This week has been such a blur, Rob and I went to the Austin City Limits Music Festival last Friday – Monday, here’s the highlights, written on Monday and I’m first getting the photos together to blog it.
Rob and I spent the last three days in Austin Texas! Where even they want to impeach the president! We got to see all kinds of great music, some of it planned, some of it, a pleasant surprise. On Friday we got into town around 1:30, took a taxi to our hotel and headed down to the festival. We waited for a taxi for about 45 minutes, then we gave up and took the bus for 50 cents! (Unfortunately, Rob heard on the news that they may be raising it to $1, but still a bargain by Madison standards!) Some nice locals let us know where the best place to get off the bus was and we got to walk a bit through downtown Austin on the way to the free shuttles to Zilker Park. We were able to see:
JJ Grey and Mofro – These guys actually were in the same hotel as us. As we were waiting for the cab that never came, we saw them load up their instruments and jump in a van to the festival. When we got there and walked over to the stage we both realized that we had just been in the same parking lot with them. They rocked and I was very excited that they played Lochloosa – which is my favorite song they do. They almost didn’t do the last song because the “soundsystem” was too loud, but the crowd made them come back.
LCD Soundsystem – After JJ Grey and Mofro were done, we had to go see the “soundsystem” that was so loud. Turns out, they were fun to listen to and we enjoyed them very much when they weren’t competing with the other band.
The Mighty Clouds of Joy – The best way to describe these guys would be gospel rock and soul. They played under the tent and the shade would have been a real welcome thing because the sun was so hot, but it was just muggy and sweaty under the tent and it was better outside.
Reverend Horton Heat – Rob finally got me to listen to him live. I actually kinda liked it, but not as much as Rob. He pl.ayed a music through time section and it really showed the variety of music he could do well. The crowd loved it, from age 2 or 3 to those with gray hairs.
Bjork – Well, we kind of listened on our way out . . . .
After a long day of traveling and music we went downtown to 6th street to check it out then we found a cab with the help of a dude pedaling a rickshaw and then made it back to our hotel for some much needed sleep.
Saturday we slept in, went back to the bus to get us back downtown, ate some lunch on 6th street and then went to the festival grounds saw:
Railroad Earth – We found a spot in the shade next to the tent and were able to enjoy the bluegrass/funk/rock but we didn’t go into the tent because as the guy behind us said in a southern drawl “that’s gotta be swampy in there.”
Steve Earle – He played acoustic guitar with a DJ scratching on stage with him which was a unique sound.
Stephen Marley – Reggae!
Zap Mama – This was one of the pleasant surprises for us. This woman had a ton of enthusiasm that the crowd couldn’t help catching. Although the Texas sun was beating down hard, you couldn’t help dancing.
Damien Rice – Time for some mello rock so we could sit down and relax for a bit after dancing to Zap Mama. He played a couple of songs we recognized from the radio but nothing outstanding.
Indigo Girls – We listened to a few songs but we really wanted to go see Cross Candian Ragweed, so after a few tunes, we grabbed another beer and went on our merry way.
Cross Canadian Ragweed – We listened for a while, but it was a little too country pop for us, so we headed back downtown.
We ate at the Speaghetti Warehouse – we had some good food and gave our feet a small rest before we headed back to 6th street where we spent some time listening to the Mizzbehaving Band and back to the hotel.
By Sunday, we had the routine down, city bus, walk, shuttle bus, walk, beer, music, beer, music, sun, sun and more sun! Sunday we got there a little earlier and we saw:
STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) – We enjoyed this band a lot. We did a little dancing, a little people watching and got some more sun.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals – After dancing to STS9 we went back over to the tent and found a bleacher to sit on and listened to this band, however, we didn’t stay sitting for long. She had us quickly on our feet watching her play her flying V guitar, organ
and a little drums and listening to her great voice. This was another of the pleasant surprises.
DeVotchKa – We went and saw them cuz of the name and they were a unique blend of Russian music and pop with a dude playing the fiddle and a chick playing a pink and black tuba as well as the cello.
Charlie Musselwhite – Never disappoints.
Lucinda Williams – Unfortunately, the last sounds of the festival was that irritating song . . . you took my joy . . . . bummer.
Unfortunately we missed Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Ziggy Marley and Bob Dylan, but we went out to a fantastic dinner with Rob’s cousin and her husband. It was nice to see them as we only see them once every few years, so it was well worth it.
We’ll be back in Madison soon, to read hundreds of emails, answer phone calls, let the blisters on my feet heal and get back to work, but it was a great little get-away.
