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Post by GratefulHippie on Oct 5, 2021 15:54:16 GMT -5
For those who were at ACL last weekend...how was the Uber/Lyft situation? I'm supposed to be coming in for Panic this weekend and I want to know what I'm up against.
Got into town Thursday night with the gloomy weather. It was looking like a bummer with the morning storm, and subsequent cancellation of the first 8 or so acts. Beginning gates opening at 3PM? Good lord what a clusterfuck. A logistical nightmare. The East Springs entrance was seemingly infinite. I took my chances at going around to the West Springs entrance. There were less total people, but it was a blob of humanity bundled up at the gates. There were no real lines. There were a handful of "bags" entry points, and one single "no bags" to the right, but you couldn't tell a difference by looking at the people. Dozens of bag folk were in the 'No Bag' side. The poor lady attendant was doing her best managing the influx of people. She was actually checking vax cards/IDs, and looked at mine. In fact, all three days, attendants looked at mine. I do see that a lot of others didn't have that same experience, and I'm not surprised. With how crammed these lines would become at the rush hour with hundreds and hundreds of people, another hoop to jump through making the lines more clogged in the 90 degree humid heat -- these workers are just gonna be lax in lookin' at vax.
I finally squeezed into the park halfway through Skip Marley's set. Crossing off another Marley (seen Julian, Ziggy, Damien) from my list. He and his crew were cool to open the fest with.
Went over to the tent to find out what the local DJ Disko Cowboy was all about. Played slightly remixed pop-country tunes to a modest crowd getting away from the sun. Felt like a novelty act that blended in nicely with this year's specific 'country' theme. On that note, I really enjoyed seeing all of the modified cowboy/cowgal costumes all weekend - bondage, electric, glitter, midnight, urban, rainbow, leather, lots of literal cow-print.
Anyway, I high-tail'd it over to Lady Bird stage to check out Joy Oladokun - just in time for her cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" Her overall demeanor got me to stay for the rest of her set, and I was amused by the obvious Strait campers leaned against the bottom of the rail. fanning themselves in the sun rays.
Following I had a fatal four-way decision to make, and how would I split? I impulsively made my way west to the other side of the park. I decided to start at the smallest stage BMI for Zella Day. But she hadn't started yet. Why? Oh, there's this purposeful prick, name pistol pete or whatever, on the Honda stage who is going over his time. He ended late by six minutes. I imagine he was bitter because of his unusual mid-day timeslot - I headline Riot Fest and Louder than Life goshdarnit! Cool flames tho bro
Once that dude ended, Zella Day's band, visibly annoyed, appeared. They were fine, kind of softer than I expected from some of the tunes I had previously heard. Halfway through, I crossed over to the north for Moses Sumney, who had style and pipes! The crowd was loose enough, I easily got rail. Up close and personal to his intensity. Glad I glanced Moses' way!
I had heard rumblings of a 'surprise' tent performance, who turned out to be Blacklizt. Definitely showed up for that, but it was clear many others also caught wind of the secret, because the tent was overloaded by the time Zhu took stage. A consistent thought I have every year I attend, and visited this stage throughout the weekend - they really need to expand the square-footage this 'tent' covers.
Stayed for about 10 minutes (the dudebros I were near couldn't stop talking, and indirectly mocked me for actually wearing a mask) so I then skedaddled on over to ATX's own beloved Black Pumas. The crowd is growing, the blankets and chairs are multiplying, but not as much as I would have expected this late in the day...
Jaunted across the park again for finale of Megan's set - just in time to suddenly see side-stage Billie on screen geeking out. Ms. thee Stallion is clearly headliner-level already, and proving her placement on lineups all year have been highly misjudged.
Strolled to small BMI for Bexley, who was one of the originally canceled acts from the afternoon, but graciously granted headliner that night. An easy rail to grab, it felt like I was seeing something special, their dream coming to reality. They were clearly so in awe they got to be there, and appreciative of the opportunity. They were a breath of fresh rock'n'roll air on a lineup that lacked it.
