Entering the park Friday afternoon. Despite the fact that I went to ACL Fest last year and that I’ve been to other large music events, it’s always impressive to first enter the gates. It’s so easy to forget what the park looks like with tens of thousands of people in it. And that view of the Bud Light (headliner) stage, with the Austin skyline in the background is always breathtaking.
Weezer opening their set with “My Name is Jonas,” the first song on their classic Blue Album. I’m sure I’m not the only teenager of the 90s that was pleased with this one. Read my full take on the set here.
The Punch Brothers and Trampled by Turtles after-show at La Zona Rosa. I could actually see the stage and the band, the music sounded fantastic, and beers were slightly cheaper than at ACL Fest. I think after-shows might be the way to go. Although tickets are generally expensive ($35 for this one), you can cherry pick what you want to see and spend less than the cost of a three-day pass to get a better view, better sound and cheaper beer. Of course, you will miss out on all the people at the large fest.
Catching a few minutes of Costa Rican band Sonámbulo’s set. Holy crap, these guys might as well have been riling up a soccer crowd! People were salsa dancing to the extreme, set to the music of this 11-piece band featuring a full horn section. This band makes the party. I wonder what they charge to do weddings….
Getting backstage for Father John Misty and making my way into the hospitality area, where they had free Ziegenbocks and a snow cone machine. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t supposed to be in the hospitality area, hobnobbing with the rich folk, but nobody stopped me, and I enjoyed it while it lasted! When I tried to go back for Steve Earle’s set, they clamped down. No piddling media in the awesome area.
Trying to hear Steve Earle over the chest-thumping bass of the appropriately named BASSNECTAR. This was one of the very few screw-ups the concert-planners made. The two acts played the exact same time slots at two neighboring stages; Steve Earle played the smaller Austin Ventures stage, while BASSNECTAR played the larger Honda stage, only a couple hundred yards away. Poor Steve made comments to the crowd about just trying to push through, but it was impossible to enjoy his set. It was really unfortunate scheduling.
The Roots’ set. Although I’ve been a fan for years, this was my first live Roots experience, and I was definitely not disappointed. They busted out some classics like “Baby You Got Me” and “Break You Off” and even did a high-speed cover of “Sweet Child of Mine,” which was both hilarious and awesomely executed. These guys are pros when it comes to both musical ability and showmanship.
Bonding with fellow festival-goers in the rain. That rain Saturday was something else. It’s great that we got it, but did it really need to happen in the middle of the Saturday of the festival? Maybe the rain gods decided we could all use some sobering up. Regardless, it was fun to huddle together under trees and bond over muddy feet and wet hair.
Almost crying when Neil Young and Crazy Horse played “Ramada Inn,” an almost 17-minute-long epic song about an aging and fading relationship from their new album, Psychedelic Pill. Young’s voice still sounds amazing, and although I could have used a little more volume, Crazy Horse is still quintessential rock and roll. Hearing the smattering of new songs they played makes me a first-day-buyer of the new album, which hits stores Oct. 30. 
Trying to get anywhere within listening distance of The Lumineers. Man, festival-planners seriously underestimated the draw of this band. They played the Austin Ventures stage, one of the smaller stages, late afternoon Sunday, and the area was an absolute mob scene. People were crammed together tight from the stage all the way back to the food court. No matter where I stood, I couldn’t get close enough to hear anything at all. Good for the band, bad for the concert goer.
Getting home and knowing it was over. ACL Fest is so much fun – the music, the people watching, the camaraderie – but when it’s over, and you know that you’ll be able to sleep in and get off your feet and eat at home, well, that is a really good feeling. Until next year, ACL!
