my first acl experience was amazing!  i couldn’t have asked for a more perfect weekend, weather-wise or music-wise.  i learned a few acl secrets that mad the whole experience so much more enjoyable, as well.

first, the music:

friday

PATTY GRIFFIN – i’ve been a huuuuge fan of her for years and years, dating back to the beginning of my musical ‘rebirth.’  i’ve wanted to see her live for so long, but she mostly plays the east coast.  however, i knew she lived in austin now, and that was a very small factor in my deciding to move here!  her set was incredible.  she played at dusk (just when it was cooling off for the evening), for a very tame/appreciative crowd.  her setlist was pretty bold for a festival…she played lots of covers (lefty frizzell…gospel songs…etc) and slower ballads.  she did pick it up and rock out on a few songs, as well.  she blew me away, and it was so fun to watch everyone who wasn’t familiar with her become absolutely mesmerized over the course of the hour.  i had almost constant chill bumps while watching her…and that rarely happens to me.  her show felt very near to a spiritual experience.  (one thing i noticed throughout the course of acl that greatly encouraged and impressed me…was that a very great number of the performers (patty griffin, jenny lewis, CSS, foo fighters, MGMT, fleet foxes, mates of state, even tegan and sara) proudly voiced their support for obama…and encouraged the rest of us to vote for him, as well.  when this happened, the 60,000+ people broke into deafening cheers )  finally met up with miss krista johnson…very good to see her!

MATES OF STATE - since i stayed until the very end of patty g, i had to rush over to the next stage, meaning i couldn’t get nearly as close as i would have liked.  i also had to meet up with my friends.  we decided to grab dinner and watch mates of state from the back while eating.  they performed a great show, even though it seemed short.  they sound amazingly full for only being a 2-member band!  i was shocked at the amount of people packed in for their show.  i would have liked to get closer to take some pictures, but i still enjoyed their set immensely.  they ended with my favorite “the rearranger.”

JENNY LEWIS - we wandered over to see jenny about 15 mins into her set, but it was well worth it.  she was soooo cute (see pics in my photo albums)!  i’d only heard one song from her new album (released last week), but i fell in love with all of the new ones that she played.  we stood next to a gal who seemed to be an expert on all things jenny lewis and she filled us in on a lot of juicy info.  i got some great pics, heard some great NEW music, and fell a tiny bit more in love with her.  she had a very full band, which i wasn’t expecting…and her songs were very varied and eclectic.

N.E.R.D. – i’m not a fan of nerd…or hip-hop in general.  but i owed my friends a show, and we were close, so we saw them.  the show was pretty good…a lot of energy, very loud/fun.

THE SWELL SEASON – what a perfect way to end the evening!  if you’ve seen the film “once,” then you know how truly beautiful this music is.  it was a little odd transitioning from n.e.r.d. to glen hansard/marketa inglova…but much-appreciated, in the end.  their performance was a very mellow, very passionate, very emotional one.  they both put so much of themselves into their songs…marketa broke a key on the piano, and glen broke 2 strings on his guitar!

saturday

FLEET FOXES – again, what beautiful, relaxing music.  we stayed in the shade to watch this show, and i ‘borrowed’ someone’s chair.  they played all of the songs that i knew, and they had a good crowd despite how early it was and how hot it was.

JOSE GONZALEZ – i was a tiny bit disappointed in this show.  not b/c of the music…but b/c of the setup.  he was seated during the entire show, near the back of the stage (in the shade), making it nearly impossible to see him at all.  we got to the front for a while, but decided since we couldn’t see a thing, we’d go back to the shade to listen.  another downer was the volume level – entirely too low.  i know jose’s songs are quiet…but we were relatively close and couldn’t hear a thing.  apart from all of that, his songs were indeed beautiful, and his guitar skills were prolific.