I didn't have any huge appeal for either headliner that night, deciding to just split them. The times worked out I could catch a Cyrus hour and Strait hour. Closest to Miley, so I started there, cozied myself to the side of the sound mixers. She came out strong, definitely a seasoned showoman, strutting around as she owned the stage. I liked her "Heart of Glass" cover, but it ultimately just made me sad I have never caught a Blondie show. And when her "Midnight Sky" / Edge of Seventeen riff kicked, I just longed for the real Stevie Nicks, who was supposed to be there two days later. Surprised Miley didn't even mention her. I left after that tune, making the way towards Lady Bird.
I chuckled on the way, pondering if George ever wondered "who's playing the same time as me... Miley Cyrus? You mean that guy BILLY RAY'S KID????"" and then I laughed as the first words I hear from George on approach was "are there any cowboys out there?" - naturally! - leading into "How 'bout Them Cowgirls?" I gotta say, this had to be the easiest ACL headliner crowd to traverse through... (until two days later) The note earlier about the surprising lack of blankets and chairs - still surprised! Saw someone say this was definitely a sign of The Chair (get it?!) folk being anti-maskers/vaxxers (or maybe afraid of exposure?) The crowd was who you'd expect, a lot of traditional western wear, and the most country-dancin' and twirlin' I'd ever seen in a fest. It was cute and quaint So was Mr. Strait, he and his literal dozen on stage were pleasant performers. Thought the Tom Petty cover was a cool catch to see. I like ACL because they are at the point where they can book pretty much anybody and get away with it. An act like George Strait who I would never see anywhere else, but I can cross him off my list of legends.
Last Edit: Oct 8, 2021 13:33:47 GMT -5 by llz - Back to Top
speaking of i’m hearing that he allegedly went over curfew tonight and the fest didn’t stop him. i’m sure his pockets are deep enough for whatever fines he gets hit with but still crazy considering he finished early last weekend.
Great first day. I loved Dermont Kennedy. Black Pumas were great. George was George. So many hits. Caught the last bit of Miley. Damn it felt good to see live music again. The energy was great.
Saturday: My wife and child are huge Billie Eilish fans. She's basically the main reason we went, along with Stevie Nicks, but we know how that ended up (hoping for 2022!) This was my daughter's first ACL. It's a bummer it had to be during a pandemic, which caused the festival to erase their traditional "Kiddie Limits" area. Still kept the Under 10 Years Are Free rule! I know how the non-parents feel about seeing kids at a fest - believe me I used to be one! - but it's fun family experience that the young'n's will look back on, giving them some extra cool cred for when they are older and return some year. Maaaannn did I appreciate her presence immediately, because if you have a kid, you stroll right on through the VIP line, ignoring all the chaos I had to go through the previous day.
We started off with a local Texas gem favorite - Charley Crockett. This was my third time seeing him and it's always a pleasure. The man has been putting in WORK for the last several years, constantly touring and going to any back alley bar joint that will have him. I admire his dedication and love for performing, especially after having heart surgery unexpectedly in 2019.
One discovery I wanted to check out was Remi Wolf. The tracks I heard from her in research are really catchy and got a great groove, so I was curious how they translated live. It's just her and two guys at her flanks. She is high-steppin' and rollin' on the floor all over the stage. Very entertaining energy, even when she surprisingly jumps on the drum kit for an impromptu jam. She gained some new fans, I feel like she has the talent to gain even higher billing.
Turned around to Lady Bird for Phoebe Bridgers. I've always appreciated her presence and style, but there's only like 2-3 songs I actually enjoy from her. Music is a tad too soft for my tastes, but I find the contrast of her dark visual imagery, skeletons and metal-style art work to be humorous. As for her live, this is no personal knock, but the set and setting did not mesh well. Her tunes in the 90 degree sunny Texas heat on the biggest stage had many people around me unengaged. A mixture of many talkers and probably the most blankets and squatters on the ground - so close to the stage - that I've seen for a performer in awhile. This d-bag in front of me who was talking the majority of the time mocked anytime the band picked up tempo - "oh finally some excitement!" I feel she would be much better suited at night, inside an intimate venue. Phoebe was only one of two sets I stayed from start to finish all weekend, the other being our headliner for the night...
