Lots of people complained about Oasis' set, but I really enjoyed all the 5 hit songs from the What's the Story Morning Glory? album. Liam Gallagher was clearly wasted, which is why he was slurring his speech so much. Also, you could clearly see the tension between the brothers, as Liam left the stage for every song that Noel did vocals to. Not much talk on the boards about Jet. These guys f'n rocked on Saturday. They've got lots of energy, and some really good guitar players. One band that didn't get much mention was The Frames, a British rock band that sounded great. I was towards the back during their show, and it was still damn loud. Good set. Death Cab for Cutie was pretty dull on Saturday, as they rarely addressed the crowd and sounded a little too monotonic. In all honesty, ACL is about your own personal tastes. I've heard a lot about bands like the Decemberists, Robert Rudolph, and Drive by Truckers being pumped up. There's so many different bands with different sounds, so one shouldn't have a problem finding some that fit their tastes.
i saw on the news that sunday was the high temperature for the entire year (they said 107). i probably saw about 30 bands, but here's my tops... FRI- government mule - medeski was filling in on keys and warren haynes was an avalanche of rock, as usual. that guy is the master of tasty riffs. great band! robert earl keen - never heard him before, but i really liked his set. good texas country-rock. thievery corporation - bad ass 10 piece w/ percussion, woodwinds, dj's and live band. incredibly hot italian(?) singer was great. sound team - 3 years ago these guys were opening for my band and now they are about to become world famous. absolutely kick ass anthemic pop. so many bands these days are doing that 4-on-the-floor loud guitar rock, but these guys do it so well and sonically interestingly. best set ive seen from them in awhile. black crowes - saw them in 92 and they kicked ass and i saw them about 5 years ago and they sucked ass, so i didnt know what to expect. fortunately, they kicked ass. they jammed their songs out more than ive heard them do, which was great. their whole career is based off of the stone's exile on main street, but thats o.k. with me. SAT- built to spill - im a casual fan at best, but i thought they were really good. kind of had a neil young and crazy horse thing going. i liked the 3 guitar jams. good way to start the day. fiery furnaces - totally different live than on record. they are kind of zappa-esque in their songwriting approach. lots of changes and quirkyness. live they just rocked out. its very wierd, but still rocking. their guitar player is insane. he would just spit these lightning-fast solos out of nowhere. roky erickson - being that it was his first show in 20 years, it was suprisingly good. first song was a real rocker and his voice was great. set was kind of doug sahm-ish - tex-mex flavored blues rock. i think his voice was starting to go out by the end, but good set overall. glad i finally got to see him! SUN- eisley - hot teenage sisters doing beatles/radiohead influenced brit-pop. very good band, especially considering how young they all are. with their new stuff it sounds like they are developing their own sound a little more. good stuff (and pleasing on the eyes too). m83 - french group. like a cross b/t air, my bloody valentine and mercury rev. noisy shoe-gazer pop was right up my alley. arcade fire - ive heard the album a few times and didnt get all they hype they have gotten recently. after seeing them live I AM A BELIEVER! best set of the festival in my opinion. intensely high energy orchestral grandiose pop. 9 piece band w/ strings, horn and crazy percussionists. i was totally blown away by this band. they reminded me alot of the polyphonic spree with the epicness of joshua tree-era U2. wilco - great set again. my second favorite of the fest. ive seen them at least 10 times and their newest lineup is just amazing. their good w/out him, but having nels cline in that band has totally changed them (in a good way). their old stuff sounds totally different. tortoise - ive been a fan forever, but this was my first time to see them. the best group of musicians at the festival. 5 piece band switching instruments b/t pretty much every song. 2 drummers, guitar, bass, keys, vibraphone.
I'm not sure if it has to do with concession revenue. They can't have it in the spring because of sxsw and in October, there's a risk (albeit slight) that their could be cold weather. Besides, it won't be 100 every year, and I kind of like it that it's hot. It makes people not want to move to Austin, and that's a good thing.
it was a band i used to play in. i doubt anyone ever heard of us, but i like my anonymity too much to say the name . i just brought it up to make the point that only 3 years ago these guys were playing to 20 people at punk clubs on red river and now they are about to release an album on the beatles/beach boys/radiohead label (capitol). these guys are so much better than that the bravery/franz ferdinand stuff going on and if there is any justice in the world they will be huge...good for them!
