There is a reason ACL puts their two biggest stages at opposite ends of the park, then puts two equally great bands on head to head. It helps spread out the crowds, so no single stage is overwhelmed. This afternoon, found Mute Math up against !!! (pronounced chk chk chk).
Both bands have been receiving some major buzz this year, and I chose Mute Math (pictured above). Let me sum up the New Orleans band in one word: WOW! Their set was amazing. I don't own their album yet, but you can bet I will very soon.
Thanks for the buzz kill, Grizzly Bear. After leaving Mute Math on such a high, I decided to check out the Brooklyn band, since several friends said they were a must-see. Based on what I saw, Grizzly Bear's major snoozefest was anything but...
And then came the rain - and lots of it! For some reason, Flogging Molly was a perfect soundtrack to the downpour. The weather had me in misery, but the Irish punk tunes seemed to make things a little more bearable. I must've been in the minority regarding the weather, because most of the fans looked to be having a blast.
Rain, rain, go away... Today will be a wet one, so plan to bring an umbrella or poncho. I'm wondering if it will keep drizzling all day or if the skies will eventually open up. Please, keep your fingers crossed, because I'm not a fan of watching live music in the middle of a monsoon.
Sarah Jaffe took the stage as day two started at ACL. The crowd wasn't huge, but there were a lot of people, considering how early it was - and the fact that mother nature is making it a little unpleasant. She was backed by a band of DWF veterans, including Paul Slavens and Robert Gomez. Other than the song she played at Carter Albrecht's album release show, I don't think I've ever enjoyed her more.
The rest of the morning has been a discovery process. There are a lot of bands with familiar names that I've wandered past, but nothing I was dying to see. I did stop for a few songs to see The Virgins, after a friend suggested them. It was a bit like watching Mick Jagger trying to cover his favorite Elvis Costello tunes.
J is for Jelly, made from various flavors and displayed in the Creative Arts building. There are approximately 30 different classes of jelly to be judged, and that's not even counting the sugar free jelly categories! Add in the jams, pickles, butters, relishes, marmalades, preserves, fruit and vegetables, and there's more than enough food to keep any judge busy.
Personally, I have a passion for perusing the pickles. Now, if only they'd allow the public to participate by picking a couple precious pieces to partake.
Watching the sea of people moving from one stage to another reminded me of what buffalo roaming across American western plains must've looked like two hundred years ago.
OK, so not every band won me over on Friday. Thievery Corporation (pictured above) had one of the tightest sets of the day, but it just wasn't for me. Maybe I don't wear enough tie-dye and patchouli to understand it. I didn't fall in love with Reckless Kelly, either. They had a solid Texas bar band sound that would be perfect for some boot-scootin' at Billy Bob's, but it was too bland for the Austin Ventures stage.
ACL is all about the difficult decisions. Friday night saw Kings of Leon closing out the Livestrong stage on one side of the park and Yeah Yeah Yeahs playing the AMD stage on the opposite side. I chose Yeah Yeah Yeahs and don't regret it. In the photo above, Karen O showers herself as she spits water into the air.
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