Mind Blowingly-Awesome Bands: ACL
By April on Oct 2 Filed In ACL, Austin, Texas, Live Music Add a Comment
This past weekend I spent cycling and gearing up mentally for the week that began today and won’t end until next Monday. What is happening in Austin this week, you ask? Austin City Limits Festival!!
This will be my first time to truly experience ACL. I was lucky enough to get to see The Raconteurs and Galactic last year on Sunday because I had some friends that went back to NYC and left their wrist bands loose, but it wasn’t the same as experiencing the whole three day extravaganza. The last actual festival I attended as a paying customer was Lollapalooza in Dallas, 1994. The festival world has changed dramatically since the early 90′s. I was lucky enough to see Pearl Jam at Lolla in 1992 and it was a scene! They encouraged the fans to rush the stage and WE DID. I jumped and ran over so many rows of seats and ended up on the front row thrashing about with the best of them. I made the mistake of drinking a “smart drink” and between the drink, endorphins and the heat, I ended up throwing up on this girl’s combat boots that I went to high school with. It was a bit embarrassing but that was how crazy the scene was at the front of the stage. PJ busted out their version of Baba O’Riley and it blew me away. I fell in love with them at that moment. I look forward to at least hearing them while working my closing shift Sunday night.
This year I have some bands that I am really looking forward to seeing, as well as letting my future husband, Jack White, know who I am. I can’t begin to tell you how he rocks my world! The Dead Weather are high on my list to see, but ironically enough, I’ll be slinging tea in the middle of their showcase and will begging, pleading, and bribing ALL of our volunteers to help a sister out!
Bands I will NOT miss:
Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9): If you have not seen these guys or even listened to them, back-up the bus, check yourself (yes, before you wreck yourself) because these guys will rock your face right off the bone. STS9 has a full band present on stage along with their computers, and they are literally up there playing their music and mixing/creating all at the same time. Watching the bass player play a riff and then hit a button on his computer and waiting to hear what he just created is mind-bending. Not going to ACL this year? Cool, hit them up at Stubb’s for a fantastic after-show. You won’t be able to stand by idling, you’ll be dancing!
Medeski Martin & Wood: I am not lying, (though music is subjective and opinion based) when I say that these three musicians are some of the most talented guys on the planet and I love that they found each other! John Medeski is a world-class pianist/organist and he can make those keys do things that most people didn’t even know was possible. Billy Martin can take a tiny, toy drum set and make it sound like 4 drum kits in 1! Chris Wood (also playing w/his brother as The Wood Brothers) is one bad-ass bass player-yes, as good as Les Claypool and that is a very high bar to reach! I have seen some of their shows where there were only the 3 of them onstage and I had to keep looking up, as I was sure they had like 10 people up there with them. Even if you’re not into free-jazz, I’d take sometime out and give them a listen. They are also playing at 9am Friday morn at Threadgills and yes, I will be there. I am not missing my chance to see them in such a small place. If anyone reading this knows of them playing any after-shows, please OH PLEASE, let me know!
Bassnectar/Thievery Corporation/Ghostland Observatory: I’ve never seen ANY of these bands play and I am stoked to see what they’ll bring to the table. Will it make me want to move my ass? I am sure of it. Will I walk away wanting more? Oh yeah!
Who are YOU the most excited to see this year?
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