Day 1: Bobby Bare, Jr. - not bad. good way to start the day Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon - great musicians...almost put me to sleep on my feet Mofro - freaking fantastic. Steve Earle - I like Earle, but I should have gone to Gov't Mule Mates of State - not a big fan of this stuff Lucinda Williams - she was as great as ever and she didn't have to use lyric sheets The Allman Brothers - I'm glad I got to see them. They were one of those I had on my list to see before I die. They are still great The Black Crowes - The reason I went. More than paid for my $35 armband alone. Sounded as good as ever. No one has a voice like Chris Robinson. Day 2: Split Lip Rayfield - I had never heard these guys. I'll be buying a cd soon. Asylum Street Spankers - sound issues all during the show. Still have the best beer song ever. Aqualung - Good but, for me, it was too damn hot for music that slow. I had to leave for something more upbeat Mike Doughty's Band - woke me back up Buddy Guy - 2nd time I've seen him this summer (1st was at Chicago Blues Festival). This is the man. To do what he does when it's 103 degrees makes it that much more amazing. The Weary Boys - another new one for me and another cd to get. Death Cab - I'm personally not in to all of this Brit stuff. They were good but I should have gone to Robert Randolph. John Butler Trio - I need a lot of new cd's The Walkmen - more brit pop. Should have gone to Barton Springs. Widespread Panic - Just as expected. Drive By Truckers - getting better by the day. These guys rock. Day 3: Coughed up loads and loads of dirt and dust. Realized temp was 106 before I even left the house. Didn't leave the house. Look...It's Austin, TX in September. The CSE guys have said all along that the weekend will probably always be around this time. When you get in to October, you have to worry about a lot of bands who have finished their touring for the year. You have to consider UT football games so that there are enough hotels. It has nothing to do with concession sales. If you don't like the heat, don't come. Shorter lines for me. I have been all 4 years. I really only skipped Sunday because my wife is pregnant and due any second. There were too many bands on Fri & Sat to pass up. I didn't want to take the chance of being stuck down there on Sunday.
We've had some warm Septembers lately, but it's not uncommon to get a week in September with highs in the high 70s.
Thats cool that you go to see him! I heard The Explosives were backing him..how did they sound? He is truely a r n'r legend that many many people do not know. On a sidenote, this wasn't his first show in 20 yrs.. I watched him play earlier this year at SXSW.
UTweezer, I'm assuming the weezer part is for the band? Been hearing they are thinking of splitting up, that would suck majorly, i'm in serious consideration of buying tickets for their Cleveland show with the Foo Fighters, especially if it might be their last tour.
Are they splitting? Thats interesting, how is the new album? Honestly I haven't been following the band for awhile now. My fav albums are the blue and green albums. I think the lineup now is missing a major component... Matt Sharp.
i remember that he has played sxsw and a couple other times in the recent past (he showed up at a 13th floor elevators hoot-nite and i think sat in w/ st-37), but when they introduced him they said it was his first show in 20 years. perhaps it was the first proper "roky erickson" show, rather than just sitting in w/ another band?
Rumors are flying around that this tour with the Foo Fighters is their last. I actually havent heard the new Weezer album...I got every other one, just havent gotten to the new one, so I cant tell ya how it is.
i think they are from seattle, but i hear ya. i dont like those guys either. they make morrisey seem straight.
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the reviews. Especialy jo mama's whos taste is probably closest to mine. Hey UT Weezer. Is that Urgencies cd available now? I want an autographed copy please.
Death Cab is f'n awesome. Anyone who says otherswise, I challenge to a duel. Morrisey is also great. Too bad some redneck hicks forced him to cancel his concert here in Houston a few months ago.
en guarde than you indie-rocking rapscallion! dont get me wrong, morrisey is the man. im a huge fan (i know its blasphemy, but i like his solo work better than the smiths-viva hate is one of my all time favorite records). that being said, he is still incredibly gay and death cab is even gayer. what rednecks forced him to cancel? i know enough devotees in houston who would have fought for him. ***dude, your post count was 9/11!!! god bless toby keith!
Well the story that is generally regarded as true is that Morrissey got too many death threats from some whacko's here in Houston. The reason being was his performance was very close to the presidential election, and Moz was one of the most outspoken critics of Bush II. They said that he lost his voice, but then if you checked his schedule he canceled all of his Texas performances, and less than 3 days later was performing again. I was and am still pissed. Toby Keith can go to hell. Or I'll put a boot in his ass.
Morrissey was a big Bush critic? I didn't know anything about concerts being cancelled. He was an institution in the 80's with The Smiths and "How Soon is Now" and "Viva Hate." Toby Keith needs to go back to doing Ford truck commercials and supporting the Sooners.
http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/news/s/119/119107_bush_should_have_died_not_reagan_morrissey.html Moz's views on Bush II, is like Rosie O' Donnel views on eating on a salad.
Well, then I say otherwise. I can't stand Morrisey or The Smiths either. If his concert was cancelled because of his poilitics, that is total bs. I wouldn't go anyway, but no one should have to deal with that no matter what their politics are. The only reason I would force him to cancel is because he sucks.
