ACL, Day Two

Aside from extremely spotty cell phone service (weird because the festival's major sponsor is AT&T), the Austin City Limits Festival is by far the best festival I've attended when it comes to food, drink options, and even facilities. Yes, we're using porta-potties, but they're cleaned pretty regularly, and there's always toilet paper. One thing ACL organizers did this year is so completely genius I think all large outdoor events should take note. In a bid to keep the grounds fairly trash-free, they're offering people free swag if they come by and pick up a trash bag, and bring it back full of recyclables. It's been so successful that it's a rarity to see a dirty concert ground, as opposed to say, the State Fair, where you can easily end up with shoes that smell like dead beer and lord knows what else. Today, we started out with the Old 97's set, then Drive-by Truckers, followed by CSS, Robert Earl Keen, MGMT, John Fogerty, The Black Keys, and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Brief thoughts about each: Old 97's: OK, I love Old 97's. I always have, and I probably always will. Rhett Miller and company did a tight, crowd-pleasing set that was full of favorites. I have discovered the joys of sitting outside, under a shade tree, and listening to "Barrier Reef" with a cool drink in hand - and now I'm not sure I can duplicate the experience again. Drive-by Truckers- Until today, I hadn't heard anything by the Drive-by Truckers. But having heard good things, the shady spot snagged for the Old 97's set also made the perfect viewing spot for hearing frontman Patterson Hood and gang dish up the perfect follow-up to the Old 97's. CSS: Brazilian band CSS was infectious, and loud. They set a perfect party-vibe, and people immediately recognized their song "Music is My Hot Hot Sex," thanks to Apple. Robert Earl Keen: Like Maytag, Robert Earl Keen is the festival dependable. You grab a seat, wait for him to come on stage, and know you're going to be entertained. It wasn't any different today - and the giant crowd seemed to understand that there is no sitting for Robert Earl Keen. You stand, and hold your 24 ounce Lone Star aloft. Anything else can get you thrown out of Texas. Fact. MGMT: If New Order and the Flaming Lips had a baby, it would probably sound something like MGMT. Heavy on the synthesizer, and the irony. John Fogerty: Gotta be honest, wasn't completely excited about Fogerty - mostly because I wasn't sure he'd deliver a great set. But he completely and pleasantly surprised me with a downright awesome set - totally tight, and seamlessly going from one song to the next. Two new songs, and the rest were a mishmash of older solo stuff and CCR ditties. The crowd loved him, and he loved them right back. The Black Keys: So to give you the timeline, it was Fogerty on the AMD stage, then The Black Keys on the adjacent AT&T Blue Room stage, then Robert Plant and Alison Krauss on the AMD stage. This lead to the perfect build up for the last act of the night, because The Black Keys and their bluesy rock was the perfect thing for a restless crowd jockeying for position to see Plant and Krauss close up. Thick, gritty blues with a hefty dose of rock is what you get with the Black Keys. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss: Phenomenal. Completely, totally phenomenal. I mean, I'd pay to watch Robert Plant fart the alphabet while Alison Krauss fiddled "No Sleep Til Brooklyn." But this was so good that people were still talking in stunned, reverent tones about the set as they schlepped back to their cars, eschewing one more beer run or a slice of pizza - or even a stop into Chuy's. And if that wasn't enough, T Bone Burnett sat in as well. It was like Tiffany's showing up to gift you with a tiara, and then informing you that you're also queen of the world. So there you have it, ACL Day 2. Tomorrow's agenda includes Adele, Flyleaf, Against Me!, Silversun Pickups, Blues Traveler, Gnarls Barkley or the Raconteurs (still deciding - and they both play at the same time), and the Foo Fighters.

ACL, Day One

Today's ACL viewing started - for us - at 11:45. Bright and early for ACL, but totally worth it since we wanted to catch Dan Dyer. The day consisted of Dan Dyer, Asleep at the Wheel, Vampire Weekend, Jamie Liddell, M. Ward, Gogol Bordello, Jenny Lewis, David Byrne, Alejandro Escovedo, Mars Volta, and the presidential debate. You can follow along at the ACL Web site, by the way, if you're interested in seeing what the choices were for each day. Feel free to argue with me, too, and tell me I was an idiot for seeing so-and-so and not this guy. Quick thoughts on today's artists (as I'm beat, and a little pink): Dan Dyer: Copped a spot in the shade, and a nice breeze was wending through. I was already familiar with Dyer, having been a fan since his Breedlove days, but it was nice to see him live again. Great, great set, but kinda sparsely attended given the early hour. Asleep at the Wheel: Nice, dependable set from Ray Benson with plenty of emphasis on Bob Wills. Cutey patootey pint-sized Ruby Jane was sitting in as an additional fiddle player, and stole the show. Elizabeth McQueen is preggers, and gleefully told the crowd, "This is baby's first ACL." Vampire Weekend: Spotty set, but had a sort of 80s band feel. Jamie Liddell: Bluesy, soul set. Caught part of it, and am mulling over another CD purchase. Gogol Bordello: Jammy set, with a punk feel. Jenny Lewis: Best set I saw all day. She had the crowd going, and even though she was late starting, the set made me glad I had just been to the Waterloo Records tent to pick up her CD (as well as Dan Dyer's). Best songs? "Jack Killed Mom" and "See Fernando." Also interesting? It's this and this Jenny Lewis. David Byrne: A mix of solo stuff and Talking Heads stuff, in case someone didn't remember who he was. Solid, good set you'd expect from someone who has been doing the music thing for as long as Byrne. Alejandro Escovedo: Also a solid set, full of his standards, as well as some new stuff. Had pretty much the entire crowd on its feet. The Mars Volta: I'll be honest - we only caught bits and snatches of this band, but I liked what I heard. I'll probably may more attention to them later on the video recaps at the ACL Web site. The reason I missed part of Mars Volta? The presidential debates. It was kind of an awesome sight - walking into a tent with three TVs, all tuned to the debates, and the crowd in rapt attention to the debates - ignoring both the music and nearby booze to follow the debates. At one point, a man started shouting about McCain, something something something bullshit, something something... People started shouting him down, and after a few seconds, a police officer told him to shush. Which he did. (M-pyre live-blogged the debate, btw. You should check it out.) Tomorrow, the plans are to see the Old 97s, Jose Gonzalez, Drive-by Truckers, Robert Earl Keen, MGMT, John Fogerty and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Any others on the list you'd recommend?

Live from ACL

Expect sporadic posts today - blogging from phone. Longer wrap up tonight. At Dan Dyer now, Asleep at the Wheel after. Also seen: a man in a speedo, with a full beard and c-cups.