Guide to Austin City Limits Music Festival

The annual Austin City Limits music festival is one of the premier concerts in the country. This three-day celebration of music, art, and food, is far more than the small-time country music show that it could have been. This year, the Austin City Limits Festival (also known as ACL Fest) will bring hundreds of thousands of people into the city over the weekend of September 23rd through the 25th. It can be a little overwhelming for people who are unprepared, so it is a good idea to get an understanding of what it will be like. First, it is important to realize that there are some inconveniences at the festival. While it is true that ACL Fest is among the best-organized large-scale concerts in the country, it is not perfect. The large crowds, pricey food and beverages, and heat can catch some visitors off guard. Festival organizers have taken steps to reduce the number of concert-goers from previous years, but there will still be tens of thousands of people present each day. This means that visitors should expect to wait in line when they buy food or drinks, go to the restroom, or buy merchandise. Also, visitors who want to get a good spot to watch their favorite bands should arrive at the stage early and wait for the band to go on, rather than wait until right before the set starts to try to move close. As with any large concert, food and beverages are more expensive than average. Concert-goers should expect to pay between five and ten dollars for food, and a couple of dollars per drink. Beer is also $4 a can. Even though ACL Fest is in late September, it is still scorching hot outside. It is important to drink plenty of water. Concert organizers allow visitors to bring in two factory-sealed water bottles, and it is highly recommended to do so. Festival-goers should also realize the importance of dressing appropriately. Being comfortable in a shirt and shorts is more important than looking cool. Aside from these fairly minor issues, ACL Fest is a blast. The atmosphere and food are unlike those found at any other music festival in the country. ACL Fest takes place in beautiful Zilker Park, just east of downtown Austin. Zilker Park is the perfect size, it is big enough to accommodate the crowds and eight stages, but small enough that visitors can easily get around. It is also in a great spot to catch breeze. Aside from the music, ACL Fest also features the SoCo Arts Market, where the best and brightest Austin artists display their work. The food selections at he festival are unprecedented. Hungry concert-goers can eat anything from authentic Tex-Mex, to world-class Bar-b-que, to expertly prepared sushi. One thing not featured at ACL Fest is standard corporate fast food chains. Any good guide to the Austin City Limits Music Festival needs music recommendations, so the visitors know who the best bands are. What follows is a highly subjective and opinionated guide to the best bands of the festival. The music starts before noon each day and goes on until well after dark, so it may not be possible or wise to stay the entire day. Usually, the performers with larger followings play after about 1 or 2 in the afternoon. The first must-see act on Friday is Steve Earle. Earle is a first-class songwriter who is not afraid to air his dirty laundry or stir up controversy with his political views. His band, the Dukes, back his rugged voice with muscular county-rock. Next up are the Mates of State, a married couple consisting of a keyboard player and drummer whose vocal harmonies are sure to entertain even the most cynical music fans. Lucinda Williams is one of the best songwriters in the country. She doesn’t tour often, so it would be a good idea to see her today. Over the last decade, Spoon has gained a reputation as one of the most innovative and tuneful bands in indie rock. They more than live up to expectations live, playing everything from jagged punk rock to disco-influenced pop, all held together by Britt Daniel’s raspy croon. Fans of classic rock will love the Allman Brothers Band. This legendary group has been wowing crowds for over thirty years, and they show no signs of letting up anytime soon. The Black Crowes went on hiatus a few years ago, but luckily, they reunited and decided to play ACL Fest. Audiences should expect to have a great time watching the Crowes swagger through their set. Saturday is overflowing with great bands, and unfortunately, many of them are playing at the same time. Some tough decisions are in order, but concert-goers are sure to be pleased no matter who they watch. Blues fans will love the legendary Buddy Guy, who plays at 2:30. His classic blues style has entertained audiences for decades. Fans of epic guitar rock should check out Built to Spill. This band has released powerful, emotional albums for years, and they put on an amazing show filled with catchy songs and stunning guitar solos courtesy of Doug Martsch. After almost a decade on the rise, Death Cab for Cutie are on the verge of breaking through on a massive scale. Their new CD, Plans, is possibly their best yet, and they have spent years perfecting their mix of lovesick ballads and poppy, catchy rock songs. The 5:30 slot is a tough choice. Both the Fiery Furnaces and the Walkmen have released a couple of great albums, but The Walkmen have a slight edge in that their music translates better live. If their show at Emo’s last year is any indication, they will put on an incendiary performance at ACL. The Walkmen/ Fiery Furnaces competition is just a warm-up for what comes next. A whopping four great bands start their sets between 7:30 and 8:15. Bloc Party, Drive-by Truckers, Roky Erickson, and Oasis are all more than worthy of large audiences. Bloc Party and Drive-by Truckers both go on at 7:30. Bloc Party are an innovative, intense post-punk band from the UK who are on the verge of being global superstars. Drive-by Truckers are the smartest, most talented, and flat-out best southern rock band in years. At 7:45, local psychedelic legend Roky Erickson takes the stage with the Explosives. This is a comeback of sorts for Erickson, who has suffered through semi-obscurity and mental illness since his original band, the Thirteenth Floor Elevators split up in the early Seventies. Oasis goes on at 8:15, and they are not to be missed. It may be easy to underestimate them, since they pretty much dropped of the cultural radar a few years ago, but make no mistake, they put on a great show. Their newest album, Don’t Believe the Truth is their best in a decade, and their old hits still sound timeless. While not quite as jam packed (no pun intended) as Saturday, Sunday also features several must-see acts. Local band Zykos start things off at 1:50 in the afternoon. Their dark brand of 80s-influenced pop may seem out of place in the afternoon glare, but anyone familiar with them knows that they can deliver anytime. Doves, another UK band, play a spacey, calm sort of pop that should be a blast of fresh psychedelic air to the hot and sweaty masses. The Kaiser Chiefs are the next noteworthy band to take the stage. Their energetic rock songs are a great antidote to the canned, fake sounds of the Bravery, who also take the stage at 3:30. The Arcade Fire may be the most anticipated act of the entire festival. Their fan base expanded exponentially in the last year, and their headlining set at Stubb’s the Friday before their ACL performance sold out over a month in advance. The Arcade Fire already stole the show at both the Coachella and Lollapalooza festivals earlier this year. The single most unfortunate scheduling conflict this year is that Franz Ferdinand and Wilco both play at 6:30. Wilco are possibly the best band around now. They are equally capable of playing catchy, intelligent pop music and avant-garde art rock. Their spacey, psychedelic songs sound even better live than they do on CD, and singer Jeff Tweedy is a witty and charismatic frontman. Franz Ferdinand, on the other hand, are currently poised to take over the world. Their first album was an international sensation, and their highly anticipated follow-up should be one of the best releases of the year. It doesn’t hurt that their performance at last year’s ACL Fest was the best of the weekend. Maybe the best plan of action is to travel back and forth between the two stages, watching as much as possible of both bands. The Black Keys are the next band to rock the stage. Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant recently said that the Black Keys are his favorite new band, and he made a good choice. The Black Keys are a sublimely talented blues duo that inject their own personality into standard blues structures. Festival headliners Coldplay take the stage uncontested at 8:30, and they deserve the slot. It is nearly impossible to say anything bad about this band. They play the type of heartfelt, catchy, and universal songs that festivals are made for. The 2005 Austin City Limits Festival promises to be the best yet. The relaxed, serene atmosphere; tasty, unique food; and local art are perfect compliments to the stellar musical lineup.