was fun to walk through the booths, talk to the artists and look at interesting pieces of work while waiting for the next band I would like to see. But of course, the most note-worthy aspect of the festival was the music!
The artists at my first ACL included an amazing mix of more widely-known artists such as Muse, Silversun Pickups, and The Black Keys fused with some up-and-coming gems that included Miike Snow, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, and Two Door Cinema Club. Being a music fanatic, I was worried that some of the smaller bands would be overlooked by many due to their alternative sound and their under-exposure. Therefore, I was in shock to see how many individuals actually came out to support these bands and were loyal fans, just like me! This really solidified in me that Austinites are true music enthusiasts, and that they know their stuff! It was an amazing feeling being engulfed in a crowd of people, all diverse individuals in many ways, yet all dancing and singing to the same song; that was the true beauty of the festival! Along with the Sweet Leaf balloons playfully bopping up and down through the crowd, it really was a truly unique and amazing weekend for me.
When I look back at my first ACL weekend, I will always smile and remember the good times, the good tunes and the good people. But most importantly, I will always remember sipping crisp Sweet Leaf Tea and knowing that without them, my amazing memories would not be possible. I would like to again thank Sweet Leaf Tea for giving me the opportunity to attend the Austin City Limits Music Festival. Rest assured they have found a lifelong supporter in me!
I cannot wait for ACL next year. My mind is already running wild wondering which bands will be in attendance. I truly believe that music is one of the only constants in our lives that keeps our souls afloat and our minds sane and festivals give us a way to share that feeling with friends, new and old. I am so thankful that I was able to attend this year and let me be the first one to tell you …
Only 363 days until ACL 2011! See y’all there, with a Sweet Leaf in hand!
Peace, Love, and Music,
Olga Rose
Olga, so jealous of your experience! Maybe next year I will be so lucky
freaking awesome post! Edward Sharpe was impeccable! You definitely look just uber happy tanning in the sun and music. Maybe next year, I’ll have the chance to win the tickets. Sweet beats, sweet eats, and sweet leaf drinks!
Aw man, sounds like a pretty epic time. Once I move to Texas I’m definitely hittin this up
I love you.