ACL, is an acronym for the "Austin City Limits" Music Festival. I attended the full day and evening events this year again, for perhaps the millionth time. I can recall attending the festival since its inception, a decade or two ago. We truly local Austin folk, know our city and times.
This year's spectacle was just that. Also, this year was the first year I had to "overpay" for the wristband ticket. Face value on the 3 day wristband for entry was originally $250. My last minute, procrastinator self, forced me to pay $300, literally on the black market. It all worked out, and I was granted access to enjoy.
So how did it go? Was it different?
My city of Austin continues to grow heavily in popularity. Outsiders, visitors and new people eat it up! Zilker Park is a formidable worthy location and setting. The downtown skyline hi-rise views, coupled with the expansive grassy knolls and trees, create an ideal music festival vibe. Plus, once the day's music is over, you get to actually walk back to a real home & authentic cleansing shower. Oh cleanliness and soft beds are superb!
The weather this year was that of constant prevailing sunlight. If you forgot to wear your sun shades, you might have been blinded. I counted 4 clouds total for the entire weekend. It was clear skies. The 4 or 5 main stages blast the artist's music at extreme levels. Your ears were loving you, if you could abstain from the front of the stage. My fellow festival goers and patrons were fantastic! A Solid, cool crew. There were people with numerous gag costumes, hilarious shirts, and unique clothing choices. The girls, and girls, and girls were a plenty, scantily clad and attractive. Suggestion, I wish the girls were required to sport outward stamps with an "18 and up" on them. A warning label if you will? At times, the chatty pack roving girls seemed too youthful. A female fashion choice, I truly enjoyed and hope continues to mainstream mass apparel appeal is the lingerie as outerwear trend. The chicks who were wearing outdoor bras, amped their sex appeal upwards into the stratosphere. I'm surprised my head didn't fall off. The alcoholic beers after a tip, were priced at stupid expensive levels. Especially for Texas. We are known for many things in Texas, and wallet busting beer prices, ain't one of them. Overall the ACL Fest is a welcoming, easy going, and inviting ambiance. You can intrinsically feel the popularity of the event.
This is the section were I give a personal review of the artists and performances, I witnessed first hand.
George Ezra, 22 year old promising singer/song writer. A little too sleepy, yet his pop songs were energetic fun sing alongs.
Gary Clark Jr. is a wizard with the electric guitar, and a talented star.
Foo Fighters, at least Dave Grohl is still alive, working, and a role model human. He led the set with a broken foot in a cast. My inner athlete and football player self, gave him instant warrior rock star credibility. The Foo Fighters are a very musically savvy, engaging, professional and experienced rock group.
Echo Smith, a group of teenagers on a very large stage. They are a promising pop punk band, with a tad too much "girly" sound.
Walk The Moon. An extremely fun, boisterous and colorful show. I got to spend this one, behind a tall, cute girl with freckles. She enjoyed randomly making out with me.
Modest Mouse. They played "Dramamine" and I got passed some excellent smoke. It sent me to a rarely visited, euphoric buzz world. After a beer and a random talk I made it over to the Saturday night headliner, Drake. His crowd was the largest of the entire ACL Festival 2015. I envisioned the artist,
Drake as a rapper. I was wrong. Drake to me, is more accurately described as a "Canadian Crooner" Often times, he was singing rather than rapping. Well, whatever his music style is, the people embraced it.
The 3rd day of ACL, & 3rd hungover day, starts sluggishly. Any Sunday of ACL Fest is the tortoise in the race. It begins at a snail's pace. More quick Artist Reviews.
Lord Huron, is a country rock band who jams out. Manly and proud.
Halsey sounded too similar to the artist
Lourde. Dark and depressing.
The Decemberists sound and stage image could be described as "Dad Rock." Just lively enough to keep the listener awake.
Of Monsters and Men, were foreign Icelandic Rock Bliss. Their mix of female and male vocals is cohesive and artsy.
Dwight Yoakam is the Country, you wish all country really was. I actually 2 stepped during his show, with a pretty girl from the food court. The Country show, was a fun experience personally for me. The pretty girl human touch has those powers.
The Weekend is a new version of Michael Jackson, with a "Rhythm and Blues" flavor. The Weekend covered recent pop songs, and delighted the audience with his youthful vigor and modern influences. To Close out the ACL Festival 2015, was
Florence and the Machine. The lead singer's name is Gillian Welch. I would describe her voice as a "mermaid siren". Very powerful, very beautiful, with alien-esque uniqueness. Wonderful!
Well, that was the ACL Music Festival 2015, through my pretty eyes.
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