CSS - THIS WAS THE MOST FUN SHOW I HAVE EVER BEEN TO, HANDS DOWN!!!  they were insannnnne.  lovefoxx wore an enormous wig when she came out…she also had a very crazy body suit.  soooo much energy from this group.  it was blazing hot, but every single person (for miles, i glanced back a few times) was loving css.  lovefoxx made it a very interactive experience, teaching us new dance moves, new lyrics, etc.  everyone was completely into it and loving it.  i pretty much love her guitarist/keyboardist/bassist.

all of the members went crazy with their water bottles, drenching the crowd over and over (which was appreciated!).  we were so close to the stage, so i got some amazing pics.  lovefoxx tossed her bouffant hairstyle around so much that it all came crashing down, and a tech had to come pin it for her, mid-song.  it almost felt like a pep rally with the enthusiam and crowd participation.  the band kept screaming and getting us pepped up and exclaiming how “fucking hot it was.”  another cool thing was that this was the biggest show css has ever played.  maybe that’s why they were so excited…they were in awe!  seriously though, they rocked.  i have 3 favorite shows from acl, but css takes the prize for most fun.

MGMT - since mgmt was playing at the same stage that css did, an hour later, we decided to keep our amazing spots and just wait out the hour.  little did we know, that was one of the craziest decisions we made.  within 5 minutes of the end of css’ show, a few people started pushing toward the front of the stage.  all of a sudden, panic ensued and thousands of people began rushing the stage!  half of them were yelling and asking who was next.  when they heard ‘mgmt,’ they pushed even harder in.  in the span of about 2 minutes, we were all completely trapped.  i don’t mean trapped like walking behind someone slow down a grocery aisle.  i mean trapped like we couldn’t move a single limb.  i couldn’t get my cell phone.  i had temporarily slung my backpack across the front of my neck, and there it stayed…didn’t have enough room to swing it to my back.  we couldn’t access our water bottles.  we couldn’t wipe the sweat from our faces.  i have never been that enclosed by a mass of people in my entire life.  there NO way out, no way in, no movement whatsoever.  three girls fainted in front of our eyes, and the only way to get them out of the crowd was to lift them onstage and let security take them.  of course they didn’t even have room to fall once they fainted, they just slumped…very scary to see.  needless to say, we got verrrrry friendly with the people crammed against us.  i maneuved my way, millimeter by millimeter to ensure that i was only crammed between attractive girls.  i didn’t want any sweaty guys pressing into me, ew.  if it hadn’t been 3439485 degrees, i am pretty sure the state of texas would have declared it the biggest orgy in the history of the state.  body parts were…well…  i’ll put it this way…if you can imagine about 3000 people spooning each other, while standing up…that was us.  at one point, i mumbled that i was pretty sure someone just gave me a massage…and the girl in front of me laughed so hard that she sprayed her mouthful of water over the crowd like an orca whale.  all this aside, it was kind of a fun experience.  at least one of a kind!  it was a good intro for mgmt’s show (an hour later).  as for the actual show, it was very high-energy.  i didn’t realize the singer was so cute.  they played all of the fan faves, and everrryone sang along.  at some point, we gained an inch or two of space, and we all used it to dance dance dance.  i wish we hadn’t been quite as sweaty.  and that we hadn’t been standing in one spot (literally) for 3 solid hours.  for about 30 mins, i was actually standing at a 60 degree angle to the ground.  this was the only show @ acl where i checked my watch a few times to see when it would end.  nevertheless, mgmt was very fun, very talented, and i am now officially a huge fan of theirs.

MASON JENNINGS - i wasn’t sure i should include this show, but since i ended up hearing at least half of it, i figured why not.  after standing on top of 493489 people for 3 hours, we needed a break, so we got food and camped out.  turns out we made camp in front of mason jennings, and there was no way we were moving, so we heard him.  he was pretty good.  typical singer-songwriter stuff.  he did some interesting covers.  after his show, we debated on sticking around for alison krauss + robert plant, which i was originally excited about.  but then i realized that it wasn’t going to be bluegrassy alison krauss…it would be gruff-voiced robert plant singing with rockabilly alison krauss.  we decided to all go back to my house and just drink ourselves silly instead.

sunday

THE KILLS – again, not sure if this show counts.  we only heard them as we entered the fest sunday, but they actually sounded 349839 times better than i expected.  i wouldn’t mind officially seeing a full show of theirs.