Other than Billie, the second most interested act my wife wanted to see was The HU. We got food and waited in the tent until they started. Holy hu they were fantastic, perfect for this atmosphere. Can't imagine how awesome they would be in a tight club setting - I heard their late night set downtown was electric.
We left a little before their set ended to plant a good spot ahead of Billie. Saw the last ten minutes of Doja Cat, she seemed fun! Probably not the best influence for a toddler, but I did notice what looked like a 9 year old and her mom really putting on some dance moves. To each their own!
In awaiting our headliner, I could hear and see Alison Wonderland from a distance. Cool looking set but notable comments in between tracks about "I really needed this" and "Fuck depression" made me feel for her. Hope she finds peace!
Billie Eilish was a badass. So young with so many killer hits, one after another. "Oxytocin" is a banger, as the kids say. I kept seeing a lot of complaints elsewhere about her sound system and how they couldn't hear her, but I think it's all dependent on your location. We were around the sweet spot of the sound mixer station, and heard everything just fine. Granted, for the biggest stage at one of the biggest festivals in the country, you would figure the sound at the Lady Bird should be on point no matter where you are in the vicinity. Her protest against the Texas 'heartbeat' abortion law got a powerful pop, and I am glad that she came to the conclusion that just boycotting the gig wasn't going to do anything but punish her fans. Use that platform, Show up and speak up is the best course of action. Anyway, the crane flyover was a cool touch, wish we were under that trajectory! Her crowd was easily the most dense and populous of the entire weekend, hands down, no contest. And she's still got a long lucrative career ahead of her. Now my daughter can say she She Was There!
Last Edit: Oct 9, 2021 13:17:45 GMT -5 by llz - Back to Top
Started late after a long Saturday. local Texan Marc Rebillet was exactly as advertised, a gimmick act creating improvised penis tunes. He had a big fan base on hand.
Lane 8 in the tent, once again, same feeling as Zhu on Friday - super crowded, overflowing the square-footage of the covering. Need expansion, ACL! Would have enjoyed his set way more at night.
My wife wanted to check out Greta van Fleet, since she's a big Led Zeppelin fan.... hey they're like a blatant rip-off, quasi-cover band - but much less impressive! Zepp was a blatant rip-off cover band too right, so it's only fair. Anyway, I couldn't get over how lame they were. I will admit they have talent, and they are still in their infancy, so maybe they will find their way or carve their own path... but it was embarrassing seeing this kid hop around stage awkwardly banging on a tambourine in his dumb outfit. You young man are no Plant.
As "Highway Tune" was crooned, we took a head-start in the other direction for a reasonable spot with St. Vincent. Annie Clark with the late 70's disco theme and choreography was interesting. Will always be attracted to her attitude and confidence on stage. Hard to top seeing her at ACL 2014 when she climbed the rafters, but this was still engaging theater.
Rolled around the park to see the last bit of Erykah Badu, 4th time. Yet another confident and full of attractive attitude, knows exactly what she's doing up there, owns the audience.
Duran Duran. What more can I say. They are not Stevie Nicks. They were fine. My favorite part was when Simon Le Bon was obviously visibly annoyed by something on the stage floor - mid-song - and at least three times - mid-song - motioned angrily to the staff to resolve the issue. Turned out he wanted them to clean his walkway - mid-song - I guess there was a wet puddle? So during a solo of the song, a lowly stage-hand rushed out to quickly wipe away whatever was on the ground - mid-song. Nope, couldn't wait until the tune was over. What made this even more special? When Le Bon grabbed his water bottle, took a huge swig of it, and proceeded to spray out with force towards the crowd. Power move? Dumb dickhead decision? COVID-spreader? All of the above? The sweet irony is that he has a graphic t-shirt that states "Deliver Us From Ego." Anyway, I thought it was funny when they played "Girls On Film" and mashed it up with "Acceptable in the '80's" - they blended it into each other so well, I literally thought that was how the song went/it was their song for a slight moment, then realized oh,wait. When I said George Strait was probably the thinnest crowd to traverse for an ACL headliner, turns out his record didn't last but two days, because this crowd was SPARSE. There was literally no one standing behind the sound stage for a good 20 yards, and in front of the soundstage was swiss cheese... Well, turns out I had a lot to say about Duran Duran.
