Austin City Limits Music Festival, 2005
This weekend I sweated my way through 108 degree Austin weather to experience for the second year in a row the Austin City Limits Music Festival. I went all three days to the festival last year, but only made it to the Sunday shows this year. When I first arrived with my friend Ashlie and her friend Paul, I felt paralyzed from the heat and was wondering why on earth I had decided to put myself through this again.
The first band we saw was the Doves, and they're one of my favorites, but their stage performance wasn't that much different from listening to one of their CDs. We left early to find some shade and something cold to drink.
The next band we saw was Arcade Fire, and they were by far the best performance of the day, and from other people I talk to, I hear they were the best all weekend. It was during their performance that I realized why I like coming to this festival. First of all it's great people watching. Austin is the perfect city of people watching, especially at a music festival. Secondly, I like being a part of something big that's happening in the city where I live. Last of all, it's very relaxing laying down my blanket, closing my eyes, and just listening to live music.
The next performance was the Decembrists, and they were good too. The last band we saw was Wilco. I love Wilco. Even though I didn't enjoy their performance as much as Arcade Fire's, they're such a sentimental favorite of mine that I loved seeing them again. Wilco to me is everything I love about Austin. I began listening to them the winter after I moved here, and I associate so many good memories with their songs.
We left after Wilco, and I'll admit this even though I will probably be banned from being a contributor to this blog from here on after. Coldplay played last, and I didn't go. My friends aren't big fans of theirs, and I didn't really care either way. Also, so many people were showing up for it that there was dust from the dirt on the ground flying everywhere. People who remembered this fact from last year were smart enough to bring surgical masks to wear when this happened.
At the end of the day I enjoyed a warm shower and meal more than I ever had before. Even though it's miserable at times, I will more than likely put myself through the heat again next year.
But just in case some member of the festival planning committee is reading this, would it be so hard to move it up few weeks??? A three day outside festival with no shade in Austin, TX in September??? It's the hottest month of the year! Seriously, people! I feel especially sorry for bands who have never been here before because they're probably thinking, "Yeah, it's outside, but hey, it's September, it can't be THAT hot." Poor ignorant fools. But my props to all the bands who played their hearts out when I didn't even have the energy to remain standing for an entire performance.
The first band we saw was the Doves, and they're one of my favorites, but their stage performance wasn't that much different from listening to one of their CDs. We left early to find some shade and something cold to drink.
The next band we saw was Arcade Fire, and they were by far the best performance of the day, and from other people I talk to, I hear they were the best all weekend. It was during their performance that I realized why I like coming to this festival. First of all it's great people watching. Austin is the perfect city of people watching, especially at a music festival. Secondly, I like being a part of something big that's happening in the city where I live. Last of all, it's very relaxing laying down my blanket, closing my eyes, and just listening to live music.
The next performance was the Decembrists, and they were good too. The last band we saw was Wilco. I love Wilco. Even though I didn't enjoy their performance as much as Arcade Fire's, they're such a sentimental favorite of mine that I loved seeing them again. Wilco to me is everything I love about Austin. I began listening to them the winter after I moved here, and I associate so many good memories with their songs.
We left after Wilco, and I'll admit this even though I will probably be banned from being a contributor to this blog from here on after. Coldplay played last, and I didn't go. My friends aren't big fans of theirs, and I didn't really care either way. Also, so many people were showing up for it that there was dust from the dirt on the ground flying everywhere. People who remembered this fact from last year were smart enough to bring surgical masks to wear when this happened.
At the end of the day I enjoyed a warm shower and meal more than I ever had before. Even though it's miserable at times, I will more than likely put myself through the heat again next year.
But just in case some member of the festival planning committee is reading this, would it be so hard to move it up few weeks??? A three day outside festival with no shade in Austin, TX in September??? It's the hottest month of the year! Seriously, people! I feel especially sorry for bands who have never been here before because they're probably thinking, "Yeah, it's outside, but hey, it's September, it can't be THAT hot." Poor ignorant fools. But my props to all the bands who played their hearts out when I didn't even have the energy to remain standing for an entire performance.
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2 Comments:
You are banned. Take your Wilco-loving sensibilities and post on a site that is more forgiving for those that dare skip Chrissi Martin.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
It is rather difficult to read about you willfully missing a band most of us would pay a LOT to see, but I'm glad you had a good experince.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
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