FLYLEAF – while i’ve never been a diehard flyleaf fan, i have enjoyed an occasional song (mostly due to a respect for the vocals).  a few things about their set disappointed me, though.  first, it felt very much like a church service.  secondly, while there is plenty of power and passion behind her voice, when she performs live, it is virtually impossible to decipher one single word that she is singing…even when you already know the lyrics!  and lastly, the bassist scared the hell out of me.  i’m not much on screamo.  sure, she was cute, and i got some good pics.  but i doubt i’ll be paying to see them again anytime soon.  i’ll just stick with studio albums.  i did particularly enjoy the song “okay – tina” however.

AGAINST ME! – for months prior to acl, i was torn between against me! and stars, who both played the same time slot.  i had decided on stars.  yet after flyleaf, i heard the first against me! song starting up, and it was a much shorter walk…so we decided to give them a shot.  sooooo glad we did!  i just KNEW that tegan would make a guest appearance during their set, and sure enough, she bounced on stage.  i (along with every other female in the crowd) sprinted to the front when she came out.  it was a good show, a good testament to how a loud band that borders on screaming can actually make their lyrics audible at the same time.  TO DOWNLOAD THE VIDEO FOR TEGAN’S APPEARANCE ON “BORNE ON THE FM WAVES OF THE HEART, GO TO GOODNIGHTANDGO.COM.

SILVERSUN PICKUPS - this was, by far, the worst show at acl…in fact, one of only 2 that i didn’t absolutely love.  i’d been looking forward to it, but it was brutal.  every song sounded as if it were being played in the same key – off-key.  perhaps the lead singer was drunk…all of the vocals were slurred or growled or muttered.  we left after about 20 mins.

THE RACONTEURS - the last of the ‘unofficial’ shows, we caught a bit of the raconteurs, who were pretty impressive, as expected.  obviously, we couldn’t stay long b/c i wanted to secure THE best spot possible for tegan and sara.

TEGAN AND SARA - aside from patty griffin, t&s were my most anticipated show.  and boy, did they deliver.  we arrived at the stage almost an hour early and made our way to some stellar spots.  coincidentally, i ran into miss jen skidmore there, which was cool! the crowd (with perhaps the best collective hairstyles in the country) was very excited, which was fun.  the sun was setting, the air was cool with a nice breeze…it really couldn’t have been more perfect.  tegan and sara were, as always, extremely adorable.  they played an amazing mix of old and new songs, including every one of my favorites (and umbrella!).  they bantered about the weather, politics, meeting girls in bathrooms, and 39483984 other hilarious things.  i have no idea why their set was only scheduled for 45 mins…luckily, they went over.  it all ended entirely too soon.  the pics i tried to take were sooo blurry, but a gal next to me saved the day and promised to email me her photos (which she did!).  i feel like i have a million other things to say about the show, but honestly, i enjoyed it too much to break it apart into bullet points.  FOR ALL OF YOU WHO WERE UNABLE TO ATTEND THE SHOW, YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL ACL VIDEO OF TEGAN AND SARA’S ENTIRE SET AT MY WEBSITE, GOODNIGHTANDGO.COM.

FOO FIGHTERS – last show of the festival.  everyone in the world was there, so there was no way we could get too close.  met up with krista, again! i actually fell asleep for part of this show…not that it wasn’t good…i had just had an entire bottle of wine, countless strongbows, and a very long, hot, and exhausting day.  their set was super long, but it was enjoyable.  i was definitely sad to leave zilker that night and return to real life.