'Should I have gone to more of Tyler, the Creator,' You Yell At Me? Although I had seen him before, yet 4 years ago, You Are Right, I should have. Cuz as I am walking up, the dude is blasting out pyro and fuckin' FLAMES. What was I thinking!? - oh yeah my wife wanted to see Duran Duran. Happy LIFE! Tyler's crowd was not very full either. Would DaBaby have pulled in a more fervent crowd? Possibly? Would he have been higher quality? Highly Doubtful? Would Stevie Nicks have pulled in a more fervent? Absolutely. Would she have been higher qu - NO QUESTION
This Sunday night was indicative of the 2021 ACL festival as a whole. Overall, the crowds were thinner than past years. Partly pandemic related, partly lineup lacking? Ah well, still had a grand ol' time on the grounds of Zilker.
Started late after a long Saturday. local Texan Marc Rebillet was exactly as advertised, a gimmick act creating improvised penis tunes. He had a big fan base on hand.
Lane 8 in the tent, once again, same feeling as Zhu on Friday - super crowded, overflowing the square-footage of the covering. Need expansion, ACL! Would have enjoyed his set way more at night.
My wife wanted to check out Greta van Fleet, since she's a big Led Zeppelin fan.... hey they're like a blatant rip-off, quasi-cover band - but much less impressive! Zepp was a blatant rip-off cover band too right, so it's only fair. Anyway, I couldn't get over how lame they were. I will admit they have talent, and they are still in their infancy, so maybe they will find their way or carve their own path... but it was embarrassing seeing this kid hop around stage awkwardly banging on a tambourine in his dumb outfit. You young man are no Plant.
As "Highway Tune" was crooned, we took a head-start in the other direction for a reasonable spot with St. Vincent. Annie Clark with the late 70's disco theme and choreography was interesting. Will always be attracted to her attitude and confidence on stage. Hard to top seeing her at ACL 2014 when she climbed the rafters, but this was still engaging theater.
Rolled around the park to see the last bit of Erykah Badu, 4th time. Yet another confident and full of attractive attitude, knows exactly what she's doing up there, owns the audience.
Duran Duran. What more can I say. They are not Stevie Nicks. They were fine. My favorite part was when Simon Le Bon was obviously visibly annoyed by something on the stage floor - mid-song - and at least three times - mid-song - motioned angrily to the staff to resolve the issue. Turned out he wanted them to clean his walkway - mid-song - I guess there was a wet puddle? So during a solo of the song, a lowly stage-hand rushed out to quickly wipe away whatever was on the ground - mid-song. Nope, couldn't wait until the tune was over. What made this even more special? When Le Bon grabbed his water bottle, took a huge swig of it, and proceeded to spray out with force towards the crowd. Power move? Dumb dickhead decision? COVID-spreader? All of the above? The sweet irony is that he has a graphic t-shirt that states "Deliver Us From Ego." Anyway, I thought it was funny when they played "Girls On Film" and mashed it up with "Acceptable in the '80's" - they blended it into each other so well, I literally thought that was how the song went/it was their song for a slight moment, then realized oh,wait. When I said George Strait was probably the thinnest crowd to traverse for an ACL headliner, turns out his record didn't last but two days, because this crowd was SPARSE. There was literally no one standing behind the sound stage for a good 20 yards, and in front of the soundstage was swiss cheese... Well, turns out I had a lot to say about Duran Duran.
'Should I have gone to more of Tyler, the Creator,' You Yell At Me? Although I had seen him before, yet 4 years ago, You Are Right, I should have. Cuz as I am walking up, the dude is blasting out pyro and fuckin' FLAMES. What was I thinking!? - oh yeah my wife wanted to see Duran Duran. Happy LIFE! Tyler's crowd was not very full either. Would DaBaby have pulled in a more fervent crowd? Possibly? Would he have been higher quality? Highly Doubtful? Would Stevie Nicks have pulled in a more fervent? Absolutely. Would she have been higher qu - NO QUESTION
This Sunday night was indicative of the 2021 ACL festival as a whole. Overall, the crowds were thinner than past years. Partly pandemic related, partly lineup lacking? Ah well, still had a grand ol' time on the grounds of Zilker.