ACL HACKS - as most of you know, i usually try to test the rules and push the limits of ‘what’s allowed.’  this paid off greatly at acl.  i caught on to a few brilliant tricks to make the weekend much more enjoyable.  bring your own booze. – if you walk in the gates with a few friends, it’s entirely too easy to slip through the bag checkers with a backpack full of your own alcohol – or whatever else you may want that’s not on the ‘approved’ list.  freeze 2 huge water bottles the night before. not only will they thaw slowly throughout the day, they will also be the perfect ice pack for your liquor.  park along the service road between barton skyway and barton springs. this is probably the most important tip.  if you get to the fest any day before say 2pm, there are tons of parking spots available for FREE.  you can completely avoid the downtown/shuttle chaos.  you will only have a short walk to/from the fest.  you will not get a ticket.  you will have to hop a curb, but even the smallest cars managed to do so.  sno cones. if you don’t want to sweat even one bit while standing in 100 degree heat for hours, simply get a huge (fairly inexpensive) sno cone.  watermelon was my fave.  invest in some 24-hour allergy meds. i had no idea that zilker turns into a dust-bowl for acl, but it’s true.  the first night after the fest, i was miserable.  the rest of the time, i stocked up on sudafed and was just fine – even though i coughed up dust for a solid week after acl and lost my voice for a few days.  buy your merch early. if you want that perfect tshirt from your favorite band, get it the first day.  small sizes will sell out fast.  the only exception to this was tegan and sara…their merch didn’t arrive until sunday afternoon (but you better believe i checked 3 times a day with the merch girls…who came to know me very well.)  it paid off, i got the exact shirt i wanted – a brand new design in a navy v-neck.  eat lunch before you go. i saved a good deal of money this way, while also avoiding the insanely long food lines.  cut in line. this may not be very nice.  but at some crucial times, it is necessary.  only one person should do it in order to be successful.  if you feel a little guilty (i did), then return the favor and let others cut in front of you a few times.  never ever go into the ‘beach.’ you will regret it.  lastly, making sno cones with an entire bottle of wine is perhaps not as brilliant an idea as it may at first seem. in fact, there is no reason an entire bottle of wine should ever be consumed by one person at acl.  ever.

this is one of the best books i have ever read.  james frey’s writing style (very conversational, he writes as we think…often in run-on sentences, disregarding proper grammatical boundaries) is amazing.  one review calls it “a train wreck of a novel.”  i agree, in that it is absolutely impossible to put down…and that it is unabashedly honest and real.  i have read 464 pages in the past 2 days, and i plan on finishing today!  i have also learned soooo much about the history and culture of los angeles from this book.

#008 – swim in the ocean (several times)
#019 – read 1 book every month (i read 4 on this trip, alone)
#033 – go sailing (twice!)
#043 – visit a new state (2 new states, actually – north and south carolina)
#063 – make attempts to reunite with my family

other highlights of the trip were 1) a daytrip to savannah, georgia (where i may have possibly seen my soulmate), 2) a brilliant musical at the 2nd oldest theatre in the country, 3) making my family watch SYTYCD with me, 4) swimmmmmming everyday, 5) a really cool jewelry store called black market minerals, 6) free hotel room in the swankiest hotel i’ve ever stayed in + free meal vouchers due to some unexpected airline delays in atlanta.

1) while driving south on mopac tuesday, a terrible wreck happened in the lane next to me, at the exact moment i passed the two cars involved.  airbags deployed, the car in back caught on fire.  i had to stop, call 911, and be a witness (the car in the rear was clearly at fault).

2) at walmart on wednesday afternoon (temperature approximately 110 degrees), i noticed a minivan in the parking lot with a passed-out dog in it, all the windows rolled up.  i found security, they spent 20 mins breaking into the van.  again, i had to be a witness…unfortunately, the owner of the van never appeared.  the dog was given a bottle of cold water.  i seriously considered dognapping him.

3) perla used packing tape to reattach her rear bumper – HA!

4) my air conditioner chooses to work only when the temperature drops below 70 degrees or when i have an extremely full gas tank.  hmm.

austinprideparade.org
hrc.org

1) my mom

2) mimi

3) amazing new music (see goodnightandgo)

4) in exchange for rides to work, marie bakes for me!

5) free ticket to indigo girls/brandi carlisle on wednesday (thanks, beth)!